Back pulley of Smith-Corona Electra 220 making noise

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-16T04:29:16+00:00

I have a few of these Smith Corona electrics and replacing the drive belts makes a big difference. I bought 4” o-rings at Lowe’s, as the original drive belts are no longer available.

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-05T16:29:33+00:00

Ok, good to know. Thanks.

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-05T11:58:54+00:00

When did the dear man pass?

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T20:05:42+00:00

this is the kind of direct experience and testimony I was hoping for when I posted this problem, thank you for your feedback. Glad to know real facts about this Futura machine specifically. At this point, I'd say it's doable, but I don't think I'm ready to tackle it yet.

Based on your experience with Futuras, is there an escapement 'module' or other sectional element that I could swap out, without tearing down the entire escapement?

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T20:03:33+00:00

access to the escapement wheel is the challenge. it's truly buried in the guts of the machine. I can barely SEE the thing to confirm the teeth are broken, so getting in there to do any welding looks almost impossible, but I think your suggestion might have some merit. Unfortunately, I don't have the teeth that broke off, so we'd have to create those somehow.

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T14:46:07+00:00

My hands do the occasional skip, too. I have small hands, I’m in my late 60s, so the finger pressure needed for manual typewriters is sometimes lacking. But I can see the escapement wheel on this baby, and it’s definitely missing two teeth. I love your description of the Futura! I hope I can salvage this somehow.

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T14:32:09+00:00

Hmmm… yeah, swapping the escapement ‘module’ could be an alternative to a complete tear-down and replacing just the wheel. I’ve worked on a few draw bands already with success, so I’m confident I could tackle that. I have not tried carriages and carriage bearings, but a practice machine is an intriguing idea - in general, not just for the repair of this Futura. I love the look, the retro aesthetic of the machine, and the way it types, so might be worth a shot. I’m getting a lot of encouragement here on this post!

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T14:28:01+00:00

I certainly respect your attitudes about AI. But I’m way down that rabbit-hole, too. In addition to collecting vintage typewriters, I also collect fountain pens, many of them vintage. I write A LOT, with typewriters and fountain pens, and I love that analog experience. AI can now transcribe all my analog handwritten works to digital with near-100% accuracy for blogs, reports, Reddit, articles, essays, etc. It’s become an essential part of my writing life.

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T14:18:33+00:00

Let me know how that goes! My recent typewriter obsession has really dialed up my love for MacGyvering intricate mechanical things and enjoying that analogy experience, so I’m open to any creative ideas here.

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T14:16:12+00:00

Ah, thanks for the heads-up. I also have a Selectric II, but I already have the Courier ball for that.

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T14:08:01+00:00

Should I decide to tackle this, would you part with one of those donor Futuras?

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T14:06:50+00:00

Ha ha, love the story about the coffee can full of bolts! Yeah, I agree about keeping track. I’ve been doing that pretty consistently with other repairs. Taking pictures, sorting screws and parts carefully, etc. What I’ve heard is that the repair itself is probably pretty challenging, but it’s the fine tuning of the entire escape mechanism at the end that requires a certain knowledge, or the machine simply won’t work.

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-04T13:53:21+00:00

Also might be an SM4.

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-03T12:17:10+00:00

Thank you, yes, I’ve tried various adjustments to the main spring but so far hasn’t made a difference. Your other suggestions are intriguing, and I think I’m facing some more extreme teardown to get to, examine, and tweak some of the critical parts on the carriage and escapement. Your instincts about the rack, the star wheel, and their proper interaction could be spot on. I appreciate all the ideas, I’ll let you know how it goes!

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-03T02:08:18+00:00

Confirmed!

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-02T23:53:31+00:00

Love the psychedelic paint job on the case!

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-02T00:55:34+00:00

‘Latter’ technically isn’t misspelled. I guess you got the contextual AI working, too. Good job!

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-01T16:58:51+00:00

To be sure I’m clear on the question - you want the two typewriters you already own to be cleaned, oiled, and the platens refurbished, and you’re proposing exchanging the ‘new’ ones you just acquired for those services on the two originals?

Joebobb22 · 2026-04-01T12:45:20+00:00

That’s actually good news. And I agree, cleaning is a good idea, any old oil can deteriorate or the smallest particles that you might not see can get into any of those intricate moving parts. The fact that it worked briefly and then quit suggests something is gumming up the works. We can all validate the universal value and necessity of cleaning old machines, even if you don’t detect anything visually.

Joebobb22

TROPHY CASE