Anyone looking for help or just wanting to chat about their Selectric might be interested in this forum - it's been quiet for a while but there's a wealth of information, service manuals etc to be found - groups.yahoo.com/group/golfballtypewritershop/ - cookee_nz - (ex-IBM Typewriter Field Engineer)
@c00kee Looks interesting! I STILL work on selectrics every week...over 2,000 moving parts and 411 adjustments and very reliable if used regularly. My favorite piece of office equipment.
I have a problem, on my selectric II when i push return the platen starts rolling and rolls the paper out all the way instead of moving down.any ideas why?
hahahaha, I Found one of these typeballs about a year ago in an office building. Nobody had a clue what it was, I guessed it was some kind of well made funky IBM server access key. But no!! Its a golfball, no, its a whole bloody typeface! Amazing idea, and I've been looking for a typewriter, guess I've found what I'm after :p
@jforb427 It's funny, I own a few selectrics and saw this video, heard the clicking, and thought how odd.
A week later I found myself face to face with a selectric at a junkyard that was sitting out in the weather. Bought it for spare parts; inside was in good shape.
Took it home, started it up, and it made the same clicking sound! Indeed, problem was a split cycle clutch hub (big white nylon pulley the motor's belt winds around). Recognized the sound right away from your video!
Such a cool machine... I have a Brother AX-15 typewriter, but that has the daisywheel thingy and seems much simpler and less interesting than this typeball thingy... I want one.
Maybe I'm just perverted, but whenever he's not typing, I hear fapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfap.
Hello, I'm the proud new owner of a Correcting Selectric II. It has a problem, though: the carriage is stuck at the left side of the platen, and only has a short range of movement. It's not the margins, and it feels like it hits a hard stop, and neither tab nor space can move it past the stop. I've taken out the platen and removed the top cover and took a look around, but nothing seemed to be obstructing the carriage. Can any of you please give me any advice you might have?
@Stevopedia Might be the plastic cover over the mechanism. They get warped/dislodged, and can prevent the carrier from moving. If it looks like that's the problem, try pushing the cover down a bit to get things moving again.
@jforb427 I thought that might be the issue. I tried pushing down on it, but to no avail. That piece of plastic, by the way, has a giant crack in it on my unit, about in the middle and along its short axis. The funny thing is, though, the carriage moved over the trouble spot without a problem to get to where it's stuck now... Anyway, is there a way to remove that plastic piece, or is it not advisable to run the typewriter with that piece missing?
@Stevopedia There are two pieces, left and right. It would get hung up on the end of one of them where they join together. You can remove the plastics for service, but it's a good idea to put them back on before the secretary gets back to work using the typewriter every day :)
@jforb427 Thanks for the help, but now the return no longer works and the platen knob doesn't click. :/ I get the distinct feeling that my typewriter--which, honestly, is in fairly poor condition--needs professional-grade help. Can you recommend anyone?
Hehe ... I found one of these on the junk recently. But for some reason the character keys won't work ... any idea where to start looking?
I think I've understood the general way it works by now and the problem seem to be related to those small levers which "lock" the characters above the keycaps, but manually releasing them doesn't make the ball move in my case.
Sadly looking for some kind of service manual online didn't give any results.
I always thought the IBM Selectric typewriter was one of the coolest inventions ever! I'm still awed by the quality of it, looking at something from an era when America actually MADE high-quality things in this country and took great pride in those things it built and built them to last for generations. God, how disillusioned I am with what a pathetic joke America has become today, when I look at wonders like this incredible machine, the IBM Selectric typewriter. Sigh.
Just brilliant. Thanks for sharing it. There is nothing quite so satisfying for a writer pounding out copy as the touch of a Selectric coupled with THAT sound.
Truly astounding the level of purely mechanical sophistication that has been lost in the electronic age.
I was telling my 6-year old about the Selectric and it's ball of letters, and she didn't believe me until I showed her this video.
Why does the UNIX "lp" printer definitions have a 62.5 cps setting? Because someone figured out how to connect a Selectric as a line printer, and that was as fast as it could be driven and not melt down.
Well, one should really consider that the mechanics of our modern printers are simply incredible, as are the machines that print CDs. But they work on a level that is not easily discernible, as is the case with something like a typewriter.
If we sit and think about what is happening inside a CD drive or a laser printer, it really will blow our minds.
Mechanically, our modern printers are very simple, compared to the Selectric. They work very well, but the "hard work" is done by the computer. In the Selectric, it's all mechanical. No software.
@CurtHowland The Selectric actually ran at 15 cps. I worked on several of these in my high school job as a retail computer store repair person in 1978. There were both factory and aftermarket mods to drive the selector pins with solenoids.
i have a Selectric II. it used to work but now the inks out. also when i press one key it starts typing random letters for no reson and wont stop till i shut it off, let it sit for about 30 secounds and turn it back on again but it still does the same thing. and when i press space theres just a clicking sound. whats wrong with it?
Alot of things is wrong with it. Compared to mechanical typewriters, the selectrics were quite complicated, because they were partially electric, check the connections.
The only thing electric about the Selectric is the motor. The typewriter is a mechanical device. Usually problems are caused by the lubrating oil getting old and sticky, and it needs to be cleaned and lubricated with new oil.
Do you need a drive belt? Note: If you don't know now to replace it you might get in some trouble. The cycle clutch is connected to the belt pulley and the timing has to be right.
Worked on IBM Selectrics for 20+ years - This one has a cycle clutch or belt issue I can hear in the backround. No electronics just on/off switch and electric motor, the rest is all mechanical. Repairing them gave me a living and help put my kids through college... yea, IBM
Wish there was a way to fix or replace that split drive hub gear. They should have never been made of plastic!
MrWebspark 2 months ago
ME ON THE TYPEWRITER: THIS IS AWESOME BUT I CAN'T MESS UPP DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!
TH3P3RS0N24 3 months ago
sounds like a model m.....
barf245 6 months ago
Anyone looking for help or just wanting to chat about their Selectric might be interested in this forum - it's been quiet for a while but there's a wealth of information, service manuals etc to be found - groups.yahoo.com/group/golfballtypewritershop/ - cookee_nz - (ex-IBM Typewriter Field Engineer)
c00kee 8 months ago
@c00kee Looks interesting! I STILL work on selectrics every week...over 2,000 moving parts and 411 adjustments and very reliable if used regularly. My favorite piece of office equipment.
MrWebspark 2 months ago
These things are so complicated that I'm surprised they work at all. What a magnificent piece of equipment!
Spartan043 10 months ago
I have a problem, on my selectric II when i push return the platen starts rolling and rolls the paper out all the way instead of moving down.any ideas why?
AlllamericanQB 1 year ago
Amazing. One of the marvels of the industrial age.
1973Drummer 1 year ago
hahahaha, I Found one of these typeballs about a year ago in an office building. Nobody had a clue what it was, I guessed it was some kind of well made funky IBM server access key. But no!! Its a golfball, no, its a whole bloody typeface! Amazing idea, and I've been looking for a typewriter, guess I've found what I'm after :p
faster4tec 1 year ago
I hear in the backround that you need a new drive belt - tightening it will work for 1.73654 mili seconds. needs a belt.
captrich853 1 year ago
@captrich853 As I say in the video description above, "the pulley that the drive belt runs on is split"
jforb427 1 year ago
@jforb427 It's funny, I own a few selectrics and saw this video, heard the clicking, and thought how odd.
A week later I found myself face to face with a selectric at a junkyard that was sitting out in the weather. Bought it for spare parts; inside was in good shape.
Took it home, started it up, and it made the same clicking sound! Indeed, problem was a split cycle clutch hub (big white nylon pulley the motor's belt winds around). Recognized the sound right away from your video!
unixcgi 4 months ago
Such a cool machine... I have a Brother AX-15 typewriter, but that has the daisywheel thingy and seems much simpler and less interesting than this typeball thingy... I want one.
DarkWolf5250 1 year ago
Maybe I'm just perverted, but whenever he's not typing, I hear fapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfap.
plungerdrum 1 year ago
What is that putting noise? It sounds like an internal combustion engine.
fredrickpendragon 1 year ago
Hello, I'm the proud new owner of a Correcting Selectric II. It has a problem, though: the carriage is stuck at the left side of the platen, and only has a short range of movement. It's not the margins, and it feels like it hits a hard stop, and neither tab nor space can move it past the stop. I've taken out the platen and removed the top cover and took a look around, but nothing seemed to be obstructing the carriage. Can any of you please give me any advice you might have?
Stevopedia 1 year ago
@Stevopedia Might be the plastic cover over the mechanism. They get warped/dislodged, and can prevent the carrier from moving. If it looks like that's the problem, try pushing the cover down a bit to get things moving again.
jforb427 1 year ago
@jforb427 I thought that might be the issue. I tried pushing down on it, but to no avail. That piece of plastic, by the way, has a giant crack in it on my unit, about in the middle and along its short axis. The funny thing is, though, the carriage moved over the trouble spot without a problem to get to where it's stuck now... Anyway, is there a way to remove that plastic piece, or is it not advisable to run the typewriter with that piece missing?
Stevopedia 1 year ago
@Stevopedia There are two pieces, left and right. It would get hung up on the end of one of them where they join together. You can remove the plastics for service, but it's a good idea to put them back on before the secretary gets back to work using the typewriter every day :)
jforb427 1 year ago
@jforb427 Thanks for the help, but now the return no longer works and the platen knob doesn't click. :/ I get the distinct feeling that my typewriter--which, honestly, is in fairly poor condition--needs professional-grade help. Can you recommend anyone?
Stevopedia 1 year ago
The selectric has such a nice sound
16mmDJ 1 year ago
Hehe ... I found one of these on the junk recently. But for some reason the character keys won't work ... any idea where to start looking?
I think I've understood the general way it works by now and the problem seem to be related to those small levers which "lock" the characters above the keycaps, but manually releasing them doesn't make the ball move in my case.
Sadly looking for some kind of service manual online didn't give any results.
1337Shockwav3Games 1 year ago
I always thought the IBM Selectric typewriter was one of the coolest inventions ever! I'm still awed by the quality of it, looking at something from an era when America actually MADE high-quality things in this country and took great pride in those things it built and built them to last for generations. God, how disillusioned I am with what a pathetic joke America has become today, when I look at wonders like this incredible machine, the IBM Selectric typewriter. Sigh.
JixMa 1 year ago 3
The Selectric's perfection of the typed word, and the beauty of the page when finished, was pure art.
It's beauty helped me get into law school - my applications looked so clean!!
Mechanics ai it's absolute height...
cosmojude 2 years ago
Wow that looks awesome with out the cover on.
jonnda 2 years ago
Just brilliant. Thanks for sharing it. There is nothing quite so satisfying for a writer pounding out copy as the touch of a Selectric coupled with THAT sound.
StrategicMedia 2 years ago
Truly astounding the level of purely mechanical sophistication that has been lost in the electronic age.
I was telling my 6-year old about the Selectric and it's ball of letters, and she didn't believe me until I showed her this video.
Why does the UNIX "lp" printer definitions have a 62.5 cps setting? Because someone figured out how to connect a Selectric as a line printer, and that was as fast as it could be driven and not melt down.
CurtHowland 2 years ago 2
Well, one should really consider that the mechanics of our modern printers are simply incredible, as are the machines that print CDs. But they work on a level that is not easily discernible, as is the case with something like a typewriter.
If we sit and think about what is happening inside a CD drive or a laser printer, it really will blow our minds.
jazzpsalti 2 years ago
Mechanically, our modern printers are very simple, compared to the Selectric. They work very well, but the "hard work" is done by the computer. In the Selectric, it's all mechanical. No software.
jforb427 2 years ago
@CurtHowland The Selectric actually ran at 15 cps. I worked on several of these in my high school job as a retail computer store repair person in 1978. There were both factory and aftermarket mods to drive the selector pins with solenoids.
nixiebunny1 1 year ago
I WANT ONE!!
spottydog4472 2 years ago 5
I was loking for some big -tit chic action - but this is sooo much sexier!!
spottydog4472 2 years ago
i have a Selectric II. it used to work but now the inks out. also when i press one key it starts typing random letters for no reson and wont stop till i shut it off, let it sit for about 30 secounds and turn it back on again but it still does the same thing. and when i press space theres just a clicking sound. whats wrong with it?
ajb221 2 years ago
Alot of things is wrong with it. Compared to mechanical typewriters, the selectrics were quite complicated, because they were partially electric, check the connections.
debrouillard123456 2 years ago
The only thing electric about the Selectric is the motor. The typewriter is a mechanical device. Usually problems are caused by the lubrating oil getting old and sticky, and it needs to be cleaned and lubricated with new oil.
jforb427 2 years ago
i LOVE LOVE LOVE selectrics!!! :)
suzieq1237 2 years ago
Selectric I, II, or III?
jcsf9 3 years ago
It is a Selectric, not a II or III
jforb427 3 years ago
Do you need a drive belt? Note: If you don't know now to replace it you might get in some trouble. The cycle clutch is connected to the belt pulley and the timing has to be right.
captrich853 3 years ago
Worked on IBM Selectrics for 20+ years - This one has a cycle clutch or belt issue I can hear in the backround. No electronics just on/off switch and electric motor, the rest is all mechanical. Repairing them gave me a living and help put my kids through college... yea, IBM
captrich853 3 years ago
Yes, there's a chunk missing out of the drive belt! Not fun to replace, either.
The Selectric is best machine ever....
jforb427 3 years ago
Ahhhh....the Selectric! Brings back fond memories of high school typing class.
KRN762 3 years ago
Thanks for the great video. This makes me want to throw my laptop into SF bay! There will never be anything better than the IBM Selectric II.
HunterMann 3 years ago
Is this all mechanical? There has to be some micro controllers in there some where?
KE7JLM 3 years ago
Nope, 100% mechanical. If you removed the motor and installed a hand crank, and cranked it at sufficient speed, it would work just as well.
bhtooefr 3 years ago
He's right, without the motor, it's Hyrule Fantasy Tech. It's all mechanical if you crank it/get a pig in a wheel to crank it.
Amishman35 3 years ago