Finally, an Olivetti Lettera 32 Added to the Collection

Warning there are a lot of boring images after the typecast...

After cleaning the type slugs the typeface is now clean and clear.  Also, I got so used to using acetone it seemed like it took forever to dissolve decades of accumulated hardened ink and dirt with denatured alcohol, even using a dental pick.

First things first. On a warm sunny spring day, set up the Harbor Freight work table, place typewriter on top, open ribbon cover, remove ribbon.

Next remove the 4 screws that hold on the cover.  Remove the cover. Notice it must be removed left to right because the carriage lock lever prevents removing it right to left.

Washers are squashed so I measured for new ones.

More accurate measurement, measure the O.D. of the washer.  Convert to mm later.

Example of the dirt.

More dirt.

Remove the cover by placing a screw driver under the washer between the frame and washer.  Twist the screw driver and pry the cover up off of the T-shaped post.

One corner loose.

I had a better idea. Use my bent-nose pliers.  These are 90-deg. 60-deg. may have worked better.

Work the pliers between the grommet and frame. Rock the pliers back. (in the image this would be rock them handles to the right) to pry the bottom plate free.

Now the bottom plate will lift free.

Front of the plate is held by tabs placed into slots on the next image.

Pointing to one of the slots.

More dirt.  Note the loose spring that can be seen in the hole in the center of the image.

Looking for where it fastened, I found this tab under the adjustment screw.  Looks like this is where the spring is anchored.

The bar on the right in the image is the margin release. The M.R. key would not return after it was pressed. Notice the brown blotch? It was rubbing against the felt on the bottom plate. I checked the plate for flatness. It was fine. The bar was bowed. I straightened it.  Fixed.

This crack was not on the ad for the typewriter.  The image on the ad clearly shows no crack.  I'll be getting some JB Weld to reinforce the housing behind the crack.

I did not and do not want one made in Spain.

The way Starrett oil is packaged. My can is several years old. Oil lasts much longer in a sealed can than in sealed plastic.

Portable workbench is from Harbor Freight when they have them.  Normally they are about $50 and often they have them on special for $20 or so. I got this one for around $10 before the price increased.  The air compressor (from Harbor Freight) is great for those who do not have room for a full size compressor. Runs about $100 when not on special. I think I paid about $50 for this one last year on one of their summer holiday 3-day special sales. The green Flexilla hose is extra.

A few tools of my electronics trade that work great for quick typewriter adjustments and repairs in the house.

If the images were not too boring and you made it this far, The last thing I did was clean the type slugs and test the typewriter.

I'll be making a trip to the hardware store for some acetone too.

The Flexilla hose shown on my compressor is a piece I made from a bulk spool of Flexilla air hose. It is some of the best, most flexible, and wear resistant hose I've found. When I worked in FL my boss bought a spool to try.  Everyone who used the hose loved it. After some was in service for about a year or more it was still in good shape.

Needless to say that all the rubber hose went to the dump.

Flexilla is made in Taiwan.  The company also makes excellent cold weather electric extension cords and garden hose.  I hate to admit, their products are better than equal U.S.A. made as I have had and used both.

Until we moved to Michigan I always used (like for 40 or so years) Gates Soft & Subtle garden hose because it was flexible year-round (even in PA and VA winters). I had several USA made extension cords that were to be good in winter. but none stayed as flexible in the snow as Flexilla. Now I use Flexilla.

Now for what I do not like about Flexilla.  The plastic fittings on their pre-made air hose.  I cut them off and install good brass ones.  I do not like the aluminum couplings on the garden hose, but so far they are as good or better than the brass coated steel ones on all other brands of consumer grade hoses.

When my pressure washer needs a new high pressure hose I plan to give a Flexilla high pressure hose a try, after all all the other ones come from China.

An Anniversary And a Rocket

I enhanced this a bit in GIMP to hopefully make it a bit more readable, typos and all.

 GIMP only works with JPEG. I've been using DarkTable for RAW.

I used a butterfly clip to weight the end of the paper.  Whichever long edge was over the side got the clip.  At the beginning the blank sheet, about half way down the sheet I placed the clip in the finished half.  This was a great way to keep the paper from flopping in the breeze.

This is one beautiful typer. I wish it did not lack a tabulator and touch regulator, but it has a nicer bell than any of my Hermes 3000s. Ding!

Screw with the allen head is not original. Some one in this typewriter's past did not know to unlock the locking nut before attempting to turn the screw and broke half of the screw head off.

Same situation as the above photo. I had to replace the upper case adjustment screw.  Another typewriter saved by McMaster-Carr.

After I cleaned this typewriter (which looked good before cleaning) it looks new.

Like many square body Hermes 3000 typewriters, This one needed a knob also. I think this is a knob from an old Underwood drilled out to fit the metric shaft.

My office/typing room is a spare bedroom we use for storage.

 I bought this when I spied the German/French characters on the keyboard.
Price was right too. I'm guessing because the seller did not know how to adjust the alignment.  When I got it the lower case looked good, but only the bottom half of the upper case letters would print.

Lest we forget, there is an afternoon of fun planned to take place in Grand Rapids.

I get 90% of my hardware from McMaster-Carr.  (including my Starrett oil) I also get rubber feet and other parts common to electronics and typewriters from Parts Express.

Underwood Typewriter Tripod Desk & Case

Sent from my 1936 Underwood Universal

First I had to free all the legs from being painted fast and corroded hinges.

Typewriter in the case will get a new case.

Evidence of the legs being closed while the paint was still tacky, and the corrosion at the joints.

My go-to oil for all my typewriters so I thought I'd give it a try here (I'm one of those who do not like 3-n-1 oil (also from the WD-40 Co. as I understand)

Table with the typewriter mounted.

The spring clasp paper holder is a good place to keep the repro of the manual which really does match the model of this typewriter (Underwood Universal Touchmaster)

The completed desk, chair, and typewriter.  I wanted to see if the lid would be able to stay on the table. I would not type with the lid attached, it puts way too much stress on the hinges.

The chair (between $8 and $10 at Wal-Mart) seems the perfect height when matched to the table.

The typewriter most often seen with this table seems to be the Universal. (or t least they look like Universals) Mine though was made a few decades before the table was even invented.

According to Robert Messenger over at oz.Typewriter this table was patented in 1956. My typewriter was made in 1936, and it fits perfectly into the case.

Next project will be to strip the paint from the legs, and clean the covers on the typewriter, and install a fresh ribbon.  A previous owner, who by the evidence on the case, did not know how to paint.  Good intentions to keep the case/table looking good, but gone about incorrectly. The entire case and table were heavily spray painted in glossy black. The legs were folded while the paint was still soft or tacky.  Therefore I'm guessing the owner did not know how to re-extend the legs and along the way the seller did not know either, so I got it cheap.  It arrived Thursday while I was finishing some work in the yard.  I decided yesterday would be a good time to set it up.

When finally ready I found it to be quite sturdy.  My only complaint is (ever since I first saw one) is that the table part should be on the right as that is the common place to put a copy stand.  Perhaps William John Wade was left-handed.

There is more information in the 2 posts here 

 

Blogger no longer allows me to comment on my own posts.     Another good reason to change to wordpress!!!!!

 If you leave a comment without your email I will not be able to answer your questions like how to open the legs.  If you press the little tab on the leg it will unfold.  Robert Messenger explains with photos -- follow the link.