I Bought a Junk Machine!

My latest from Ebay arrived today wrapped in cardboard!  Yes, no anything, cardboard, one layer!

Not to fear I bought this as a non working typewriter for parts.  It is a 1964 rounded housing Hermes 3000.  I wanted all the goodies that came with it for my other rounded Hermes 3000.

Now the problem.  This is one fine, I mean the best touch I have on any of my Hermes machines, typer!  It works, almost.  I think the seller or someone not experienced in typing and typewriters tried to work on it for what ever reason.  It types excellently.  If all my Hermes had such a nice touch I never could have commented on their normally mushy feel.

As noted above the machine has problems.  The worst is the margins do not work.   The back carriage cover was not reinstalled correctly so I removed it and unjammed the ribbon indicators and now they work, but no left or right margin.

I will compare it with my other one to see if anything is missing.

Margin release key is jammed.  It is up in its normal position, but will not press.

The bottom of the case was not reinstalled correctly so the machine rocks a bit while typing.

Now I thoroughly understand Little Flower Petals post on her Hermes 3000 that was a bit beat, but an excellent typer.  My machine has not yet lost all of its distinctive Hermes machine shop aroma either.

 http://littleflowerpetals.blogspot.com/2008/09/about-that-hermes-3000.html

I also got some weird looks from the Mrs.  as I opened the second box and removed my Skyriter.  It is one with the stripes.  It is also one that many have posted about: the Skyriter stink, yuk!  This one has mildew smell and mildew on the keys.  More work, a later post and I hope a typewriter to take along on my travels.  Well, a choice.  Now I have 3 Skyriters.

So being a bit perplexed I need to decide: fix this Hermes that I wanted for parts, only take the card guide, or to keep the peace -- clean and repair what I can and resell it?

I need to repair Hermes 3000.2 and see if it types as nice.

Shipping an Olympia B12 Typewriter

Fill the basket with crumpled paper

Lock the basket to prevent it from shifting

Secure the shift lock so it cannot disengage

Wrap the machine with Sara-Wrap (cling film, plastic wrap, etc.  Using no tape to fasten it to the machine.

Fill the voids in the case with crumpled paper

Tape the loose ends and secure the latches

This may be over kill for this typewriter.  I bought it on Ebay and it was shipped to me from California in a box.  Yes, box.  Cardboard and nothing else.  It convinced me the Japanese blow molded cases do their job.  Since then I bought a Brother on line and it was shipped the same way.  Blow molded case in a cardboard box with a bit of cardboard to keep it from shaking.

Both machines arrived in excellent working and cosmetic condition.  I like the molded cases.  They work.  Good transport and protection.

Royal Custom-III

 I was never able to find a manufacturing date for this typewriter.  My guess is that is a mid 1970s machine since the fellow who gave it to the rummage sale used it for college about that time.

Finished Typewriter

Raised H that only prints the bottom half of the letter U.C. or L.C.

Example of some of the dirt

 This typewriter had more white-out on the platen, ribbon path, and housing than what a single bottle of it can hold.  Honestly there was white-out everywhere!  And dust and dirt.

After Cleaning

Cleaning supplies and the machine is ready for a cleaning.

After I had the machine out of the housing with as much removed as I chose the machine is 90% ready for a spray bath.  I covered the key board with aluminum foil to keep the splashes of chemicals from damaging the keys.

Before cleaning I blow as much of the dirt from the machine with compressed air.

After cleaning I use compressed air to blow all the residual chemicals and any junk out of the machine.

One of my favorite tools for cleaning the type slugs is the green handled brush shown beside the tooth brush.  I call it my Barney brush after the green dinosaur children's program.  It is a denture cleaning brush and works great for cleaning type slugs and is not damaged by lighter fluid or acetone.  I got mine for a dollar at Dollar General.  Or other places sell the same brush for around $5.00.  I also use wooden and plastic dental picks to dig crud out of the slugs.

When I first got this typewriter I had to do a bit of cleaning so the type was not all smudges and I had to free some keys to do the Rummage Sale post from October 2011.

One thing -- a word of warning -- that I cannot stress enough about cleaning typewriters or using any kind of spray or chemical that can splash is ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES. 

Even compressed air can blow dirt into one's eye(s).  I use the dust and mist proof ones.  (or a full face shield).  Normal safety glasses and goggles do not meet my personal eye safety and protection standards.

 I also removed the type bar rest vinyl cushion so it would not get damaged from the cleaning chemicals.

This typewriter (IF I can repair the H) and some of the others are going to become part of Ryan's Classroom Typewriter Project.

Here's a link to all the photos I took for this project:
Custom-III