Sunday, October 4, 2015

Adler Favorit 2 late model

More of a project than thought from the image and description, but was curious for one of these thrust-typebar machines. Also the austere modernistic design has its appeal. Probably very common in Germany, but these don't show up all that often locally here.

The machine is complete (as was advertised) but has an unfortunate haze of rust all over machine and case. It also was extremely dirty, surprising really how much dirt can be collected when inside the case. The case lock has rather more than a haze of rust, was frozen solid actually and took some doing to open again.


An overall austere, grey machine. At least, it was a brownish grey when it arrived.



The machine is actually more of a crinkle black, anthracite black perhaps. With a strong detergent and a (cheap) new toothbrush the paintwork comes out again from under the grime. Really makes a difference in color. (And in hygiene - it was filthy!)


Quite liberal amounts of oil have loosened the mechanism again, it is complete and functions. Ditched the moldy old ribbon and fitted a new ribbon for first testing. For such a large and heavy machine it is quite basic. Hadn't realized, but no bi-color function - the machine does not have a ribbon vibrator.


Komische Maschine...

6 comments:

  1. no ribbon vibrator by design? that's odd, but rather simplifies one mechanism prone to fouling up the whole action.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It may be broken, haven't totally dug into the mechanism. But it looks like it is static by design.
      (Another quirk is that the spacebar advances the ribbon too. Funny machine, this :- )

      Delete
  2. No, that's correct. There's no ribbon vibrator. Those two arms that the ribbon sit in are supposed to push backwards at an angle as you type. It is a very rudimentary system, but it worked.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Then it indeed works as designed :) The ribbon zickzacks back and forth. The whole machine is actually a bit rudimentary - very solid, but basic.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I remember using a machine many years ago, where the ribbon moved with the carriage. Even when you held down the carriage release button and moved the carriage manually. Maybe this one does the same?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's unusual! On this the ribbon is fixed to the machine, doesn't even move up/down with shifting. For a look at the innards, have a look at my Jan 2nd post on this machine.

      Delete