Subject: IBM Selectric typewriter repair

From: [email-masked] (Peter Orban)
Date: Thu, 02 May 1996 10:34:38 -0400

I picked up an older IBM typewriter, I think it is a version of a
Selectric (no visible type number on it), with the ball head. When I
plugged it in, the head wiggled a couple of times and then the motor
stopped running. So how would I go about cleaning, repairing such a beast
myself? Any books or other pointers describing the innards of the machine?

Thanks for your help, Peter
-- 
Peter Orban
National Research Council of Canada
[email-masked]

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From: James Foster x2912 <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 02 May 1996 12:18:44 -0500

Peter Orban wrote:
> myself?

I'm not sure I would. They seem pretty complicated to me. One thing you
might want to look at is the motor lubrication. I had a similar problem
on one I had that hadn't been used for a while. I turned it on an
nothing
happened. I popped the top and noticed that it appeared that the motor
was getting voltage but not turning. I used a light machine oil of some
kind (probably the wrong kind, but I didn't really use the thing anymore
and didn't care that much if it didn't work again) on the motor spindle.
I don't recall that it was possible to rotate anything by hand. I think
the motor just started after letting the oil penetrate for a while and
turning it on and off a few times. You might want to check this route
and
see if there are any fuses in the chassis that might have gone open.

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From: [email-masked] (Len Turnbow)
Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 19:33:31 GMT

Peter Orban ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I picked up an older IBM typewriter, I think it is a version of a
: Selectric (no visible type number on it), with the ball head. When I
: plugged it in, the head wiggled a couple of times and then the motor
: stopped running. So how would I go about cleaning, repairing such a beast
: myself? Any books or other pointers describing the innards of the machine?

IBM Parts and Service (800) 426-7378.
A great source of repair manuals and parts!  They sold me a power switch for
my Selectric for $4.00, (from IBM!)  Works great now.

-- Len
-- 
                                             [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Alan Frisbie)
Date: 3 May 96 11:17:59 PDT

> myself? Any books or other pointers describing the innards of the machine?

Someone else posted IBM's telephone number, so you just have to
order IBM Form No. 241-5615-2 (or its replacement).   The cover reads:

    IBM Office Products Division
    Customer Engineering
    Service Manual
    "Selectric" Typewriter

This manual is about 230 pages long, with several illustrations
on every page.   Each part under discussion is printed in red,
along with arrows showing which direction(s) it is supposed to
move.   My copy is dated May, 1975, so it is likely that there
is a newer edition with an updated form number.   However, this
should give you a starting point.

In the late 1970's I restored a computer terminal version of
the Selectric for use on my home computer.   I bought every
available manual & parts catalog and studied them for days.
Once I understood what each part of the mechanism was for, it
was easy to get it working again.

One of the most important statements in the manual is found
in the "Lubrication" section:

    "The 'Selectric' Typewriter will not operate dependably and
    reliably if it is not thoroughly and properly lubricated."

If IBM cannot supply a copy of this manual, I would be willing
to make a copy of mine.   Unfortunately, the red parts of the
illustrations would be black.   Also, it would probably cost
over $60 to get it copied because it is glue bound and punched
for a 22-hole ring binder.   This means that even if it were
unbound, the copy machine automatic feeder would have *lots*
of trouble with it, so I would get charged for hand-placement
of every page.

This machine is a marvel of mechanical design and a well-working
specimen is a joy to type on.   The keyboard has no equals, which
is ironic considering how poor the IBM PC (and clone) keyboards
are.   Its only drawback, from my point of view, is that the
type balls only have 88 characters (later models have 96).   I
plan to keep mine running as long as I live.

--  Alan E. Frisbie               [email-masked]
--  Flying Disk Systems, Inc.
--  4759 Round Top Drive          (213) 256-2575 (voice)
--  Los Angeles, CA 90065         (213) 258-3585 (FAX)

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From: [email-masked] (Jonathan M. Elson)
Date: 3 May 1996 19:20:56 GMT

: Peter Orban ([email-masked]) wrote:
: : I picked up an older IBM typewriter, I think it is a version of a
: : Selectric (no visible type number on it), with the ball head. When I
: : plugged it in, the head wiggled a couple of times and then the motor
: : stopped running. So how would I go about cleaning, repairing such a beast
: : myself? Any books or other pointers describing the innards of the machine?

Whew!  These things are a MECHANICAL NIGHTMARE!!!!!  I have broken bands on
them a few times.  In fact, if any of the tiny little levers (they make up
a mechanical digital to analog converter) jump to the wrong position, it will
break $10 - 15 worth of bands!  Everytime!  I just had a simple malfunction,
and I knew what the problem was, so I bought new bands and put them in, but
it was still a big job.  if the whole mechanism is gummed up and out of
whack, it will be a huge job for a non-expert to fix it without factory
training (which, of course, you can't get anymore).  In fact, you might not
even be able to get bands or other parts anymore.

If the machine you are working on has the really big ball (about 2" diam)
then it is a composer, not a typewriter (1" diam ball).  Those are even
harder to get parts for.