Hello Typospherians,
Last night I introduced you all to the newest addition to my collection, the Oliver No. 3. I was playing around with it last night and it seemed the ribbon was advancing in a normal fashion (I looked at the top and the bottom of the machine, watching the spools and mechanism), but today when I tried the ribbon again, the typeface tore a hole in it! So, it obviously is not advancing as it should be. I was wondering if any of you have ever had this problem on Oliver 3's and if so, what did you do to fix it? The machine has been cleaned (not deep cleaned, however) and oiled, so I don't think it's as simple as that but was wondering if it may have something to do with the ribbon guides, as they do seem a bit off-kilter. If you have any suggestions or a link, please send them on!
Thank you!
-Anna.
I had this same problem when I got my machine. It's not the feed that is the problem. They advance really slowly, and tends to abuse the ribbon a bit, but you will find if you double sheet your paper, it will stop.
ReplyDeleteThis is because the platen is rock hard and offering no slack to the ribbon and the type bar to move.
Also, check your 'disappearing indicator' and see if it is moving aside readily. If it is bent, it might be getting to close to the type bar and scissoring your ribbon.
Oh yes, my platen is rock hard, so much so that the first time I tested it, I put a hole straight through two sheets of paper. I was typing on a double sheet setup when I noticed the rip.
DeleteWhat is this 'disappearing indicator' you speak of? There is a good chance something is sawing into it, the way the feed up by the strike surface is.
The disappearing indicator is the metal spike that leads out from under the ribbon vibrator to point to where the words are about to be typed onto the page. The indicator should shift to the side, and allow the type bar to impact onto the page.
DeleteGoing through double pages? Sheesh! you must be hitting those keys hard! But yes, it sounds like your platen is so hard that it is not absorbing any of the impact.
The indicator does not move at all, but the ribbon does in the feed (for lack of a better term) fork. The indicator has a dish in one side for the typebars to strike next to. The ribbon feed moves to and fro with each strike and release.
DeleteI must confess that I am a tad heavy-handed...because of the Remington. I believe the springs have gone out, because if you don't tap the keys hard, they don't make enough of an impression to leave ink on paper. When I played with that Smith-Corona Galaxie the other day (and decided that some day, I must acquire one for myself), I discovered it absolutely did not have to be that way. That typer has the lightest action of any I've typed on yet. It was like a dream, and a massive relief to my aching hands! The Oliver has it's own issue as well; if you don't tap quickly or hard, there are some bars that get stuck together. It's something I'm going to have to fix before any significant use.
And the problem is compounded by the platen, which is so hard that it no longer feels like rubber, and it is that disconcerting 'I will crack at the slightest indignity' gray instead of happy platen black. I'm keeping an eye on it. Is there any way to bring that rubber back at all, or should I just be cautious with it and replace it once I'm able?
I think that is likely to be a big part of your problem. On my 5, the indicator swings aside before the type bar comes down. Do a really slow press of a key, and see if the ribbon is jamming between the indicator and the type slug.
DeleteI don't have an Oliver 3, but I don't expect the indicator design to have been different between the 3 and the 5. So I'm guessing that there could be a real problem there. But that certainly would cut holes in your ribbon.
And as for the impression issue. Every Oliver I have seen, has had a weak impression across the bottom of the type. Is your ribbon new or old? I've got one of Jay Respler's coloured ribbons in mine, which was heavily inked, and doesn't have a problem.
DeleteJust looked at an Oliver 3 online, and I suspect that the indicator may in fact not move on that model. But check and see if it s getting too close anyway.
DeleteAs for the platen, it's grey? That's not a good sign. Is the rubber cracking with tiny cracks?
Thanks for the research, Scott! Since you asked about tiny cracks in the platen, I looked it over very thoroughly with an LED flashlight. There are no cracks, and I can see where the slugs have made impressions in it since I refreshed the ribbon (when the slugs smacked through the paper). So it's not quite as hard as I thought it was. I changed how the ribbon sat, and that helped...temporarily. I watched it as I typed a bit and the ribbon began to tear again. It's not advancing when I type, but it's advancing just fine when the spacebar is depressed. The ribbon is quite old; it has wooden spools, the ink came back well with WD and comes off the fingers easily with alcohol. But it still takes about a line, line and a half before it begins to tear. So I'm not really certain what the advancement issue is. I did order some new ribbon just earlier so as not to completely ruin this one. There are three typebars that have a tendency to stick together: w, a and x. The alignment is visibly off when it types those particular letters (and w and a have to be pressed very hard to even make it from their nested position onto the paper without dragging one of their friends with them), so I have to figure out how to address that.
DeleteI do have a service manual that is hopping in the post to me on Monday, but it is for a 5. Still, I think it may be useful, at least for re-aligning the typebars.
Thank you again. You're really helping me narrow it down, and it is greatly appreciated. I was hoping to do a typecast on the grassy hill behind my flat with this old codger tomorrow, but I just don't see it happening just yet. :/
Oh and by the way (I think you'll get a kick out of this) its platen...is filthy! Baazinga!
DeleteHa ha ha ha..... Ahhh, the filthy platen blues!
DeleteHee, I thought that might give you a chuckle! =D
DeleteTake off the ribbon spool covers. Considering the way the ribbon is wound around those little nuts, it rubs against the ribbon spool covers. I had the same problem with my Oliver 2, and taking off the spools seems to solve it.
ReplyDeleteTry it out! :)
You know, I hadn't tried that because I was so thrilled to actually have the ribbon covers. I will certainly try it! I know at least one of them is bent, so that could certainly be a contributing factor.
DeleteThanks Ken! I'll post in the replies how it goes!
Well, this isn't your problem because you would have noticed it, but just in case... On my No. 5 the 1/2 inch ribbon I put in is too wide and it bunches up in the vibrator, which seems to need a 7/16 inch ribbon. The vibrator doesn't look deformed. So this puts so much drag on the ribbon that it doesn't advance and thus wears through. Takes about a line and a half to make a hole. If this _is_ your problem, good luck in finding a narrow ribbon.
ReplyDelete== Michael Höhne
**Reply below**
DeleteCame here to mention the covers too as that was my problem with my 5. The issue I still have is with linefeed. I think I have disengaged it somehow because it worked for awhile.
ReplyDeleteMy ribbon does sit pretty taught; maybe I should try loosening it up. I took the ribbon covers off and was able to type a few extra words before the ribbon began to fray, so I just covered it back up and left it alone. I'm going to tinker with it some this evening.
DeleteWell, this isn't your problem because you would have noticed it, but just in case... On my No. 5 the 1/2 inch ribbon I put in is too wide and it bunches up in the vibrator, which seems to need a 7/16 inch ribbon. The vibrator doesn't look deformed. So this puts so much drag on the ribbon that it doesn't advance and thus wears through. Takes about a line and a half to make a hole. If this _is_ your problem, good luck in finding a narrow ribbon.
ReplyDelete== Michael Höhne
Thank you for alerting me to that, Michael. My ribbon does seem to fit quite well and I can find no problems with the vibrator, but it is something good to keep in mind when searching for replacements. I'll end up taking a second look at it a bit later, just to make absolutely certain that it isn't the drag from the vibrator.
DeleteThanks again!
Thank you for making me aware of the ribbon size issue, Michael! That indeed was the feed problem. I have two new ribbons on their way!
DeleteAlso, the typebars AND ribbon covers were fixed by my husband tonight. They were bent, so he very carefully straightened them.
Thank you everyone who helped (BIG thank you to Scott and notagain); I really appreciate it and it gives me more things to add to my inventory of what to look for and fix!
The old monster shall live to type many, many more days!