[GreenKeys] NOS Model 33 Ribbons

Thu Apr 2 11:15:08 EDT 2020

I just realized that I forgot to add my 'footnote' from the ** 

**I was going to mention that before the 'computer revolution', some IBM Selectric typewriters had some kind 
of a 'cartridge' sistem for the ribbon. Later machines had, in addition to the main ribbon, some kind of 
correction ribbon which allowed one to back up, cover the offending character or characters with some kind of 
white material, and then back up once again and type over the mistake and in many cases, the error and its 
correction would go unnoticed. Some bosses had a 'no corrections' policy and their secretaries had to be very 
careful when preparing a document to be seen by the boss before he signed it for circulation or distribution. 

Good luck to all in their quests for useable ribbons. One of the G/K gang has some ink suitable for the 
re-inking process at a very reasonable price. Sorry his name does not come to mind. I bought some of it a 
while back and have not yet put it to use. Maybe sometime soon now that we have more 'house time' on our 
hands! 

Ralph - W8ROI 

- - - - - - - - 

From: "Ralph Irish" <w8roi at wowway.com> 
To: "Richard Knoppow" <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com> 
Cc: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net 
Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2020 9:39:12 AM 
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] NOS Model 33 Ribbons 

Some ribbon spindles and the surface upon which the ribbon spool sit, have one or two short 
'spikes' which stick up into the bottom of the ribbon spool and they rotate around the center 
spindle to cause the ribbon to move. 

Ribbon spools usually have either five or six holes, arranged in a pentagon or a hexagon. It 
is these holes in which the 'spike' is in and with the rotation of the spindle, cause the ribbon 
to be pulled through the system. 

If you have a machine that has two small 'spikes' across from each other, then the spool that 
you put on there has to have six holes, so that there will be two holes 180 degrees apart to 
engage the matching 'spikes' on the ribbon mount spindle. 

I have had spools of ribbon with five holes and they won't sit all the way down on the spindle 
shaft and properly engage the 'spikes'. On several occasions I spent some messy time rewinding 
ribbons onto spools with six holes. Doing that a few times will get one to examine ribbon spools 
before buying new ribbons. 

If the ribbon spindle on your machine(s) has just one 'spike' then you are all set. You can use any 
type of ribbon, as long as the other 'specs' are right. If your machines have two 'spikes' on the 
ribbon spindle, you might try to remove one of the 'spikes', or be cautious when buying new 
ribbons. 

It took the 'computer revolution' to come along,** with associated printers before printer designers 
thought of a 'cartridge' to hold the ribbon. I had several AppleWriters which used a unique 
ribbon cartridge. They were available in a number of colors. Since both the 'feed' opening and 
the 'take up' openings were just a short distance apart, there was just a small piece of ribbon 
exposed to the air, to have its ink evaporate. These cartridges had a 'manual advance' device 
that could move the ribbon through the cartridge, and when the 'dry' part was in between two 
'wet' layers of ribbon, and this would transfer a bit of ink to that spot so that the next time it 
was in front of the print mechanism, it would do its job properly. 

The early AppleWriter printers had their two ribbon spindles many inches apart, exposing 
that much to the air to allow evaporation or drying of that stretch of ribbon. For the person who 
used their printer on a many-times-a-day basis it was not a problem. The person who just did 
occasional printing might discover some of the print on the paper was not dark enough. 

Live and learn! 

Examine the ribbon spindles on your machines and see whether yours have one or two 'spikes' 
to engage the spool to advance (and take up) ribbon. Also, unless you have dozens or more 
empty spools, don't toss them out. It might be to your advantage to have a few empties for 
transferring ribbon from an uncooperative spool to a useful one. 

Good luck! 

Ralph - W8ROI 

PS I will look at my supply of ribbons and spools. If I find 'one of each' style, I will 
photograph them and put them on here. 

R. 

- - - - - - - - 

From: "Richard Knoppow" <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com> 
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net 
Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2020 9:16:17 PM 
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] NOS Model 33 Ribbons 

Good question. The ribbons are very nearly universal, fit a 
great many machines. The metal spools are a bit on the rare side 
but plastic ones mostly work and are common. 
I have a couple of Underwood machines, not quite as old as 
the No.3 (I think with the decimal tabulator) but very nearly. 
Many machines use both these ribbons and spools but some machines 
use spools that are hard to find, like the Remington No.17, 
during the 1940s the standard in government offices. 

On 4/1/2020 5:53 PM, Jeff Albrecht wrote: 
> On 4/1/2020 5:48 PM, Paul Heller wrote: 
>> What is special about these that command such a high price? 
> 
> Well, just call me Ebay seller VintageComputerMuseum! 
> 
> Or alternately; April fools! :-) r r r r r 
> 
> - Jeff 
> 
>> 
>> Paul 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Apr 1, 2020, at 5:42 PM, Jeff Albrecht <jeffa at rodaw.com 
>>> <mailto:jeffa at rodaw.com>> wrote: 
>>> 
>>> TanTopKeyers... 
>>> 
>>> I found some New Old Stock (NOS) ribbons that should fit 
>>> model 33 and my old Underwood. 
>>> 
>>> Thirty seven dollars and fifty cents each. ($37.50) 
>>> 
>>> I think Wayne has a reInker. 
>>> 
>>> - Jeff 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> <naacpcbhlfkfhgid.png><dnfbhaappdbgpjkp.png> 
>>> 
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> 
> 
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-- 
Richard Knoppow 
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com 
WB6KBL 

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2002-to-present greenkeys archive: http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/greenkeys/ 
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