When we use the command line on Linux, we often refer to it as a terminal. It’s a word with a past invoking images of serial terminals, rows of green-screened machines hooked up to a central computer somewhere. Those in turn were electronic versions of mechanical teletypes, and it’s one of these machines we’re bringing you today. [DipDoT] has a Lorenz teletype from the 1950s, and he’s taking us through servicing and cleaning it, eventually showing us its inner workings.
The machine in question had been in storage for many years, but remained in good condition. To be this long out of use though meant it needed a thorough clean, so he sets about oiling the many hundreds of maintenance points listed in a Lorenz manual. It’s a pleasant surprise for us to see keyboard and printer unit come away from the chassis for servicing so easily, and by stepping it through its operation step by step we can see how it works in detail. It even incorporates an identifier key — think of it as a mechanical ROM that stores a sequence of letters — which leads him to believe it may have come from a New York news office. The video is below the break, and makes for an interesting watch.
He’s going to use it with a relay computer, but if you don’t have one of those there are more modern ways to do it.
@05:40 “The oil I’m using is just standard sewing machine oil”.
You mean that stuff that dries up after 2 years and forms a sticky and gummy residue that does not lubricate?
I once bought a 2nd hand sewing machine that was so gummed up with that stuff that the motor could not even turn anymore, and I had to disassemble and clean half the mechanism.
It’s better use balistic oil here, I think.
On other hand, why not let the machine suffer a little bit ?
It would just be fair, considering how many people’s hearing it harmed over the years.
Keep Ballistol far away from sewing machines or other fine mechanics.
Ballistol was originally made for oiling and protecting the mechanisms in firearms. Its composition is designed for this use. It is not made for other uses – and it stinks besides.
The teletype itself stinks, too.
Real sewing machine oil doesn’t do that.
The 3in1 oil that you buy at the grocery store will dry up an go gummy very quickly. Despite saying “for sewing machines” on the can, it is not appropriate for use on sewing machines
Good quality sewing machine oil will still lubricate after decades.
Buy good quality sewing machine oil specifically made for sewing machines. The machines will thank you with long and faithful service.
Certain things are better to be left in the past.
And that’s one of them, maybe. The noise alone made people deaf.
I had a brief career in a suburban bank branch in Australia in 1980, using Olivetti teletype machines.
Feed the customer’s passbook into the machine, type the various commands and it would print deposits and withdrawal details into the passbook. Updated instantly – with balances but excluding uncleared cheques – over who knows what kind of data link to central.
I once watched in awe as a technician serviced the machine. So….many…..gears.
Former Teletype repair person here. We used 30W motor oil, which is also recommended for Selectrics. For grease (bushings and cams) we used Mobilgrease 28.
I’m interested to note that the keyboard seems to be a US one