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I have a Spanish Olivetti Lettera 32 that when I set the touch selector to the softest touch, there are a few keys that return slowly, sometimes so slow that I accidentally hit them with the next typebar/letter. How can I fix that? Is it a matter of cleaning, or springs that might need replacing?
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Sky
Hi Zanxion
This sounds to me to be purely a matter of dirt or dried lubricating oil in the segment slots. If I understand correctly, the method for doing a deep down cleaning of the segment slots and type bars is with the use of a guide wire formed with the correct curvature of the machine being serviced. The retaining screws for the segment wire are removed and the segment wire slid out just far enough to release the first type bar. The type bar is then lifted out and cleaned as is its slot in the segment. The type bar is then positioned back in the segment and the guide wire is inserted to hold the type bar in place.
This operation is repeated with every type bar and its corresponding slot until all have been cleaned. At this point, the type bars are all held in place with the guide. The segment wire is then cleaned and reinserted into the segment while pulling out the guide wire making sure the two wires stay in contact with each other so no type bars become separated from their slots in the segment. The segment wire retaining screws are reinstalled to secure the segment wire in place.
There are two camps when it comes to oiling the segment or not. An oiled segment will allow the type bars to move smoothly and freely, but the oil with attract dirt possibly resulting in a grinding compound that accelerates wear of the type bar pivot points. The other camp is to leave the segment completely dry. Although there will be no lubrication between metal and metal, the slots and type bars will stay clean and dry as there is no oil to attract dirt. Hope this gives you something to think about,
Sky
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Dear Sky,
Thank you very much for your invaluable information. Indeed it was a matter of cleaning and letting it dry. It feels much better now.
Now I have another issue with paper being crumbled when the top edge of the page touches the paper rest. Some times it does it so badly that it lifts the paper bail. What a mess!
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Hi Again Zanxion
When loading paper into a typewriter, it is common practice to manually lift the paper bale, guide the paper under the bale then set the bale back onto the paper. If the top edge of the paper is crumpling as it feeds through the paper tray or trough, one can feed the paper in at an angle, then straighten it up using the paper release lever before typing. Hope this points you in the right direction,
Sky
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Hi Sky,
I meant that the paper crumples when its top edge reaches to the paper table. But it was my bad this time. I used softened paper from my wife's printer. That paper when used in double sheets as it is already a bit wavy, when the top edge of the paper get passed the paper bail rollers, it meets the sheet on the other side on the table almost vertically and the platen starts pushing it against the table almost vertically instead at an angle.
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Just for the history of it.Sticky keys where persistent after the best cleaning I ever gave to a typewriter. Then I noticed that some keys had dirty sides just below the type slugs. I rubbed them with some sand paper and now they are sticky no more!
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