About this blog

This blog is about the daily activities in a busy typewriter shop. I want to share with you the many interesting people who come in here, the beautiful machines I get and most of all the great typewriter stories that people share with me!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

A Fun Saturday


A newly restored Classic 12



A beautiful late 1930's Simplex


Made in Bulgaria Omega II. Love the case.


My right hand dog Cody



My first typecast


19 comments:

  1. I know the paint jobs are legendary, but you have a heck of a shine on that Royal - is it restored or original?

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  2. Welcome to the Typecasting fold! Looking forward to your future typecasts (:

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  3. very nice. have fun typecasting!

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  4. Hi Tom,

    What does it cost to redo the platen on a Royal Quiet DelUxe?

    Rich

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  5. Rob- That's the original finish.The machine was mint when I got it five years ago. I cleaned and oiled it and replaced the platen.

    Rich- A Royal QDL platen will run you $35.00 now.
    Thanks for the comments guys.

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  6. We had a great time, and that SF is just a total dream to type on. Glad to see you followed through on the typecasting thing!

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  7. Good job typecasting; you commit fewer typos than I do!

    I understand Ames needs to make a profit, but doubling the price on platens -- that's discouraging news. On The Portable Typewriter Forum someone recently recommended using brake fluid to freshen up a platen. I tried it today and it works. OK, it's not like getting a brand new platen, but the brake fluid does seem to penetrate the outside layer of the rubber and make it more -- well, rubbery.

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  8. Way to go with the typecast!

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  9. PS: Plenty of sources say that most brake fluids will harm most rubber. So the long-term effects of the brake fluid treatment may be disastrous! We'll see.

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  10. Welcome to the crack pipe that is typecasting! And great job on that Classic 12 - My Classic 12 was my first and she's still my favorite!

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  11. Richard- Brake fluid? What will they think of next.

    Wordrebel- Gotta love those SCM's. They were the first machine learned to repair 31 years ago and I still love them.

    Thanks for your comments and encouragement everyone! Thank you.

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  12. The "Royal" is beautiful! I think I am hooked!
    I have been after the "perfect" typewriter to complement my scrapbooking tools/addiction for some time. Can you let me know how difficult they are to find and what sort of price I would be looking at?
    Well done on this blog !!!

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  13. Gael- Finding these kind of machines is so hit or miss. I have a matching green Royal to go with the red one. I got both on Ebay years ago. I've been offered five hundred for each but would never sell. I would imagine the red one would go for about four hundred on Ebay. Look for estate sales and Craig's List. Check out Goodwill's auction website. All the hunting is a drag sometimes but finding that diamond in the rough is a major thrill. Happy hunting.

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  14. Tom, I'm so happy you began this blog. I look forward to catching your weekly updates each week, and now typecasts Whoot!

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  15. Love it!

    If your inventory isn't too full these days I'd love to do a similar trade of five functional machines in need of cleaning for one really special machine. Pondering a move really makes one consider quality over quantity (especially when one of that quantity is a full-sized Selectric I)!

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  16. Winston- Shoot me a email and let me know you have in mind. I got I ton of new (old) machines in this winter.

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  17. I just sent you an email bc I didn't see the comments! Teach me to scroll all the way down!

    Anyway, that's "my" typewriter up there in the pic- the blue SC Classic 12. It was my high school graduation present in 19mumble mumble.
    And I think I rented a cyrillic typewriter from your shop in about 1975, if it was then in or near Central Square.
    Loved reading about the shop in the NYT-it is a great article. Only wish I still lived in the Boston area so I could come in and get my Classic 12 cleaned. Hasn't been used in years, but probably not too clean. I'm not parting with it anytime soon.

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  18. This is really cool. I'm in love with that Olympia Simplex. I'm glad I no longer live in Central Square or I'd be signing over whole paychecks to you.
    I have my own typewriter project going over at www.projectunderwood.wordpress.com . You should check it out some time. I'd love your feedback.

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  19. I sure love those Classic 12's. It was actually one of the first typers I bought. I found a factory sealed woodgrain and creme model at a salvation army for about $20. It still had it's plastic cover intact, foam under the rollers, it had never been typed on.

    Considering this happened in 2002, I feel very lucky to have been able to own a "brand new" manual typewriter.

    -Hunter

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