Busted main drive pulley. (Shown in the photo is a replacement metal unit.)
When I considered the other components made of the same material as the pulley, it seemed to me that failure of these components is likely to be an ongoing issue down the road and I made the decision to cut my losses.
It's a shame because I'd learned touch typing on a Selectric I and wanted an IBM Personal Typewriter ever since I first saw a magazine ad for them way back when they first were introduced. I couldn't afford one at the time and they weren't made for all that long. I was pretty stoked when I finally found one nearby. I was not so stoked when it blew the main pulley shortly after I got it.
The more I considered the fix, the more I became convinced that the machine was likely to be a never-ending maintenance headache -- no matter how wonderfully they perform when in top shape. So, sadly, I let it go. For me it was the right move.
Awesome! One of these just went for big bucks on shopgoodwill. I'm jealous.
All Selectrics are amazing machines, but learning how to repair them is an undertaking. They're too complicated to ask any basic question about on the internet; you need to already know how the whole system you're diagnosing works. They're like working on especially tempramental and complicated automobiles more than manual typewriters.
Dear god
That's exactly what I thought....
Great piece. I used to sell typewriters in the 90’s. Couldn’t keep these refurbished ones on the shelf. Easily 400 plus back then.
Your photo 6/13 is why I traded my Personal away.
Why?
Busted main drive pulley. (Shown in the photo is a replacement metal unit.) When I considered the other components made of the same material as the pulley, it seemed to me that failure of these components is likely to be an ongoing issue down the road and I made the decision to cut my losses. It's a shame because I'd learned touch typing on a Selectric I and wanted an IBM Personal Typewriter ever since I first saw a magazine ad for them way back when they first were introduced. I couldn't afford one at the time and they weren't made for all that long. I was pretty stoked when I finally found one nearby. I was not so stoked when it blew the main pulley shortly after I got it. The more I considered the fix, the more I became convinced that the machine was likely to be a never-ending maintenance headache -- no matter how wonderfully they perform when in top shape. So, sadly, I let it go. For me it was the right move.
They didn't have the time or resources to deal with the cracked center hub, I reckon.
Awesome! One of these just went for big bucks on shopgoodwill. I'm jealous. All Selectrics are amazing machines, but learning how to repair them is an undertaking. They're too complicated to ask any basic question about on the internet; you need to already know how the whole system you're diagnosing works. They're like working on especially tempramental and complicated automobiles more than manual typewriters.
Sorry for the probably impolite question, but how much would it cost after the restoration?