Question:
All,
I just got an Olympus SM9 manual typewriter. Very retro, I know. Unfortunately I got it through ebay and there is no manual for it, but I imagine there is a manual out there somewhere.

Anyhow, I'm wondering if someone out there might be able to answer some questions, since I've never had a manual typewriter before (there is no electric power).

1. When the ribbon reaches the end does it automatically reverse itself? Mine does not seem to do so, and it doesn't take me long to reach the end of the ribbon.

2. There is a small metal lever underneath the cover with + and - on it. It is not the tab controls... I have tab controls accessable without lifting the cover.

3. There is a lever on the right side to the back of the carriage. I have no idea what this does.

Thanks,
K

Answer:
haha... I can feel your pain!
Actually I'm not that old to have written with mechanic typewriters but with electric yep. I'm also lucky enough to have inheritated from my grandpa, who had a shop and needed it for writing commercial docs, an underwood from the 30's, black with beige buttons, very stylish!
Once typewriting was a hard dirty job! haha! with lots of effort put in pushing buttons and ribbons (it depends on the model but many must be put back manually) and also the ink dirtied so much fingers etc...hehe
But it's so fashionable to still have and use it sometimes... to hear again and again the mechanism marching under your fingertips...
Enjoy K!!!

Answer:
Now, I am saying YIKES! What would you want with it? It might make a nice antique someday. Sorry, I can't be of help. Good luck with it.

Answer:
Mmm, I had a manual typewriter back in my teens, and I believe it was some Olympia model. It's now at my parents' house, so this is definitely going to be a real challenge for my memory!
As far as I recall, the ribbon reversed itself automatically, if yours does not I guess it might be broken, there would be no point that you had to reverse it yourself everytime it reaches its end, that happens quite often.
I think I remember the "+/-" lever was used to adjust the thickness of the paper you use. If you want to use a thicker paper (an envelope, for example), you move the lever to one side, and when you use normal paper, to the other. Sadly, I don't remember which sign corresponded to which thickness.
The other lever might be there to lock the carriage when not in use, but this is just a guess.
Next weekend I might be visiting my parents, if I can find the typewriter I'll try to check what I told you.

Answer:
Ok, after some tinkering and a lot of ink all over the place (my hands are still purple the next day and the typewriter needs a hosing, I figured it out:

Originally Posted by MisterK All,
I just got an Olympus SM9 manual typewriter. Very retro, I know. Unfortunately I got it through ebay and there is no manual for it, but I imagine there is a manual out there somewhere.
Anyhow, I'm wondering if someone out there might be able to answer some questions, since I've never had a manual typewriter before (there is no electric power).
1. When the ribbon reaches the end does it automatically reverse itself? Mine does not seem to do so, and it doesn't take me long to reach the end of the ribbon.

There is a bar running between the two spindles, kind of hidden. It is apparently tension triggered, to cause the gears to change direction. This is triggered by two flat bars to the rear-sides of where the ribbon sits. When the tension increases the bar (or one bar) will pull in, triggering the ribbons to change direction.

My problem was that the ribbon installed has a grommet which extends too long, and almost feeds into the area where you type. The tension is not there. What I did was disassembled part of the ribbon (I'll probably have to do the other spool) so the grommet does not go too far. I cut the end off some of the ribbon and put it back on the spool, feeding it around these flat metal bars, and it seemed to do the trick.

Originally Posted by MisterK 2. There is a small metal lever underneath the cover with + and - on it. It is not the tab controls... I have tab controls accessable without lifting the cover.

I think this has to do with the tension of the keys. Setting it to + seems to make the keys more tense and setting it to - seems to make the keys more loose in how they feel.

Originally Posted by MisterK 3. There is a lever on the right side to the back of the carriage. I have no idea what this does.

This resets all the tab settings on the typewriter. Probably not much use, but I guess if I was making columns of data it would be good. I won't be doing that though, but if I ever have a form (i.e. IRS form) it might come in handy.

K