Olympia SM9 2 Minute Carriage Removal and Install w/Silent Return Spring

[@wildbravado]

Your videos are excellent. No fuss, no blah, straight down to business. You make even the most fussy and tricky repairs look manageable. Thank you 🙏

[@jsbphotog]

Thank you! This just solved the most annoying thing about my SM9.

[@mattrobinson47]

The front bearing sliders only have two (2) ball bearings on mine, too, so it’s likely they were built that way. Thanks for the video! It made my “carriage-ectomy” easy as can be. So much easier to clean the innards

[@darronwissinger4248]

Great Video ! I went straight to my SM9 and fixed the Grating Carriage Return from your directions ! Many many thanks !

[@johnlennon1049]

You always amaze me. Great video!

[@adamhaglund9086]

Thanks for this! I used it to remove the carriage on my SM2 - the bearings looked the same fyi, one of them misses two balls.

[@mitchvass4498]

Ok Thank Very good. Thanks that was excellent. I got one from ebay for a customer, and have to take carriage off as the bearing are half out, and other issues. Good Job thanks.

[@VirtualGuth]

Were I forced to pick a favorite typewriter, It would likely be the Olympia SM9. After buying one I was told repeatedly that I needed to try a SM3. I did, and I do like it, but not as much as the SM9. I eventually added many other notable machines to the mix: Alpina SK24, Facit TP1, Hermes 3000, Torpedo 18b, Triumph Perfekt, Voss ST24. I've likely forgotten a few others by now, but it doesn't matter. All of these are wonderful typewriters in my mind, but personally I do not think that any of them better the SM9 in terms of overall functionality. Probably the biggest issue the SM9 has going against it is that it's not rare and therefore likely frowned upon by many collectors.

[@willyb4235]

My opinion exactly. It is common but nothing outperforms it though the Olivettis have very nice font styles. Italian artists.

[@VirtualGuth]

@@willyb4235 An Olivetti Lettera 32 is among those machines that I failed to mention. Likely because I so rarely use the thing any longer. Yet while I didn't care for the way the Lettera 32 types, others absolutely love this model. Obviously not everyone shares the same preferences when it comes to typewriters. Fortunately, there were more than enough of these machines made over the years to keep anyone even somewhat interested in them happy. (And while I don't care for the way the Lettera 32 types, I do find it to be an absolutely gorgeous example of industrial design.)

[@willyb4235]

@@VirtualGuth Yes, the sm9, as well as the sm8 and the latter iterations of the sm line, feels better than the 32. And I dont dislike the font of sm9 but the pica font of the Olivetti is just so pleasing. Incidently if ,like me, you followed the hotrods (does he have a name?) video and removed your carriage you will notice that the spacing between the front and back rails is adjustable. By adjusting the two middle rods which support the rails I was able to take up the free play movement. After reassembly the carriage travelled to the end of the page without hanging up as it had been doing. Best two minute video ever.

[@willyb4235]

One more question: do the bearings run dry without any oil? I just cleaned everything and it is quite smooth.

[@ripemangosmdm7997]

Awesome, thank you!

[@sojourner57]

Great video, and I know it's a bit old at this point, so I hope you get this note: I have two SM-9 wide carriage models. The 1974 works flawlessly, very smooth ands the action is crisp and light. We just picked up a similar machine from 1976. The latter machine is sluggish in its action, and there seems to be a slight hesitation with every key-stroke, as if I'm fighting the machine. It tales far more effort to type than the 1974 machine. The 1976 was from an estate sale, and had a correcting ribbon installed which allowed that white dust to get everywhere. I've flushed and flushed and lightly lubricated the carriage rails, and the mechanism still seems slow. Thoughts?

[@jespertrans7132]

Very instructive! Thx! 👍

[@ericrivas5622]

I am currently sitting with my sm9 trying to fix this issue. Lol I don’t quite understand what I’m supposed to be pulling to the left. I don’t see a spring connected to the small rod with the copper dots. I just see it rattle as I return the carriage.

[@VirtualGuth]

I'll share this just in case yourself or anyone else might be looking for such information. This video doesn't end up showing the silent return spring and is more focused on the removal of the carriage than the positioning of the silent return spring. The silent return spring does not look like a helical or coil type spring, but rather it is more like a round piece of wire that is like an external circlip partially wrapping around (a lip on) the star wheel of the escapement mechanism with an extension on one end of that circlip that runs perpendicular to the spring/circlip itself. In other words, were you to set the silencer spring down on a table or other flat surface on its back, the extended piece of wire would stick straight up. If you get the typewriter on a workbench or any other appropriate surface to where you can shine a light source at the escapement mechanism and the star wheel in particular, you should be able to see this silencer spring, or at least the extension that sticks out (as the rest of the spring should be clamped tight around the lip on the star wheel). This extension is what needs to be "moved to the left". When you find t his spring, you should be able to see what is blocking the extension of the silencer spring. As the silencer spring itself if somewhat flexible, you should be able to maneuver it to where it needs to be using the tool of your choosing. I realize that my words probably make little sense, but hopefully by the time you are looking at the escapement mechanism. To get a much better idea of what I am talking about, refer to this particular video by Hot Rod Typewriter: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWXSqoChqN-ZZqs. While it features a Facit portable rather than an Olympia, and therefore the layout is going to be different, it does a very good job of showing a silencer spring and how it works. This should allow you to identify this spring on your Olympia so that you'll be able to make the repair on your own. I did not have to take my SM9 apart to fix this (after contorting myself a bit that is) and was able to fix mine without removing anything from the typewriter. It does take a bit of force, but remember that such a spring is flexible and likely deflected from its original shape to end up out of place anyway (how this happens is beyond me). As long as you don't bend it too far, it will return to its original shape once you've cleared the bar he is referring to in this video. (I think it might be part of one of the pawls, but it has been too long since I did this work for me to remember.)

[@cosmond11]

@@VirtualGuth fixed my '61 SM7! Same problem, same fix. It was easier to slide it over to the left when pressing the carriage release button, which brings the dog toward you and therefore lowers it so the spring can be pushed over the top--I assume that is how it slipped over in the first place. Easy when you know what you are looking for, right? Thank you!

[@VirtualGuth]

@@cosmond11 Good deal, and congratulations!

[@bwhog]

I have an SM8 I'm working on now that only has the two end bearings in each race. I don't know if that's the way it was intended or not, but I bet it runs a lot more smoothly and with a tad less noise if it has all eight instead of just 4. (Not that it's in any way bad as it is, just can be a bit better.)

[@paulopirescoelho4973]

Very useful... I´ll have to do this on my SM9 ... thx

[@escribanomann1978]

Love your videos. Very instructive. How long have you been repairing typewriters?

[@Get7Out7ofthe7Boat]

My very First typewriter an Olympia SM-9 I believe a later 68'.

[@brianr9816]

I have a late 70’s sm9 and I can’t figure out how to get the platen out. The left knob unscrews easily. The right one is stuck solid and I’m worried about breaking things if I force it. I was thinking about getting some small amount of penetrating lubricant in there. Favorite typewriter. Very mechanically inclined. Don’t want to bust it. Any thoughts on getting it loose?

[@billogle4776]

Pleased to see you using spanners (wrenches) ignition spanners are more than usefull to have in metric and imperial, dont buy spring hooks make them from motor cycle spokes, there is /was a reason typewriter mechanics used long screw drivers, you can see what you are doing, nothing shorter than 7 -8 inches, Always use a screw driver that has a blade size size approximately the same diameter as the screw always make sure you screw driver has the correct profile on the tip,..Never use a screw driver smaller than the screw or vise versa ..if you use the the right screw driver you will always feel when the screw is tight and you won't strip threads because screw drivers create their own torque...one final tip DON'T BEND (FORM) ANYTHING THERE WILL MOST TIMES BE AN ADJUSTMENT.. CHEERS

[@VirtualGuth]

I have found that many times reforming is truly the only option for certain repairs. I imagine this is why many typewriter mechanics toolsets included tools specifically for this task. In addition to the tips that you've offered regarding screwdrivers, I would add that if you truly wish to avoid damaging the screws in a typewriter while possibly saving yourself some frustration, it is worth investing in screwdrivers of the hollow-ground variety (also known as gunsmithing screwdrivers).

[@willyb4235]

Excellent video. My olympia carriage is sloppy. I can grab either end and rock it back and forth. I was able to loosen the cap screw of the front rail (easily visible in your vid) and pull it forward slightly which tightened it up a bit but it is not an oblong hole not really not built for adjustment. The bearings seem to be intact. My other olympia does not have this free play and slides smoothly. Any suggestions?

[@paulopirescoelho4973]

How is that "give it a bath" ? can You show it here ? thx a lot