I originally went to get the $5.00 typewriter...

[jdinstl]

...that was listed on Craigslist by a recycling center.

And here it is...an IBM Model C. It needs some TLC, but that's no problem in my house.

 

[jdinstl]

...and I'd been wanting a new microwave...

...but like one of the guys over at Vacuumland said "why buy new junk when you can have old quality?"

And what screams old quality from the kitchen like an Amana Radarange? It's an RR6W, built in 1975.

Ain't she purty? Fred over at Vacuumland pointed me to Corey's site on all things Radarange. Yup, chrome does it for me, too, the more the better. It goes well with my chrome Mixmaster, my shiny percolators, my chrome blender, blah blah blah...

 

[jdinstl]

An entry for Amateur Hour at AutomaticWasher.org

This guy I still have to do some research on. But I've always wanted a small washer to stick in the kitchen. Lo 'n behold, this little guy was right by the door!

(Would you believe the Radarange weighs more than he does?

 

[jdinstl]

AutomaticWasher.org Amateur Hour continued...

...here's a bit closer of the panel. It works, I'm told, but will clean it up and check it out. I need to do some research to learn more about it.

No great find, really, and I'm almost embarrassed to post about it, amongst all you folks who turn old rusted hulks into showroom quality. But I've always wanted a small washer to have in the kitchen for short quick loads and such. This will fit the bill nicely.

And now I have TWO washers instead of just one! A few years ago, I said that about vacuum cleaners...and now I have over 30 -- so I'm slowly getting there!

Cheers all!

John

 

[DADoES]

That would be a Whirlpool "World Washer," yes?

 

[autowasherfreak]

It's a good little washer.

I had that same washer and the matching dryer when I lived in my apartment, and sold them after I bought the Frigidaire front loader to a friend at work whose daughter really needed them. It was a great washer, I had it for over 6 years. Did laundry for two people in it so it got a good work out. The only problems I had with it were minor, a hair pin got stuck in the pump twice. If I remember correctly the washer is belt driven.

I also have two IBM Model C's they don't work, but I'm hoping that between the two, I can get one working machine. Nice RR too!

 

[swestoyz]

John - the white cabinet is the telling sign that it is an original RR-6W, but it appears the control panel has been replaced. Often they were changed out for some reason or another - cap issue, display issue, who knows.

You've got a champ of a microwave though!

Ben

 

[jdinstl]

Ben...you're right...but around my house, Ben is always

...because here, Ben is the cat

I got the RR-6W off the plate on the back of the machine. But comparing my pic to Corey's site, yeah, the panels ARE different!

Still....I LOVE IT! And hey, couldn't beat it for $5.00!

John

 

[jdinstl]

Tested the Whirlpool World Washer...

Indeedy it is a World Washer. Model #LCR7244HQ2. I found instructions, a parts list, etc., online! Woohoo!

I *might* have a slight leak...not sure though, as I didn't have the cold water connection on tight, and that was the first leak. So what I may have seen is the residual from that. Nevertheless, I'm thinking of replacing all the internal hoses 'n such.

I did a test wash on Delicate (8 minutes) and Small Load setting. Tossed in a pair of jeans and a dark T-shirt. It went through all the cycles just fine.

But geeze...the agitator...if that is "Delicate" then for regular or heavy wash, I'll just skip using this and toss my laundry into a woodchipper. I would venture to guess though that Delicate should be used with a higher load setting, i.e. more water. I don't consider Wrangler Jeans to be "delicate" but they sure came out clean!

But it's still darn cool and fun to have a washer in the kitchen for "quick 'n dirty" -- literally!

And I fixed the IBM C Model typewriter, had a piping hot breakfast courtesy of the Radarange....vintage life is gooood!

John

 

[autowasherfreak]

It's isn't a bad washer, you just have to be careful that you don't overload it. There is also a filter inside the agitator that you have to check, just pull up on the fabric softener dispenser.

 

[cadman]

The Power Return on those Model C's is something else. If I recall, the common failure was a glazed or slick spot on the power roller which can be real frustrating to fix. Over-zealous oiling, probably. How's she run?

 

[kenmore58]

Model C is one of my favorite machines. Have been looking for one here in Rhode Island, but none to be had. I can't even imagine how many of those got thrown away. Would love to find one with carbon ribbon and courier 10 type style. Will have to keep eyes open for one.

As far as the power roller goes, many times that can be fixed with a piece of fine sand paper and filing the area of the power roller that controls the particular cam that's giving you the problem.

Ron

 

[autowasherfreak]

Both of my Model C's are fabric ribbon models. I just got them out, and discovered that on one of them on the 2 key instead of have the @ symbol it has the backwards P for paragraph and on the 6 key it has the double s symbol, can't remember what it's actually called, and instead of have the 1/4 and 1/4 key it has the [ and ] symbols. Using that one would confuse the hell out of me.

 

[cadman]

I didn't think the @ sign on the 2-key became convention until the Selectric series? Am I mistaken?

I wrote A LOT on my Smith Corona Skywriter portable and was so used to using the 8-key for the ' and " that the PCs would throw me off...... and this was the late 90s! : )

 

[autowasherfreak]

All my IBM typebar models have the @ on the 2 key. My Olympia SM-9 manual has a totally different keyboard. The 2 key has " and where the " key is it has @ and cent sign, Olympia's were made in Germany so they are a little different than US keyboards.

 

[autowasherfreak]

Here's a picture of the Model C with the different keyboard. I can't remember what the character is called on the 6 key.

 

[autowasherfreak]

My Oldes IBM

This is my oldest IBM Model 01, which came out sometime in the 1930's. It needs a lot of work. I found a repair here locally that was going to rebuild including a new paint job for $250.00, but sadly passed away last year.

 

[autowasherfreak]

Next to the Oldest

This is the next to the oldest Model B from 1954. It needs a little work also mostly cleaned and oiled. The Model C with the different keyboard is in better shape then the other C. The other C has a locked keyboard, the only key that works is the space bar. My first year of typing I used a Model B but it was battleship gray instead of green.

 

[jdinstl]

Typewriters! Cool!

Kind of funny in a way that the things we take for granted on a computer keyboard were "special order" back in the day.

Jim, it looks like if the bookkeeper screwed up on my D Model, the Legal Department, having your C Model would step up to the plate. That's what the pilcrow - ¶, section - § and brackets - [] indicate to me.

BTW, here's a pic of my Model B exec.

John

 

[jdinstl]

And Cory....

...other than needing a new ribbon, the C Model is running like a champ. I'm pretty pleased with it

John

 

[kenmore58]

The change in keyboards came as a result of electric typewriters. Both the underscore and the hyphen were moved to the same key to place both of them on a repeat action key. By holding down the key, it would repeat, thus allowing the operator to underline or create a dashed line.

 

[jdinstl]

Oh sure.....

....go blame it on new technology, why dontcha?

If a manual typewriter was good enough for Grandma, it should be good enough for us now, eh?

Just joshin' ya!

Seriously, that's an interesting factiod to know!

John

 

[whirlcool]

Having a typewriter around is always handy. It can be used for quick small jobs that just can't be done efficiently on a computer, like ONE address label, etc.

Back when I was in college, (1969-73) I had a Royal semi electric portable. The space bar, shift buttons and carriage return were all manual, but the other keys were electric. It didn't really have any feel to it like the IBM Selectrics do.
I never really liked it, I got rid of it within days of graduating.

We are currently looking out for a IBM Selectric III machine in tan. Not in any special hurry.

A former neighbor of ours in Chicago had a IBM typewriter dealership and repair center in Elmhurst, IL. It was a very large business with a lot of customers. When the IBM PC came out in 1981 his business dropped considerably. Then he added IBM PC's to his product line. When IBM introduced the PS/2 series of computers his business all but disappeared. His company folded in 1989.

 

[autowasherfreak]

John, I like your Model B Executive, nice color. Is this the one that uses both film and fabric ribbon? How do you control which ribbon you want to use. I would like to have one of those dual ribbon models, were they available in both standard and executive?

I like both ribbon systems, I like the fabric because you use a blk/red ribbon, the film for correspondence. I also noticed something interesting about the Model C with the different keyboard. It has a detachable power cord. Here's some pictures of it. I wondering if this was converted from 220v to 110v?

 

[autowasherfreak]

Here's the other end.

 

[kenmore58]

To my knowledge, IBM did not offer dual ribbon capacity. The machine was either carbon or fabric ribbon.

Many other manufacturers offered that -- Royal, Smith Corona, Remington, and I believe Underwood.

I'm just a wealth of useless knowledge!

Ron

 

[jdinstl]

Jim...that is interesting....I wonder if our overseas friends can pipe in on that cord....I'm thinking UK power.

Ron -- IBM did offer dual ribbon capability, at least on the A and B Models. Inside the B-Model Executive, as well as a B-Model Standard I had in the past, was enclosed the fabric ribbon. On the machine, you flipped it's lid forward to reveal the spool.

In an earlier post, you may have seen me speak of "earmuffs" That's the two protrusions you see on my Exec under the carriage at the side of the typewriter. Those hold the film/carbon ribbon.

The ribbon switch has an additional detent which turns off/on the fabric ribbon. Actually, it shifts the ribbon advance ratchet from the film ribbon advance to the fabric ribbon advance. When using the fabric ribbon, yes, the frame that presents the ribbon to the oncoming type bar makes quite a jump.

Whereas my C Model has "ribbon rewind" as one of the toggles, these "dualies" ifyou will, had a metal tab inside the typewriter that you pressed to rewind the fabric ribbon.

Something interesting I saw comparing C Models with a user on Vacuumland. My C has two toggles at the left, Ribbon Position, and Ribbon Rewind. His has only the Ribbon Position. I don't know, but wonder, if Ribbon Rewind was done with an internal metal tab, as described above, an additional detent on the Ribbon Position toggle, or some other method.

John

 

[cadman]

Crap, I suppose you guys will want to see the IBM 3741 8" diskette "keypunch" machine when you're in town! ...and once again, no pics...

 

[autowasherfreak]

Heck Yes!

I'm interested in anything made by IBM, not just typewriters.

 

[autowasherfreak]

Ribbon Rewind

If it doesn't have a ribbon rewind, it probably uses the film ribbon. Film ribbon models didn't have a ribbon rewind on the outside of the machine. If you can find the thread, I will look at it, I can probably tell if it's fabric ribbon or film ribbon.