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Uwe wrote:
SoucekFan wrote:
If your Bluebird has the flat metal part that rests atop the platen on a hinge (paper guide scale?) that may be what is causing the metallic sound.
Sounds like you're describing the paper bail.
Not the paper bail. The flat metal guard that lies across the back top of the platen that can be found on some Torpedos. Some Olympias have them as well. The Torpedo manual called it the paper guide scale, which I have never heard of. I had thought it was called an eraser shield, but I looked it up and it wasn't. The Olympia calls it something even weirder. I will try to get a pick of what I am talking about.
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Well, on the subject of Royals, I only have a sample size of one to work with. That being said, compared to my other typewriters, I find that my Quiet DeLuxe feels - for lack of a better term - slightly mushy. Not a bad feeling per se, but compared to my two favourite typers (SM4 and Lettera 22), it's a little soft, even with the touch control adjusted up.
My SM4 and Lettera 22 both have a nice and direct, snappy feel to them. No slack in the works whatsoever. I feel like they're an extension of my fingers, almost. Subjectively, my Royal seems to have more room for key travel before the typebars begin to move. It may be that my QDL is just old, but there seems to be more slack in the type mechanism.
My. $0.02
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This is the part I was talking about.
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SoucekFan wrote:
This is the part I was talking about.
That is the "paper table", so called because it is the thing that supports the paper when you erase or hand-write something on it. You're welcome.
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It is not the paper table. The paper table is behind this part. It is a piece that sits on top of the platen but in front of the paper table. Torpedo called this part the "paper guide scale" (not to be confused with a 'paper guide' or a 'paper scale') and Olympia calls it the "paper conductor." In the picture it might look like they are connected, but they are not. It is a piece that some typewriters had that was suppose to prevent flimsy and thin sheets from wrapping back around the platen. I don't know if their is a common term for this part, as it was not a feature on most machines.
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The part is called the 'Eraser Table'. As 'SoucekFan' rightly points out, the area behind is called the 'Paper Table'. The idea of the eraser table (to provide a flat surface for erasing errors) took a while to catch on. Look at many pre-war standard typewriters and they do not have one.
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thetypewriterman wrote:
The part is called the 'Eraser Table'.
That sounds right. Sorry to side track everything. My original point, before the confusion, is that I do get a metallic sound from my Torpedo because the Eraser Table vibrates against the platen when I type. I don't mind the sound. It is kind of unique and I expect the machine to make it now.
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Many eraser tables have felt on their underside, which dampens vibration and sound. I'm fairly sure that the Model 18 didn't originally have this, but considering how light that part on this machine is and how loosely it's hinged, it might be worth adding some.
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SoucekFan wrote:
It is not the paper table. The paper table is behind this part. It is a piece that sits on top of the platen but in front of the paper table. Torpedo called this part the "paper guide scale" (not to be confused with a 'paper guide' or a 'paper scale') and Olympia calls it the "paper conductor." In the picture it might look like they are connected, but they are not. It is a piece that some typewriters had that was suppose to prevent flimsy and thin sheets from wrapping back around the platen. I don't know if their is a common term for this part, as it was not a feature on most machines.
Ah, so. Agreed. Sorry to have mislead.
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Excellent idea from Uwe about adding felt. I second that ! It certainly wouldn't do any harm to try, and thin craft felt is easily obtainable.