[GreenKeys] Model 15 Printer Ribbon

[John Nagle]

> Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2012 11:23:56 -0700
> From: epvgk at limpoc.com
> Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Model 15 Printer Ribbon
> To: Jim Haynes <jhhaynes at earthlink.net>
> 
> On Sat, Sep 29, 2012 at 12:56:13PM -0500, Jim Haynes wrote:
>> > On Sat, 29 Sep 2012, john garko wrote:
>> > 
>>> > > Need some advice please.... Model 15 printer ribbon.... I was told to use
>>> > > Nukote B76...... If correcy, should it be nylon or cloth?
>>> > > Thanks in advance for the help.
>>> > > John
>> > Originally all the ribbons were cotton because nylon was not available.
>> > Conventional wisdom is that cotton absorbs more ink than nylon, but nylon
>> > is much more durable.  Something was said, but I don't know if it's true,
>> > that the later model printers cause more wear of the ribbon so that nylon
>> > is advisable, while the earlier models can use cotton satisfactorily.
>> > 
> I've used a few of both on my 28, in my experience nylon produces a cleaner
> imprint but cloth lasts longer. 
> 
> eric

   I've used Nukote B76 ribbons on Model 15 and Model 14 machines.  On
the Model 15, ribbon wear tended to be heavy, and small characters
like "." would punch a hole in the ribbon.  Typing force on a Model
15 is adjustable, although it's not normally adjusted.
See fig. 27 in the adjustments manual, "Printing Bail Spring" and
"Spring adjusting lever screw" in
"http://www.aetherltd.com/public/model15manuals/138_Model15_Adj_Oct41.pdf",
page 86.  Turn that down if the typebars
are hitting the ribbon too hard.  I did, and ribbon damage stopped being
a problem.

   Tougher ribbons would be nice, but are hard to find.  Nukote
B76 ribbons are really for Underwood typewriters, and while the form
factor is compatible with Teletypes, the ribbon isn't as heavy duty.

   Model 14 machines don't seem to hit as hard.  I'm not getting
significant ribbon wear on any of the 14 machines with Nukote B76
ribbons loaded.  But I run rice-paper tape in mine, rather than
the original wood-pulp newsprint.  The rice paper tape is stronger
and more resilient, but less ink absorbent.

				John Nagle