Hello everyone,
I have been using a manual typewriter for a couple of years, and a few weeks ago I purchased an IBM Selectric II at a reasonable price. It is a single-pitch, non-correcting model. The machine is generally in working condition, and the previous owner was still using it until recently.
When I bought it, I was told that everything worked except the Backspace key. After bringing it home, I also discovered that the bell was not working, but that turned out to be an easy fix.
I have not yet used the machine extensively, but I did open it for cleaning and inspection. Inside, I found that much of the original foam/spongy material had deteriorated badly. I removed all the loose fragments and kept only the larger intact pieces.
Question: Is it advisable to replace this material, or can the machine operate properly without it?
While inside the machine, I repaired the bell and attempted to fix the backspace mechanism, but without success. I watched several repair videos covering common Selectric backspace issues, but none of the suggested fixes solved my problem.
Here is what I have tried so far:
I adjusted the spring at the rear of the machine to increase tension, as shown in this video:
But no improvement.
I adjusted the nuts mentioned in this video:
Also no change.
Current symptom:
When I press the regular Backspace key, nothing happens. There is a slight tensioning of the main drive cord that moves the carrier, but no actual movement occurs.
However, the fast backspace key works perfectly, moving the carrier as expected.
An additional detail: the seller gave me a small loose part (see photo below) that appears to be some kind of guide or anchor for a cord. He said it fell out the first time he opened the machine and he did not know where it belonged. Since everything else works, I suspect this part may be related to the standard backspace mechanism, but I have not seen it referenced in any guides or videos.
So I would like to ask:
Does the missing part likely explain why the regular backspace does not function while fast backspace does?
Does anyone recognize this part and know where it belongs?
Are there other common causes of this specific symptom on a Selectric II?
Thank you in advance for any guidance!
I have been using a manual typewriter for a couple of years, and a few weeks ago I purchased an IBM Selectric II at a reasonable price. It is a single-pitch, non-correcting model. The machine is generally in working condition, and the previous owner was still using it until recently.
When I bought it, I was told that everything worked except the Backspace key. After bringing it home, I also discovered that the bell was not working, but that turned out to be an easy fix.
I have not yet used the machine extensively, but I did open it for cleaning and inspection. Inside, I found that much of the original foam/spongy material had deteriorated badly. I removed all the loose fragments and kept only the larger intact pieces.
Question: Is it advisable to replace this material, or can the machine operate properly without it?
While inside the machine, I repaired the bell and attempted to fix the backspace mechanism, but without success. I watched several repair videos covering common Selectric backspace issues, but none of the suggested fixes solved my problem.
Here is what I have tried so far:
I adjusted the spring at the rear of the machine to increase tension, as shown in this video:
But no improvement.
I adjusted the nuts mentioned in this video:
Also no change.
Current symptom:
When I press the regular Backspace key, nothing happens. There is a slight tensioning of the main drive cord that moves the carrier, but no actual movement occurs.
However, the fast backspace key works perfectly, moving the carrier as expected.
An additional detail: the seller gave me a small loose part (see photo below) that appears to be some kind of guide or anchor for a cord. He said it fell out the first time he opened the machine and he did not know where it belonged. Since everything else works, I suspect this part may be related to the standard backspace mechanism, but I have not seen it referenced in any guides or videos.
So I would like to ask:
Does the missing part likely explain why the regular backspace does not function while fast backspace does?
Does anyone recognize this part and know where it belongs?
Are there other common causes of this specific symptom on a Selectric II?
Thank you in advance for any guidance!
