olivetti programma 101 repair

[Chuck Guzis]

On 01/07/2015 02:41 PM, Simon Claessen wrote:
> well,
>
> Good news always has some bad news as well. After careful examining of
> the 952 (no, not 850...) pins, I found 52 broken ones. As they are made
> of a gold plated springy metal wire, I needed to find a replacement.
> Size: 0,5mm diameter.
>
> Guitar wires are out. They are way to flexible. I opted for fosfor
> bronze wire, but could not find it in the shops in Amsterdam. Then I
> stubled upon a shop selling beads and stuff to make bracelets and
> earrings. They sell "memory wire", A very tough silver coated wire of
> 0.6mm. I have no idea what the alloy is, but the mechanical
> characteristics are not bad.

Drop in to a good musical instrument repair shop.  Flutes, for instance, 
use phosphor bronze wire springs; clarinets tend to use stainless steel 
springs; dulcimer wire is typically phosphor bronze.  I've even used 
harpsichord bronze wire to fashion pins to convert a SIMM to a SIPP.  It 
solders well.

An instrument repair shop is also an excellent place to fine flat blue 
steel springs.

--Chuck