https://www.typewriters101.com/how-to-ship-a-typewriter.html

Useful template for emailing about shipping typewriters

Dear TK:

Quite often typewriters are damaged beyond repair in shipping. This is particularly true of larger/heavier typewriters like this one.

Primary concerns are to prevent movement of the carriage and protecting the carriage knobs and the silver carriage return arm.

Please use an elastic band(s)/rubber band(s) to permanently hold the carriage release lever to the green carriage knob(s). The carriage release lever is the silver piece just above the green knobs on either side of the typewriter carriage (the part that would move back and forth while typing.) This should allow the carriage to move freely back and forth to the right or the left and prevent any damage to the delicate escapement mechanism inside the typewriter.

Next, to prevent damage to the carriage with respect to the heavy metal frame, use plastic wrap or bubble wrap to ensure that the carriage is roughly centered on the typewriter (or flush on the left side) and can’t move back or forth while being shipped.

Finally, ensure appropriate amounts of packing material around the carriage, the knobs, and the return lever to prevent them from being broken or damaged in shipping. In particular, make sure there isn’t any empty space (or dead space) inside the box or the machine is guaranteed to bounce around and break. The box being dropped accidentally from even a foot or two is enough to either bend or break the heavy frame or destroy the carriage. This sort of damage is often what makes what is otherwise a fully functional typewriter a useless boat anchor.

Thanks in advance for your kind assistance in helping this vintage machine reach me in its best condition!

Warmest regards, name

Video example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNISoY_7g9s Written example: https://johnlewismechanicalantiques.com/packing-instructions/

I've picked up about 20 of the typewriters in my collection from ShopGoodwill.

Only two were impeccably/properly packaged and shipped and one of these was a special machine that I emailed them after purchase with written details and links to videos about how to pack and ship it just to be on the safe side.

Three were dreadful disasters: one was a 40 pound standard that was dropped and the frame bent drastically (it had almost no padding materials inside the box), two were shoved into cases (one upside down and the other right side up, but neither locked into their cases properly nor with their carriage locks engaged so they both bounced around for the entire trip) and put into boxes with almost no packing material. All three refunded portions of the price and/or all the shipping costs.

Most of the remainder (all portables with cases) were packaged with a modicum of care (some packing material in the case and some outside the case with reasonable boxes) and showed up in reasonable condition.

Two of the machines were local enough that I did a local pick up to ensure better care.

Generally, it's a crapshoot, but this is also the reason why I don't spend more than $20 on any machine I get from them (except one reasonably rare German typewriter in the US and a Royal with a Vogue typeface that still came out at less than $100 because only one other person noticed its rarity in the photos).

Only one of the machines was clean as a whistle and ready to type on day one. All the remainder required serious cleanings at a minimum. Two were missing internal pieces, two had repairable drawband issues, one had dramatically bad escapement issues, and one had a destroyed mainspring that I need to replace.

Only one of the group had a platen with any life left in it. One had a completely unusable platen, but it was also relatively obvious in the photos. Most of the rest were hard, but usable.

I live in the US and typically only bid on machines that are in the top 20% of their class cosmetically.

I'll echo the thought of others that I wouldn't have a machine from them shipped directly to someone as a present unless I knew they were a tinkerer and had the mechanical ability, the facilities/tools, and desire to clean and service their own machine. Otherwise, I'd do that myself and ship it to them directly.

reply to u/Tico_Typer at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1g28v6z/i_am_curious_about_the_shopping_goodwill_websites/

Some of the Smith-Corona 6 series machines (electrics) came with copper shipping restraints that were meant to be removed by the dealer prior to sale. Sometimes they can be found inside cases and in other instances, inside the typewriter itself.

via: https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ew971o/need_help_finding_where_this_came_from_more/

See also:<br /> https://imgur.com/a/xbo6SoY<br />

https://imgur.com/a/PMPCXN5<br />

https://johnlewismechanicalantiques.com/packing-instructions/

Solid advice for shipping typewriters here, which is frequently repeated. This advice is given by a specialist with expertise in typewriter repair and restoration.

Royal HH & FP typewriter shipping help by [[Typewriter Justice]]

Advice for how to package a heavy standard typewriter for shipping. Two heavy rubberbands to hold the margin release buttons to protect the escapement. Then plastic wrap to keep the carriage from moving during shipment. Then protection for the knobs and carriage return levers put into a first box. Then packing peanuts in a second box, fill to completely full and tape closed.

How to package an antique/vintage typewriter for shipping <br /> by [[Tampa Typewriter Co.]]

Use elastic band to permanently engage the carriage release so it doesn't engage with the escapement and then cling wrap the carriage so it can't move. (Especially on models without a carriage lock.)

https://www.vintagetypewritershoppe.com/vintage_typewriters_21.html

[[Joe Van Cleave]] in Typewriter Video Series - Episode 46: Escapements, Their Care & Feeding