Typewriter Talk / SG-1 paper rollers

**Posted by robmck** 05-2-2023 16:37:01

Looks like my SG-1's rollers are made of cork. Also, they're cracking. What have other folks done to freshen up their rollers? I suppose I could ship everything off to J.J. Short, but I imagine that the hardness would be different with rubber than cork, so the diameters might be different?

Anyway, would welcome any thoughts folks have.

**Posted by Pete E.** 05-2-2023 16:45:31

Rob,

You might stop by a couple of different auto parts stores. They usually have a nice variety of vacuum line rubber hose in various OD/ID's and you have them cut it by the linear foot. In my home town...O'Reilly's and Auto-Zone keep up pretty good inventory from which to choose.

**Posted by skywatcher** 05-2-2023 19:24:04

Hi Rob

As Pete says, vacuum line or fuel line can work quite well for feed roll replacement rubber. The feed rolls are usually much softer than the platen, so a person may even be able to use surgical tubing of the correct diameter. The diameter of feed roll is also not as critical at platen diameter, so as long as the rolls can rotate freely within the paper pan slots, grip the paper and release it when the paper release lever is moved, they should work. With the condition of your cork feed roll, you have nothing to lose by doing some experimenting. Hope this gives you some ideas,

Sky

**Posted by thetypewriterman** 06-2-2023 06:08:01

Just for interest, I think that your feedrolls may have been re-covered in cork/rubber compound, something that Triumph-Adler did as standard but was also offered as an aftermarket option by rubber firms such as Ames. Of course, it is the rubber element which has deteriorated and split, I have seen pure cork feedrolls from the 1930's (admittedly a thicker layer on the core) which are still perfectly servicable - as are cork platens this old.

**Posted by robmck** 06-2-2023 13:23:03

Thanks all! I'll look into tubing to replace these.

Tom, I'm curious about the cork and cork/rubber compound paper feed rollers: it sounds like these were an aftermarket option. What were the perceived advantages of these vs 100% rubber? Cost? Performance? Feel?

**Posted by thetypewriterman** 07-2-2023 06:02:30

The only manufacturer that used cork/rubber compound from new was Triumph-Adler, although it could be ordered as an aftermarket alternative for other makes when feedrolls were being re-covered. The advantage was supposed to be durability. Cork lasts almost indefinitely, but never grips as well as rubber. Mixing the two should in theory give the advantages of both. The mixture does indeed last longer than rubber alone, but as you can see from the photo, it will will split eventually - particularly if the coating is thin. The disadvantage is that it never grips as well as rubber, although a little better than cork on its own.