Anyone know anything about typewriters?

[swee'pea99]

My youngest recently asked if I could get her an old typewriter, so I got an old Olivetti Lettera 35 off ebay. Unfortunately it came with no ribbon, and tho' I got one and installed it, I can't find any instructions anywhere as to the route it should take...and the results aren't ideal.

After trying various routes, I currently have it threaded like this:

But I'm having two problems.

First, the holder-thingie sometimes seems to stay stuck up after typing a
letter, rather than dropping back down - like this:

The other is that it leaves a smudgy line below any typed text, like this:

Is it because I've threaded the ribbon wrongly? Or is there some other explanation?

Many thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[annedonnelly]

A quick Google has found lots of YouTube videos that might help

 

[classic33]

Smudging is caused by the whole of the key striking the plate. Do the levers have two sets of letters/numbers?

 

[Speicher]

Have you located the forks (aka ribbon guides) near the spools.

Have a look at this video:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMWjkD3taPk

 

[Speicher]

Or try the instructions: http://www.flickr.com/photos/edcornish/3763667068/in/set-72157621866152316/

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I did try youtube, but all the vids I could find were either for models that didn't seem to resemble mine, in terms of the ribbon-holding mech, and/or just said something like 'thread it through the wire that holds it in front of the paper', but without showing exactly how.

"Why is the ribbon behind the metal plate on the left?" Good question! I guess because the slight bend in that plate made me think that was probably the way to go, but it does strike me now you've asked that it's surely wrong to have it behind on the left but in front on the right. I'll play around with that and see if it makes a difference.

"Do the levers have two sets of letters/numbers?" I'm not quite sure what you mean by levers - d'you mean the fellers that spring up and whack the ribbon/paper? If so, it's a very conventional machine...they look like this:

 

[swee'pea99]

Have you located the forks (aka ribbon guides) near the spools.

Have a look at this video:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMWjkD3taPk

Thanks, yes I did get it thru' the forks...I'll take a look at the vid.

 

[swee'pea99]

Again, I'm stumped by trying to relate that machine to this. At the crucial moment he says: "then simply put it thru' the outside slots...one at the top, one at the bottom"....and I don't know what he means. I can't see any 'slots' on my machine.

Oh, and "Why is the ribbon behind the metal plate on the left?"? I tried putting it in front, typing for a bit, then I noticed it was back behind again! Every time a letter's typed, and the ribbon-holder comes up, it pulls the ribbon up with it, and after a few ups and downs it goes up, then flips to the back and goes down...and stays there.

*sigh*

I'm going to knock off for a bit now, but if anyone has any more ideas, I'd really appreciate them. Thanks all.

 

[classic33]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I did try youtube, but all the vids I could find were either for models that didn't seem to resemble mine, in terms of the ribbon-holding mech, and/or just said something like 'thread it through the wire that holds it in front of the paper', but without showing exactly how.

"Why is the ribbon behind the metal plate on the left?" Good question! I guess because the slight bend in that plate made me think that was probably the way to go, but it does strike me now you've asked that it's surely wrong to have it behind on the left but in front on the right. I'll play around with that and see if it makes a difference.

"Do the levers have two sets of letters/numbers?" I'm not quite sure what you mean by levers - d'you mean the fellers that spring up and whack the ribbon/paper? If so, it's a very conventional machine...they look like this:
View attachment 28800

Whole of the key is striking the plate, which is hitting the lower half of the ribbon. Are the two screws that hold that piece in place tight and is there any play in the plate itself?

 

[Speicher]

Have you tried the instructions as in my post no 6 above? This shows the position of the ribbon. The manual is on flickr and the picture can be enlarged.



Edit
My turn to be a nincompoop. The above instructions are for the Olivetti Lettera 22, whereas yours is the 35. My sincere apologies if this causes confusion.

 

[Smotyn]

My youngest recently asked if I could get her an old typewriter, so I got an old Olivetti Lettera 35 off ebay. Unfortunately it came with no ribbon, and tho' I got one and installed it, I can't find any instructions anywhere as to the route it should take...and the results aren't ideal.

After trying various routes, I currently have it threaded like this:
View attachment 28791
But I'm having two problems.

First, the holder-thingie sometimes seems to stay stuck up after typing a
letter, rather than dropping back down - like this:

View attachment 28792

The other is that it leaves a smudgy line below any typed text, like this:

View attachment 28790

Is it because I've threaded the ribbon wrongly? Or is there some other explanation?

Many thanks for any help you can offer.

Remembering my mums old ones it looks like you want to go in front of as in nearer you than the paper then go through the eyelets so just that section of ribbon is close to the paper then come back in front of the plate on the left. This should hold the ribbon close to the paper but be taught and suspended enough that when the key hits its just the key printing. You might still get a little smudging but without a total renovation you wont get rid of that. God luck and hope you get it working x

 

[swee'pea99]

Remembering my mums old ones it looks like you want to go in front of as in nearer you than the paper then go through the eyelets so just that section of ribbon is close to the paper then come back in front of the plate on the left. This should hold the ribbon close to the paper but be taught and suspended enough that when the key hits its just the key printing. You might still get a little smudging but without a total renovation you wont get rid of that. God luck and hope you get it working x

Fantastic! It works! Many thanks. I'd almost given up hope. My daughter thanks you too.

 

[classic33]

Try cleaning the type on the arms with meths. Might help stop the smudging. Nice that you got it working though.

 

[swee'pea99]

Try cleaning the type on the arms with meths. Might help stop the smudging. Nice that you got it working though.

Thanks, but the smudging's gone thanks to the re-routed ribbon. Incidentally, I did clean the keys, using an old method of my mum's: blue-tac. Works really well!

 

[Puddles]

Oh the memories of typing classes, the teacher saying when I count to three you will all put your blah blah finger on the blah blah key and type the letter blah blah... and then hearing the thunk in unison from around the class!