Introducing "Selectricship"

Riptide666 · 02 Apr 2021, 02:47

Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome, the one and only -- "Selectricship"

xxhellfirexx · 02 Apr 2021, 05:05

What are Oak switches doing in a Selectric?

headphone_jack · 02 Apr 2021, 05:46

Interesting. If I remember correctly, Oak switches were used in the (presumably) clone industrial F XT. Just a coincidence, or something worth looking into?

xxhellfirexx · 02 Apr 2021, 10:03

The IBM industrial XT used Oak full travel membrane switches. These are different.

viewtopic.php?p=477758#p477758

Muirium · 02 Apr 2021, 10:23

That spacebar is making my thumbs nervous even just looking…

John Doe · 02 Apr 2021, 11:15

Impressive, that's very mechanical.

Findecanor · 02 Apr 2021, 14:38

I'm not entirely sure what it is I'm seeing, but it looks beautiful.

Riptide666 · 02 Apr 2021, 15:11

I have no clue. Any input on this is welcomed!

xxhellfirexx wrote: 02 Apr 2021, 05:05 What are Oak switches doing in a Selectric?

Riptide666 · 02 Apr 2021, 15:15

Based on research, this is a modified Selectric that "talked" to computers back in the day (i.e. was used both as a terminal control panel and a typewriter). It has a huge cable on the left side. I'll add pic later

headphone_jack wrote: 02 Apr 2021, 05:46 Interesting. If I remember correctly, Oak switches were used in the (presumably) clone industrial F XT. Just a coincidence, or something worth looking into?

Rayndalf · 03 Apr 2021, 02:08

Riptide666 wrote: 02 Apr 2021, 15:15 Based on research, this is a modified Selectric that "talked" to computers back in the day (i.e. was used both as a terminal control panel and a typewriter). It has a huge cable on the left side. I'll add pic later

I wonder if it was used as a teletype machine/ printer as well.
Crazy to think it could be one convertor away from working on modern computers.

Riptide666 · 03 Apr 2021, 02:36

Yeah! I think you're right -- it was used as a teletype/printer as well. And it should be a converter away!

Rayndalf wrote: 03 Apr 2021, 02:08
Riptide666 wrote: 02 Apr 2021, 15:15 Based on research, this is a modified Selectric that "talked" to computers back in the day (i.e. was used both as a terminal control panel and a typewriter). It has a huge cable on the left side. I'll add pic later
I wonder if it was used as a teletype machine/ printer as well.
Crazy to think it could be one convertor away from working on modern computers.

Weezer · 03 Apr 2021, 03:20

As far as I'm aware, the Selectric terminals and Selectric teletypes were the same devices, working as both teletypes and mainframe I/O. It may also be a mag-card typewriter but from what I can see it does look more like a mainframe interface device based on the switches. However I'm not familiar with that model, and it looks different from the typical 1050 Selectric. Do you have the case, or any identifying part numbers?

Riptide666 · 03 Apr 2021, 03:42

Of course. Here you go:

You will find a youtube video on this machine, made by the guy who refurbished the core for me.

Weezer wrote: 03 Apr 2021, 03:20 As far as I'm aware, the Selectric terminals and Selectric teletypes were the same devices, working as both teletypes and mainframe I/O. It may also be a mag-card typewriter but from what I can see it does look more like a mainframe interface device based on the switches. However I'm not familiar with that model, and it looks different from the typical 1050 Selectric. Do you have the case, or any identifying part numbers?

Weezer · 03 Apr 2021, 07:47

Found the video. Duane at Phoenix Typewriter is the best Selectric repairman out there. Well done. I heard in the video that you said you were going to get this connected to a computer again. I'm looking forward to seeing that. I'm glad because I'd be disappointed if the keys ended up on a beamspring or sold separately on ebay. After getting a better look I'm 100% convinced that what you've got was custom built. There's likely only one.

Riptide666 · 03 Apr 2021, 10:44

Thanks Weezer, actually I had the option to buy just the blue caps and I chose to buy the whole machine because I did the same research as you did and realized that this could be the only one out there. Therefore I paid hundreds to have this 60-pound beast shipped to my house from Phoenix and I don't regret that at all.

That said, there's no way I'll harvest the keycaps for any Beamspring or even other Selectrics. Its rarity is second to none. This machine will stay intact and I'll figure out a way to make it speak again

Weezer wrote: 03 Apr 2021, 07:47 Found the video. Duane at Phoenix Typewriter is the best Selectric repairman out there. Well done. I heard in the video that you said you were going to get this connected to a computer again. I'm looking forward to seeing that. I'm glad because I'd be disappointed if the keys ended up on a beamspring or sold separately on ebay. After getting a better look I'm 100% convinced that what you've got was custom built. There's likely only one.

raoulduke-esq · 03 Apr 2021, 14:47

For those who want to skip the Google-fu and just start drooling immediately:
https://youtu.be/GbGzIHzf9PY

Riptide it warms my heart that you’re giving this machine the love it deserves!

The parent company of this thing still exists as a SCADA provider https://www.qeiinc.com/ and was a contributor to the space program https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quindar_tones

Riptide666 · 03 Apr 2021, 19:12

I really appreciate the information! It makes this monster even beefier

And yes, I love keeping things as OG as possible, without mismatching, unless the original parts are in inferior quality. For example, I have an Omnikey 102, but I hated the OG caps. So I used a set of thicker Arabic double-shot + dyesup caps instead. That's the exception : )

raoulduke-esq wrote: 03 Apr 2021, 14:47 For those who want to skip the Google-fu and just start drooling immediately:
https://youtu.be/GbGzIHzf9PY

Riptide it warms my heart that you’re giving this machine the love it deserves!

The parent company of this thing still exists as a SCADA provider https://www.qeiinc.com/ and was a contributor to the space program https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quindar_tones

Weezer · 03 Apr 2021, 20:37

Riptide666 wrote: 03 Apr 2021, 10:44 Thanks Weezer, actually I had the option to buy just the blue caps and I chose to buy the whole machine because I did the same research as you did and realized that this could be the only one out there. Therefore I paid hundreds to have this 60-pound beast shipped to my house from Phoenix and I don't regret that at all.

That said, there's no way I'll harvest the keycaps for any Beamspring or even other Selectrics. Its rarity is second to none. This machine will stay intact and I'll figure out a way to make it speak again

Weezer wrote: 03 Apr 2021, 07:47 Found the video. Duane at Phoenix Typewriter is the best Selectric repairman out there. Well done. I heard in the video that you said you were going to get this connected to a computer again. I'm looking forward to seeing that. I'm glad because I'd be disappointed if the keys ended up on a beamspring or sold separately on ebay. After getting a better look I'm 100% convinced that what you've got was custom built. There's likely only one.

Glad that this is in good hands.

Riptide666 · 04 Apr 2021, 04:37

Not as impressive as your hidden beasts

John Doe wrote: 02 Apr 2021, 11:15 Impressive, that's very mechanical.

XMIT · 04 Apr 2021, 20:08

Weezer wrote: 03 Apr 2021, 07:47 Duane at Phoenix Typewriter is the best Selectric repairman out there.

I think Chuck Furrer "cthecrest" in Chicago would take issue with this claim.

Found a good list of repair folks here:
https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html

I didn't realize we had a Selectric repair guy here in Austin. I'll have to send some business his way.

Weezer · 04 Apr 2021, 22:07

XMIT wrote: 04 Apr 2021, 20:08
Weezer wrote: 03 Apr 2021, 07:47 Duane at Phoenix Typewriter is the best Selectric repairman out there.
I think Chuck Furrer "cthecrest" in Chicago would take issue with this claim.

Found a good list of repair folks here:
https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html

I didn't realize we had a Selectric repair guy here in Austin. I'll have to send some business his way.

Wow that's quite the list. I didn't realize there were repairmen so close to me either.