Typewriter Talk / Hermes baby missing base screws

**Posted by PaulW** 05-7-2025 17:23:51

My early Hermes Baby (visible ribbon spool type) is missing the two screws at the rear that both help hold the machine on to its base and locate the lid when putting it on. These screws have a threaded part, then an unthreaded part, then a slotted cylindrical head which fits into holes in the metal lid.

Anybody know where I could find replacement or equivalent screws?

**Posted by skywatcher** 05-7-2025 21:05:03

Hi Paul

Those are effectively extra tall cheese-head screws, I have an Empire Baby S/N-7434 with the same setup. I don't know about the Hermes Baby, but the screws on the Empire are secured to the back of the body with nuts. A pair of modified Mecanno screws and nuts may be a possible solution. Tom The Typewriter Man would be your best bet for sourcing replacement or similar screws. Hope this points you in the right direction,

Sky

**Posted by PaulW** 06-7-2025 12:27:54

Thanks. After measuring one of the remaining screws I've ordered two M3 x 16mm cheese head screws on eBay. I'll report back on whether they work.

**Posted by PaulW** 09-7-2025 08:11:41

The replacement screws have arrived - the thread needed is indeed M3.The 16mm length I ordered was too long, but they didn't foul anything inside when I tightened them.

But the heads of the modern standard cheese-head screws don't stand proud enough when fully screwed in to secure the thin, bendy metal lid properly - there's a reason why there's a shoulder on the original screws. And they're bright, shiny steel, unlike the blackened originals.

At the moment I've moved the two remaining original screws to the front to engage with the rotating catches on the lid, and put the new screws in the back not fully screwed in And I've ordered (from China ) two M3 threaded spacers. The shortest ones I could find on eBay were 4mm, so we'll see if they're short enough to fit in the holes in the lid.

Next update when they arrive.

**Posted by PaulW** 01-8-2025 11:52:01

The Chinese 4mm threaded spacers work with the screws, but they're a tad too wide to fit into the holes in the case top, so they splay the metal lid out a little. Not perfect, but I'm more confident that there won't be a horrible crash as the typewriter falls out and hits the floor.