Gossen Tippa Christmas Gift

This is a spiced wine that I first heard about when I worked for the Germans.  The brand they had was different and a bit spicier.  Perhaps more alcohol content also.

Time to go check the ham roasting in the oven and make some cornbread.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas and hopefully Santa left many typewriters under the Christmas tree.

My other machine I bought is a fixer-upper Erika simply for the challenge.  Plus it has a German keyboard.  Now if anyone knows if 2 cast into the opposite end of the bar with the serial number means the model it will throw a kink into the Erika data on Ted's site.  SN is 9190.  Thanks to Nick Tauriainen who is helping me with this one.

This number shows up with full size machines, not portables.  I have a portable that kind of looks like an Erika model 5, but the serial number is waaaayyyyy off.  The only number I can find.

Another J.J. Short Platen installed on an Underwood Master

New one as I unpacked it

 Here are some photos of how I changed the platen with more step by step instructions than my Rhythm Touch post (11 April 2015).  Please review the photos first if you use these as a guide to help change a platen as some are out of order.

First remove the two screws on top of each end cover and remove the left end cover.  Then remove the right knob.  Remove the right end cover.  Next remove this collar. (No collar on my Rhythm Touch)

Collar

Then go to the left end and using a spring hook (or carefully use a screwdriver) pull back the line space ratchet dog and rotate the line feed release lever up as shown so it can be removed.  This is a bit different than my SS or Rhythm Touch.  On the SS there is room to remove the lever out the back beside the spring hook.

This is a better shot of the dog with the lever removed.  I started to pull the rod out.  Gently pull and twist the rod to remove it.  To start pull back on the dog lever as shown to relieve the tension against the ratchet gear.

I missed the image of the rod as it was remved.  Blogger is too flaky to even attempt to insert the photo.  This is the rod after I cleaned it with Scotch-Brite.  Steel wool could be used also.

Another out of position photo.  Blogger is not the most user-friendly blog application.  This photo belongs after the collar photo.  The first thing I did on the left end was to remove the right-most screw in the above photo.  Then I loosened the left one so the carriage release lever would hang free of the ratchet gear (also something I did not need to do with the Rhythm Touch).

This is the lever clear of obstructing rod removal.

I planned to put this photo atop the others to show the old platen.  This one is my fault for getting in the wrong position as I could not find it in my directory to put it where it belongs.  I already had photos cued in Blogger when I noticed this one.

Old on left.  New on right.  It is an optical illusion if the old one looks smaller.

After laying the platen in the carriage tray the rod is re-inserted starting the removal process in reverse.  Then put the collar back on and align the flat of the rod with the set screw.  I align the platen screws at the same time in the same position.  Tighten the collar screw and then the one on each end of the platen.

This is the new platen installed on the typewriter.

The entire process takes about 20 minutes including the time it took me to clean the dirt out of the carriage, polish the metal I missed in the first cleaning, and treating the bottom feed rollers with rubber rejuvenator.

I'm re arranging my lab at work. As soon as a bit of minor construction is completed and I get everything organized as I want this typewriter will return to the lab where I can use it for work.  

I also have my newest Hermes 3000 there.  I took that one in when I started last year.  Since it is a portable I can always find room for it.  When I need a typewriter I use it.  I only wish I had one nice typewriter with a real carriage instead of all these short ones.  I unloaded my Praxis 48 for an IBM Selectric-II because it had a short platen.  I hate file labels and writing on file tabs.  I love using a typewriter for that job.  I guess my first typewriter for 2016 will be another old Underwood full size machine with a full size platen (12 or 13 inch).  I love the 10 inch platens on portables, but office size machines need office size platens.

The Revolution is here!

Many who follow this blog know the above brand is not one of my favored ones, but I do have 3 I really enjoy using.  This is one of them.  Fast, Snappy, and the links do not fall out like its preceding model.  This one only needs a new ribbon.  More on this and my Olympia family in a future post. 

The Typewriter Revolution

Today is 10 no matter if it is binary 1010 or decimal, and my SM3.

I changed to full page typing a while back.  Decided to change back to blog width.

I'm not sure I like full page or blog width.  Full page is easier to type.  Half sheet saves paper and displays without clicking on it.

Montana 2

This typewriter required U.C./L.C. alignment.  a 6mm ignition wrench is required, 2 if you want to hold the adjustment screw while tightening the lock nut.

One of several screw holders I find very useful while working on electronics and TYPEWRITERS.

Alignment as found

Getting better, but not quite.  The paper guide needs moved and more adjusting of the lower case.

Same screw for lower case on the right side.  The screw above is left side upper case alignment. This is as far as lower case can go.  The slight misalignment will stay.

The same on the left.  The bottom screw is the lower case alignment.

To align the type slugs to be perfectly aligned requires lowering of the guide and this guide is not adjustable.  It is stamped and formed and attached to the back of the carriage rail.

Typecast from the workbench.

This is the linkage below the right shift key. The design must have been made by a drunk engineer and approved by a drunker manager.

As with all my typewriters.  The time to give the type slugs a good cleaning is when the machine is apart for maintenance.

7 screws must be removed from the typewriter's housing and the slide that is pressed to open the case cover must also be removed.  One must be careful when doing this as the 2 springs will take flight if not prepared for the spring loading of the slide.

The older Montana Luxe had a cork rest that I replaced.  This one has a foam one.

Plastic Plastic Plastic.  I do not like plastic. It is fragile, dries, and had very low strength.  The entire case and bottom plate is plastic on this Montana. Notice the bar that needs pressed to release the cover.  It is the same one that needs pressed to remove the typewriter's housing for access to the mechanics of the machine.

Stif'ner.

 I was putting this typecast together when I realized I did not proof read and correct my typed sheets.  Hope my sloppy typing is not too difficult to read.

I could have gone into more detail on how I do an alignment also.  I always use 2 wrenches. Pliers slip too easily and strip the corners of the nuts or hex head screws.  I loosen the lock nuts on which ever adjustment I want to make first or which ever is not aligned to the index line.  In the case of this Montana I could not raise the lower case any more than it was.  I was left with adjusting the index guide, bending the adjustment hardware, or letting well-enough alone.  I chose the latter.

Then I loosened the lock nuts on the upper case adjusting screws and gave each screw one half turn to see which direction it adjusted.  I do this so I can go back the half turn and turn the screw one half turn in the other direction should my first be wrong.  I check alignment.  Then I turn each screw 1/4 turn at a time until both upper and lower cases align.  Then I hold the adjustment screw whild tightening the lock nut.

On many machines the wire is not in the way of wrenching the screw.  On the Baby, Rocket, and Montana the frame is on one side of the adjuster and a wire on the other.  I straddle the wire with the open end of the wrench and it seems to work fine and does not bend the wire.  Alternately one could hope to find the correct typewriter wrench on Ebay or grind the sides of ignition wrenches.

I used to work with a fellow from Poland who ran the distillery.  Stif'ner was a gift.

I'm Back

Mrs.  or the Boss, Enjoying herself at the hotel in California

Our Grandson and our favorite daughter. 

We went to California for our Grandson's graduation from boot camp.  He is now an official U.S. Marine following in the footsteps of a Great Great Uncle and 2 cousins that he never knew.  I think I have the relationship correct.  My great uncle was a Medic during WWII and was on the beach on D-Day.

Not much of a typecast.  I was not sure of a subject then today I got into the mood to type at my stand up typewriter in the garage.  I'm not that good at typing and thinking of what to type at the same time and make terrible mistakes.  I should at least make an outline first. 

I have a few typecasts I started and one I was going to use that I wrote last week end.  They may all get posted in the future.

I thought to do some on fountain pens.  I bought a few since my last pencast.

More on typewriters is on the way.