wrote in message
...
I recently picked up an IBM Selectric I at a goodwill for a whopping
$5. For the most part it is working ok. It has one weird flaw (or at
least weird to me). When you press the space bar nothing happens for a
few seconds. Then the carriage moves forward a space. Same thing with
the tab and backspace keys. The return key has the same problem.
Although it takes about 30 seconds to do anything. Is this anything I
can fix myself? I had an IBM Selectric II a while ago. I only ever
lubed it once, although it was IBM oil that came with it when I bought
it used, therefore I wouldn't know what to get to service this one.

One more question. I'm pretty sure that this selectric has the cloth
reusable ribbon. What does it mean by "reusable" and is there any way
I can reuse it? It is printing fine now, only a tad faded. But still
perfectly readable.
Thanks
Alex

From experience - a lot of experience fixing these, but over two decades
ago, although the problem may be due to wear, it may simply be that the
machine has been sitting around too long doing nothing. I have found on
numerous occasions this causes many mechanisms to "gunge up" with dried oil
and dirt, and go stiff. On the right hand side of under the carriage (you
have to remove the two black plastic covers under the golfball carrier),
there are two wheels (cams) on the central shaft. They get tripped to
activate the spacebar, backspace and carriage return. The pawls which engage
the ratchet once they are tripped cause the cam to turn. It's possible that
the pawls have gone stiff. A good washout with kero, then a relube, may be
beneficial. It could fix many faults on these.

Henry Mydlarz