I really really really want to get my Hunter-S-Thompson-Red Seclectric II working. It's been out in the shed (*hangs head in shame*) for a couple years now, I think.
Liquid Wrench, you say? I've been scared to try something like that (having used Liquid Wrench as an explosive propellant in Spud Gun Family Fun). But if TypeClack says so, it's good as gold.
I can't wait until I move and I am able to use not just my SG. I can tell that my selectric is lonely. I also have two correcting tapes and two brand new ribbons for it as well. But for right now the only thing out is the SG1, the rest are all in boxes. So sad...
Duffy, yeah, I cleaned her up (Soft Scrub and Canned Air), removed all that nasty foam and sprayed all the "typebars" down with Liquid Wrench. I noticed a single spring sitting at the bottom of the case, which worried me, but after I let it run for a while and typed a few pages, everything seemed to run normal.
James, do you still have any of those bushings? Last night, it started to tick and when I followed your directions I noticed there was a missing bushing. I looked locally and there's only one guy that has them, but the are $3 a pop. I considered making one myself, but I want to explore all options before I do that.
New and Improved Type Clack featuring Duffy Moon Comments!!!
I'm glad to hear that. I think I changed something a few weeks ago and cleared out a bunch of junk from my template file...basically a type of reset and I noticed some layout and formatting changes. That probably cleared up whatever problem you and others had.
Well, deek, I dragged that sucker out of the shed last night. (When I stuck it in there two years ago, there was nothing operational - just a dangerous-sounding hummmm as the motor tried to do something.)
Pulled the innards out (can't believe I never did that before - that was unimaginably easy). Cleaned everything up best I could, took out all the funky black foam.
With the case still off it, I tried to power it up. There were some signs of life. Over the next two hours or so I'd clean a little, then power it back up. By late evening, that baby was *typing*. Slow and jerky right now, but a little faster and smoother every time I tried it. Gonna keep working on it.
Yes, I too was amazed out how easy it was to pull the innards out. I was expecting a lot more work, but you basically get 60% access to the machine just pulling that top shell off and removing the bottom is two screws and a lever (on my Selectric II) or just a lever (on my Selectric I).
I actually took the case to my kitchen sink and cleaned it all with dish soap and some dabs of soft scrub. As long as you dry it well, I don't think you'll run into any issues.
And yeah, I basically did the same to the innards. Sprayed a lot of canned air and Liquid Wrench, let it sit, power on, depress keys, and repeat. Eventually, it worked.
And I did experience some oddities with the motor the first few times, but now it seems to hum nicely. If you hear any ticking noise when it runs, that's likely a bushing and is a really easy replacement!
Keep at it and I bet that Selectric will be humming along nicely in no time.
I really really really want to get my Hunter-S-Thompson-Red Seclectric II working. It's been out in the shed (*hangs head in shame*) for a couple years now, I think.
ReplyDeleteLiquid Wrench, you say? I've been scared to try something like that (having used Liquid Wrench as an explosive propellant in Spud Gun Family Fun). But if TypeClack says so, it's good as gold.
I can't wait until I move and I am able to use not just my SG. I can tell that my selectric is lonely. I also have two correcting tapes and two brand new ribbons for it as well. But for right now the only thing out is the SG1, the rest are all in boxes. So sad...
ReplyDeleteDuffy, yeah, I cleaned her up (Soft Scrub and Canned Air), removed all that nasty foam and sprayed all the "typebars" down with Liquid Wrench. I noticed a single spring sitting at the bottom of the case, which worried me, but after I let it run for a while and typed a few pages, everything seemed to run normal.
ReplyDeleteJames, do you still have any of those bushings? Last night, it started to tick and when I followed your directions I noticed there was a missing bushing. I looked locally and there's only one guy that has them, but the are $3 a pop. I considered making one myself, but I want to explore all options before I do that.
Plus, in other news: suddenly I can post comments on Typeclack's blog! Not wure when that happened...
ReplyDeleteNew and Improved Type Clack featuring Duffy Moon Comments!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that. I think I changed something a few weeks ago and cleared out a bunch of junk from my template file...basically a type of reset and I noticed some layout and formatting changes. That probably cleared up whatever problem you and others had.
Well, deek, I dragged that sucker out of the shed last night. (When I stuck it in there two years ago, there was nothing operational - just a dangerous-sounding hummmm as the motor tried to do something.)
ReplyDeletePulled the innards out (can't believe I never did that before - that was unimaginably easy). Cleaned everything up best I could, took out all the funky black foam.
With the case still off it, I tried to power it up. There were some signs of life. Over the next two hours or so I'd clean a little, then power it back up. By late evening, that baby was *typing*. Slow and jerky right now, but a little faster and smoother every time I tried it.
Gonna keep working on it.
Awesome news, Duffy Moon!
ReplyDeleteYes, I too was amazed out how easy it was to pull the innards out. I was expecting a lot more work, but you basically get 60% access to the machine just pulling that top shell off and removing the bottom is two screws and a lever (on my Selectric II) or just a lever (on my Selectric I).
I actually took the case to my kitchen sink and cleaned it all with dish soap and some dabs of soft scrub. As long as you dry it well, I don't think you'll run into any issues.
And yeah, I basically did the same to the innards. Sprayed a lot of canned air and Liquid Wrench, let it sit, power on, depress keys, and repeat. Eventually, it worked.
And I did experience some oddities with the motor the first few times, but now it seems to hum nicely. If you hear any ticking noise when it runs, that's likely a bushing and is a really easy replacement!
Keep at it and I bet that Selectric will be humming along nicely in no time.