[GreenKeys] OT: Mechanical Adding Machines

Mon Nov 6 14:29:40 EST 2017

I also collect typewriters and have acquired a Burroughs mechanical
calculator in part of my typewriter travels. It's worked flawlessly, so I
haven't ventured to explore its mechanisms and am thus not much help
directly.

That being said, I am a part of some typewriter collectors groups on the
Facebook (I know, dealing with the Facebook, or Fascistbook as I like to
call it, gives me shivers, too). The groups have of late been starting to
fill with millennial hipsters who only like typewriters for writing what
they call poetry on some colorful plastic model from the 60s or 70s in
front of Starbucks while wearing scarves and fedoras, but there are still a
bunch of mechanical genii who are active in the groups. I've seen
mechanical calculators make appearances in the groups often enough. I say
all this because I wouldn't be surprised if you could find someone who's
familiar with calculator mechanisms in one of these groups.

The groups in question are Antique Typewriter Collectors and Antique
Typewriter Maintenance Group.

Very interesting re: Comptometers. I've always wanted one of those little
machines ever since I saw what I believe was one of the earlier models at a
wealthy pediatrist's house in Arizona, but I haven't had the chance to
acquire one yet. I didn't know they were operated solely by key action.
That has to be some extra special engineering for the time.

--Jordan

On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 11:54 AM, drlegendre . <drlegendre at gmail.com> wrote:

> I have a wee bit of experience with the Felt 'shoebox' Comptometers,
> having gone through one a couple of years ago.
>
> One piece of advice I learned the _hard_ way: Despite relying heavily on
> standardized, mass-produced parts, each key assembly wears-in as a group,
> and every last part needs to go back in exactly the same original location
> from where it was removed, or you may well find that keys jam or refuse to
> move at all.
>
> There may also have been some final hand-fitting (with stones, files,
> paper..) of the parts, either from the factory or service, but can't say.
>
> But they are absolutely marvelous machines, and hold a special place in
> design history as they are driven entirely by the action of pressing keys.
> That little lever on the side is only the 'clear' function, not an
> operating crank as with others.
>
> On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 11:26 AM, Bruce Gentry <ka2ivy at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>> I made a similar posting a few months ago. I am  mostly interested in a
>> few specific models of elaborate mechanical calculators made by Friden and
>> Marchant.   Some of these are mechanical calculating's last stand before
>> digital electronics took over.  I have not yet found any collector/restorer
>> groups for mechanical calculators, and am interested in joining them if
>> they  exist, but there are several for electronic calculator collecting and
>> restoring.  Some other considerations for mechanical calculator restoration
>> include finding service literature and specialized tools. Unlike Teletypes,
>> maintaining the calculators was a mostly closed craft. Even government
>> agencies and the military, except perhaps the Navy, outsourced everything
>> to do with the calculators. Realitively few people learned or were allowed
>> to learn the craft, and I fear most are no longer with us. Because
>> typewriters have very real artistic applications, restoring and maintaining
>> them is not only a  hobby but still a viable, if small, business.
>>
>>       Bruce Gentry, KA2IVY
>>
>>
>> On 11/6/17 11:22 AM, Cory Heisterkamp wrote:
>>
>> Given this group's attraction for mechanical engineering marvels, I
>> wanted to put feelers out and see if there was anyone on the list that also
>> collects/restores vintage adding machines and mechanical calculators.
>>
>> I've recently picked up a full-keyboard Monroe and could use a few
>> pointers on adjustment/repair. Does anyone have any good groups or
>> resources to recommend?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Cory
>>
>>
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