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- jrcjon
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Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
After several years wanting to get a nice typewriter and probably start a collection of portables, on Sunday I finally found an attractive Remington portable number 1 at a reasonable price.
Having read about buying typewriters a number of times I thought I had checked that everything worked (other than feeding a sheet of paper in and typing) prior to making an offer to buy it.
It was covered in dust, grime and dried grass cuttings, but after reading about cleaning vintage typewriters and spending a couple of hours with cloths and cotton buds, I now have a lovely looking machine. Unfortunately during this process I realised that whilst everything I checked seemed to work in the shop the platen is locked solid and won't rotate. I think I have tried every clip and lever but it remains firm.
Can anyone help? Have I missed a lock somewhere or is it a more fundamental problem? Do I need to remove the platen and clean and check underneath? If so then how?
Many thanks in advance
Jonathan
Last edited by jrcjon (29-4-2015 06:44:19)
- jrcjon
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Re: Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
I forgot to mention..the serial number is NC42129 which I think, having checked on the typewriter database, makes it a Remington Portable No.1 made in October 1924.
Thanks
Last edited by jrcjon (29-4-2015 04:05:15)
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Thread Starter- malole
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Re: Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
It might be that the feed-rollers are flattened so much that they are preventing it from turning. I have one that has a very reluctant platen and the feed-rollers definitely need new rubber. Other than that, a serious clean won't go amiss, and taking the platen off will tell you more than you can see right now. But it isn't always easy. There's a great how-to post on removing platen and rejuvenating feed-rollers and platen here
good luck with it and don't give up on it! They are such nice little machines when they work.
- jrcjon
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Re: Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
Thanks malole.
I had already thought it may be the feed rollers so have checked them already from the rear. Whilst they are flattened it doesn't seem to be them that it preventing the platen from rotating. It seems to be more like something is locked solid somewhere.
I will follow those very instructions carefully over the weekend and hopefully have it fully functional soon.
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Thread Starter- jrcjon
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Re: Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
Thanks again for the instructions you sent a link to malole. I got the tools out on Monday and finished putting it all back together again yesterday - other than flattened off feed rollers (as you suggested) and a very hard platten I now have a lovely functioning Remington Portable.
I have read that rubber restorer or rejuvenator can help soften the rubber and that a number of people on here were about to try it when they posted about it a few months ago. Did anyone have any success? Did it both soften the platen/ rollers and make them more grippy? I dont really want to think about having to go to the expense of replacing a platen so soon into my new hobby.
Last edited by jrcjon (06-5-2015 07:30:45)
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Thread Starter- Uwe
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Re: Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
jrcjon wrote:
I have read that rubber restorer or rejuvenator can help soften the rubber and that a number of people on here were about to try it when they posted about it a few months ago. Did anyone have any success? Did it both soften the platen/ rollers and make them more grippy?
I juse rejuvinator spray all the time, mostly though for cleaning platens that are splattered with White Out and are otherwise covered in many decades of dust and dirt. It does help to revive the platen a little, but if it's rock hard and cracked then I wouldn't put my hopes that a spray will fix it. Of all my typewriters I probably only have two or three with platens that need to be recovered, so I'm always surprised by how many reports there are here of them needing replacement; either I've been extremely lucky with platens or some don't realize that they aren't as bad as they might think. One thing is certain: If you buy a can of rejuvinator and it doesn't help your platen, you really haven't wasted any money. The spray should be a part of your cleaning kit anyway, and it's an inexpensive thing to try before having the platen refurbished.
You might also want to take a look at the dunk cleaning instructions: Part 3 - item #4. There are plenty of similar recommendations floating around, and as with the spray, it's a nothing-to-lose potential solution.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- jrcjon
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Re: Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
The platen isn't cracked its just pretty hard and doesn't grip the paper that well. I will get a can of rejuvenator. Any particular brand or type I should be looking for? I have tried online but there doesn't seem to be a large selection available here in the UK.
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Thread Starter- Spazmelda
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Re: Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
I bet it will help. I got some called Rubber Renu and it's great for cleaning and improving the grip a bit. Like Uwe said, I don't think it will work miracles, but it freshens the platen and rollers up nicely.
- Uwe
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Re: Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
The platen isn't cracked its just pretty hard and doesn't grip the paper that well.
Maybe a light sanding would work. And are you sure the poor grip isn't because of worn feed rollers?
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- jrcjon
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Re: Beginners mistakes- Remington Portable Number 1 platen won't rotate
I have just ordered a bottle of Rubber Renue - hopefully that will help.
The feeder rollers are quite flat on one side - how do you normally deal with this? Can they be sanded so that they are rounder or do they just need replacing?
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