https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1lrkpuy/whats_inside_your_typewriter/
"The Hermes 3000 Mk2 I picked up last Saturday had a purple Polish pencil (still sharp), a marble, a drawing pin, and a well-mouldy green Smartie."
also: - broken glass<br /> - ball bearings<br /> - receipts<br /> - picture of a cat - typewriter servicing receipt - eraser shavings - multiple safety razor blades<br /> - paper clips - disintegrated foam
making my own RAINBOW TYPEWRITER RIBBON by [[Just My Typewriter]]
I'm totally prejudiced as I work at a local typewriter repair shop in Bremerton, Washington. We also have a space where we sell them. In general if the local shop has a bunch of machines that you can put on a table to try out, that is good. If they don't want you futzing with the typewriters, I'm not sure the value. Do they have a warranty? If not, then stick to the internet and local antique shops and buy as low as you can. At least that way when you need repair you have a cost buffer.
Hindsight - I wish I could have just gone to a typewriter shop and bought just two or three machines (desktop standard, portable, and ultraportable).
via u/brianlpowers who spent a lot of time buying and repairing/restoring typewriters. https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1awrqb3/whats_the_consensus_on_typewriter_stores/
I'm a bit curious about just how much "profit" he's made on them? What would his hourly wage be?
We recommend people come to our shop and type. We charge $5 an hour or you can look into our rental programs. We have a lot of people come in just to hang out and type. No plans on actually owning one, and that's fine with us. Come in, play, leave without the 10-30 pounds of metal with you lol. We also sell and service machine. Prices vary some. But all our machine have a 60 day guarantee from date of purchase. We do ship machines as well if you find something on our website that you like. Assuming you aren't near the Dayton Ohio area.
u/Dangerous-Ratio6448 is a typewriter repair person at TB Writers Plus
Trying an ULTRASONIC cleaner...? (EPIC FAIL) by [[Just My Typewriter]]
Sarah uses a very small and inexpensive ultrasonic cleaner for some small typewriter parts. Probably not the way to go. A bigger cleaner and better detergent is probably the way to go.
We use three ultrasonic cleaners in the shop. The two smaller ones we bought on eBay. One is small for screws, springs and such. The slightly larger one is for small to medium size machines, carriages and other long stuff. The large cleaner is a commercial item used mostly for Selectrics.
Bremerton Typewriter uses three different ultrasonic cleaners in their shop.
via u/palump at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ad9hge/ultrasonic_cleaner_for_mid_size_portable/kk0npc2/
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ad9hge/ultrasonic_cleaner_for_mid_size_portable/
This typewriter was quite grimy, so I removed the shell (fairly challenging) and gave it a bath in an ultrasonic cleaning tank. Mitch Hamm alerted me that such tanks, big enough to dip a portable while keeping its keys out of the water, are now available for a mere $150 or so. Here’s the Royal undergoing what sounds like electroshock therapy, but is really just a micro-agitated bath. Concentrated Simple Green Industrial Cleaner & Degreaser was added to hot water in a 1:20 ratio.
https://typewriterrevolution.com/a-green-machine/
Richard Polt's experience in cleaning a Royal Portable with an ultrasonic cleaning tank with Simple Green in a 1:20 ratio.
https://typespec.com/typewriter-service-apprentice-training-update-2/
Paul Lundy has a 12 week apprenticeship program for typewriter repair at Bremerton Typewriter.
Yep, some times hard to tell from the listings. Look for the inside dimensions of the unit. We have a three gallon (screws and small bits), 13 gallon (carriages and dunking half a typewriter) and a gargantuan gallon for Selectric machines.
via u/palump at Bremerton Typewriter https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1jzels9/ultrasonic_cleaner_for_parts/
We switched to Ultra 3 detergent after using Dawn detergent for years. A quantum leap in effectiveness. When we got the new Ultra 2100 cabinet ultrasonic unit it came with a gallon of detergent. We used it ONE TIME and the parts came out so much cleaner, almost brand new. The detergent is expensive, yet we've never gone back.
via u/palump at Bremerton Typewriter
Ultra 3 Detergent: https://shop.ultrasonicllc.com/collections/ultrasonic-cleaning-solutions/products/ultra-3-multi-purpose-ultrasonic-detergent
https://www.reddit.com/user/palump/
Works at Bremerton Office Machine Co., 245 Fourth St, Suite 503, Bremerton, WA 98310
Given the screen name, it's likely Paul Lundy? Bremerton Typewriter
Cross reference: - https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1lgaptx/how_do_you_source_parts/myw369m/
We are often asked what ultrasonic cleaners we use in the shop. We have three. The large cabinet model that holds large typewriters such as Selectrics, a medium sized 12"X20", and a smaller cleaner 10"X12". The medium and smaller ones you can buy on eBay all day. The models change, and the sizes are all similar. The medium sized cleaner is used for small to medium sized typewriters and the small machine is mostly for nuts, screws and other tiny stuff.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C2u5EkVrnq3/
via Bremerton Typewriter<br /> - PS-100A Ultrasonic Cleaner<br /> - Ultra 2100 from Ultrasonic, LLC
https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1i0w488/do_you_tip_for_machine_servicing/
Tipping is generally not encouraged at typewriter shops.
At our shop we know that we'll age out. Everyone does. To seed the typewriter field we have a 12 week apprentice training program. Hopefully a few get the repair mojo and open up their own shop. Or just become more adept at the hobby. I can only hope once the time comes we have someone willing.
via u/palump at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1i1ydyz/nobody_in_boston_big_enough_to_fill_these_shoes/m7e497l/
Bremerton Typewriter has a 12 week apprentice training program as a means of helping to create the next generation of typewriter repair people.
Reese Electronics on Westwood Blvd in Los Angeles. Helmut was a mechanical engineer for Olivetti.
https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/160pen0/typewriter_repair_shops_in_the_usa/jxryjns/
Berkeley’s California Typewriter, star of documentary, closes shop by [[Cirrus Wood]] 2020-02-21
Ken Alexander worked for 20 years at California Typewriter as the shop’s principal technician on manual typewriters. But these days he’s working three days a week at Berkeley Typewriter, “though that number will likely go up,” he said.
Tom Furrier, who owns the Cambridge Typewriter Company in Massachusetts, has sold several typewriters to Mr. Cidoni and said that high school and college students have become a staple of his business.
Typewriters are making a comeback in Berkeley by [[Edward Derbes]] 2011-06-22
Edward Derbes earned his B.A. in Rhetoric from UC Berkeley last year. He still resides in Berkeley, and can often be found on the front steps of his apartment building reading Kierkegaard and Nelson Algren.
Fascinating to see that it sounds like a guy who would have his own typewriter possibly writing about a typewriter comeback.
Joe Banuelos, its third owner, has run the shop for nearly twenty years. Joe’s brother, Jesse Banuelos, who works as a typewriter technician at the store
Herbert Permillion, who runs California Typewriter Company on San Pablo Avenue, said he was also at a loss to explain the trend. “I’m almost in awe to some extent, but then I can sort of understand that some people tend to reach back and some people want things a little simpler.”
California Typewriter Company was opened as California Typewriter on Shattuck Avenue by Glenn Tuttle in 1949. Permillion bought the shop in 1981 from its second owner, Joseph Mundy, at its second location on University and moved it to its current location on San Pablo in 1986.
Jesse said that he sold a typewriter for $350 just minutes before this reporter’s arrival. Most of the restored typewriters in the store sell from between $295 to $400.
A fascination with vintage typewriters also accounts for the recent rise in sales, said Joe. In particular, people in Japan are buying typewriters built in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. The store will charge $250 to repair a classic Olivetti, but that machine can be resold for $1,000 in Japan, said Joe. “They buy them because they are antique. There’s a big demand because they are part of American history.”
from 2011
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1lo8jr5/asking_the_important_questions/?sort=old
Apparently the first instance of Snoopy with a typewriter on July 12, 1965.
La Machine à écrire is a three-act play written by French dramatist Jean Cocteau, premiered on 29 April 1941 at the Théâtre Hébertot in Paris. It has been translated into English as The Typewriter by Ronald Duncan.[
Which keys are those? It's possible that they slow down keys which would otherwise risk penetrating the page. If they're on period, comma etc then this is likely the case.
via Koponewt:
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ln920i/missing_springs/
The destroyed typewriter was recovered from the Jackson Park Lagoon on June 7.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1013993200919454/
Royal X typewriter in Tintin in America
https://clickamericana.com/topics/science-technology/vintage-portable-manual-typewriters
The Smith-Coronas were offered in 4 different colors.
The Remington Quiet-Riter was eventually offered in white sand, desert sage, mist green, and French gray,
The Royal HH was offered in 6 colors including green, pink, and blue. Brown was the most ubiquitous.
https://uppercasepublishing.squarespace.com/typewriter
The Royal FP typewriter came in five different colors including pearl gray, sandstone (yellow), willow green, sea blue, and cameo pink.
In the late 1950s Royal released versions of the Royal Quiet De Luxe in 6 different colors.
VOGUE by [[Lucas Dul]]
Lucas talks about swapping out the segment and typebars of a Royal P to transplant a Vogue typeface.
The design changed in about 1930 for a different width.
Event by Indy Type Shop, Siren Hand and 2 others2621 Shelby St, Indianapolis, IN, United States, Indiana 46203Duration: 9 hrPublic · Anyone on or off Facebook14 MAY | 11a-8p | GRAND OPENING!2621 Shelby Street, Indianapolis 46203Indy Type Shop opens its doors for regular business hours, starting 11am May 14th.
grand opening of Indy Type Shop in Indianapolis, IN on 2025-05-14<br /> https://www.facebook.com/events/9811716722250635/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1713118022537412/posts/2146096495906227/
Diagrams and photos of how several latches and locks are put together on typewriter cases.
Repairing typewriter broken carriage spring. #typewriters #Olympia #repairing by [[Subham Kumar]]
Royal QDL Carriage Removal/Install-The Easy Way…do you want to fight? by [[The HotRod Typewriter Co.]]
SM7 carriage bearings won't work on a QDL-style typewriter, but Royal Diana ones will. It requires removing a pin from the tab mechanism (after loosening a side nut). There's also bilateral carriage stop nuts which require removing at least one.
Reinier Verkleij, a typewriter collector, aka u/DonaldDutchie on reddit via https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ljl9xq/fraktur_erika_2/ and uploading of https://typewriterdatabase.com/1915-erika-2.25838.typewriter with Fraktur typeface.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/988157953502979/
Dr. Who appearance of an Imperial typewriter
Searching printables.com, thingaverse.com, and makerworld.com might unearth other printable rubber typewriter parts like feet. (Be sure to search for singular and plural versions: i.e. "foot" and "feet".) Etsy and Ebay searches might uncover others who make and sell the feet you're looking for.
edited reply for: https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1013945174257590/
National Typewriter Day (and all my unfinished projects!) by [Just My Typewriter]]
https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1leoo6j/what_are_these_extra_symbols_on_this_erika_2/
Capital glyphs with ligatures can be indicators of Fraktur typefaces on German typewriters.
https://mrmrsvintagetypewriters.com/en-us/blogs/news/typewriter-fonts
Lots of examples from various manufacturers
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1lhemm3/olympia_sm9_1973_model_platen_and_feed_roller/
Notes for platen removal on an Olympia SM9.
a tale of two remingtons (remette vs remington 5) by [[Just My Typewriter]]
https://youtu.be/ciVbKWMO3xY?si=qYWgTCMm0EJivN9M&t=462
Sarah describes the issue of slightly and accidentally forming an important piece while carrying out repairs. These sorts of repairs are incredibly subtle and require careful troubleshooting and observation.
when 17:54 I'm looking to add to my collection now 17:56 I want something a little bit different 17:58 and this this remette is that it's not a 18:01 portable it's not an ultra portable it's 18:03 really loud it doesn't have all of its 18:06 parts the top cover doesn't belong to it 18:08 and is Rusty there's a lot not going for 18:11 this machine but that's what I like 18:13 about it
Gerren HotRod TypewriterCoThey are tough to install. It's not the taking things apart that gets you, it's putting it back together. I recommend not pulling a Royal carriage unless it's broken to the point there is no other option. If you like the color you can buy another $25 QDL and put the body on the new one. There is almost no reason to remove the carriage on these unless you need to replace it with another or swap out the main escapement
https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1010406587944782/
Removing the carriage of the Royal Quiet De Luxe is generally not recommended.
https://californiatypewritermovie.com/<br /> California Typewriter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvfEHFvTeJc<br /> The Typewriter (In the 21st Century)
My filmmaking crew is working on the script for a new typewriter documentary. The most prominent so far, California typewriter, was made in 2016 and much has changed.
via Gery L. Deer at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1010578854594222/
https://www.harborfreight.com/200-piece-assorted-spring-set-67562.html
An inexpensive set of replacement springs for typewriter repair.
Olympia SG1 Olympia SG1 (Dutch)
manuals for the Olympia SG1 typewriter
https://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Thermos-Insulated-Stainless-Tumbler/dp/B0DQT9J4WM?th=1
Gift idea for typewriter restorers, repairpeople, etc. h/t Bryan of Typing Pint.
A classroom full of typewriters gets the ultimate reward — letters from Tom Hanks by [[Lee Cowan]], [[Analisa Novak]]
Also: Students wrote letters to Tom Hanks using typewriters. He responded to each message. by [[CBS Mornings]]
Pittsburgh area school sent letters via typewriter to Tom Hanks.
Jennifer Colombo of Colombo Collection has ties to Ellijay, GA.
$600 for refurbishing a machine that only cost $250 is not a great investment. I think your prices are a bit unrealistic. As far as the posts go: there are always two sides to every story🤷♀️
reply to u/SisterGoldenHair70 at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1lbjr5f/sorry_to_say/mxz1ag2/
I'm honestly curious about your definition of a "machine that only cost $250" is? Make/Model? Where was it bought? What is the actual condition (both cosmetic exterior and mechanical interior as well as cleanliness)? Also, what is your definition of investment with respect to how you're going to use it? Is it a display machine? Is it for display and the occasional addressed envelope or grocery store list? Or is it something you're planning on giving moderate to heavy use on a daily or weekly basis as a professional writer?
Most typewriter repair shops won't spend more than $20 on purchasing a machine and typically they're getting machines donated for free (or for the cost of coming to pick them up); then they spend hours to clean, oil, adjust, repair and restore them for sale in the $400-600 range unless they've got rarer colors or typefaces. (At this level, you're probably not getting any new rubber at all.) The level of restoration is definitely a choice as there are restorers out there who can easlily charge in the $1,500+ range depending on how much work you want done and to what level.
As an example, if someone chooses to spend $120-200 pus shipping on something like an old/dirty Olympia SM3 with old gaskets from an outlet like ShopGoodwill.com (the current going rate for one in unknown condition and only using photos) that is going to need several hundred dollars of repair work, that's their choice. If they don't have the expertise, it's far better to buy one outright in the $500 range from a shop. Usually people are just keeping that $120 machine and limping along with what it offers instead of cleaning it up or they attempt to do the clean up work themselves. This work may seem "free", but it's time, effort, and expense of one sort or another. Economists call this opportunity cost.
There is a massive information imbalance in the typewriter market between buyers and sellers, because incredibly few people really have any idea of what they've got and what sort of condition it is in. This imbalance means that most professional shops are an absolute steal if you're looking for something in excellent condition that's going to be a work-a-day typewriter or be in good shape for another 50-75 years.
As a small example, an indiviual could call JJ Short and get a platen recovered for around $100 plus two way shipping, but you take it to a shop and you're probably looking at $180 because they're going to charge you for the time, effort, and cost of knowing what to do, where to ship it, taking it off, putting it back on, and doing the appropriate ring & cylinder, on-feet, and motion adjustments on
reply to u/TypewriterJustice at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1lbjr5f/sorry_to_say/mxunsb6/
I think the real crime here was the quote of $200 for all this work. $200 should just barely cover the recovered platen, rollers, and new feet with any margin. The full clean, oil, and adjust is a few more hours at $40-75/hour and that's not even getting to the parts or labor on the tougher troubleshooting and repair portions. With this rough diagnosis and potential issues, I (and many others I'm sure) would be quoting closer to $500-600 for a refurbish job at this level.
Living in the LA area, I'm blessed to have 7 shops within a reasonable drive, but if I put a machine into the queue at most of them it'd be a two or three month's wait time at the very best. Most of them have been at the game for decades much less in the midst of also recently setting up a brick and mortar shop.
As a point of comparison, Lucas Dul publishes his wait list on his website (currently 84 people) where he states "Average repair cost is $300-350 for general cleaning, service, and minor repairs. Average turnaround time is 2-3 weeks." Perhaps Charlie might benefit from creating a wait list and not taking machines into the shop until his time and attention can turn directly to them?
It's not often addressed here in this fora how much one should expect to either pay or wait for repair services which aren't evenly distributed across the United States and likely even less so in many other countries. In the broader scheme of things, I think that you get a far better deal at professional shops than you're going to find within the broader public of so-called typewriter sellers (antique shops, thrift stores, etc.)
As a point of reference, I'm an advanced hobbyist with my own garage-based shop for my personal collection and even I get one or two queries a week about repairing or restoring the machines of others, so I'm at least reasonably aware of what some of the wait times can look like. I wish I had the time or stock of parts machines to do more than a handful of friends and family repairs on top of my own personal repair work.
Sadly, at the end of the day, it sounds like both sides were potentially not good at communicating expectations about how long repairs would take. If nothing else we should all be sharing more details about these issues to help level set how this all works for the broader typewriter community.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1lbsu6s/need_help_to_identify_a_typewriter/
Screencapture of a typewriter from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade<br />
My impression:<br /> The hood profile shape says Royal while a lot of the body says '49/50s Remington (maybe the All-New), but the scoop in the hood says Rheinmetall Gs all the way. For comparison: https://typewriterdatabase.com/Rheinmetall.Gs.62.bmys
Typewriter repair people on r/typewriters:
typewriter repairman here - with magnification & needle files it is sometimes possible to reshape the squashed portion of the slug(which usually requires repositioning it afterwards to get an even print) but my advice is to embrace it as part of what makes that particular machine unique…there’s literally no such thing as perfection, and twenty years from now you’ll be able to look at something you wrote & go “ohhhh this was done on that Olivetti…” (and yes, you could also replace the slug completely, but that’s a whole different can of worms)
via TypewriterJustice at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1lb8brp/type_slug_question/
Among the more specialized examples were so-called “double-gothic” typefaces. They are characterized by including a set of uppercase letters while the corresponding small-caps take the place of the lowercase. “Double” refers to the two uppercase-shaped glyph sets while “gothic” is simply the American term for sans-serif.
RT Dromo is a typographic line-up of vintage concert ticket typography from the 1980s performed with the sturdiness of an all-purpose grotesque. Echoing functionalist shapes proven in the challenging environments of impact printing it remixes them into a contemporary digital composition.
The new RT Dromo Collection comes in a total of 16 fonts in 4 weights, freshly complemented with corresponding italic and monospace styles. Once conceived as a single weight custom typeface, RT Dromo is now a versatile family for a wide range of uses.
Example of using a typewriter and a roll of cash register paper to score a baseball game.
'Last' UK typewriter built in Wrexham
Brother manufactured 5.9 million typewriters in Wrexham, Wales from 1985-2012.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1l8m84q/putting_the_imperial_back_into_service_again/
Use of a typewriter in inhospitable environments (cold, no cell service, remote)
Tom Hanks' love of typewriters by [[CBS Sunday Morning]] by Lee Cowan
Typewriter Typefaces: Pica vs Elite, an explainer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwCD69jUPps
Pica machines (10 characters per inch) will usually have a scale up to about 80-84.
Elite machines (12 characters per inch) will have a scale up to 100.
On Olympia machines, script only comes in Elite sizes (scale to 100 on platen).
Edit: fixed the appropriate CPI numbers
https://www.ebay.com/itm/336005327511
A bumper sticker that reads: "Government Can't Hack My Typewriter" with an image of a Smith-Corona flattop.
a $13 typewriter from 2012.......(the Royal Scrittore) by [[Just My Typewriter]]
Most likely manufactured by Shanghai Weilv, but not mentioned or obvious anywhere.
7.6 is the motion (distance between the baseline of lower- and uppercase characters) in millimeters.
Ro1T is RaRo Modern Pica typeface.
Type Shop, Ep. 3: How to remove and install the carriage on a Royal Standard Desktop Typewriter by [[Typewriter Chicago]]
Typing Skills: Fields of Typing. 16 mm, Instructional film. Periscope Film, 1972. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvF0atKsggY.
Typing Skills: Fields of Typing <br /> Coronet Instructional Films, a division of Esquire, Inc., 1972<br /> Lawrence W. Erickson, Ed.D. Professor of Education, University of California, Los Angeles<br /> Production: Coronet Films and Creative Establishment, Inc.<br /> Director and Writer: Don B. Klugman<br /> Photography Robert Flaxman<br /> Editing: Barbara Kaplan
Periscope Film XD72104 archived at https://stock.periscopefilm.com/xd72104-typing-skills-fields-of-typing-1972-typewriter-based-careers-educational-film/
Alternate version at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMmsE6GMIR8
Warm ups of fingers
Rules of good typing - concentrate on the copy
Typewriters in the piece: <br /> - Olivett editor 5<br /> - Others...
Backspace from center method for setting tab stops
Uses for typewriters:<br /> - check writing - billing - chain feeding - financial records and reports - filling in forms - carbon copies
index and file cards - inserted into a pleated page which may have lines.
Successful Secretary Presented by Royal Office Typewriters. A Thomas Craven Film Corporation Production, 1966. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If5b2FiDaLk.
Script: Lee Thuna<br /> Educational Consultant: Catharine Stevens<br /> Assistant Director: Willis F. Briley<br /> Design: Francisco Reynders<br /> Director & Producer: Carl A. Carbone<br /> A Thomas Craven Film Corporation Production
"Mother the mail"
gendered subservience
"coding boobytraps"
"I think you'll like the half sheet better. It is faster." —Mr. Typewriter, timestamp
A little bit of the tone of "HAL" from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). This is particularly suggestive as H.A.L. was a one letter increment from I.B.M. and the 1966 Royal 660 was designed to compete with IBM's Selectric
This calm voice makes suggestions to a secretary while H.A.L. does it for a male astronaut (a heroic figure of the time period). Suddenly the populace feels the computer might be a bad actor.
"We're living in an electric world, more speed and less effort."—Mr. Typewriter<br /> (techno-utopianism)
We must wholly re-envision the purposes, processes, and products of First-Year Composition. We must invite FYC students to not only bring their own devices — in both the technological and denotative sense of the word — but to bring their own disruptions, and discover ways to use both for their own authentic ends.
A nice Rx presented here with some discussion potentially about how NOT to do it, but no mention of tools or scaffolding about HOW to do it.
Note taking systems? Commonplace books? Alternate methods? Pencil, pen, fountain pen, quill, stylus and wax tablet, typewriter, writerdeck, etc.?
This sounds exactly like the sort of place in which Umberto Eco or Bob Doto could be easily brought to bear.
I'm not sure if there's even a basic knowledge of classic rhetoric here. How have we gone so far afield?
Kmart 300 Deluxe 12 Typewriter by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Because of the geometry of the JP-7's ribbon vibrator, which hinges from the right rather from the middle, the ribbon can rub against the paper/platen. To remedy this, one can mis-thread the left side to keep the ribbon away from the paper.
Not unusual to see regular pica spaced rulers on very small (18-21 cpi). They weren't common enough to warrant making new rulers.
via u/Koponewt (Otto)
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1l2ayq1/any_font_smaller_than_elite/
On This Day in Typewriter History (LXXIV) by [[Robert Messenger]]
Dreyfuss continued his studies as an apprentice to Norman Bel Geddes(below), completing them in 1924.
Plastic Repair Welding MELDING Reinforced with Metal Demo DIY (#1) by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]
InCoWriMo is the short name for International Correspondence Writing Month, otherwise known as February. With an obvious nod to NaNoWriMo for the inspiration, InCoWriMo challenges you to hand-write and mail/deliver one letter, card, note or postcard every day during the month of February.
Smith Corona Typewriter Keyboard Cork, Out of Place, Repair, Controls Key Top Height by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]
I've been wanting to learn electroplating so I bought the variable power supply and an anode. I had the rest. I made my own nickel acetate with vinegar and my own pickle with water and muriatic acid, baking soda in water to neutralize. Mother's to polish metals. It's my go to. Fabric was denim and poly canvas. Cheap poly grosgrain ribbon to hide my sins. 3M spray adhesive, contact cement, and fabric glue. I used double cap rivets for the hardware.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1l15xt2/1951_smith_corona_sterling_recovered_case/
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1l11y1d/not_for_the_purists/
PB B'laster apparently doesn't destroy the plastic keys of a Smith-Corona 5 series.
Simple Green will peel the paint off of a typewriter in a few days.
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
Try a toothbrush with a long, thin handle and a small head.
The brushes sold with many metal and rubber straws or thin bottle brushes are also excellent for reaching into places like this. Sometimes you can find similar thin brushes in the baby bottle section of big box retailers or specialty stores doing baby goods.
Similarly a plastic oiler with mineral spirits in combination with an air compressor/blow gun or canned air is also a solid way to go.
Long handle cotton swabs can also be used if necessary.
reply to u/General-Writing-1764 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1l05a17/i_dont_think_that_superficial_dust_should_be_a/
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kzw0fk/your_typewriter_collection/?sort=old
reply to u/Back2Analog at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kzw0fk/your_typewriter_collection/?sort=old
Total: I currently have 53 with 2 incoming and 1 outbound. About 12 are standards, 7 ultra-portables, and the remainder are portables. Maybe a dozen non-standard typefaces including 2 Vogues and a Clarion Gothic. You can find most of the specifics at https://typewriterdatabase.com/typewriters.php?hunter_search=7248 or on my site at https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/#My%20Typewriter%20Collection
Display: I've usually got eight displayed in various places around the house including three on desks, but ready to actively type on. The remainder are in cases either behind our living room couch or a closet for easy access and rotation. I'm debating a large credenza or cabinet for additional display/storage space. There are two machines out in the garage, and one currently disassembled on our dining room table (my wife isn't a fan of this one right now).
About 25 have been cleaned and mostly restored, most are functional/usable, but need to be cleaned, repaired, or restored to some level. One is a parts machine. I always have a Royal KMG, a Royal FP, and two other standards out ready to go and rotate the others on a semi-weekly basis. There's usually at least one portable in my car for typing out in the wild.
Use cases: I spend a few hours a day writing on one or more machines and use them for nearly every conceivable case from quick notes (zettels), letters, essays, lists, snide remarks, poetry, etc., etc. I should spend more time typing for the typosphere. Because I enjoy restoring machines maybe even more than collecting them, I've recently started taking mechanic/restoration commissions.
At 50 machines, I'm about at the upper limit of my collecting space. I've given away a few to interested parties, and sold a small handful that I didn't use as frequently. I'm currently trying to balance incoming versus outgoing and might like to get my collection down to a tighter 35-40 machines in excellent condition.
Next typewriters: I'm currently looking for an Olympia SG1, a Royal Ten, a Hermes Ambassador, and a Hermes 3000. I'm also passively looking for either very large (6 or 8 CPI) or very small typefaces (>12CPI). I'm definitely spending less time actively hunting these days and more time restoring. I'm tending towards being far more selective in acquisitions compared to my earlier "acquisition campaign".
Miscellaneous: I enjoy writing about typewriter collecting and repair to help out others: https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/
I recently found the Remington Mark II as a compromise since I have not been able to find a Torpedo 18B at a decent price and they are mechanically identical.
Writing letters mostly to people from InCoWriMo or (more frequently) TypePals.com I often will write short stories for my kids or journaling entries, though I have been writing more journal entries with fountain pens these days.
via u/brianlpowers at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kzw0fk/your_typewriter_collection/?sort=old
https://youtu.be/_rqIW9SszPg?si=Qii9SO0-N8u1NKMD&t=511
Keanu Reeves has a typewriter collection of 5 typewriters according to a Toronto Film Fest interview in 2013.
"I collect vintage typewriters. I like the sound and feel of the keys. There's something satisfying about having a thought, then seeing it on the page."
Keanu Reeves via Keanu Reeves: 'I Worry That People Won't Like What I Do' by [[Cathryne Keller]] for Women's Health
Q: Do you use a pen to write?A: Actually, I prefer a typewriter. I enjoy the sensation of sitting down and taking time to think about what I want to say and then, typing, which has a kind of physicalness to it as the imprint goes on the paper. It's also something that doesn't take batteries.
Reply to u/eJelly at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kyf66p/ribbon_replacements_for_smith_corona_corsair/
Typically Corsair spools are 1 5/8" in diameter and sometimes listed as 1 2/3" in diameter. Ribbons Unlimited carries them if you need both the spools AND the ribbon: https://www.ribbonsunlimited.com/category-s/12685.htm
Otherwise, if you have spools that already fit, then just buy the ribbon and spool it onto your empty spools to save the $10-15 for the extra spools. See: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-faq.html#q1
The eyelets are for doing the ribbon auto-reverse on Smith-Corona machines, but your print will go faint when you reach the end and you can do the reverse manually if necessary.
As a pending birthday stop-gap, I have done the trick before of typing on a blank sheet with a carbon paper and a second sheet behind it. You won't be able to easily see what is on the first sheet, but you'll have the carbon copy behind it!
If you're in a bind, many of the big-box office supply stores carry 1/2 inch wide ribbon for calculators which you could spool into your existing typewriter spools as well. Typically these are much shorter in length, but they'll work in a pinch.
https://timpanogos.blog/2013/07/20/typewriter-of-the-moment-supermans-1950s-television/
Typewriter Video Series - Episode 189: Underwood SX by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Joe mentions, again, how standards fill up your field of view and aid in cutting out distractions so you can focus more while writing.
At the end Joe talks about the hobby of repairing typewriters.
Olympia SG1 Typewriter by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Underwood Touchmaster 5 Typewriter Tabulator Decelerator Demo Operation by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]
The average American is seldom far removed from Henry Dreyfuss’s influence. When he picks up a Bell telephone, rides a John Deere tractor, scoots a Hoover vacuum over a rug, writes with an Eversharp pen, pounds a Royal Typewriter, awakens to a Westclox Big Ben, thumbs a Minneapolis-Honeywell thermostat, sprawls in a Statler Hotel room in Washington, yanks open the door of a GE refrigerator, focuses an Ansco camera, shoots a 105millimeter ack-ack gun, or swats a fly with a U.S. Manufacturing €orp. fly swatter, he is utilizing Henry Dreyfuss’s skill and pay-‘ing him a tribute which runs annually intoseven figures.
DESIGN:The Dreyfuss Touch
Newsweek Staff. “Design: The Dreyfuss Touch.” Newsweek, October 4, 1948. Http://archive.org/details/sim_newsweek-us_1948-10-04_32_14. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_newsweek-us_1948-10-04_32_14/page/62/mode/2up.
The Motive Puzzle: The tip which led to Bolton’s arrest had come from John Miller of Highland Park, now awaiting sentence with John Pantello for burglary. Miller told the police: “Bolton offered me and John Pantello fifteen grand to bump off Reuther.” Later, he added, Bolton hid two shotguns in Miller’s home. Several hours before the near-fatal shooting, Bolton came after the guns. “I want my two typewriters,” he said, according to Miller. “[’m going out and kill me a redheaded Communist,” Bolton was quoted as adding, with complete disregard of Reuther’s staunch anti-Communism.
p. 41 of Newsweek (US Edition) 1948-10-18: Vol 32 Iss 16
https://archive.org/details/sim_newsweek-us_1948-10-18_32_16/page/40/mode/2up?q=typewriter
Typewriters as a colloquialism for shotguns in a murder investigation in 1948 Michigan.
Royal Futura 800 Vintage Manual Typewriter Ribbon Change Install Magic Margin Demo by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]
A quick overview of the Royal Futura 800. Duane shows the very basics here including one of the simplest ribbon changes out there. He also does a quick overview of the Magic Margins, though it's not the best demonstration.
I repaired it using 2-part epoxy, and fiberglass dry wall tape. First routed out the path of the crack, and created a little reservoir for the glue just past the end of the crack, then applied the tape and worked the epoxy into the voids. I've been using it for a week now, and it looks like it's going to hold just fine.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kunlxr/the_rules_of_typewriter_club/
Just like most areas of life relating to expertise, it's nice to have a broad set of rules when you start out. Then as your knowledge of the arts and sciences grow, you can begin to "paint outside the lines."
Once you've used, tinkered on, collected, repaired, or restored more machines than there are rules, then you can consider them more like guidelines and feel free to experiment more freely. By that point you'll have enough experience to be a true typewriter artist. ⛵🧑🎨🎨🏴☠️
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kvhyol/anybody_else_used_these/
NOS Scotch Typewriter Cleaner No. 575
A house is not a home without a typewriter.
via u/leapwolf at https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/17/acquisition-1966-underwood-touch-master-five-standard-typewriter/
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kukxjf/another_cotton_vs_nylon_ribbon_comparison/
cotton typewriter ribbon vs. nylon typewriter ribbon
The first rule of Typewriter club is Do not oil the segment.
The second rule of Typewriter club is DO NOT oil the segment.
Do not ask the value of your typewriter: they are invaluable.
Always talk about typewriter club. Every chance you get: to family, friends, complete strangers...
If you only have one typewriter, you must refer to it as "my FIRST typewriter".
If you're new to typewriter club, you have to type.
A typewriter is not broken unless it is clean and broken.
Parts of a typewriter should only be removed in order to repair another typewriter.
Keychoppers shall have the extremities they used to chop keys chopped off.
More than one machine is allowed to be your "favorite".
The last typewriter you bought is the greatest one. Until the next one.
Never leave a typewriter outside, in a barn, or in a damp basement to rust.
Typewriters are to type with. They should not be "flipped".
Any reason is a good reason to buy and use a typewriter.
The hardest part of typewriter repair is believing you can do it. Everything else is just instructions plus a careful, thoughtful hand. —Rt. Rev. Theodore Munk
If you see a typewriter, you should take photos and upload the details to the TypewriterDatabase.com.
Typewriters are not mood setting decor, they are meant to be used.
Always leave a typewriter in better condition than you found it.
We form things; we do not "bend" them.
The only acceptable way to dispose of a typewriter is to find it a new home. The only exception is in dire circumstances in time of war when one should follow the guidance of the Underwood manual and "Smash typewriters and components with a sledge or other heavy instrument; burn with kerosene, gasoline, fuel oil, flame thrower, or incendiary bomb; detonate with firearms, grenades, TNT, or other explosives."
If anyone asks you about your typewriter, you must spend at least five minutes talking to them about it.
Legitimate typewriter sellers never use the phrases "it works" or "it just needs a new ribbon."
Remember that typewriters are dangerous and can be used for samizdat. As Woody Guthrie wrote: "This machine kills fascists."
Blessed are those who give typewriters to children for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
"In death, they have a name." Lenore Fenton. Lenore Fenton. Lenore Fenton!
The Typewriter Database does not list every single serial number, just ranges of numbers and years in which they were made. You are responsible for figuring out which year your number fits into.
"Working but needs new ribbon" is seller's code for "I have no idea if it really works, but I'm going to try to sell you this machine for the price of a fully functioning machine that was just serviced by a professional shop despite the fact that I just took it out of grandpa's barn and I'm not sure if the mouse inside is dead or not. Also, I can't afford $10 to replace an old ribbon to truly participate in the charade of the price I'm going to try to fleece you with."
It's oil cloth, but not the kind made today, sadly. Contact cement is fine. For a refurb, take lots of pictures. Undo any screwed in components (usually the handle and a couple springs). Using a dremel or similar rotary tool, gently grind down the inside cap of each rivet. It's easiest to use a pin and hammer to knock them out and avoid damaging the wood rather than prying the hardware up. Set aside the hardware for cleaning. Sometimes they're split rivets (which I loathe) and you have to be VERY careful to not wreck the wood pulling those. LOATHE. Get the case WET. It'll soften the glue, make it far easier to remove and keep the glue dust out of your lungs. Pay attention to the order in which it comes off and where the various cuts are made. Scrub the case clean. Let it FULLY dry. Sand any uneven areas and patch what needs patching. Make placement templates in case you have trouble locating the original holes for the hardware. Ensure your rivets or attachment parts will work with the existing holes, modify if needed. Install the internal top and bottom lining. Install the hardware with a pop rivet gun. Put the outside upholstery on. Install the handles/feet/rest. Put the sidewall lining in. Seal any surfaces as desired. Done. If the wooden case is beyond repair but hardware is good, you can build a new case and use the same hardware provided the internal dimensions and hardware placements match the original. I'm mid process on two portable wooden cases or I'd show pics.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ksx0qy/adhesive_to_fix_peeling_covering_on_cases/
these 7:36 are the ones i picked up and these were 7:38 three and three-fourths by four by 7:40 one-eighth
Sarah Everett has used water filter o-rings of 3 3/4 x 4 1/8 to replace the drive belts of her electric typewriters.
i used a saw to just make the 6:46 one edge of that phillips head a little 6:48 bit deeper so that i could then use a 6:51 flat top screwdriver in there to remove 6:52 that screw the next time that way when i 6:55 put that screw back in there i could 6:56 remove it later just using a flat head 6:58 screwdriver instead of a phillips 7:00 now this was a little bit of a ratchet 7:02 job but it did the trick and with that i 7:04 had a working electric typewriter
Sarah Everett suggests using a saw to turn Phillips head screws into a flat head screw if they've been stripped.
i couldn't 4:50 get into the typewriter the screws were 4:52 in there so tight that there was no way 4:54 i could get that bottom off of the 4:55 machine so i did the only logical thing 4:58 i could think of i set it upside down 4:59 and then forgot about it for a really 5:01 long time i then went back in once i got 5:03 the confidence to go into this machine
Confidence is a (the?) key ingredient of typewriter repair.
i don't know 4:26 how i fixed it i kind of stabbed it a 4:28 lot with a screwdriver until it worked
rofl!
i 2:15 didn't know if it was broken because it 2:17 needed cleaned
curious, but common phrase "needed cleaned"...
Appalachian dialect?
in fact almost 0:28 all of my successful repairs have come 0:30 from a lot of faith trust a little bit 0:32 of pixie dust and a lot of googling
Smith Corona H Electronic Typewriter Repair High Pitch Buzz Rattle Disassemble Fix by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]
How many typewriters do you own? Currently, about 15.
In 2025, Alton Brown indicated that he owned 15 typewriters.
What Did The Late Show Get Trump For His 70th Birthday? by Stephen Colbert
This office set up for Stephen Colbert includes a black Underwood portable typewriter in a black case in the background.
reply to u/highspeed_steel at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1krspvh/im_totally_blind_and_new_to_typewriters_wax/
Your question is a great one, but I'll go another direction since I'd dug into some of the history and details of Helen Keller's mid-century typewriters a while back. You can find some details and descriptions here (and in the associated links which includes an accessible video of Ms. Keller using a solid and sexy black Remington Noiseless standard typewriter): https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ihot96/helen_kellers_typewriters/
She managed on both her Remington as well as her brailler as well as any sighted person, though obviously had someone to check her printed work.
I recently saw another heavily modified midcentury typewriter for someone who, if I recall correctly was not only blind, but had no arms. It was set up so that they could move a selector and type using a custom chin rest. Sadly, I didn't index it at the time, but it's interesting to know that such things existed for accessibility reasons.
As for Braillers, you might appreciate this recent article about a repairman in Britain who was retiring: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jan/02/wed-be-stuck-alarm-as-uks-last-braille-typewriter-repairer-ponders-retirement
I've got my own brailler, which is a sleek-looking art-deco industrial piece of art with the loveliest shade of dark shiny gray paint I've ever seen on a typewriter. (I'm both a mathematician and information theorist into the areas of coding and cryptography, so Morse code, Braille, etc. are professionally fascinating to me.) I still need to take it apart and repair a few portions to get it back to perfection, but it generally works well.
As for the aesthetics, I personally enjoy the solid industrial look and feel of the machines from the 1930s-1960s. The early 30s and some 40s have glossy black enamel and machines like the Corona Standard/Silent from the 30s are low slung with flat tops that sort of resemble small pianos and just scream out "I'm a writer" with a flair for dark academia and just a hint of classical Roman design. Many of these machines come with gold tinged water-slide decals which really set themselves off against the black enamel, though on the majority of machines the gold is beginning to dim from time, wear, and uncareful application of cleaning solutions.
I love the Royal KMM, KMG, and the Remington 17, Standard, and Super-Riter for their industrial chonkiness and (usually) their glass keytops. One of my favorites is the Henry Dreyfuss designed Royal Quiet De Luxe from 1948 which always gives me the feel of what it would look like if a typewriter wore a tuxedo or the 1948 gray and chrome model which is similar but has the feel of a sleek gray flannel suit on a 1950s advertising executive prone to wearing dapper hats, smoking cigarettes, and always with a cocktail in his hand. Into the 50s and 60s almost everyone had moved to plastic keytops which I don't think are as pretty as the older glass keytops with the polished metal rings around them.
At the opposite end of that spectrum are the late 50s Royal FP and Futura 800s which have some colorful roundness which evokes the aesthetic of the coming space age. They remind me of the modern curves and star shapes of the television show The Jetsons. Similarly space-aged are the sexy curves of the silver metalic spray paint on wooden cases for the Olympia SM3 from the same period. These to me are quintessential typewriter industrial design. In gray, green, maroon, brown, and sometimes yellow crinkle paint with just a hint of sparkle in their keytops I really love the combination of roundedness and slight angularity these German designed machines provide. They have a definite understated sort of elegance most other typewriters just miss. I suspect that late-in-life Steve Jobs would have had an Olympia SM3.
There's something comforting about the 40s and 50s sports-car vibe of the smaller Smith-Corona portables of the 5 series machines in the 1950s with their racing stripes on the hood. They feel like the sort of typewriter James Dean would have used as a student—just hip enough to be cool while still be solid and functional.
Sadly into the 70s, while machines typically got a broader range of colors outside of the typical black, gray, and browns things became more plastic and angular. They also begin to loose some of the industrial mid-century aesthetic that earlier machines had. They often feel very 70s in an uncomplimentary way without the fun color combinations or whimsy that art and general design of of that period may have had in the music or fashion spaces. They make me think of politics and war rather than the burgeoning sexual revolution of the time period.
Interestingly, for me, I feel like most typewriter design was often 10-20 years behind the general design aesthetic/zeitgeist for the particular decades in which they were made.
Good luck in your search for the right typewriter(s) for your own collection.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kppij9/blue_olivetti_valentine_how_rare_is_it/
In increasing order of rarity, the Olivetti Valentine was made in red, white, green, and blue.
Film: Typing on Robotron by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
You've got to love the "dancing hands" portion of the film which was such a product of it's timeperiod.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/typewritermaintenance/posts/4083165991920819/
Kenneth Alexander begins tearing down a Hermes 3000 typewriter for servicing.
reply to u/Omega48boar at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1knsgn8/pressure/
I was wondering what the upper limit psi would be for blowing out the gunk using an air compressor.
The highest air compressor pressures may be determined by your particular compressor's (or air canister's) maximum output as well as the maximum suggested output for any accessories you're attaching to it. Many basic air gun attachments have a max PSI of around 100 PSI even when the compressor will produce much higher outputs.
Generally I find that for most benchwork on typewriters anywhere from 50-100 PSI is generally more than sufficient.
Depending on the condition of your surroundings, I recommend putting a towel (or similar material) underneath your typewriter with a solid backstop so that if any springs, screws, or other valuable parts are blown loose, they're caught pretty quickly by the towel rather than flying across the room or down onto the floor out of sight.
Higher pressure settings may be useful in some cases. One should always take care to be wearing protective garments and eyewear to prevent being spattered with caustic chemicals. Similarly protecting plastics, paint, and decals on your typewriter with appropriate cover is advised with some solvents.
Operating the compressor, which can cause sparks as well as heat, at a reasonable distance from potential flammable vapors is also a mandatory safety precaution. Using volatile solvents frequently seen in typewriter cleaning procedures should only be done in the open in a well-ventilated area using appropriate masks to prevent inhalation of vapors. Long term exposure to vapors of substances like lacquer thinner can cause lung damage, COPD, and other adverse health effects.
For extended usage pending the sorts of air gun tips which might be used for typewriter cleaning, one is also well advised to use ear protection to prevent long term hearing damage/loss.
https://typewritermuse.com/ <br /> Bob Marshall
The Typewriter: A Graphic History of the Beloved Machine by [[Janine Vangool]]
Everyone mentioned most of the usual tricks, but one.
To get your sticky typewriter keys working again, while you're flushing out the segment with your solvent of choice (lacquer thinner, paint thinner, mineral spirits, alcohol, etc.), actually move the typebars using the keys or by other means. This will help to get them moving and allow the solvent and subsequently compressed air to help flush the oil, dust, hair, etc. out of your machine. You've already got a mechanical cleaning device of sorts (the typebar itself) inside the segment, so move it while you're flushing it out!
It may take a few repeated treatments/attempts to get it all clear for all the keys, but it's far easier than taking everything apart.
reply to u/nogaesallowed at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cp75ln/how_do_you_clean_a_1mm_gap/
People were recommending all sorts of ideas and solvents here, including folded card stock, tooth brushes, floss, toothpicks, interdental brushes, wood cuticle sticks, Swiss Army knife tweezers, microbrushes, and even an ultrasonic cleaner.
SCM Electric Typewriters by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Tips for cleaning the Smith-Corona 6 series electric typewriters and details about how they work.
S-C also made this series of typewriter for both Sears and Singer under their branding. (including the Singer Electric in this video.)
The belts on the electric motor and cams was originally a rubber 'V' belt which is no longer manufactured. Using 1/8" round cross-section o-rings of appropriate sizes (for water cannister applications) is the recommended replacement, however one may need to slightly move the drive motor down a bit so that the belt doesn't hit the frame of the typewriter and thereby destroying it over time.
Cleaning and lubricating the drive motors and moving pieces before using may help before trying out a typewriter which has been sitting for long periods of time.
Some later models had an electric return, which can tend to be violent. Electro 220 and Coronet Automatic 12 have an additional clutch and draw band (and lack of return lever on the carriage) for their electric returns.
Users of the Royal HH typewriter included: William Buckley, Charles Bukowski, George Burns, Herb Caen, Truman Capote, Bruce Catton, Patty Chayefsky, Don DeLillo, Alice Denham, James T. Farrell, Paul Fussell, Hugh Hefner, Elia Kazan, Sterling North, Robert B. Parker, Sylvia Plath, Mario Puzo, Robert Penn Warren, Eudora Welty, and William Zinsser.
including photos via https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html
reply to u/letsjustwrite and u/CowCommercial1992 at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1iilo0f/re_inking_ribbons/
None of these are really prohibitively expensive, especially when purchased in bulk. Both Baco Ribbon and Fine Line offer black/red bichrome ribbon in most of these materials for a very reasonable price:
If you're going to buy even 3-6 spools of ribbon at individual prices of $9-20 per spool, you may as well make the investment in a half or full reel of inked typewriter ribbon and save yourself a lot of hassle. My guess is that if you're buying your own ribbon in small quantities, you're going to pay even more than these prices to have uninked ribbon. Unless you have some serious equipment and technique, you're highly unlikely to be able to ink your own bichrome ribbon, so you're stuck with monochrome.
While using ink stamp pads is "doable", it's a lot of work for a very poor result.
I've yet to hear of more than a very tiny handful of people who are interested in the art or process of this to bother with attempting to re-ink typewriter ribbon, silk or otherwise. Generally, if they do it for any reason (other than the one time "fun of it"), it's for environmental reasons rather than pricing ones.
As an inveterate tinkerer, I've tried some of my own re-inking experiments to very mixed results. I've given up bespoke ribbon for bulk purchases.
Testing Cotton Ribbons- Typewriter Ribbon Test!! by [[Just My Typewriter]]
There are generally only a few configurations for ribbon vibrators with respect to ribbon threading, look at a few manuals here and surely yours will be covered by one: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html
Typically the rule is that the ribbon sits closer to the paper at the typing point than any piece of the vibrator and is then threaded through the arms of the vibrator. From there it often goes through holders at the ribbon cup and then into the spool.
The trident is the foundry mark of Gordon Webb & Co., a British type foundry. No catalogs for this company exist on the internet so can't tell you the name they used for it. https://i.imgur.com/RQpxK05.jpeg
via u/Koponewt
antiphony 0 points1 point2 points 4 days ago (0 children)count me in - i will bring my flying fish 200
u/antiphony has a Flying Fish 200 typewriter
The Screenless Writer by [[Steven Budden Jr.]] (aka Classic Typewriter)
"My screenless computer, which is a box of these [handmade] cards. The NEXUS which stands for Network of EXperiences Synchronicities and UnderStanding." —Steven Budden, Jr.
follow up reply:
After some additional research on the typewriter database, the YY = 92 (where the serial number is of the form: FP[P,E,S]-XX-YY-#######, where XX is the platen length and YY is for other special features) indicates that the machine has 46 character keys (and thus 46*2=96 glyphs on the slugs). There are also examples of YY=88 with 44 keys versus the standard 42 or 43 keys.
This means that your machine has a few extra keys not found on their standard keyboards at the time.
https://amsterdamassassin.wordpress.com/2018/12/16/typecast-my-royal-fp-steampunk/
reply:
I've been looking at the typewriter database and have been able to discern the fact that the designator YY=88 seems to indicate that an FP had a Royal HH-like palm tabulator, where the serial number is of the form: FP[P,E,S]-XX-YY-#######, where XX is the platen length and YY is for other special features.
I can't help but wonder what the YY = 92 indicates on Martyn's machine.
After some continued research on the TWdB, I've come to realize that the "88" in the serial number has likely nothing to do with the palm tabulator.
The 88 is for an extra character count due to more keys (44) versus the more standard 42 or 43 keys and similarly some examples with a 92 in the serial number corresponds to 46 characters. So there isn't a designator in the serial number for a palm tabulator.
See: <br /> - https://typewriterdatabase.com/1961-royal-fp.22586.typewriter<br /> - https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kg820b/just_bought_this_typewriter_for_10_at_a_charity/<br /> - https://amsterdamassassin.wordpress.com/2018/12/16/typecast-my-royal-fp-steampunk/
Oxidized Metal on Typewriters, White Powder Substance Removed Cleaned by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]
Royal Futura 800 Typewriter Plastic Key Top White Crud Removal Cleaning Servicing by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]
For the white, crusty out gassing (or off gassing) on plastic typewriter keys, Duane recommends a round or two of Simple Green with a stiff bristle brush. Follow this up with a scrub down using WD-40 to displace the water from the Simple Green and then follow up with denatured alcohol, which is safe on plastics, and a wipe down with a rag to dry.
Cross reference: https://syracuse.craigslist.org/atq/d/syracuse-the-smith-corona-typewriter/7841959463.html
For the collectors out there, this is an excellent caveat/warning: What will you do with your collection when you're gone? Where will it go? What will happen to the work you've put in?
On longevity of collections: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJC9BwUvA8T/
Remington Portable Typewriter replacement feet: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1397399-remington-portable-typewriter-replacement-feet#profileId-1448637
The Ultimate HOMEMADE Rust Remover (Better than EvapoRust) by [[Beyond Ballistics]]
recommended by u/guneeyoufix at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kgf6hm/help_am_i_crazy_olympia_sm3/?sort=new
https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kg820b/just_bought_this_typewriter_for_10_at_a_charity/
For a second, I thought perhaps the "88" in the serial number was a designator for the palm tabulator, but one of the other two in the database doesn't have that option (visually), though the single picture (of 5853) looks like it may have broken off or been removed on that example: - https://typewriterdatabase.com/1960-royal-fp.1241.typewriter - https://typewriterdatabase.com/1961-royal-fp.5853.typewriter
If you upload some additional photos of yours to the database, perhaps we can puzzle out what the "88" designator means if it's not the palm tabulator functionality?
The E on FPE means "elite" or 12 characters per inch. The "13" indicates a 13 inch wide platen. The raw serial number seems to indicate it was made in 1960: https://typewriterdatabase.com/royal.72.typewriter-serial-number-database
FP models were designated with either a FPE (for elite typeface machines), FPP (for pica typeface machines), or FPS (for special order typeface machines that could have been fitted with 5, 10, 12, 16 or 20 pitch type, and almost any type face). The FP name is a homage to Fortune Peter Ryan who at one point was the President of Royal Typewriter.
