Underwood Popular Questions, Answers, Tips & Manuals

Sir/Madam, I'm very sorry; this"fixya.com" assumes I have the knowledge to offer advice on typewriters but I normally need advice myself. Regret I can't help, Sincerely, Edwin Thoma, USN-Ret.

your typewriter was built in early 1939

The wheel may be loose on its shaft look for and tighten the screws

Try these guys: Belts Chains Sprockets and Pulleys

Remove the top cover, remove ribbon spools, press a key and grab it with your finger, note the mechanical motions toward the ribbon advancer movement, usually found near the center of the ribbon holder or could be on the outside edge also, there is a reverser mechanism also that should be fully to one side or the other, it switches the ribbon direction to avoid a 'dead end' while typing. By moving the key toward the platen and away it should drive the ribbon mount spool by a shifting drive lever of some kind. If you cannot resolve this issue, take it to a rare typewriter repair shop, it is too hard to explain in this format, and mechanical skills are involved, hope you have them, ;)

Remove all covers, and platen, spray with regular solvent/Marvel Mystery oil mix 50/50, don't spray to hard or you could unseat tiny springs, try to focus on the internal parts and stay away from the motor too, then blow the excess out with air and let sit overnite to air dry the rest. If you have a yellowish drive belt in the unit, you should remove it also before spraying. Once all is dry, reassemble and test. Wipe the platen with a fast drying spray solvent that won't eat rubber like Trichlor 111 or equivalent, no lacquer thinner or products containing toluene, Contact Cleaners work, all keys should move freely, I cannot recall the drive mechanism for the keys however, generally speaking, rubber parts need to be clean and dry, no oil there, small mechanisms should move without binding, some people spray WD40 in typewriters thinking they will free it up, NOT! WD40 BAD! The aforementioned wash should restore it back if someone WD40'd it for ya, have fun with that. :)

Belt shot

Look around here:

Belt is slipping or broken..When it sits for awhile the belt stretches.

You don't want to do that, use an automotive brake cleaner and spray in the rails while moving the carriage back and forth, that should loosen it up, dis-assembly would unleash the angry mechanical gods upon you, might want to keep the spray away from the motor and belt as they are apparently scarce, otherwise toss it and find an old gray Underwood in good condition and go