The Oliver No. 9 Renovation Project

A blog to document the road to recovering a 1916 Oliver typewriter in photos and videos.

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Cleaning - Part 1: Carriage Rack & Ribbon Vibrator Assembly

Now that this assembly has been removed, I can work on cleaning it. Inspecting the underside of the carriage racks, there's a manufacturer's stamp/mark: "3. L. 16."

Could this be a date stamp? Using the Typewriter Database and the machine's factory number (589062), we can assume this machine was produced in 1916. Could the "16" reference the year? I'm wondering if all machines have the same or similar marking?

Before I began cleaning, there's two pieces I want to detach to clean separately. The Oliver 9 manual calls these "Swinging Links" and they support the rail frame on either end.

Similar to the Brackets, these pieces are specific to either the right or left. Note the "R" marked on the right link.

Now to clean the assembly...

Using PB B'laster Penetrant to remove the rust and corrosion.

After a good soak, I used a rag to wipe off about 90% of the rust and residue. There were a few rough surfaces that required a bit more work to remove.

Cleaning - Part 2: Parts & Fasteners

Now that the machine parts have been removed (see previous post), it's time to give them a good bath.

My workflow:

Add parts into a plastic bin with rust remover and mark the time on a sticky note with the part name. Sometimes only a two-hour soak would be enough while other parts required an overnight soak.

After rust remover soak, part is wiped down with a rag to wipe off any loose rust from all surfaces.

Quick rinse in water.

A dunk in 91% Isopropyl Alcohol for flash drying.

Dried parts are added back to their labeled bags or sleeves (see last post). It might be a while before I assemble this again so organization at every phase is important.

Here's a batch of parts in a container with a de-rust product. I used apple cider vinegar to start. I found that it worked well at cleaning after a good soak of at least 12 hours.

I switched to a different product that ended up working better and faster: Evapo-Rust. It's non-toxic, pH neutral, and reusable. A quart of this was able to clean everything.

Here's the first batch. Note how clean the liquid looks. After reuse, it will become a cloudy rusty liquid, but still works just the same.

I tried to keep tiny parts bathing in equally small containers as they can easily be lost, especially as the EvapoRust becomes cloudy. I also made sure to have a sieve in the sink for the cleaning process. Wouldn't want one of these to disappear down a pipe forever.

I used plastic trays, but in hindsight, I'd keep parts in even smaller containers of organized groups. Despite notes and photos, it took me much longer than anticipated to identify the small fasteners/screws at the end of the cleaning cycle.

The fasteners cleaned up so well, it was difficult to compare them to the photos I took at extraction, when they were covered in 105 years of rust and gunk.

Ok, that's it for now. Next post... Carriage Dismantle!

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Removing the Carriage Rails & Ribbon Vibrator Assembly

In preparation for this major surgery on the Oliver 9, I reviewed a couple of videos posted by the YouTube Channel, The Vintage Type. The two-part video on Taking apart an Oliver 6 for cleaning was helpful, to say the least. I don't think that I would have had the slightest clue on what to do without these videos. Make sure to pay a visit.

Tools Used

There are a few different types of fasteners, so using the right tool for the job is important. I will work on creating a F.A.Q. page to cover that answer. For this removal, I used the following tools:

Screwdriver set with many bits sizes (Weaver Gunsmith Multi-Bit Tool Kit)

Slotted Screw-Holding Screwdriver for screw removal

1/4" wrench (from a DURATECH Midget Wrench set)

12" long flathead screwdriver

Soft Metal

These older machines can have soft metal screws and nuts, making it easy to strip or break them. I tackled each of the machine's screws and bolts as a different problem to solve.

The Checklist

The carriage rails and ribbon vibrator assembly took about an hour to remove. It comes off as one piece and requires a handful of fasteners to be removed first. Here's a quick rundown on what needed to be done to separate the assemblage from the base of the typewriter, in no particular order:

Remove Tail-Rod Covers. There are two. One outer bulbous cover that is painted green (missing on my machine), and the small bow-tie like metal cover over the tail-rod. Two screws will be removed.

Unfasten Bell Hammer. One screw (with washer).

Remove Brackets on either side, below the Front Carriage Rail. (Two screws each)

Remove Left-Hand Marginal Stop. (Two screws)

Detach Back-Space Lever at elbow. (One screw & arm)

Detach LEFT Key Arm under Vibrator. (One screw.)

Detach the Escape Lever Slotted Link. (One nut & washer)

Detach Vibrator Assemblage. (slide off of joint)

Let's do it!

1

Removing the Tail-Rod Cover

I am missing the green bulbous outer cover. The inner cover sits over the end (left) of the Tail-Rod. The two screws on either side are removed; the screw in the middle untouched.

2

Unfastening Bell Hammer

There is one screw (with washer) holding the Bell Hammer to the base.

3

Removing the Brackets

These are found below each end of the Front Carriage Rail, above the Oliver's "horns." Two screws on each bracket. They are undistinguishable from one another except for an "R" stamped on the right clamp.

4

Remove Left-Hand Marginal Stop

First, the screw at the end of the bar needs to be removed. Then, the screw holding this piece onto the bar needs to be loosened/removed. Once the screw is removed on the far right (near the Spring Barrel), the piece can be slid off the end of the bar.

5

Detach Back-Space Lever at elbow. (One screw & arm).

After unscrewing the elbow screw (left in image below), the arm (center) can be removed. It hinges out from where it is attached below the ribbon vibrator (right).

6

Detach LEFT key arm under Vibrator

A long arm emerges from below and attaches at the "LEFT" key arm. The 12" screwdriver worked well at approaching the screw facing the left.

After applying cautious strength with the long screwdriver, the seal cracked and the screw could be removed. I switched to a slotted screw-holding screwdriver to finish the job. This was yet another type of screw to carefully catalog and store away during the renovation.

7

Detach the Escape Lever Slotted Link

I attempted to first remove this bolt from the left with a screwdriver. (I'm pointing at it with a 1/4" wrench, but it not used here.) It appeared that the middle nut was frozen on the bolt.

Instead, I removed the nut on the right (which includes a washer).

Because I wasn't able to remove the bolt, I had to force the arm until the end of the bolt cleared the vertical frame bar. Didn't feel too good about that, but I don't think I caused any damage to the arm or the end of the bolt. Later, I'll try using penetrating oil.

8

Detaching the Vibrator Assemblage

Finally, the last step: an arm needs to be pushed off of a connection, accessed between the type bars. In the photo, my finger is resting on the arm. A 12" screwdriver was used to wedge it off to the right.

Huzzah! The beast has been removed.

Here's a short inspection of the piece.

Bonus step: I took off these two hinges off of the assembly for cleaning, one on either side of the carriage. Similar to the brackets, the right hinge is identified by an "R" stamped on the arm.

With each piece and it's accompanying screw, washer, or nut removed, it was important to keep everything organized. I documented each step with photos, occasional video, and a notation or sketch. I need this information for when all of this needs to go back on the typewriter.

See you next time. Next up... cleaning!

And hey - I'm now on Instagram!

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Removing & Cleaning the Keytops

I am going to start this project by removing the black TAB, RIGHT, and LEFT keys. Once those are removed, I can remove the front face plate. After pushing the keys down, the bottom of the face can be wiggled out first. I learned afterward that it might be easier to remove the face after removing the top row of white keys.

The TAB & RIGHT keys did not have washers on my machine but I assume the machine originally had a washer for every keytop screw. The larger pair (bottom center) are the face plate screws.

Some screws needed more pressure than others, especially this rusty CAP keybar screw. I used a machine screwdriver to loosen it before switching to a slotted screw-holding screwdriver to grip and remove it.

The machine sits in a box just in case a part is dropped. I used a plastic condiment container to hold the screws (35) and washers (35) from each of the white keytops (28) and black keytops (7).

Here's the "BEFORE" photos:

The white keys were put into a cup of warm water. I added a pump of dish soap and three drops of bleach and let them soak for four hours, agitating the container every hour or so.

The white keys were put into a cup of warm water. I added a pump of dish soap and three drops of bleach and let them soak for four hours, shaking the container every hour or so. Here they are after two hours soaking.

I scrubbed each key with a toothbrush and soapy water. The grime came off easily but some keys still had a patina of stain. I put them back into the soapy/bleached water for another two hours. (I wonder what the original hue of these keys? Bone white or off white?)

After four hours, the stains didn't change much and didn't feel it neccessary to soak them any longer. Here's the "AFTER" photo:

Here's what the screws & washers looked like after 10 hours in apple cider vinegar, then rinsed in alcohol to quick dry.

Once dry, I packed away the white keys, screws & washers in labeled envelopes. It might be a while before I reinstall the keys.

The cleaning of the black keys will be in the next update.

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IT HAS BEGUN

Project Oliver Number 9 renovation is under way! I've never done anything like this project but having a lot of fun doing it. My biggest fear is removing parts and not remembering how to put them back on down the line so I'm keeping lots of notes and hundreds of photos to reference. My hoarding of small baggies has helped organize the parts. I think the years of playing complicated board games on small tables has helped me keep this winter project organized.

My main sources of information:

Antique Typewriter Collectors Group & the Antique Typewriter Maintenance Group on Facebook. Searching for "Oliver" has given me a lot of great information.

Videos posted at The Vintage Type YouTube channel. Bryan Haddix informative video series covers renovation of his Oliver No. 6.

The Typewriter Revolution Website Manuals - Specifically the Oliver 9 & 11 manual as well as Mechanical Devices of the Typewriter.

The machine I will be working on was acquired through an online listing. It came with an extra carriage and two additional face plates.

The carriage that originally came with the machine (bottom) is missing a few pieces. The other "Printype" carriage (top) looks complete, but many rusted and frozen parts to tackle in this project.

My main goal of this project is to rehabilitate the machine back to working order. Thanks for following along.

I've created a YouTube Channel and Instagram feed for sharing my process.

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"On Preventing and Removing Dirt: All manufacturers warn us that dust is the typewriter's worst enemy. Death and dust are, however, the two surest facts in life: they are bound to come. So far as dust is concerned, something, happily, can be done to prevent it, and, when not prevented, to remove it."

R. T. Nicholson, Mechanical Devices of the Typewriter (1920)

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Fresh from FedEx, the machine arrived after a week lost in transit from Chicago. From the hands of the driver, to my office floor, and now to your screen. Here's the unboxing.

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Ready to start down an unfamilair road to renovate this Oliver Number 9 Typewriter!