Typewriter Video Series - Episode 86: Underwood Portable Ribbon Reverse

[@snowurchin8487]

Fantastic! I bought a 1931 edition at a local picker store recently - 12 year old wanted one for Christmas. I was having an issue where the ribbon was bunching up in the middle. This video showed me that I was trying to operate the machine with the direction selector in the middle position. All better now! Thanks for posting this!

[@DavidTensen]

Brilliant. Just collected this model and have faced the ribbon issue immediately. This is so handy

[@jbbyaboo1105]

I have this exact typewriter and I've been having trouble adjusting the vertical letter alignment. I thought I fixed it when I first got it, but low and behold, several years later, it is out of alignment again. It was just sitting there! I have no idea how it could have become unaligned again. How are you supposed to adjust the height of the capital and lowercase letters? I came to the conclusion that is was a metal form adjustment plate underneath the typeiwrter, but now that doesn't seem to be making a difference.

[@danlinder2249]

Thanks Joe - i feel much more at ease with the reversing business after watching you in this video!

[@dianemaher3538]

Was it necessary to adjust all that to get the machine working? Was it just trial and error?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

It was both! I saw immediately how the reversing mechanism on one side wasn't moving freely, and figured the whole system needing degreasing and cleaning.

[@peterbryenton]

Crystal clear explanation, thank you. I can now fix a similar one to raise funds for my local charity shop.

[@Little_Shovel]

thanks for explaining ribbon reverse. This helped with better understanding the ribbon advance on a Smith-Corona Silent

[@kpnoles]

Hi. My daughter just bought the Underwood Universal typewriter, and I have no idea how to get the cover off the ribbon spools. It's the same metal cover like yours. Please help! Thank you!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

The Underwood Portable like mine has individual ribbon spool covers. There are two tabs on the bottom of the covers that fit into slots, you pinch the cover and remove one tab, then the other one comes off. The later Underwood Universals have a ribbon cover that hinges up and back to reveal the segment area and ribbon spools.

[@kpnoles]

@@Joe_VanCleave thank you so much! It worked!

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

It looks like you're wearing a RUGBY shirt in this episode (#86). Is this also one of your many interests/hobbies? Just curious. I never played. Know NOTHING about the sport except its VERY physical, heavy contact.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Ha! If only! The shirt was a gift, I can't imagine myself playing rugby!

[@thenerdiestwriter7555]

I have an underwood type writer and i need the spool feeding in one direction but the ribbon reverse switch keeps moving to the other side causing the ribbon to switcch directions which i dont want because its grabbing from th side that doesnt have any ribbon. I don't know what to do

[@Joe_VanCleave]

On many Underwoods, the ribbon needs to thread off the spools from the front side, toward the middle between each spool, instead of off the backside of the spools like on many other brands.

[@thenerdiestwriter7555]

@@Joe_VanCleave I have that set up correct its just the ribbon reverse mechanism thats a problem because i switch it to the left toward the front of the typewriter so it taking the ribbon from the right to the left but the mechanism switched while im typing and starts taking from the left spool to the right. It's causing the letters to punch holes through the ribbon because its not pulling any ribbon from the left side because there isnt any, its all on the right.

[@tmunk]

heh, this is why I tend to steal the smaller metal Royal portable spools from machines that don't need them. They work great in Corona 4's and other machines that have trouble with larger modern spools. (:

[@tmunk]

also, great tutorial on how the underwood ribbon reverse works! :D