1959 Olympia SM3 #1470512

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Gary Wann (Ruyton)
Created: 07-26-2019 at 02:14AM
Last Edit: 07-26-2019 at 02:39AM

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Description:

I've been after an Olympia SM3 for quite a while, but the only ones I'd seen were in online auctions and were either priced too high, or the auction went well above what I was prepared to pay without being able to inspect in person. I chanced across this one at a 'buy it now' price and a fair delivery cost. The images were very good, showing me just what I needed to see and the description was clear and concise. Delivery was quick and the packing good. The only thing I've done to it so far is to reinstall the ribbon correctly (red was at the top) and to replace the four frame washers, a known issue with the SM3's. It still needs a clean, but overall I'm very happy with this machine. It is faded a little at the back but the platten and feed rollers are OK and it types well.

As an aside, you wouldn't believe just how may online auctions selling 'SM3" machines are not actually SM3's. Mostly they are SM2's, easy to recognise as there is no tab key. Some sellers just cannot be convinced otherwise 'I've checked the TWDB serials and it says it's an SM3'. Admittedly, the SM,2,3,4,5 are grouped together in one section so it can be confusing, but buyer beware!

10 cpi typeface

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Ribbon reinstalled with black at the top!

UK keyboard, no number '1' or zero '0' as standards but interestingly there is a $ key. Tab key present, if it hasn't got one, it isn't an SM3

Margin stops on top of the carriage, one of the main identifying features of the SM3

Serial number indicates it is a 1959 model

Not too dirty considering the age, just general dust and grime. A job for a rainy day

Rear frame washer, replaced with a 1/2 inch tap washer.

Front frame washer replaced. All 4 washers were compressed and the carriage occasionally caught the frame on the right

The rear plate is faded, not sure what has caused this. There isn't any rust, so more likely to be due to sitting in a window rather than water damage? Looking at other SM3's some of them have an additional scale just above the tab stops. This scale looks identical to the scale on the top of the carriage so it would have been an easy manufacturing change. There are no screw holes, so it's not a case of it being removed on this example

A Wilhelmshaven machine

Even without any cleaning, it looks very nice

Everything present and correct

I just happened to have a couple of packets of tap washers (I must fix that dripping tap!) and the 1/2 inch washers have solved the carriage catching the frame issue. These washers are probably a fraction too thick, but they are close enough to do the job

Hunter: Gary Wann (Ruyton)

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Retired Air Traffic Controller. Got my first typewriter from Santa when I was about 8 years old and woke my parents up at 3am as I just had to try it out when I woke up! Have had an old Imperial 58 in the family for longer than I can remember. A computer geek, but I just love the mechanics of typewriters and have started to collect a few more to keep the Imperial company!