Adam Printer Ribbon Cartridge & Paper?

[ValkerieSilk]

Can I still get ribbon cartridges and paper for the Adam? I've seen the new old stock stuff, but is there an alternative ribbon replacement for the printer and what paper do I use? Thx in advance.

[NIAD]

It is a Diablo HyType I film ribbon (I as in one) and without doing some searching around myself, I am not sure where and if they can still be purchased through retail or mail-order companies outside of the ADAM community. I know that ADAMcon (aka Bob Slopsema) has new ribbons available in sealed plastic bags and might actually have some Coleco packaged NOS ribbons available if you ask. While black is the standard color of these ribbons, there were numerous other color options available, but again you will have to search around to see what might be available. You can also reink these ribbons, but they are so cheap that it easier to just buy NOS ones... but keep some dryed-up ribbons on hand just in case down the road they become needed.

 

As far as paper goes, anything that will feed through the printer platen will suffice and the logical choice is typewriter/copy paper. You can also use tractor feed paper and labels even though a Tractor Feed is not part of the printer... just keep an eye on it when printing. Aside from that, if you are not sure of the paper, a test run will have to do to see the results.

[jblenkle]

I always get the HyType I & II mixed up. As such, I bought a whole box (12 cartridges) of the wrong kind a number of years back. I understand the ribbon can be transplanted into the correct casing, but I have yet to try that. I'll probably wind up screwing both ribbons up if I do eventually get around to operating on them...

 

It is a Diablo HyType I film ribbon (I as in one) and without doing some searching around myself, I am not sure where and if they can still be purchased through retail or mail-order companies outside of the ADAM community. I know that ADAMcon (aka Bob Slopsema) has new ribbons available in sealed plastic bags and might actually have some Coleco packaged NOS ribbons available if you ask. While black is the standard color of these ribbons, there were numerous other color options available, but again you will have to search around to see what might be available. You can also reink these ribbons, but they are so cheap that it easier to just buy NOS ones... but keep some dryed-up ribbons on hand just in case down the road they become needed.

 

As far as paper goes, anything that will feed through the printer platen will suffice and the logical choice is typewriter/copy paper. You can also use tractor feed paper and labels even though a Tractor Feed is not part of the printer... just keep an eye on it when printing. Aside from that, if you are not sure of the paper, a test run will have to do to see the results.

[adamcon]

I always get the HyType I & II mixed up. As such, I bought a whole box (12 cartridges) of the wrong kind a number of years back. I understand the ribbon can be transplanted into the correct casing, but I have yet to try that. I'll probably wind up screwing both ribbons up if I do eventually get around to operating on them...

 

OOPS !! Don't screw the up Joe, then you won't have any ! I have run across some Hytype 1 ribbons and they fit and work good, except that some sit tto high and get caught on the printer cover. I think it might relate to whether the printer has a type 1 or type 2 print head, but have never persued the subject, don't use the ADAM printer much.

[NIAD]

A good idea if you buy some ribbons is to put them in a ziplock bag and place them in the fridge so that they don't dry out.

[ValkerieSilk]

Yeah, I had done that in the past.. But now I've run out and have been eying the NIB ribbon in my Collection

A good idea if you buy some ribbons is to put them in a ziplock bag and place them in the fridge so that they don't dry out.

[HDTV1080P]

With my current Coleco ADAM daisywheel printer I have always used the original Coleco ribbon cartridges (possible some generic compatible ones from ADAM dealers also over the years). However just recently I was going to order a compatible ribbon cartridges. I found out the hard way that the standard Diablo Hytype I printer ribbons is not compatible with the Coleco ADAM printer. I ordered some printer ribbons that mentioned that they were compatible with “Diablo Hytype I” printers but the listing did not show the actual picture of the ribbon cartridge. Once I received the package of 6 Superstrike printer ribbons the retail box said “Compatible with the following printers: Diablo Hytype 1” and “Xerox 800 series printers”. When I looked at the printer ribbons the cartridges were a lot wider and there is no way they would fit in the Coleco ADAM printer unless someone were to make some major hardware modifications.

 

With some more research I discovered that the “Diablo Hytype 1” ribbon cartridges come in different sizes of ribbon cartridge shells. The only ribbon cartridge that is 100% compatible with the Coleco ADAM printer is the “Diablo Hytype 1 (Group D202)”. That ribbon cartridge is a perfect fit for the Coleco ADAM printer. However it is my understanding that all “Diablo Hytype 1 (Group D202)” ribbon cartridges are out of production and no company anywhere manufactories them anymore. Once and awhile they show up on EBAY.

 

I could not find any USA dealer that has “Diablo Hytype 1 (Group D202)” ribbon cartridges in stock (Maybe ADAM House/ECOLECO or another ADAM dealer might have them in stock. The Ecoleco website has used ribbons for $29.95, and it appears most people are refilling old ribbons with pancake style replacements in blue and brown color only. Black is no longer available as a color refill option.). I did locate a UK dealer that does have a total of 8 Black color Diablo Hytype I (Group D202) ribbon cartridges in stock. Once they are sold they most likely well not be anymore.

Edited September 4, 2018 by HDTV1080P

[jblenkle]

Yak! As it turns out about a year ago I finally got around to looking at the box of 12 ribbons I bought a long time ago that were supposedly HyType II instead of I. As it turns out, they weren't even those. I don't know what they were but the ribbon was too wide to fit in an ADAM printer ribbon case so I wound up just throwing all of them out.

 

I have searched high and low for actual HyType I ribbons, but even though I've found mention of them from various companies here and there, I have yet to find anyone who actually sells them. I don't think they are produced by anyone anymore unfortunately.

 

OOPS !! Don't screw the up Joe, then you won't have any ! I have run across some Hytype 1 ribbons and they fit and work good, except that some sit tto high and get caught on the printer cover. I think it might relate to whether the printer has a type 1 or type 2 print head, but have never persued the subject, don't use the ADAM printer much.

[ed1475]

I've got a Ko-Rec-Type printer ribbon cartridge for the Coleco Adam. This was in an eBay Canada auction several years ago. I've never seen another one like it.

 

 

[The Evener]

I purchased several of the Ko-Rec-Type ribbons back in the day, they appeared to be a default supplier in Canada. I have memories of these ribbons being carried "in stock" at a local typewriter or ribbon supplier store for a good number of years after the ADAM was discontinued.

[adamcon]

I purchased several of the Ko-Rec-Type ribbons back in the day, they appeared to be a default supplier in Canada. I have memories of these ribbons being carried "in stock" at a local typewriter or ribbon supplier store for a good number of years after the ADAM was discontinued.

I am sure that if one looks, the single strike ribbon can be found and transplanted into the Coleco ribbon case; it is an easy thing to do, just make sure you have a 1/4" ribbon.

[jblenkle]

Ah, duh...I've been meaning to ask for quite awhile what the width of the ribbon was. I could have measured I guess, but wanted a legit and accurate number. The box of ribbons I had purchased awhile back that I wound up dumping were definitely wider, but I never measured them either. But they were probably at least 25% wider and would have never fit in the Coleco ribbon case.

 

I am sure that if one looks, the single strike ribbon can be found and transplanted into the Coleco ribbon case; it is an easy thing to do, just make sure you have a 1/4" ribbon.