1 of 1- Maschinengeschrieben
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- From: Germany
- Registered: 09-7-2015
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Erika (Modell 3) Folding Typewriter / Replacment Spring
I recently bought a German Erika 3 Folding Typewriter in overhaul excellent condition, the only problem with this machine is, that the old Metal Spring which normally would pull the carriage to the left when pressing a Key or the Space Bar is broken. This spring is so old (around 100 years) that the Metal got brittle and it’s no longer possible to strain this spring without it getting broken again, no matter how often repair it.
Sooo, do you guys have an idea how I can get a fitting replacement spring?
The Spring is 3,2 cm wide, around 0,6 cm high and has a strength (Thickness) of around 0,35 mm. It’s a strip steel Spring.
Sadly I can't upload any Pictures to this Forum or give you a Link to a Picture because I'm a new Member and this is my fist post, if you want an Image of an Erika 3, just search it on Google Images.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Learned watchmaker and office machine enthusiast from Germany.
- TypewriterGuy
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Re: Erika (Modell 3) Folding Typewriter / Replacment Spring
You can most likley get one from a hardware store. I doubt anyone would have one, and if they did it will also be brittle.
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Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
- Maschinengeschrieben
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Re: Erika (Modell 3) Folding Typewriter / Replacment Spring
I just used a Spring of an Olympia Traweller Deluxe in My Erika just to find out that you can’t compress it far enough, so the carriage just get pulled nearly half the way.
...well...
Learned watchmaker and office machine enthusiast from Germany.
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Thread Starter- malole
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Re: Erika (Modell 3) Folding Typewriter / Replacment Spring
Hello, and welcome to Typewriter Talk. I think you might have to keep on searching for a suitable mainspring from another typewriter to fit into your Erika. I have heard of new mainsprings for grammophones, but not typewriters.
- Uwe
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Re: Erika (Modell 3) Folding Typewriter / Replacment Spring
Maschinen, you need a mainspring for the drawband drum, correct. I doubt that the spring is "brittle". It was most likely hardened and then tempered, which is why it will break when you try to bend it. I have repaired many mainsprings by using a blow torch to heat the metal before bending it into a new shape. Depending on where the spring broke you should be able to do this as well.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Maschinengeschrieben
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Re: Erika (Modell 3) Folding Typewriter / Replacment Spring
"mainspring", " drawband drum" yes, totally, thanks, I didn’t know the correct Term. I already tried to glue it with Industrial Instant glue, but that failed too. Since I don’t own a blow torch I’m going to see what I can find. Maybe I’m asking friends or neighbors if they have something similar. It was broken quite at the end, but I have tried to bend it and it broke several times, so I don’t k now how much of the material is wasted, around 4 to 5 cm.
Learned watchmaker and office machine enthusiast from Germany.
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Thread Starter- Uwe
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Re: Erika (Modell 3) Folding Typewriter / Replacment Spring
If it's near the end then you should be fine. I've not had any problems with losing such a small amount off of the end of a mainspring since the tension adjustment range on a full spring is quite large.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Maschinengeschrieben
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Re: Erika (Modell 3) Folding Typewriter / Replacment Spring
I have tried another industrial metal glue now, and is worked, I have brought this machine back to life. So it is repaired for now, we will see how long it will least. If it will break again, I'm going to repair it properly, I mean... properly, not just gluing it back together ,for some reason I fell so foolish having done that xD
Learned watchmaker and office machine enthusiast from Germany.
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