Oliver Typewriter Demonstration

[Ponz67]

How much is it to get the rubber replaced on the platen and feed rollers?

[williamkmanire]

Boa escolha de música. :)

[doctordutch]

I love your antique typewriter(s) but how old are you hands? I don't own a typewriter (yet) but I can't bare the fact that I won't be able to save my work to a hard-drive. cheers, 29/m/ontario.

[DAKOTA56777]

I have a old 20s Corona model 3 that was my Grandma's, and it needs only two parts to work again. One is the cable that attaches the main sping to the carriage to advance it, and the other is a small 1/2" spring that I have know idea where it goes or does, I pushed the carriage manually and it worked fine so I don't think it's that important. So can you send your email in a PM so I can send you photos and talk about finding those parts, and a service manual.

[maartenrijs3]

Great video, great machine, and great restoration job. You seem to be a quite fast typist. Do you know how many wpm you can do on the Oliver? I've timed myself at approximately 45 wpm.

[norbeckroad]

Great job! I am trying to restore a No. 9. Mostly removing grime, and lubricating. Reluctant to dismantle the carriage and irrevocably mess it up! But the tension string is broken. Yours looks new, and works great. Wondered if (and how) you restrung it. The tension wheel still has spring to it, so think it's just a matter of restringing.

Thanks!

[wickedmessenger1]

@norbeckroad The carriage comes off by sliding it to the left and releasing it with the "right" key. No tools needed. The spring might be broken where it attaches inside the housing. If it has just come loose you can rewind it.

[norbeckroad]

@wickedmessenger1 Thank you! I'll try that today. The spring is still active to keep tension on the tension disk that still has a remnant of the pull cord attached to it. I haven't been able to figure out where on the carriage the chord should attach.

But sliding the carriage off completely will sure make it easier to clean the undercarriage, and hopefully reveal where the pull cord might attach.

[Dreambro1]

Do you have the case to this??

[MissPaisleyParker]

Fascinating! I've always wondered what an Oliver looked like typing, or how it got to all those letters on the typebars... Thank you! Very interesting!

[slowryd76]

Great restoration vid! Ran across my first Oliver No. 3 this morning. Love the design and functionality of it. What kind of price ceiling would you place on a fixer-upper at about the same stage as your pre-restoration No. 9?

[wickedmessenger1]

@slowryd76 : they go for about $50 plus shipping on E-bay so if you get it for around $75 you're in the ballpark. Make sure it has the ribbon caps -- they're often missing --- and getting a replacement pair will cost you about $30.

[slowryd76]

@wickedmessenger1 Thanks! Picked up my No. 3 with ribbon caps at an antique shop today for $60. Aside from some gummy levers and a dull bell, it's ready to take on the Great American Novel!

[Cunhamatatta]

@wickedmessenger1 Are the ribbon caps a necessity? I just purchased one on eBay (and they do run a little more expensive than $75) and it did not come with the caps. Thanks!

[wickedmessenger1]

@Cunhamatatta I don't think they're functional unless they play a role in keeping the ribbon from riding up. I've never been without them so it's just a guess that you don't need them to type.

[Cunhamatatta]

@Cunhamatatta Thanks, I just wondered if they helped the ribbon from drying out prematurely.

[plungerdrum]

Is this typewriter capable of actually utilizing a black-red ribbon? Or dies it take one color ribbon, because I know some people buy ribbons in bulk, and they like the black-red ones.

[wickedmessenger1]

@plungerdrum It does have a setting for red so it does in fact use the black-red ribbon. I think the Oliver No. 9 was the first of the Olivers to actually have this setting.

[wickedmessenger1]

@plungerdrum It does have a setting for red so it does in fact use the black-red ribbon. I think the Oliver No. 9 was the first of the Olivers to actually have this setting.

[plungerdrum]

Alright. Thanks a lot, that really helps. I'm going to be getting one and I like typewriters that can take a two color ribbon are nice. Even though virtually every typewriter took a two color ribbon, it never hurts to ask!

[clockbuilderhg]

@plungerdrum Hi, just toulght I'd let you know, the #3 and 5 0livers can only use a single color ribbon. the # 9 has two color. The #11 was the first with stencil.

[Velostigmat]

Where do you find Oliver ribbons these days? (Or do you use 1/2 inch?)

[wickedmessenger1]

Yep, standard 1/2". But you have to wind it onto the wooden Oliver spools yourself.

[Bobman4671]

What is the music in the background?

I love it.

[clubby1234]

i got a 1923 underwood, the exact kind kennedy used in office, in mint condition

[jmorton528]

Very nice condition. My No. 9 has been restored and is in just as nice condition.

[Bobman4671]

So whenever you return, It automatically spaces?

[TheWritertype]

Yes. When you push the left carriage knob, the platen advances one line. I have an Oliver No.9, and I love it.

[Bobman4671]

Where can I get one? And one that's cheap because my parents don't give me an allowance.

[TheWritertype]

Ebay is probably your best bet. By-the-by, you could buy a standard typewriter (albeit, not an Oliver) from me, but by paying in small portions at a time; a lay-away plan, if you will.

[Bobman4671]

I got my first typewriter at a Antiques shop for $10. It's a Smith-Corona Speedline. A few months ago I got an Olivetti Underwood Studio for $12. So now I'm looking for a Desktop model to type with.

P.S. Do you write or just collect?

[TheWritertype]

I do collect and write, but I mostly run my repair shop.

[jmorton528]

Go to antique shops. I was at an antique shop a few weeks ago and they had 2 Olivers.

[TheWritertype]

I own a Typewriter repair shop, just opened up this year. Oh, I'm also 14 :)

[jmorton528]

I collect and repair as well.

[Rio356]

im on the process of restoring a remington 12 and an adler typewriter :D

[TheWritertype]

I also have an Oliver No. 9. What did you use to polish it? Also, how do you get the feet out?

[wickedmessenger1]

I used rubbing compound first, then polishing compound, then car wax. Take it slow and do it by hand, not with a buffer. I never took the feet out.

[TheWritertype]

Thanks

[pelzer5]

I have thr same on e it was my great great grandpa's i thought it was from 1912 it has pat april 5 1912

[vfaacan]

what a neat video - thanks for making this - maybe some of the keychoppers (or keyshoppers) will think twice before making kitch crap braclets. How do you use the pencil on it?

[wickedmessenger1]

The pencil rotates down against the page, and by moving the carriage left and right or rotating the platen up and down it is possible to draw tables or underline.