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!

Friday, August 16, 2013

A 1926 Underwood No.3 Telegraph Machine


This No. 3 was extremely dirty and splattered with white paint.

Caps only type with numbers and very few punctuation marks.


The platen assembly tips forward to install forms.



http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/i-am-tom-i-like-to-type-hear-that.html?emc=eta1&pagewanted=all&_r=0http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/i-am-tom-i-like-to-type-hear-that.html?emc=eta1&pagewanted=all&_r=0



You wouldn't believe I cleaned this place out three months ago.

I can't fit more than three or four customers in the shop at a time.

This beautiful machine is mint.






The owner of this machine thinks it will help his writing.

This keyboard looks brand new.







9 comments:

  1. Seeing that pic of your shop bursting at the seams with typewriters for repair made my day, congratulations, Tom!

    The green Underwood Portable, although not to my taste, is quite attractive. It's great that the previous owners took good care of it.

    I agree, Tom Hanks' article is such a good read.

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  2. Beautiful machines, great shop, good news. I always enjoy your updates.

    Is that a palm tabulator on the Underwood, like on a Royal HH?

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  3. Ton- Thanks for your comments. The shop is so crowded that in the last few weeks some people have had to wait outside until there was room for them to come in. Looks like I have to bring another hundred machines home so there is room for more customers.

    Richard. Yes, that's a very well worn palm tab button. A cool machine for sure. Thanks!

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  4. That is a wonderful shop you have. I'd love to visit and see all of those great machines.

    I like that unique Underwood 3. I can just imaging loading a roll of teletype paper into it and typing away. I've been looking for a nice working Mill since 7th grade (eons ago).

    The girl sure got a wonderful gift. That Underwood portable looks like it just came from the typewriter store.

    Good to hear you are bursting at the seams with work.

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  5. Tom, it's great to see your shop piled high in customer repairs - A typewriter shop *should* be busy and so packed with machines that the people almost don't fit! :D

    It means the Revolution is going strong when so many old soldiers are being returned to active service!

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  6. Ha, the all-caps telegraph typewriter reminds me of the emails my father used to send -- he refused to use the shift key, goodness knows why.

    Good to see the shop is so busy!

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  7. Hi Tom,

    It's reassuring to know that there are still typewriter shops, like yours, in business. I didn't realize that ink ribbons used to come in such nice tins. I've had to purchase new ribbon for my typewriter (a Royal Quiet Deluxe)off the internet and they usually just come in a white cardboard box. If you don't mind my asking: how do you manage to stay in business with all the technological competition of iPhones/iPads/etc.?

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    1. Hi Wally- Sometimes I can't believe I'm still in business. But typewriters are making a comeback and it's mostly younger people that are interested in using them. I still have a core business of companies that still use typewriters and older people who don't want to give them up either. The fun part of my job these days is meeting younger people who have grown up using computers and video games and are getting their first machine or getting one repaired to start using. Also, they stopped making ribbon tins many years ago which is why they are so collectable now.

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  8. Great to hear you are doing good business and that it doesn't show any sign of slowing up anytime soon. And I covet your American Beauty ribbon tin, really nice.

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