This was my first Teletype machine. I got it 25 years ago, and it sat in my Dad's shed until recently. The folks on greenkeys helped me identify it as a model 31 tape printer (uses 5/16" gummed paper strips, like on the old telegrams). There's only about a dozen of them in the hands of greenkeys folks, and likely less around elsewhere. With a bit of help, and a manual I found on ebay, I was able to get the unit running. Then I was hooked on the earlier baudot machines, and got a few more.

This is the smallest Teletype machine. David Forbes sent me the 5/16" paper tape -- it is ungummed tape that Tom Jennings made by slitting bigger stuff. I also got a small roll of original gummed paper tape from John Sheetz. I am indebted to all three of you guys.

This is the Main-shaft and selector.

The typewheel is plastic, but seems in decent shape. There is a hammer that strikes from below the typewheel, pressing the paper and ribbon against the wheel. I lost the 6-40 nut when I had the typewheel off, and could not find one anywhere -- John Sheetz sent me some original Teletype 6-40 nuts, and got my unit back together (thanks again John). The printed impressions vary quite a bit though, and I'm not sure how to improve that. Hardened rubber on the feed roller (below the metal roller) does not pull the tape, but I can press down on the metal roller and it feeds fine.

It has a synchronous 115V motor. The rangefinder scale is above the countershaft. There was a heater element mounted back here, apparently for cold-weather use -- this caused me much concern when I powered up the unit and found something getting really-frickin' hot! But Jim Haynes provided schematics for the unit, and solved the mystery.

And now:

Aside from the tape-feed roller with hard rubber, and varying character impressions, the unit works great.