1958 Olympia SM3 #1151781

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Chris Aldrich (chrisaldrich)
Created: 07-07-2024 at 10:11PM
Last Edit: 12-17-2024 at 02:04PM

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Description:

Acquired on 2024-07-05 as an early birthday present. Generally good shape, but some cosmetic flaws on the hood have me considering refinishing the exterior.
2024-07-06 The body gaskets were compressed and in dreadful shape (as seems to be the case on all SM3s). The front ones were heavily compressed and the rear ones had turned into black nearly liquid goo. Replaced them with Everbilt 00 Flat Wahsers 1/2 inch OD from the hardware store's plumbing section.

2024-07-13 Cleaned up the exterior with some Scrubbing Bubbles. Cleaned the interior in a bath of PB B'laster followed up with some mineral spirits. Everything is squeaky clean now.

2024-07-14 Ran through a list of adjustments to fine tune the machine for typing including some timing issues for both the type slugs and the spacebar. Ring and cylinder, on feet, motion, etc.

2024-07-15 Handspooled on some new black/red nylon ribbon. Took out the platen and fixed a small issue with the variable spacing mechanism to get it working properly. Removed the carriage to lubricate the bearings and carriage rails before putting it back on. Made a typeface sample to upload to the database. Used a spritz of Samsara perfume on the felt inside the hood to help cover up residual cleaning solvent smell.

Typeface Specimen:

Links:

• Birthday present
• Cleaning out
• Aggregated Resources and Playlist for a Crash Course on the Olympia SM3 Portable Typewriter
• Typecast on coming down the home stretch

Hunter: Chris Aldrich (chrisaldrich)

Chris Aldrich's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 1525

Hello! I’m a Johns Hopkins trained biomedical and electrical engineer with a variety of interests in the entertainment industry, information theory, evolution, big history, genetics, signal processing, transgenetics, translational medicine, and theoretical mathematics. I’m a strong advocate of the IndieWeb movement.

I have a love for analog office equipment including library card catalogs and typewriters. As of October 2026 , I've got a segment of 78 typewriters mostly focused on machines made between 1946 and 1977. I have been learning how to completely overhaul all of the machines in my collection, all of which work well aside from a handful which need some parts. I have a burgeoning collection of typewriter tools for continually repairing, maintaining, and upgrading my machines.

I'm slowly morphing my TWdB collection photos so that the "hero" photos of the machine facing to the right (with the left side of the typewriter facing front generally with the carriage return in the front) are those that have been generally cleaned /restored while those facing to the left (with the right side of the typewriter facing front with carriage return in the rear) are those that still need cleaning, oiling, adjustment or a major repair. Those facing forward generally need work as well. Certainly some don't fit this pattern, but I hope to fix them all shortly as I get the requisite photos.