Typewriter Talk / Olympia SM3 platen spinning

**Posted by Mosa** 17-11-2025 23:01:43

Hello all,

So my platen on my SM3 started spinning freely. From Youtube, I saw that it possibly was something inside my platen becoming dislodged. The gear on the right side of the platen is not spinning, which seems good. However, there is a rattling inside. The platen was pretty easy to remove. But, so far I am unable to unscrew the two very tight small screws holding down the right hand gear assembly. Looking in the hole on the left, I can see a green plastic piece, with a fan-like structure sliding around. Any thoughts? (Sorry, I can't seem to get photos uploaded. I think there is an anti-spam feature still on me as a newbie.)

Thanks so much,
Mosa

**Posted by thetypewriterman** 18-11-2025 02:51:27

It does sound as if you will need to remove those two small screws to get inside the freehead. Use a screwdriver that is an exact tight fit in the screw slots. Give the handle of the screwdriver a sharp tap with a small hammer to dislodge the vacuum in the screw threads and try again. You may have a problem getting the platen back into the machine again though. It isn't as easy as removing it. Photos on this website can no longer be viewed in the UK, and possibly some other countries outside America and Canada.

**Posted by Mosa** 19-11-2025 23:45:04

Thank you, thetypewriterman for your reply. I tried the sharp tap as well as some penetrating oil and will see if that works. However, I'm starting to think that this might not be my main problem. I've found that the platen release is not engaging. It looks like I need to take the left side cover off to investigate. Ah, so much fun, so little time. I'll report back on both the platen disassembly and the new possible issue when I can work without rushing. Thanks again.