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This post is half in jest but there is a grain of truth to it. As I was lugging a large Olivetti-Underwood 21 in case and sensed how heavy it felt, I realized that I do this a lot and that I repeat this process often. Maybe at 75, I tend to feel it more. During Covid, it was probably the only exercise I got. What most people don’t realize is that collecting typewriters is a more physical endeavor as typewriters do weigh a bit…mine weigh from 10lbs to 27lbs. I have 22 typewriters, all with cases, in my house and I am constantly schlepping them from one room to another and going up and down the stairs to the basement where most are stored. I do this in my attempt to rotate them to put all of them in rotation so that they get used and remain nimble. There are a few days where I rotate two or three. That leads to a lot of lifting. climbing and walking. Of course, typing on them is exercise for my two fingers (yes, limited typing skills). When I was younger, I prepared for a backpacking trip by putting a large typewriter in my backpack to practice for a Boy Scouts excursion.
In summary, you can avoid Gym fees and get in shape by collecting typewriters. As for mental exercises, nothing beats tweaking and fixing a malfunctioning typewriter, better than doing Sudoku or crossword puzzles. That’s how I keep mentally sharp.
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Good on you ! In the UK, a lot of older people live in bungalows because it is easier than managing the stairs. But a while ago it was reported that health care workers were seeing a new illness - bungalow knee! This is caused by NOT getting the regular exercise of walking up and down stairs ! Perfectly true ! So, you are avoiding at least one problem in old age, and enjoying your hobby too
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Hi Martin,
Here in the States, we can buy metal garage-shelving made by a company called "Fleximounts".
If you mount the shelf supports to the wooden studs in a wall, each shelf is rated to carry 100 lbs.
Here is one wall in my hobby room. That's 30 typewriters on that wall.
On the opposite side of the room, I have more that hold another 20 machines. The other 18 machines in my collection are on similar shelves in the sitting room adjacent to our master bedroom.
One machine is always on my desk for its 2-3 days of use in my use-rotation schedule for all the machines in my collection.
And my biggest and heaviest desktop machine (electric) is on its own table in our family room...as that one weighs over 52 lbs. and it not much fun to move from room to room. It has a nice cloth dust-cover on it when not being used.
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Lifting my Lexikon 80 certainly gives a good workout, must remember to bend the knees and not the back though!