Brother EP5 Thermal Typewriter In-Depth Review (Typewriter Community)

[@Linus007]

Great review. Thank you for posting.

[@Lysander-Spooner]

I just bought an EP-150 which looks exactly the same. I will scan the manual and add to the Facebook group files on Antique Typewriters.

[@typepals]

Haha! I think I was watching that item. It suddenly disappeared. At least I know it went to a good home.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Bravo! I agree with you, it looks like a later model. The keyboard looks nice, and the half-backspace is nifty, I hadn’t see that before. Using 5 D-cells is odd, perhaps the newer electronics require it. Does the paper up/down go in whole line increments, and does the platen knob also? It’s interesting that they used a lift-off correction ribbon. Can you tell if it’s similar to the kind used in daisy wheels and Selectric IIs, or was is built into the cartridge? As I was watching your video I thought of an idea for making thermal correction squares. Maybe a video soon. Thank you again, this was fun.

[@typepals]

There were a few things I forgot to mention in the video. Mind you, it was completely unscripted. I tested the Paper Up and Down right now: half-line increments. The platen knob is not ratcheted, so it's useless in that regard. Whatever is used for the correction is in the cassette. Just to the left of the print head, there is a vertical metal rod with a plastic covering shaped roughly like a squeegee. Presumably it presses the correction material on the paper. If you look closely at the video, you can see it make contact with the paper. Other than that, I'm clueless about how it works. Of course, I am super curious about your correction squares! I may be your first customer. Thank you so much for the kind words.

[@johnandrewmunroe]

Would love to find one of these. Have a couple of EP20s and a ton of Canon Typestars.

[@adhdsymptoms64]

Love this extensive review! I found one of these in new condition, dumped off at a recycling depot! Do you know where a fellow can get extra cartridges in Canada?

[@typepals]

Thank you! I adore this typewriter. One of my favorites. You can find the ribbon cassettes online, but I prefer to just use thermal paper. No ribbon necessary!

[@noramagaly]

Were can I buy the cartridge for this typewriter . I’m trying to buy the cartridge but I can’t find it at the moment . Can you please help me thanks.

[@typepals]

eBay is your only bet. They’re hard to find and expensive. You’re better off just using thermal paper, like thermal fax paper, receipt paper, or even EKG paper. That way, you don’t need to worry about ink. You can get thermal fax rolls on eBay or Amazon, and probably office supply websites like Staples. I hope this helps!

[@noramagaly]

I have a question,the ink disappears with time pass.

[@typepals]

If you store it away from heat and sunlight, it will last for years.

[@mwarau]

Some curiosities: Does this have an auto carriage return? I'm guessing not. Given that, is there a "bell" as you approach the end of a line?

[@typepals]

That is a drawback. It does have a very light beep. It didn't take me long to get used to it. On my other thermals, I do enjoy the auto return feature, triggered by a space or dash. You can just keep typing without even thinking about it. But honestly, the positives of the EP5 are numerous. Love it.

[@mwarau]

@@typepals I agree, this looks like great typer, and as you mentioned it's more like a real typer. Presently I have a Typestar5 which is pretty good too. Oddly it has less features than the TS4. A thought on the numbering, perhaps it's like a version. A 43 could be version 4.3 and the five was a new generation. Who know?

[@typepals]

Yeah, and then the Typestar 6 adds memory features. But they downgraded the font selection to require a special cartridge which is impossible to find.

[@therottmans12]

It looks like you might have a difficult time looking at the text as it is being typed. Is that so?

[@typepals]

It is a bit tricky. Another issue with all thermal typewriters is the fact that it is not obvious where the next character is going to print. So if you stop mid-sentence, you may end up missing a space between words. But these are things you either get used to, or just live with. Thanks for watching!

[@EduardoPerez-zf8fx]

I have a question, I have the same EP5 but I don't have the ink cartridge, so where did you get the ink from?

[@typepals]

Thanks for the question! The cassettes can be found on eBay, but they will be pricey. The whole benefit of thermal typewriters is that you don't need the ink. It will be far cheaper to buy thermal paper. You want to look for "thermal fax rolls". You can check Amazon, eBay, Staples, or other office supply stores. Are you in the US? If so, I could send you a roll.

[@EduardoPerez-zf8fx]

@@typepals Thanks, but a i'm from México

[@typepals]

When stores are open again, check your local office supply store for the thermal fax rolls. Good luck!

[@adhdsymptoms64]

Where do you get thermal paper?

[@typepals]

It can easily be found online. Staples or another office supply store may have rolls of thermal paper. Mine were from Staples. Last I saw, they were moved to their clearance section.