Typewriter Talk / Olympia Olympiette SEP - In Coming...

**Posted by Pete E.** 03-9-2021 19:32:07

Got this for a "win" on SGW for $ 19 USD and a little more for S&H.

I was looking for my first made-in-Japan machine and wanted a machine with electric type-bar mechanism yet still having a manual CR lever, etc.

Reported to type well and no issued noted. Made in the late 1970's or early 1980's.

I will post up more photos once I have it home and have a chance to clean & service it.
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**Posted by Maschinengeschrieben** 05-9-2021 12:53:54

looks like a lower end report deluxe. I love my report deluxe. I used it in school to write many of my papers and exams. I actually hauled that thing to school because by handwriting was so horrid. Still is.

**Posted by Pete E.** 05-9-2021 16:07:15

Hi Gerd,

Yes...I think you are correct. Probably a scaled-down version of the fully-electric Report and Report Deluxe.

I wanted this Olympiette SEP because the carriage return is still manually operated, while the key-tops and type-slug levers are driven electrically.

I do not think the SEP model has any "touch control" lever either.

I look forward to having it arrive at my home next week.

**Posted by Pete E.** 12-9-2021 17:38:49

Got the Olympiette SEP (made in Japan) on my work bench today for a good clean and service. Belt looks brand new with no cracks. Motor is very, very quiet and got a good dusting out with compressed air.

It is a very enjoyable machine on which to type. Key-tops and type-slugs hitting the platen/paper is all electric.

All carriage functions are manual. It has a Tabulator but it has fixed factory Tab-sets every 10 characters all the way across the platen. No clearing or setting of Tabs allowed. I love how it still is electric and has a CR lever at the same time. Back-space is mechanically operated but the space-bar is electric driven and it you hold down the bar, it repeats.

Bell is very melodic. No touch-control on the machine. Guess those up-scale features came with the Report models.

Took about 2-3 minutes to align upper and lower case print alignment. Pair of adjustment screws/lock nuts on either side of the body once the carriage is moved to the other extreme.

The electric mechanism to shift from lower-case to upper-case is VERY energetic and almost makes the machine jump up off the desk surface. I will spend some more time with this tomorrow to see if I can "tame down" the energetic action.

All in, I am into the machine and pristine case and dust cover for a tad over $ 40 USD which included shipping.

Very pleased with this fast and light machine.
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**Posted by Pete E.** 13-9-2021 11:27:22

Forgot to mention...without its case, the SEP machine weighs in at 16.0 lbs.

**Posted by Pete E.** 14-9-2021 07:09:40

As I have learned, this Olympia Olympiette SEP typewriter was most likely made by Nakajima in Japan.

This Sears Electric I typewriter on the TWDB gallery section shows that that machine and this SEP are identical under their plastic body covers.

https://typewriterdatabase.com/1982-sears-electric-1.12240.typewriter

**Posted by JoeV** 18-10-2021 08:23:58

I love my Olympia Reporter electric, one of my favorites. But there’s something special about typebar electrics with manual carriage return levers, like the SCM-made Singer in my collection. The best of both worlds! I hope you get many years of good writing from yours.

**Posted by Pete E.** 20-10-2021 07:38:44

Joe,

You are right...Best of both worlds...still feel like you are using a typewriter with the manual carriage mechanics yet have the light/easy touch of the electric type-bars.

I also have two all-electric machines...an Olympia SGE-35 and a Facit 1840. I enjoy my SEP a bit more with its old-school CR lever mechanics.

**Posted by Paul1986** 27-10-2021 21:26:34

Hello Pete E. First, congrats! What a beauty! I've been on the lookout for an Olympia electric, but they are hard to find locally (I'm in Brazil). I have a Smith Corona Electra 110 that I love to bits, and I was wondering about the difference between these two. Has anyone here had both an Olympia and an SC?