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  1. Last 7 days
  2. Jul 2024
    1. What are the must have tools for a maintenance of a typewriter, some tools you recommend, some that make maintenance a little bit easier

      reply to u/riatai69 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1e3c0zy/tools_for_a_deep_maintenance/

      You can do a tremendous amount with just a few things:

      • thin Philips screwdriver with a small magnet to hold/catch screws
      • small adjustable wrench
      • bottle of Simple Green (or other mild cleaner)
      • can of mineral spirits (naphtha, paint thinner, varnish remover, PB B'laster etc.) with a standard/cheap restaurant refillable ketchup/mustard squeeze bottle
      • Toothbrush (and/or brass bristle brush)
      • canned air
      • a piece of string (useful for reattaching some pieces without more specialized tools, and particularly for reattaching springs)
      • light machine oil (gun or sewing machine) for very lightly oiling your carriage rails
      • YouTube for watching lots of typewriter repair videos

      If you want to go higher end and do a lot more

      • a set of spring hooks with push/pull ends
      • full set of small wrenches
      • more custom screw drivers
      • a nice thick felt pad (approx 15" x 15" x 1/2"+ for having a place to sit your typewriter on without scratching it up)
      • a small lazy susan big enough to set your typewriter on to more easily manipulate it
      • air compressor (to replace your canned air)
      • bins and trays for storing typewriter parts and screws while you're taking them apart and putting back together
      • a set up for spraying down/washing out typewriters (DIY ideas include paint roller trays or plastic milk crates as a base and plastic bins for catching the run off)
      • wiping cloths or similar cloth rags for wiping things down

      If you want to go crazy

      • Keyring pliers
      • set up for respooling ribbon from 330+ yard spools
      • The Manual Typewriter Repair Bible https://typewriterrepairbible.com/ as well as various other repair manuals and all the tools listed within them.
      • storage shelving for 100+ typewriters
      • a small collection of machines for parting out
      • an 800+ square foot workshop space
      • a publisher for you book about typewriters

      When you're really ready for full-on insanity

    1. Type Shop, Ep. 15: The Ultimate Keyring Toolset Guide by [[Typewriter Chicago]]

      Charles Gu's new keyring pliers for about $500 for a set are as good as if not better than vintage tools. In particular the new rubber pieces seem to help protect from breaking the original glass key tops which will then require replacement.

  3. May 2024
    1. Even with keyring pliers and the skill to use them, the blackout paper method is a lengthy one.

      Keyring pliers are used to remove the metal rings off of both circular and tombstone glass typewriter keys so that the legends can be replaced or even covered over with black paper circles for teaching or learning typing. They take some practice and skill to use, but speed up the replacement of legends significantly.

  4. Apr 2024