1 - lazydog
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- Registered: 06-2-2022
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Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
Disappointed! My new 1961 Studio 44 arrived intact -- well packed, thank you FB Marketplace guy -- but was dismayed to find the drawband broken. Tried to reattach it and I fear bolloxed up the mainspring, which now does not increase tension when I rotate it clockwise. Have never tangled with mainspring or drawband before -- found a little online help, but fear mainly that on my first attempt I wound it too tight and broke it, since I get no tension either way but a slight click on each rotation. Feel like such a newb...and I am in love with this machine, want it very badly to work, but patience. The greatest thing working on typewriters is teaching me is patience. Anyway, any mainspring whisperers very welcome...thanks.
- lazydog
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Re: Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
Wait y'all, NVM -- I think this is my problem. If I can just get the thing off and open I can remount it and will be set to go, right? But wind counterclockwise I gather.
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Thread Starter- lazydog
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Re: Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
Actually mainspring repair feels like its above my paygrade at present. I could just strip down my Underwood 21 and use its mainspring and drawband I guess. The action was always too firm on that one, even with the great Rob Bowker insight -- and the action on the S44 is like butter. Do I make the U21 a parts machine for the greater good of the Studio 44? I guess I will sleep on it. Thank you for your support.
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Thread Starter- M. Höhne
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Re: Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
@lazydog: "But wind counterclockwise I gather." No, not necessarily at all. The direction to wind the mainspring depends on how it is designed in the first place and on which side you are viewing it from. Note that the myoldtypewriter post is about a completely different machine than yours. The principles are the same but not the details. You will end up figuring it out by observation and logic.
Mainsprings can be dangerous! She might have been "a bit melodramatic" in this case but she was more lucky. They fly out with a lot of force if you're not ready. Many repairmen advise gloves and safety glasses but at least a cautious awareness. It can be done; we do it all the time. Just be careful. Good Luck.
If yours is broken rather than simply detached you might have a bigger problem. Spring steel is a different material than we are used to and bending or drilling might require heat treatment to be doable. Let us know how it goes.
If you do need a replacement, you might find one from a clock repair shop rather than cannibalizing another Olivetti.
- lazydog
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Re: Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
I appreciate your thoughts! It does look tricky and dangerous; I would rather be taught how to do it. Wish I had a clock shop here in my small town.
In the light of day I am reconsidering -- I might even look into taking it to the typewriter shop in the big town two hours away to make sure it comes out right.
I do think that in the absence of actual side-by-side mentorship there's no substitute for trial and error in this stuff. YouTube can only get you so far: you gotta break things to learn how to fix things.
I will keep you posted!
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Thread Starter- lazydog
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Re: Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
Well, I did end up cannibalizing the mainspring from the U21, and now the 44 works like a charm. I am sure some of you could have found a more elegant solution, but I used what I had. Plus now I know how to swap out a mainspring. I also know you can’t put a mainspring from the Royal Epoch garbage typewriter you might have paid $200 for five years ago for your son. Because you hoped you wouldn’t have to go the 21. But as you probably know the bolt is too big and whole different nut assembly, so that’s still $200 I’ll never get back. I’ll fix the U21 soon, I love it as well — but the Studio 44 is my precious now!
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Thread Starter- Pete E.
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Re: Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
Congratulations on the repair !
- lazydog
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- Registered: 06-2-2022
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Re: Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
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Thread Starter- Pete E.
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Re: Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
For some reason your photos do not open up for me. It gets me to the Imgur site, but only dark screen and no photo(s) appear.
You might try to copy the "Direct Link" on Imgur...see area highlighted in the red box, below...
.
.
- lazydog
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Re: Studio 44 -- broken mainspring?
Oh desr, thanks. I hope these work
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