1987 IBM Wheelwriter 6 #6183537

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Stephen Hanafin (st3ph3n)
Created: 04-18-2021 at 12:26PM
Last Edit: 05-28-2021 at 01:18PM

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Description:

I recently purchased this fully functional IBM Wheelwriter 6 from its original owner. It has been in storage since 1997, which is also when it had its last service performed - it got a new transport motor. It was, of course, stored with the memory backup batteries left in it. They expired in the year 2000 and leaked a lot of gunk inside the battery pack, but I was able to clean it out and it does work, although it still isn't providing the full voltage to the machine. It came with a box of supplies, including four print wheels, three lift-off correction tapes, one ribbon cartridge (plus the one installed in the machine, which was pretty much ruined), and some original sales pamphlets for the Wheelwriter and Quietwriter product line of the time. The new-old-stock (1997-ish) ribbon cartridge and lift off tape worked excellently. Included print wheels were Prestige Elite, Presentor 10, and two of Gothic 15.
Print output is delightfully crisp and the Model M-style buckling spring keyboard is very nice to use. This is a ludicrously large machine, though. The amount of desk space it occupies is hilarious. The platen is 16.5" wide.

Update 2021-04-27: Well, apparently my print hammer solenoid broke, and the Wheelwriter types no more. I'm planning on tearing it down and cleaning/rebuilding the solenoid sometime soon, so hopefully it will be back in service soon, as it very quickly became my favorite machine to actually write on.

Update 2021-05-01: Rebuilt the solenoid and replaced the little plastic cap that goes on the top of its plunger ($12 for about a cent worth of plastic, ouch), and it is all good again! I guess if it lasts another 34 years that'll be OK. I'm glad to have it back hogging my desk. I still need to replace the function board, whose battery terminal got ruined by old batteries. A replacement is on the way from eBay. I also received a Letter Gothic 12 printwheel while the machine was broken, and got to try it out once it was back up and running. I like that typeface a lot.

Update 2021-05-28: I installed the replacement function board a couple of weeks ago and this machine is in 100% working condition again, with battery-backed storage memory and all. I dub thee Sir Desk Yacht.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Keyboard. Mmm, buckling springs.

IBM badge

Front cover lifted up

Service history

The beefy IBM power switch, same as the one they used on their PCs of the 1980s.

Print head

C H O N K. Also, bonus dog.

The box of supplies that came with this machine.

Presentor 10 typeface sample

Hunter: Stephen Hanafin (st3ph3n)

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I have learned that I'm a fan mostly of mid-century european portables