I found an old typewriter
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I found an old typewriter
A 1924 Underwood! Rusty, beautiful, and heavy as sin. I have no good place for it. But for 12.00? I knew I'd be kicking myself if I left it at the thrift store.
I'm going to obsessively read up on how tos before I attempt to get it working. I'm not mechanical at all, but I'm itching to work on this.
I'm going to obsessively read up on how tos before I attempt to get it working. I'm not mechanical at all, but I'm itching to work on this.
- Just Old Al
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Re: I found an old typewriter
When you get ready to start painting and touching the old beauty up, ping me. I can likely advise on coatings.chicgeek wrote:A 1924 Underwood! Rusty, beautiful, and heavy as sin. I have no good place for it. But for 12.00? I knew I'd be kicking myself if I left it at the thrift store.
I'm going to obsessively read up on how tos before I attempt to get it working. I'm not mechanical at all, but I'm itching to work on this.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
Re: I found an old typewriter
Kudos, there is nothing like the sound of a good typewriter cruising along...
- GlytchMeister
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Re: I found an old typewriter
Oh dear universe, quick! Hide this from Dinky or she'll reach critical mass!
He's mister GlytchMeister, he's mister code
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
Re: I found an old typewriter
Thanks, Al! I'll take you up on that.
Hee, Dinky is a fan of them, I take it? MINE, MINE!
Yeah, there's just something about the clackity-clack....
Hee, Dinky is a fan of them, I take it? MINE, MINE!
Yeah, there's just something about the clackity-clack....
Re: I found an old typewriter
If it's seriously rusty, I wonder whether the "electrolytic rust conversion" technique would work. From what I've read, this process will de-grease the metal, convert all of the rust to a form which detaches from the underlying good metal and can be wiped or flushed off, and doesn't affect the underlying steel. Plenty of documentation and how-to writeups out there.
Run it through this, use a water spray to remove the loosened rust, dry, and then immediately run it through a light-machine-oil bath to block any further rusting (or, immediately prime and paint, if you do just the outer frame).
This is of course a rather radical process! Spot treatment of rust (e.g. with a phosphate converter) would be a lot more selective.
Run it through this, use a water spray to remove the loosened rust, dry, and then immediately run it through a light-machine-oil bath to block any further rusting (or, immediately prime and paint, if you do just the outer frame).
This is of course a rather radical process! Spot treatment of rust (e.g. with a phosphate converter) would be a lot more selective.
- GlytchMeister
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Re: I found an old typewriter
I think she's just fond of stuff like this. It just seems right up her and Al's, uh, alley.chicgeek wrote:Thanks, Al! I'll take you up on that.
Hee, Dinky is a fan of them, I take it? MINE, MINE!
Yeah, there's just something about the clackity-clack....
He's mister GlytchMeister, he's mister code
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
Re: I found an old typewriter
Rusted Tin Pan Alley, I suppose?GlytchMeister wrote:I think she's just fond of stuff like this. It just seems right up her and Al's, uh, alley.
- Just Old Al
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Re: I found an old typewriter
No, my toys are much more run of the mill...Dave wrote:Rusted Tin Pan Alley, I suppose?GlytchMeister wrote:I think she's just fond of stuff like this. It just seems right up her and Al's, uh, alley.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
- Just Old Al
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Re: I found an old typewriter
It does work, but moving parts aren't going to play really well as it requires intimate electrical contact to work properly. Also, dissimilar metals will cause issues and I have no doubt that thing has brass and various grades of steel in it.Dave wrote:If it's seriously rusty, I wonder whether the "electrolytic rust conversion" technique would work. From what I've read, this process will de-grease the metal, convert all of the rust to a form which detaches from the underlying good metal and can be wiped or flushed off, and doesn't affect the underlying steel. Plenty of documentation and how-to writeups out there.
Wewre it me I would be scraping and pushing the rust off it with scrapers and such - an X-Acto is remarkably good for this with flat chisel blades. The outside is easy to treat and refinish - the carriage and other such bits are more problematic (and annoying as Hades - I was a certified IBM Selectric and Teletype repair type long ago).
Damn, that brings back a few memories.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
- Sgt. Howard
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Re: I found an old typewriter
I highly recommend 'BREAK FREE'- you'll find it with the gun lubricants.
Rule 17 of the Bombay Golf Course- "You shall play the ball where the monkey drops it,"
I speak fluent Limrick-
the Old Sgt.
I speak fluent Limrick-
the Old Sgt.
- Just Old Al
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Re: I found an old typewriter
CLASSIC! I am almost tempted to break out the portable Olivetti and go for it.chicgeek wrote:
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
- Hansontoons
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Re: I found an old typewriter
Hah! Finally managed to dig one of my oldies out of the storage room for photos. I have one other from the 1920's, cannot recall its manufacturer, it is buried under storage stuff.
Blickensderfer 7, made sometime between 1897 and 1916 according to the webz info. Haven't been able to locate a serial number. It has been in the family for a while, somehow it managed to survive several moves and passings.
Blickensderfer 7, made sometime between 1897 and 1916 according to the webz info. Haven't been able to locate a serial number. It has been in the family for a while, somehow it managed to survive several moves and passings.
- Hansontoons
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Re: I found an old typewriter
And the patent plate. Cannot post more than three photos at once.
- lake_wrangler
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Re: I found an old typewriter
But, but, but...
WHERE'S THE SCREEN???
It's actually quite impressive. Have you used it, recently? Or ever, for that matter? Does it still work properly?
WHERE'S THE SCREEN???
It's actually quite impressive. Have you used it, recently? Or ever, for that matter? Does it still work properly?
- Hansontoons
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Re: I found an old typewriter
Screen? Shellynx gots yer screen right here!lake_wrangler wrote:But, but, but...
WHERE'S THE SCREEN???
It's actually quite impressive. Have you used it, recently? Or ever, for that matter? Does it still work properly?
The works are a bit gummed up at the time, depress a key and the head will rotate and move but not return. Right now it is safe, one day someone will have the pleasure and satisfaction of returning it to working condition.
Re: I found an old typewriter
'the Screen' you ask?
Well, once you turn it on, it's projected right over the device.
Of course, being an older model, it works better with a blank and neutral background behind it...
Well, once you turn it on, it's projected right over the device.
Of course, being an older model, it works better with a blank and neutral background behind it...
Re: I found an old typewriter
^^
It's a beauty!
It's a beauty!
- Catawampus
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Re: I found an old typewriter
Just above the power switch.lake_wrangler wrote:But, but, but...
WHERE'S THE SCREEN???
Before I got a computer, I did many of my college papers on an oldish (1930's model) typewriter. I had more than one professor ask me in a puzzled voice just what sort of printer I used.
Then one guy refused to accept any papers that weren't printed on a computer printer, so I had to start using the university's computer labs. The odd thing is that the quality of the type when I used the typewriter was much better than the early-90's dot matrix printers that the school used, so I'm not sure what that professor's problem was.