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I'd suggest that the Report Deluxe is actually a portable, not a standard ("desktop"). It comes in a travel case, and next to an Olympia SGE50 of the same model year, it's a fraction of the size. I don't mind carrying around a Report Deluxe, but lifting an SGE is like a visit to the gym.
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Uwe wrote:
I'd suggest that the Report Deluxe is actually a portable, not a standard ("desktop"). It comes in a travel case, and next to an Olympia SGE50 of the same model year, it's a fraction of the size. I don't mind carrying around a Report Deluxe, but lifting an SGE is like a visit to the gym.
Many typewriters come in "cases". Whether or not they are actually designed to be carried around is a different matter
In fact, I even unofficially call machines like the Hermes 3000, Olivetti Studio 44 or Erika 10 "semi-portables", as I find them much to bulky and heavy to be conveniently transported for any significant distance. The Report is heavy as a brick, as big any any standard minus the height, and quite frankly I dont trust the handle of the case
And standards sometimes come in cases too. Some even have carrying handles. Ive owned a Olympia Mod. 8 with a wodden carrying case once, much like the one below, except with a handle.
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I usually refer to machines like the Hermes 3000, Olympia SM series and Olivetti Studio 44 as 'Heavy Duty Portables', to differentiate them from 'Flat Portables' like the Hermes Baby, Olympia SF and Olivetti Lettera. I understand that in America what we call 'Flat Portables', they call 'ultra-portables'.
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The Hermes Ambassador a great pleasure to type with, smooth, precise, rock solid. It feels to me to be a bit like riding a modern multi cylinder motorcycle.
On the other end, my 1930 Remington 3 is reminiscent of driving a vintage car from the same era.Less speed and precision, but the pleasure of deliberate operation as an example, the dual action for line advancement and advancing the carriage to the right.
I love them both.
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I have to change my answer from the portables I previously mentioned. I recently got an 1948 Underwood Standard in great condition, and after really thoroughly cleaning all the internals, it is now by far my best typer. The action is almost effortless and it almost wills your fingers to move faster. The segment shift is so smooth, unlike many portables that I find to be a bit jerky. The best part is that even though it is a standard, it has a smaller footprint than some of my portables e.g. the Hermes 3000; it's just taller and much heavier, but it still fits on my small desk fine.
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I know I'm a bit late to the party, but my favorite to actually type on is a Remington Rand 17. It is very smooth and pleasant to type. I would be comfortable typing a novel on it though it is not my prettiest or most desirable machine.
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This 1961 Aztec 600 is a new machine in my home and it overtook my Triumph Perfect for my personal favorite for typing for long documents.
It came to me looking a bit too "Soviet" in being a solid green color. I added some "Antique Ivory" white to give it a new look. I left the carriage side and back panel original so this machine's paint-works would not be confused with factory original in the future.
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Here is what is looked like before the addition of the white color :
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Pete E. wrote:
... came to me looking a bit too "Soviet" in being a solid green color.
Not sure I understand the Soviet sentiment. The Aztec 600 is a rebadged Rheinmetall (not sure if it's a KsT or a Supermetall - I'm not all that familiar with Rheinmetall models), and its colour palette was representative of '50s portables the world over. I'm assuming that the Aztec name was used for export machines. In any case it was a German-made typewriter that evolved from pre-war models from the same manufacturer.
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