https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandbaggerone/shares/1CnSoit5E7/

Some custom painted Olivetti typewriters in a Star Wars theme

Via Chad Kohalyk at https://micro.blog/chadkoh/83449602

Episode 1296 - The Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Archive<br /> by [[Mister Rogers' Neighborhood]]<br /> Airdate: April 9, 1973<br /> accessed on 2026-02-02T14:06:32

Mister Rogers and Mr. McFeely demonstrate how a large typeface typewriter (6 or perhaps 4 CPI) works for typing out speeches.

Archived version of the episode at https://misterrogers.org/episodes/mister-rogers-shows-how-a-teleprompter-typewriter-types-large-letters/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/721704878218903/posts/2976210269435008/

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1qhokip/some_typewriter_customization_ideas/

Besides, why go the AI route when there are so many already available custom and chromed machines out there? There is way more creativity in reality.

Examples:

• Smith-Corona 5 series: https://mrmrsvintagetypewriters.com/en-us/products/chrome-plated-smith-corona-typewriter-part-of-david-rain-collection-tom-arden
• Richard Polt has photos of his Silver Surfer Hermes 3000, a paint stripped typewriter on page 291 of his book The Typewriter Revolution. Photo here: https://www.facebook.com/TypewriterRevolution/photos/a.1563333157165476/2155401697958616/?type=3
• Polt also talks about the process on one of his Smith-Coronas at https://writingball.blogspot.com/2011/08/sterling-silver-surfer.html
• A sterling silver Smith-Corona Sterling: https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2011/09/on-this-day-in-typewriter-history-civ.html
• Multiples here: https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1oouq6o/chrome_typewriters/
• A chromed Olympia SG1: https://www.facebook.com/groups/olympiasg1/posts/1549224696395939/
• A chrome/nickel finished Henry Dreyfuss: https://typewriterdatabase.com/1948-royal-quiet-de-luxe.25508.typewriter
• If you're really crazy, maybe a Candy Apple Green Metal Flake pin striped Hermes? https://typewriterdatabase.com/1956-hermes-2000.17456.typewriter
• A brown pin striped QDL: https://typewriterdatabase.com/1941-royal-quiet-de-luxe.19473.typewriter
• Maybe in custom "white cracked ice" https://typewriterdatabase.com/1946-royal-quiet-de-luxe.19914.typewriter
• A green hot rod? https://typewriterdatabase.com/1961-olympia-sm4.19353.typewriter

And to be honest, if you're going to lay out some money to chrome a machine, why do it with a flimsy Skyriter? Find something showy, something honest, something substantial. Why not a Royal KMG or FP, a Remington Super-Riter, or a solid Hermes Ambassador?

Nothing is more badass than Helen Gurley Brown's silver plated Royal Empress: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/hgbrownroyal.jpg

https://www.designboom.com/technology/toaster-typewriter-burns-letters-bread-ritika-kedia-04-20-2024/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/327700488548372/?multi_permalinks=1549224696395939

http://writingball.blogspot.com/2014/09/mystery-machine-specialized-lc-smith.html

see another potential example: https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1oincod/can_someone_tell_me_what_yearmodel_this_is/

https://mrmrsvintagetypewriters.com/en-us/products/chrome-plated-smith-corona-typewriter-part-of-david-rain-collection-tom-arden

https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1oincod/can_someone_tell_me_what_yearmodel_this_is/

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1no7d47/customizing_a_machine/

Hot Rod Typewriter has done some lovely paint jobs on typewriters. Check out Gerren's YouTube, Insta, and other socials for examples. You'll see examples of his work float by on the typewriter database from time to time as well.

Richard Polt's book Typewriter Revolution (2015) book has a whole chapter with photos on custom machines including a Twolympia which puts the internals of an SM9 into the body of an SM3.

I've seen gold, nickel, and chrome plated typewriters which are always fun. I'd love to do a nickel plate of my own one day.

Sadly, the most involved I've done so far is when my daughter loved my Clarion double gothic Royal FP, but wanted to have it in the pearlescent gray, so I swapped all the Sandstone (yellow) body panels from a another one I picked up just for the swap.

u/BlindAssassin111 had some cool custom made leather handles he showed off the other day: https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1nm8eit/made_my_own_leather_handle_for_a_carrying_case/

If you're looking for pink, here's a shop that repairs and refinishes them (repaints) in pink: https://karlbusinessmachines.com/pink-typewriters/

As for natural pink manufactured typewriters, you're probably primarily looking at the Royal Quiet De Luxe (circa '55-58), Royal Futura 800, Royal FP (a larger heavy, standard desktop machine), the late 50's Smith-Corona 5 series (Clippers, Sterlings, Silent Supers). There were a few later in the 60s and 70s, but they're more difficult to find in the US and aren't as solid. These aren't rare typewriters, but generally because the collector's market likes color, you should expect to pay a $50-150 premium for pink in most online markets. Professional shops are much less likely to charge this sort of premium on pink unless it's for a machine they've had to strip down and repaint. (See also: https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kw5jxh/what_are_your_thoughts_on_these_and_the_prices/)

For colloquial experience from a typewriter hunter from the Los Angeles area, I'll say I've been looking for a Cameo Pink smooth Royal FP for over a year and finally found one in solid, but restorable shape for $35, but it's taken a year of searching and it'll take a half-day's labor and some parts to clean it up to what a professional shop would consider solid working condition. In that time I've seen maybe half a dozen in online shops sell them in similar rough condition going for anywhere between $100 and $300. For your budget range, getting one from a professional shop is really the best, most economical way to go.

Please note that you positively don't want any of the new pink plastic typewriters made by "Royal Classic" or "We R Memory Keepers" (etc.) which you'll find on Amazon, Michaels, Home Depot, etc. for $200-300. They are dreadful machines, and if you really want one, save the money and buy one from ShopGoodwill.com for $5-15 instead.

If you wanted to go custom in your particular budget range, you might check out Gerren's work at Hot Rod Typewriter Co. where he does some truly gorgeous paint jobs on excellent typewriters. I suspect a pink Olympia SM3 from him would be a thing to behold.

Reply to u/dtja1l at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1l0l6pi/help_finding_a_thoughtful_typewriter_as_a_gift/ with regard to buying a pink typewriter for a birthday present

https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-giger-underwood.html

The 1931 Gorham Silver Smith Corona by [[Typewriter Chicago]]

Mr. Sinister- Remington All New Typewriter- Custom Painted and Typing Like a Dream by [[The HotRod Typewriter Co.]]

https://typewriterdatabase.com/1954-remington-quietriter.20681.typewriter

"Remi the Duck"<br /> US QWERTY / 10 CPI / Pica 134 (534)<br /> Hard Platen (original)<br /> Everett "Everetto" Henderson of Austin Typewriter Ink (custom painted/serviced)<br /> No.3 in Everett's "Inked Machine" series

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSy6XubgVIK/?img_index=1

I love the idea of hiding interesting visuals underneath the hood of a typewriter. This could be done with a variety of papers, decals, etc., but could also be done with custom printed fabric over felt to get the noise dampening.

Toaster-Typewriter – An investigation of humor in design by [[CreativeApplications.Net]]

A cross between a typewriter and a toaster that writes by toasting bread.

The toaster-typewriter is the work of [Ritika Kedia], and it forms part of her thesis in product design at the Parsons School of Design, New York. It’s written up very much from an artistic rather than a tech perspective, but it’s no less ingenious for that in the way it uses letters formed from hot wire on a clay substrate, mounted on the end of the typewriter arms in front of a toaster.<br /> —This Typewriter Types Toast by Jenny List