The paper injector was a mystery for a while as well for me. I don't get it, everything else comes off relatively easy or instinctively, just that left knob... There has got to be a trick to it.
It's cleaned now yeah, I know when to stop =). Still need to start making the review video though. This machine has so many tricks and special design bits to it!
Awesome! Thank you! @haelscheirs_haven posted a repair video on a seafoam green Ambassador yesterday (immaculate timing lol, th-cam.com/video/GNhiccx3deo/w-d-xo.html). That entire ribbon cover coming off in one section is a lot easier indeed.
Because cleaning a typewriter is usually a sequence of always the same steps, I made general cleaning videos, not a dedicated one per machine I clean. Always use gloves and safety glasses, make sure to work in a well ventilated area. After removing the shell and platen: - Blow out dust and debris with compressed air or something similar, or brush it out with a paint brush (or both) - "Bulk cleaning": I spray a mixture of water and detergent in the machine (3 g/l dish washing soap + 3 g/l washing soda), rub it in with a paint brush, repeat. I do avoid the mainspring drum because I don't want water in there. - Rinse the machine in a hot shower - Blow out any remaining water with compressed air, follow up with a hair drier - Clean segment and typeface with a brass brush and isopropyl alcohol 99.9%. - Optional: go over all the typearms with isopropyl alcohol and scotch-brite 7445 pad. You can sometimes shine them up nicely with Flitz polish aftwerwards. Blow out gunk, so it doesn't get lodged in the segment - Rust removal: 000 or 0000 steel wool with some WD40 on it. Remove gunk with paper towel - "Spot cleaning": go through the machine, find places with stubborn gunk, remove with cotton swabs or paper towel with isopropyl alcohol 99.9% - Apply sewing machine oil on parts that rub against each other. just a tiny drop will do. - clean the platen. I use water with a bit of dish soap and a 2000 grit wettable sand paper, go over it with a paper towel, and go over it once more with a paper towel with a bit of IPA 99.9%. - Figure out if the machine works properly. If any mechanical issue persists at this point, it probably wasn't dirt. On this particular machine, the upper- and lower case adjustments require (partial) shell removal. Quite an engineering blunder if you ask me. - Polish chrome / nickel bits with Flitz polish - Clean the shell. Usually water and dish soap is enough, on a soft cloth - Wax the shell - Put everything back together, put some fresh ribbon in, and you're ready to go!
Perfect video… I have an ambassador 1966 and I’ll try to take off the platen… well I don’t know if carriage knobs can handle that because they are pretty bad…
I think the system of platen removal is the same on a seafoam green machine as on this machine. I can't help you with plastic gone bad on the knobs though.
Lovely film. Thank you. I couldn't work out how to remove the left platen knob either - ha. (Mine is 1965)
The paper injector was a mystery for a while as well for me. I don't get it, everything else comes off relatively easy or instinctively, just that left knob... There has got to be a trick to it.
@@Slug_Life I've broken a machine or two pushing for that last piece removal. Best leave it. Your Ambassador is stunning!
It's cleaned now yeah, I know when to stop =). Still need to start making the review video though. This machine has so many tricks and special design bits to it!
Very nice video! You now have another subscriber. The covers are a bit easier to remove on my later model 1963 Hermes Ambassador...
Awesome! Thank you!
@haelscheirs_haven posted a repair video on a seafoam green Ambassador yesterday (immaculate timing lol, th-cam.com/video/GNhiccx3deo/w-d-xo.html). That entire ribbon cover coming off in one section is a lot easier indeed.
@@Slug_Life Thanks for the lead! There is a lot of great information contained within that video!
good video i have a 1957 version on this model... would appreciate seeing the subsequent cleaning if you recorded it
thank you
Because cleaning a typewriter is usually a sequence of always the same steps, I made general cleaning videos, not a dedicated one per machine I clean. Always use gloves and safety glasses, make sure to work in a well ventilated area.
After removing the shell and platen:
- Blow out dust and debris with compressed air or something similar, or brush it out with a paint brush (or both)
- "Bulk cleaning": I spray a mixture of water and detergent in the machine (3 g/l dish washing soap + 3 g/l washing soda), rub it in with a paint brush, repeat. I do avoid the mainspring drum because I don't want water in there.
- Rinse the machine in a hot shower
- Blow out any remaining water with compressed air, follow up with a hair drier
- Clean segment and typeface with a brass brush and isopropyl alcohol 99.9%.
- Optional: go over all the typearms with isopropyl alcohol and scotch-brite 7445 pad. You can sometimes shine them up nicely with Flitz polish aftwerwards. Blow out gunk, so it doesn't get lodged in the segment
- Rust removal: 000 or 0000 steel wool with some WD40 on it. Remove gunk with paper towel
- "Spot cleaning": go through the machine, find places with stubborn gunk, remove with cotton swabs or paper towel with isopropyl alcohol 99.9%
- Apply sewing machine oil on parts that rub against each other. just a tiny drop will do.
- clean the platen. I use water with a bit of dish soap and a 2000 grit wettable sand paper, go over it with a paper towel, and go over it once more with a paper towel with a bit of IPA 99.9%.
- Figure out if the machine works properly. If any mechanical issue persists at this point, it probably wasn't dirt. On this particular machine, the upper- and lower case adjustments require (partial) shell removal. Quite an engineering blunder if you ask me.
- Polish chrome / nickel bits with Flitz polish
- Clean the shell. Usually water and dish soap is enough, on a soft cloth
- Wax the shell
- Put everything back together, put some fresh ribbon in, and you're ready to go!
@@Slug_Life Much appreciated thank you
Thank you so much for this video! Very helpfull and informative.
Happy it helps folks!
Perfect video… I have an ambassador 1966 and I’ll try to take off the platen… well I don’t know if carriage knobs can handle that because they are pretty bad…
I think the system of platen removal is the same on a seafoam green machine as on this machine. I can't help you with plastic gone bad on the knobs though.