The motor on my Selectric II won't start. So... open the machine and nose around. I forgot how to open the machine! Years ago, I watched Fran's video, and remembered it explained the first step. Knowledge endures. Thanks, Fran!

Hooray! KZread has brought back "sort by 'Oldest!'"

Just so you know, 11 years later this video is still helping people. I just bought one from an estate sale after falling in love with the machine my work has for typing checks. Looking forward to getting inside and fixing up what I can.

This is one of my favorite no-nonsense informational videos on KZread. Simple, clear and enormously helpful. Thank you, Fran!

Blast from the past! Was looking into fixing this machine and found you Fran!

Just wanted to say how much I appreciate this video! 😄

I'm tearing down a Selectric II for parts. Very useful video. I hate to throw away the upper and lower housings as they're so well made!

Ahhh... Memories, I was an IBM engineer for over 20 years, 1973 until 1995, when the amount of machines out there meant that it was not viable to stay in that industry. I repaired the selectrics & the type bars, models b, c & d, standards & executives (proportional spacing machines.). Mechanical marvels all of them. Not easy to repair anything but the most simple jobs & for the more complex jobs special tools were necessary. Use a screwdriver for the latches, it saves your fingers :)

When I worked for school system, I had to share a shop with the office machine repair guys and the schools would bring those things in by the truckloads in the summers to be cleaned and repaired. I had to help out for about eight weeks and they trained me how to adjust,clean, and repair them. That printer head assembly was a mechanical marvel. I wasn’t too fond of working on typewriters as I was the audio- visual repair tech for the district. I repaired and maintained all the phonographs,tape recorders,slide projectors, film and 16mm projectors,overhead and opaque projectors,Dukane and Ken Cook systems, amplifiers and televisions plus the Ditto and mimeograph machines for thirty schools. I loved it and did that for twenty years and then joined the computer repair department(higher pay)I’m an analog guy though and like old school electronics more than the digital stuff.

That's a massive electric motor, I love working in stuff this old, always amazes me how ingenuitive assembly engineers were at the time

@Matthew_M11

Жыл бұрын

The size shocked me as well. It could power a small car!

This was the first video I saw when I stumbled across your channel. Now, a couple of years later I got my first very own Selectric XYD and to my amazement it's working! It still needs a little TLC and that's where I came back to this video. Thanks! 🤗

I just discovered this channel. I have an old Underwood from the 50's that weighs a ton. It's mechanical architecture is something to be admired.

Thank you, Fran! Now my Selectric works perfectly thanks to your advice!

I just bought my first one on Ebay for 52 bucks! It's a light green one. I never saw a green one before either. I've always wanted one since the 1980's. They guy said it doesn't power up. Since I saw your terrific video, I now know how the machine comes apart. Thank you and have a great day and God Bless! PS I hope it has all the parts, like the motor.

Hi Fran, you truly have a talent for instruction. Simple, uncluttered with the usual over-done music, small talk and crappy camera work elsewhere. Your humble style belies your mechanic genius. I learned exactly what I needed from your vid. Thanks! Ya, that sound-dampening foam is a real threat to the inner works. Trying to figure out a substitute.

I randomly came across this video..and as I have an old 'blue' selectric with the ball..(from a garage sale for $3)..thought I would watch. It is always a delight to watch people that are good at what they do. It was quite informative. Thank you.

I was an IBM Selectric tech 30+ years ago. I'm giving a customer a quote to replace the belt on her IBM Sel II right now ($200). I told her it wasn't worth it, but she's used this machine for years and wants it to work. The cycle shaft must be removed to replace the belt and it's a big job. A quick note. The centrifugal clutch that drives the belt actually increases the stress on the parts. It allows the motor to come up to speed before engaging drive to prevent the motor from stalling.:-)

And you are spot on about the foam. I opened my machine and all of this black dust came out. Piles of it from the foam in the lid. What a mess. I washed away all of the old foam and I can not wait to get inside to take the rest out. :)

@phoenixtypewriter2136

7 жыл бұрын

Been replacing old deteriorated foam for decades with DYNAMAT

Thanks! I found my Selectric at a thrift shop and suspect it needs a good cleaning. This is just what I needed to get me under the hood!

Fran, you are a gem, I love you :)

@BPantherPink

6 жыл бұрын

Me too... also !!

Hufff, my first job (25 years ago... huff) was as electronic technnician of Canon office typewriters... what memories bring me up this video! Thanks :)

Superb how-to! Thank you so much. I just purchased two old Selectrics (models 71 & 72). Both are working sluggishly and your overviews of removing the case and the mechanics of what's happening when it's running have really prevented me from doing one or two things quite stupidly. Again, cannot say thanks enough!

Thank you for taking the time to make the video, very help full.

I bought one off ebay from a surplus dealer, it worked, just was floating in oil, after watching your video I popped the case off, and flush it out with Lectra-Clean (sensitive electronics cleaner) greased where it needed grease, and used modern dry teflon lube every where else. runs great now, types like it should, have to replace the card holder, and one light bulb.

@phoenixtypewriter2136

7 жыл бұрын

Push/wiggle that bulb, those rarely go bad.....

The most coolest electro-mechanical machine I had to ever work on.....over 1500 adjustments....;-) Always wanted one with the computer interface.

@c00kee

8 жыл бұрын

Craig Diamond Over 1500 parts, but only around 300 actual adjustments :-)

@georgesenda1952

3 жыл бұрын

Years ago you could modify one to use as a printer for an Apple ][.

Now I know how to field-strip a Selectric! Thank you Fran!

Thank you for this very helpful video. We are processing a few of these type writers for auction from our college. This made servicing them easy! Thank you thank you thank you!

Thank you Fran! I just received my IBM Selectric 2 today and I'm ready to recondition it. I am hopeful that I can fix the few issues I found with a good cleaning. Your video has been very helpful. Take care! Joanne Firth

Thanks for posting this. I have a couple of Selectrics that I need to service (some day). This video takes away some of the mystery about the task.

Several things it can be - a stuck tab, broken or stuck cable, etc. Fully lubricate the machine and check for any bent bars underneath. If you cannot unstick it you may have to send it to be serviced.

@karriedaway67 The foam has a thin plastic/adhesive backing that can slooooowly be peeled off the case. Turpentine and a toothbrush will de-goop well, and after the mineral spirits have dried a good 30 weight oiling throughout. Good luck!

Good job on taking out the foam. It was a problem even when the machines were fairly new. IBM put out a technical service bulletin to remove the foam. To tilt the machine up from inside the case use the 2 small pins that stick out from the on/switch and the tab set/clear button. That is their purpose.

@byonbill9499

6 жыл бұрын

Yes ir was a problem early on. You think the typewriters were a problem you should have seen what we went through on the large copiers they built in the seventies and eighties. There was a couple of square yards of that crap in those. I lost a lot of shirts and pants, say nothing of customer carpets.

This is a very nice demonstration of cover removal on Selectric typewriters. I worked on these things from the time they were introduced in 1961. I was particularly drawn to your explanation of the "problem" with the foam insulation that was pasted inside these machines. Isn't that the messiest stuff you ever saw? How much of your carpet and clothing did you ruin in an attempt to deal with it? IBM in their wisdom used that junk it all kinds of machines over the years and it produced the same kind of problem in all of them! Some of the machines were as large as their office copiers, you can imagine how much of a problem that was.

I was just given this machine and I am going to clean and lube it...your video is so encouraging..thanks so much

Partly inspired by you, partly by CuriousMarc, I got myself a Selectric III said to be working. Oh dear, this is gonna be a friggin' adventure! Turns out it's in a pretty bad shape. Some latches and a bail were dislodged - that's the easy part. Some plastic tidbits were broken, which worries me. The backspace cable looks strangely loose, gotta look into that - and the head/cassette mechanism needs cleaning and re-lubricating. The old grease turned into glue so badly I couldn't take the cassette or typing element out! The main shaft clutch, on the other hand, is where some wild discombobulation is going on. The left side is completely stuck, and after removing one of the intermediate cogs it turned out it's the clutch/shaft issue and not the mechanism it drives. But hey, I've done Monotype... I can do Selectric too!

Thanks for posting this. I used to have a Correcting Selectric ][ & miss it & hope to buy a model 3 next year. I can write letters on my Imacs but miss typing a letter, particularly when I need something written in a hurry.

Thank you so much! I have two typewriters, a Selectric II and a Silver-Reed 213F, and I am finding that though they look the same the Selectric is designed wayyy better especially in the servicing department.

Thank you for posting this excellent tutorial.

This is just what I needed; thank you so much!

Thank you Fran. This video is perfect & will hopefully help find my problem.

Thanks heaps Fran ! This helped me out a lot !

Hi Fran. It was useful video. It took me some time to take apart my Selectric II, and fix it, but it was worth it. I also got rid of the gummed foam, awful. It was pretty hard to fully clean up. I am searching for some repair manuals, couldn't find any, other than parts manual, which is a complement to the repairs manual only.

Wonderful instructions, thank you so much!

Thanks so much for this video. I just got a typewriter like this and it needed some adjustments, your video helped a lot. :)

Great job! Very informative. i have a great attachment to the Selectric III which i used in 1987- 1988 to successfully put a PPM together. The typewriter lent great credibility to my successful project

Fran, you are my hero.

That grey polyurethane foam was used throughout the electronics industry and you find in in almost everything of that era, from battery compartment pads to 8-Track tape cartridges. It takes several decades to disintegrate. I think it was most likely the production process, the chemicals used to foam it up eventually break it down to its original petroleum state. Just my theory anyway!

@byonbill9499

6 жыл бұрын

Yeah, eventually it will turn back into dinosaurs!

One more word about ergonomics. Typewriters were designed to avoid typist fatigue ... necessary when typists typed 8 hours a day. The typewriter keys fired about halfway down the key travel (in Selectrics, about 3-4mm before the keylever bottomed). And you could easily set it for hair-trigger action for the hotshot typists. Without this design consideration, it would be like drumming your fingers on a tabletop for hours at a time. Sadly, computer keyboards never got this (except for my old Maxiswitch 84-key). And now, people drum their fingers on tablet virtual keyboards. Sometimes, tech regresses.

As a boy of about 12, I used to spend a lot of time poking around with fascination inside the one we had. I remember the machine oil smell, of all things, very fondly. My mom also typed so fast she'd regularly jam hers at work. She got one with a larger motor hanging off the back. I imagine you already have, but if not: take a look at "whiffletree" on the Selectric Wiki article. Amazing design. Electro-mechanical digital computer, basically.

you are an absolute angel, THANK YOU

@caboose2253 - The return/paper feed is both manually and automatically triggered and if you have the machine apart and standing up you will see the bars that move when you hit the return - oil the machine well and cycle the keys to unstick it. :-)

Fran is amazing.

Not that it matters, but the roller you call the carriage is, I believe, called a platen. The wire with the small rollers on it is called a bail (like on a bucket).

Very helpful and I am so grateful!

a long time ago i complete in first place digiting speed test with 280 beat per minute!!! for me is excelente IBM typewrite, i liked this vídeo!!!!

Great video Fran, have one that the carriage does not return, will have to open it up and take a look. I’m used to seeing you in 2019, however do like the younger you and the goth look. :)

Nice video. I'm going to look at a Selectric II correcting model tomorrow that has been in storage for 20 years. Owner is selling for $20 on craigslist, says it is sticking. Will see how bad it is if motor is good I will restore it. Pheonix Typewriter also has lots of good videos. I saw another of your video where you rplaced a plastic piece that fits in rear motor shaft bearing. Pheonix shows how to replace that belt on his videos, I saw yours was pretty badly cracked. I am looking forward to this adventure.

This video makes my love my computer that little bit more :D

Hi Fran! LOVED this video!! For the number "1", try using the lower-case "L". I did that with a Hermes Rocket (cute little portable) for years. Looks a little better than the capitol "I", IMHO.

@bethylefty Replacing the cartridge is easy - open the top, pull the orange lever under the cartridge to the forward position, pull the exposed ribbon over the ribbon guides, and pull up on the cartridge to remove it. Reverse the process to install the new cartridge. Enjoy!

@ContourCorsets Just a reminder - never use 3-in-1 oil that you would find at the home supply store- it contains materials that will leave heavy deposits in the works. Castrol or Valvoline works just fine.

@tom9152a

4 жыл бұрын

ContourCorsets com doesn't have pics of you in a corset?

Hi - I did post this before, probably way way down the comments list now - but I recommend regular 30 Weight Motor Oil for the most part, and grease is grease, so take your pick. Just do not - I repeat, do not use 3 in 1 oil in a typewriter, as it contains a waxy component that will gum up the works pretty good after a while. Good luck!

The right side of the machine is the OPERATIONAL area of the machine. Your interposer restoring bail is either gummed up or broken. Your interposers could be gummed up too. The index interposer is not resetting.

Thanks for the video I just picked up a red Selectric II for $10 today and refurbished the entire thing just now using your instructions then lubricated the bits you mentioned with lithium grease and silicone spray. Works great, except backspace still doesn't work, exp seems to work as backspace...

I am not a 'real' IBM repair tech - just a do-it-yourselfer so I do not have that kind of detailed info. But if you search the web you will find professionals that can help you with that. ☺

@TheYangTube It is an Olympia De Luxe portable. I have used it for years and I like the font, but it has a compact keyboard with no "1" key, so you use a capitol I instead. A bit frustrating if you type a lot!

Thank you! I just used lithium grease and silicone spray to clean and refurbish an Selectric II!

Great vid - super clear. thanks! ever work on a Model C? I've got a lose carriage belt and I can't figure out how to pull the carriage. thanks!

@MrLunchbox2003 The controls that are working in your machine are separate operations from the keystrokes. If the ball is hitting but not rotating then the issue is with the cabling that controls the ball. If the transfer cables are taught then like I suggest give the whole thing a good oiling and work the keys to unstick them. If this does not help then you are looking at a rebuild, which is an expert job.

wonderful machine

Great video, thank you so much!

Excellent!

Brilliant, thank you.

Thanks for the helpful video!!!!!

I enjoy your videos - thank you. FYI the plastic clutch on the motor shaft is used to allow the motor to get up to speed before it engages and turns the shafts. The motor doesn't have enough starting torque. Under normal conditions the motor, without the clutch, would be able to turn the shaft but if a letter or function was tripped when the machine was off then there would be too much torque needed to turn the shafts when the motor was turned on. PS Why did you stop with the dark hair?

Try clearing all tabs. I concur with Fran, it's probably a low hanging tab stop. Try spacebaring to where it gets stuck. Then try moving the tab set and clear lever in the front while using the spacebar. If the carrier begins to escape, then thats your problem. Spacebar all the way over to the right side frame, hold the tab clear button down then hit Carrier return. That should clear all tabs unless this one is really ready to fall out.

I bought a Selectric and a Selectric II at a garage sale. I found a guy to refurb them and he did it for $110. He just took off the cases and threw them into a carb bath and relubed everything. I threw out the Selectric when I moved to a smaller place (and because I couldn't find ribbons) but still find the II useful when only doing a single label on a sheet.

@karriedaway67 - I've cleaned the perished foam off many cases (that stuff is absolutely revolting), and for what it's worth, I used to remove the casing entirely (Fran shows you how), also remove the erasure table (hinged scale across the platen) and take it to someone with a Steam-Cleaner (auto garage, panelbeater etc), it will blast all that crap away in seconds and leave it looking mint. Trust me, it works a treat and you don;t have to deal with the mess which is basically oil anyway.

Thank you so much, this is a very helpful video, but is there one showing just how to replace the ribbon? Or is there a good one out there you could point me to?

Fran.....THANK YOU!!! I brought my selectric back from storage--since 1997 and mice made a home in it! I tried to clean it and oil it...used bike chain greese-only thing I had :( so was wondering if you could add to this video where to oil it and show me where & what type of oil. ???? Thanks again! Kathleen

You're awesome.

@kaykemimi If you mean the clear plastic piece with the little window in it that mounts on the carriage then I am pretty sure that is a snap in piece... Just clicks into place.

Hello, thanks for you video as it was very helpful in opening the typewriter up! However, do you have any idea why the letter and number keys don't do anything when pressed (& spacebar), but the return, backspace, and tab continue to work fine? Motor is working and belt is fine. Thank-you!

Hi Fran. Thanks so much for this video, very helpful. I just picked up a selectric II that has a broken motor belt. Could you make a video on how to change the belt? It looks pretty intimidating:)

The foam was a good idea in the beginning but I don't think IBM thought these machines would still be in use, some 50 years later, LOL. I have a Selectric I, II, and III plus some of their early type bar models.

Hi Fran! I discovered your youtube channel while looking up how to open and clean the old IBM Selectric 2 I bought. I have been watching your fascinating and always entertaining videos since. Do you have any tips about how to clean off the sticky adhesive tape that the foam was stuck to the IBM Selectric casing with? I removed the foam with a mower blade scraper. Then I cleaned off most of the black foam residues with paper towel and isopropyl alcohol. It’s no longer black. I managed to remove some of the adhesive tape residues by hand and with the scraper, but what is left seems forever stuck and sticky, but at least not oily-sticky from the black foam residue that has mostly been removed. Thanks for any tips you may have and keep up the good work at Fran Lab!

Very informative

Yeah, Fran! Thanks much.

You are a star madam. Thank you.

very helpful thank you

Wow your video help me fix a stuck key. found a used staple wedged inside, a spring that came off on one end. yep gummed up with old gooey foam. now working like a charm. Intimidating Machine. Can you tell me the name of the Theme song you used... Thank You

@bptorre Wow - you're right..... the lower 'l' is a good #1. My Olympia seems not so daft now. Thanks!

Oh my god this video unlocked memories I didn't know I had. I remember that hum of that thing. I had very close to if not exactly the same one. Well my parents had it and I messed with it for hours till i got an Apple ][e from my uncle late 80s.

Hello Fran I was given a really nice one of these. It has problems advancing the paper up and wants to keep writing on the same line.

@phoenixtypewriter2136

6 жыл бұрын

Index pawl might be sticking, could be platen/feed roller related. Would need to see problem to analyze problem better.

Fran, Great little video and really helpful to find my way around the Selectric II. I can't seem to fix my problem though, I can type about 10 characters then the carriage stops as if there is a stop. But both stops are way to the left. The ball keeps hitting the paper, but no advance of the carriage. Have you seen this before? Thanks, Hubert

@gbuggy006 - Inserting the ribbon is pretty self explanatory, there is a lever to release the cartridge. The ribbon is advanced by a roller with spikes in it and that roller can get completely wrapped in ribbon. make sure those spikes are not covered and it will advance the ribbon. :-)

I hate to say it but regular 'ol Ebay is the best bet for parts. :)

Hi Fran, I am having a problem advancing the ribbon on my Selectric 2. Please post a video how the ribbon cartridge fits properly into the machine, and if possible show close ups of which gears & pins are supposed to be moving. I suspect the works got gummed up somewhere along the way & not moving as they should. Thanks, MC

I purchased an IBM Selectric II, motor runs good, no burn smell at all, the only problem I have is that the spacing is messed up. As long as I type slowly there isn't a problem but once I increase my speed letter will double space or over lap. Is this something that will correct itself if I grease or oil the parts in your video? What about the original grease how to you clean that off? Or should I send it to a professional? Look forward to seeing your reply. Thanks

Hi Fran! This was a great video - thanks! It seems I have a belt issue - looks like a very narrow belt that appears to allow movement of the ball. Do you have any videos that demonstrate how to fix this? When I try to type, I get the same three characters regardless of the keys I am using. Please help or if you can refer me to an online repair manual, that would be great too.