IBM Wheelwriter PC Printer Option

IBM Wheelwriter Teletype/Printer

The IBM Wheelwriter is the last, and greatest typewriter of it's day. It has buckling springs that are designed to recall the mechanical feel of the IBM Selectric. It has word erasure, and word processing capabilities; more expensive models have page reprint, form filling and floppy storage capabilities. Others have handy LCD displays, and the 5000 series even has VGA monitor output!

IBM Wheelwriters are generally incredibly cheap at liquidation stores (since they are in low demand), but surprisingly expensive on eBay ($100-300) and elsewhere ($500-1000) due to shipping and markup for a specific (rich federal/lawyer) audience. It's for hardcore collectors only; or lucky laymen.

You can buy your own reconditioned models (for hundreds of dollars!) at Heaster and Lawson or from Batchelor Business Machines. Extra ribbons and correction tape are extremely common and dirt cheap, at $8 apiece.

PC Printer Option

The PC Printer Option allows you to use the Wheelwriter as a generic DOS daisywheel printer! There might even be a way to turn it into a serial Teletype for Bash, which would be very awesome.

Generally, the good ol' PostScript Daisywheel printer drivers on DOS and Linux should work fine.

Unfortunately, the PC Printer Option installed was very expensive and rare back in their day, though they did sometimes come as default with the more expensive Wheelwriter 3000 or 5000 models.

But someone who is handy with an Arduino might be able to create an emulated alternative, or even an improved version.

Supported Models

Most Wheelwriter models support the Printer Option expansion (check the Lexmark manuals for more info). There are two different types:

• Large (WW5, WW1500, etc.) - For the larger, boxier typewriter, the one with an adjustable height keyboard.
• Small (PWW2, WW1000, etc.) - For the smaller, curved, "Personal Wheelwriter" style typewriters.

Parts List (Large PC Printer Option)

• PC Printer Option PCB - A complex expansion card which communicates through a Printer Parallel interface.
• AWM STYLE 20566 VW-1 - PARLEX-2890 - PN-1432106 - EC-532817 - Some kind of ZIF ribbon cable. The longer one.
• AWM STYLE 20566 VW-1 - PARLEX-2890 - PN-1432107 - EC-532817 - Some kind of ZIF ribbon cable. The shorter one.
• 1432108 - EC-532698 - GCA 02-64 - Some kind of jumper cable, with 6-pin sockets, four of them.
• Two Mounting Brackets - Two ABS plastic, custom-made mounting brackets. If you need them, I can try to design a model to print on a 3D Printer.

Connecting the PC to the Printer

This printer card has a strange DB37 printer port that is much larger than the usual 25-pin version. You need a DB37 (aka DC37) Cable.

You will also need a computer with a serial port that can accept D-Sub cables of that size, such as the IBM 5150 or it's many clones. Seems like the Tandy1 1000 works. Maybe we could instead fit it to an Arduino or Raspberry Pi via DB37 Breakout Boards?.

Photos (Large PC Printer Option)

Notice: If anyone happens to have the small PC Printer Option, please edit this wiki and post photos and installation instructions (if you have them)! Thanks.

I obtained a $50 Large PC Printer Option from Typewriters.com, which I installed in my Wheelwriter 1500. I've been looking for a PC Printer Option at a great price for years; other sellers wanted $150, and refused to allow anyone other than their trained technicians to install them.

Installation Instructions

The PC Printer Option boxed kit originally came with a service manual with installation instructions. However, it is extremely difficult to find a hard copy these days, and the "Trained IBM Typewriter Technicians" do it by memory, so most sellers will not allow you to install it yourself...

Thankfully, Typewriters.com scanned the instructions for me, so here's a digital copy for everyone to share.

It's just a matter of connecting a few pins and cables. Of course, it has to be connected in the right places.

Arduino Alternative

Since these PC Printer Option cards are rare, and rare Parallel ports with DOS is a pain to use;

The expansion card looks pretty complex, so it might be a bit of a challenge to figure out how it works, let alone create an alternative.

Sources

• CNet Forums - Need Help Installing a Daisywheel Printer