Let's Build a Fox "Blind" Desktop Typewriter: Part 1

It's time once again for another captivating instalment of Let's Build! This time brought to you by the Fox Typewriter Company, with this to say: "We don't exist anymore. Stop using the Ouija board to bother us".

Before we begin, a few notes/cautions;

Always take note of particular parts you don't want to mess with when taking a machine apart. These include the general escapement mechanism, or screws setting the spacing for said mechanism, as well as hanger-mounted typebars. Getting these parts back into proper alignment is certainly possible, but to maximize efficiency of your time, it is best to leave these critical components alone.

Always keep your parts organized, in some fashion. It is sometimes helpful to replace screws into their slots after the part they hold in place has been taken off.

This series will be able to be used for most Fox understroke desktops, however the Fox 10 is a "cheap" version which lacks certain features found on other models, and so those sequences will be up to you to do.

Let's begin.

To start, we have the basic frame assembled and ready to go (though I also did take off the front comb). You will notice the spools and rods for the spool gearing are still in place; these have components which are pinned in, and so are a pain to take off. Its easier to just leave them be.

Flip the machine upside down, and add the bar which holds the keylever springs.

Next we add the bar which has the back comb, and which is where the keylevers "anchor".

Now, the front comb.

Get your ducks in a row, and prepare to add the first lever. We start with the Shift lever that does not have the shift lock on it, inserting it before then putting the spring in its slot, then pushing on the spring and moving it into place under the lever.

You will now add the spacebar in the same fashion.

Being patient, you will now work left to right, adding each lever. There are roughly 6 levers, being 4, 5, 6, T, Y, and U, that you will need to ensure have their vertical rods going between the two ribbon mechanism rods on the back, rather than out in the front. This is necessary for connecting them to the typebars.

 Ensure the ribbon gearing is properly positioned for the next part. Now, you will push the front vertical rods forward, and the back ones back, and gently lower the top deck into place (having never taken the typebars out of their spots). It will not likely fit down at first due to the vertical rods in the back still being in the way; slowly and carefully start moving them into position and connecting them to their proper typebars. The deck will eventually be allowed to move into its proper place, at which point you will want to screw it in with the 4 main screws. Continue connecting rods to typebars, until the system is fully set up.

To insert the motor, we slide it in from underneath, keeping the small gear in its proper position, and push the rod in. Make sure the end of the rod engages the slot in the ribbon mechanism rod, push all the way in, and tighten the small holding screw just below the rod to keep it all in.

Next we add the escapement. Lowering it down into its spot, check that the two rods fall into their proper positions as found by flippnig the machine over and comparing the wooden bar with where it fits best in its holder so that the shift levers do not engage it, but the rods do not slide against other keys. Screw the escapement in, place the small nuts and wooden bar in place, and ensure the tension springs on the bottom of the wooden bar are firmly in place.

Attach the escapement spring in the back right of the machine, dangling from the top deck. It will fit into the hole in the escapement rod on that side.

This screw adjusts tension on the escapement. Not worth dealing with yet, keep it in mind for adjustments later.

Now we add the shifting rod for the main body. Slip it in place, and screw the shift lever rods into it. Attach the spring from the front left, under the deck.

Next, we attach the margin release lever.

Then the bell ringer

Then the motor catch.

Then the margin stop.

Then the bell.

Then the decorative escapement plate, the the random  metal parts which go over the ribbon spool areas and for which I have no idea what their real purpose is.

You have now constructed the primary body of the Fox. The carriage is all that is left to build, and then on to final adjustments to make your Fox sing.

Coming soon, to a blog post near you: Let's Build a Fox "Blind" Desktop Typewriter Part 2

The Fox Model 10

Arriving by post, this rather scarce Fox 10 is a welcome addition to the collection. But, as with quite a few older machines, I've decided to do my duty to restore it as best as I can before I set it upon a display shelf. It's the least I can do for a Fox.

Striking a blow for self reliance

Nothing typewriter related today (though I do have something on its way that I'll be eager to show soon enough). Just a few of the latest odds and ends I've been dealing with, incidentally working towards the general goals of the glorious Typewriter Revolution.

I'm not in the city, rather I live just a bit aways in the county, and while that means it's far quieter and serene (surrounded by the forest and whatnot), it also means we lack certain guarantees that most of the city dwellers have; one primary thing being an almost unquestionable ability to state that the power simply will not go out. If it does, it goes out for an hour or so. That's not quite the case where I live; a few years back, due to a rather serious wind storm, we lost power for a full week in late November. It's interesting to deal with candlelight as your only means of illumination for about 1/3 of your day, and more interesting still to find means of entertaining yourself.

From that particular power outage (and the many that have occurred since), I decided I should find a way to play music without needing electricity. A previously charged MP3 works well, but only until it runs out of juice. I wanted something a bit more, say, phonographic.

The problem, however, is that we don't have phonographs in large supply out here. We have full sized Victrolas pop up on craigslist here and there, but nothing easily portable. So I finally decided to hell with it, I'll make my own. I bought a motor and tonearm off ye olde Ebay, and built the rest.

I decided to make what I call a "Multi-Box", so that the top can be taken off and replaced on a whim for multiple uses. Below is the underside of the record player board, with poorly made acoustic horn and engine visible.

And the top of the board, on the Multi-Box stand.

I ended up not liking it, however, so I threw together a smaller, even more portable version within a day and am quite pleased with it.

I've only got two 78s on hand at the moment, but will be trying to locate some more. At least I can listen to old school "Cotten Eye Joe" over and over and over again until driven mad.

Another fun project I finally was able to get functional is this old drill press. I had to modify a modern chuck into it so that I could change bits (the drill otherwise only accepts bits with 1/2 inch ends). It's fun to get cranking on it, and it turns out that I actually have found it more useful in certain circumstances than my only other option, a hand drill. You can get far more force per rotation into this drill due to the simple mechanics of it and its lengthy lever than you can get from a hand drill before it overheats.

I also stumbled upon a small trove of Whal-Eversharp mechanical pencils, all gold-filled, from roughly the 1920's or 1930's. I hate modern mechanical pencils because they scratch (due to the thin lead), but these suckers use 1.1mm lead, a width as thick as standard pencil leads for the most part, and it works wonderfully for me. The heavy metal barrel helps as well, since I like a bit of heft in my writing implements.

And to top it all off, I got into repairing antique fountain pens. Remarkably easy, the only hard part is making sure you don't break them taking them apart. I was finally able to satisfy a hunt I've been on for years and years; a beautiful antique blue fountain pen.

One of the things I love about fountain pens is their permanence; you don't just toss them out when they're out of ink. You simply take a second to refill it. And a single bottle of ink can last what seems like forever, and for the cost (about $10 a bottle) it is a clear winner over standard ballpoints. 

 Stay tuned later this week for an post on our beloved typewriters

---This post brought to you by ROBOCOP and the ad council---