- overwood
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- Registered: 10-11-2018
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
Actually on 2nd thought it may not be an 800, but it may be. I am not well versed in the differences between the 4,6 and 800 but am boning up now. It looks like the case is fiberglass and it has the Magic Column Set button so that might make it a 600 if the Futura Wiki can be trusted
- Pete E.
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
Hi Overwood,
I think the only difference between the Futura 800 and the 600 machines are the color offerings.
I like the 800's well enough that I got both a cococa-colored one and a grey-on-grey one. I like typing on these a lot more than my 1947 Royal QDL and my 1957 Royal QDL. I find the 800's more responsive and shure-footed and they let me type faster than on the older machines.
I did modify both of my Futura 800's so the color switching button is brought out to the outside of the ribbon cover. That was one thing I did not like with the 800's...but I solved that issue.
.
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Thread Starter- Pete E.
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
Here is how I did the modification inside both machines.
I used an Underwood 21 lever on my cococa-machine and I used a lever from a Royal parts machine on my grey-machine.
The modification was easily be un-done by a future owner if they want to go back to factory-operation.
I did leave the "stencil" position out of my modification. I do not use that and it allowed my added "lever" to be shorter as seen from the outside of the ribbon cover.
.
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Thread Starter- Pete E.
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
Looks like the Futura 600's had a metal, painted paper table.
The Futura 800's went with a clear, plastic one.
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Thread Starter- Pete E.
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
And from looking at photos of eBay, Etsy, and the TWDB galleries, it looks like the 400's and 600's did not have a paper support along their back panels, at all. Not until the 800's does that appear to show up.
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Thread Starter- overwood
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
Yeah after googling a lot more last night I decided that this is actually an 800, because it has the paper supports (yay!). But it doesn't have the leatherette case, so the Wiki is wrong. It is being delivered this morning, and at $12 including delivery I'll take my chances on it.
- Pete E.
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
I think in the mid to late 1960's, the plastic- bodied Royal "Futura" and the "Safari"machines were issued with the black plastic cases. Maybe those cases can be substituted for use with the early Futura 400. 600. 800 machines... ??? Just a WAG.
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Thread Starter- overwood
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
Judging from the database this is a 62. It is pretty scuffed up, but the everything (seems to) work reasonably well for $12! The only major issue so far is...OMG...it smells like poo. Strongly. lol. Gonna have to do something about that before I really test it thoroughly, or even bring it inside.
Picture below
- Uwe
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
overwood wrote:
It is pretty scuffed up, but the everything (seems to) work reasonably well for $12!
Nah, that's not scuffed up!
I was happy to pay $30 CAD for this Futura years ago - and it was truly scuffed up. A particularly nice touch was the colour coordinated painter's tape that was being used to keep the ribbon cover closed. I liked it so much that I didn't change a thing other than to give it a good internal cleaning.
I've bought many machines that looked far worse, but then again I'm not fussed by the appearance of a typewriter . What is important is how well it works. 
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- overwood
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Re: In-Coming Case ---> Royal Futura 800
Wow, uh, OK. You're right, mine is not scuffed up! 
And it works, which is more important. It will hold me over until I find the object of my desire, which I will not mention again because everything I mention as a favorite seems to go up in price.
