1 of 1- ztyper
- Key Master
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- From: Somewhere in New Jersey
- Registered: 01-10-2014
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Another war-time typewriter flick
Thought this one was interesting because it dealt with day-to-day typewriter care and maintenance. Most of it I already knew, but there are a few things that I learned. Try to see if you know them all!
(I lied a bit, the last 10 minutes deal with other office machines. But it't mostly typewriters anyways)
A high schooler with a lot of typewriters. That's pretty much about it.
- Repartee
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Re: Another war-time typewriter flick
ztyper wrote:
Thought this one was interesting because it dealt with day-to-day typewriter care and maintenance. Most of it I already knew, but there are a few things that I learned. Try to see if you know them all!...
Very neat flick!
1) Did you notice that the silent typist first seen around 1:56 was the narrator of the first training film?
2) I like the idea that lots of neatly typed letters produced on carefully maintained machines will defeat the evil powers of the Axis. Here are some effective military messages not produced on a typewriter:
a) Duke of Wellington's order written on scrap of ass's skin (?) on horseback and in pencil, with perfect use of the pluperfect subjunctive (some detailed instructions about taking a burning farmhouse).
b) Subordinate of Sherman responding to Confederate demand to surrender a position surrounded by superior forces to prevent the needless effusion of blood: "Let the needless effusion of blood begin!"
... and one that purportedly was typed...
c) Brigadier General McAuliffe responding to demand to surrender Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge when surrounded by superior German forces: "Nuts!"
More famous, but I prefer the refined Civil War version. Both attacks failed and the defenders were eventually relieved. Wellington did rather well also.
"Damn the torpedoes! Four bells, Captain Drayton".
- Repartee
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Re: Another war-time typewriter flick
Sorry about off topic spiel on military messages. That was the other Repartee who sometimes hijacks my account.
Here is what I learned:
1) Backing sheet: I always use one - but I never tried using one heavier than the paper. Given the aging platen problem a great idea.
2) Releasing the feed rollers: I've read the instruction and I've seen the possible results of not following the instruction, but it's easy to nod your head and then ignore the insight. I think I finally get the message.
3) Turning over the ribbon: I already avoid the upper ribbon position and it had occurred to me to turn all black ribbons over to get more use out of them. But film says it's not necessary except in heavy use, since ink will diffuse up from the unused bottom of the ribbon. But if that's true why don't red/black ribbons mix over time?
Not sure about that one. Finally:
4) Putting heavy, expensive, fragile machines on top of unweighted, unstable carts is a bad idea.
D'uh! If it were really necessary to put a typewriter on a wheeled cart, why not make carts with broader weighted bases? Penny wise and pound foolish.
"Damn the torpedoes! Four bells, Captain Drayton".
