About this Product
Here it is, just the thing to annoy your design snob friends! You know they secretly love it. This 3D printed type ball is usable on fixed pitch Selectric typewriters, but works best on dual-pitch Selectrics because the capitals are so wide.
The modern layout is more similar to modern keyboards: It replaces the cent mark with a carat ^, the 1/2 and 1/4 key with square brackets [ and ], and adds angle brackets < > over the comma and period.
The ball is printed with Sunlu ABS-like resin, and is very durable.
Disclaimer: These custom 3D-printed type balls are aftermarket parts designed for hobbyist and collector use. Use of these products is at your own risk! While every effort is made to ensure quality and fit, improper installation, mechanical wear, or variations between machines may result in damage to the typewriter. By purchasing or using a custom type ball, you acknowledge that the seller is not responsible for any damage, malfunction, or injury that may result from its use.
Austin Selectric Rescue
Meet the Maker
Hi! I'm Dave, a techy/engineery guy who recently discovered and fell in love with Selectric typewriters. I've been collecting unwanted Selectrics from Goodwill because I love getting them working again and I can't bear the thought of them going to the scrap yard, but now I have more than anyone should. I realized I'm basically a cat lady but for Selectric typewriters--I'm running a shelter for feral Selectrics. So the logical next step is to make it a rescue organization and put these noble machines up for adoption after getting them cleaned up and purring (sorry) again.
Once I'd collected most of the existing IBM type balls I wondered what it would take to make new ones. I assumed it would require injection molding, but through a random internet connection I found that UV resin-based printing can indeed produce a working type ball, and then I discovered that even the cheapest resin printers on the market do a respectable job. I spent the summer fine-tuning the design and now, after countless hours of testing, here they are!
