[GreenKeys] Printing Selectric

[Cory Heisterkamp]

Yep, a Selectric II (looks like single pitch). What makes it unique is that it has a Euro keyboard. Keep in mind it's all mechanical within, nothing electrical but the motor. 

One of the problems interfacing with the I/O Selectric is the printing cadence. Not only are there 6 coils for the tilt and rotate whiffletree, but switches to provide feedback to the sending unit. You want to send the next character after the first is fully printed, but before the the cycle clutch disengages, otherwise you put a lot of undue wear on the mechanism. Gotta keep that momentum up!

There were also boxes in the 70's you could interface to your computer that would sit over the keyboard, with one solenoid per key to allow you to use any old Selectric. Not sure how many of those survived.  

A different angle would be to grab a Wheelwriter. While not as 'cool' as the Selectric, these are all electronic and much easier to interface, and in fact quite a few were RS-232 compatible. I think the CHM used one with their 1620 that was missing its original type-bar I/O unit.

-Cory


On Oct 31, 2018, at 4:52 PM, Dave Wade wrote:

> Josh,
> Yes it’s a Selectric.
> Dave
>  
> From: greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net <greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Josh Bensadon
> Sent: 31 October 2018 21:46
> To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Printing Selectric
>  
> Does anyone know if this is a Selectric?  It does not have any interface (it's a future project of mine to build one for it.)
> 
>  
> 
> The other picture is of the Olivetti ET 121 that's for sale if anyone wants a Daisy wheel typewriter with computer printing interface?
> 
> Working the last time I tried it.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Josh Bensadon
> 
> Toronto
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> From: greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net <greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf of Jeffrey Angus <jdangus at att.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2018 5:38 PM
> To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Printing Selectric
>  
> On 10/31/18 4:18 PM, Keith Lueck wrote:
> I seem to recall that regular Selectric type balls didn't fit his
> machine, which was a drag.
> When I was at TRW in the mid '70s, I had one of the "bastard"
> golf balls. When our secretary went off to get coffee, I'd switch
> balls on her machine.
> They'd come back and the Selectric would type gibberish.
> I was known as "The guy who could fix that."
> 
> Smirk, I did that for three years. Never got caught.
> 
> 
> -- 
> "I am a river to my people."
> Jeff-1.0
> WA6FWI
> www.foxsmercantile.com
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>  
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