1 of 1- nick
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- Posts: 21
Tying on Postcards
I would like to quickly write letters, and I'm considering getting postcards. Is there anyone who does this? Do you use a specific postcard for typewriters/thin cardstock? Where do you buy postcards, I'm having trouble finding a "pack" of postcards--only individual tourist variety.
Benefits:
cheaper postage (.23 instead of .49)
potentially quicker, don't have to deal with typing on an envelope also
Possible disadvantages I see:
typing possibly curls the postcard
postcards not really made to go into a typewriter/cardstock too thick
can't keep a copy/can't use carbon paper
- Spazmelda
- Key Master
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- Registered: 25-2-2015
- Posts: 830
Re: Tying on Postcards
I have typed on postcards before. Some fit in some machines and some don't fit in some machines. How's that for vague.
One thing you can do, if the postcard doesn't fit... draw out a square or rectangle on a piece of paper, type on it, cut the rectangle out, and glue it on the postcard. I've even done this where I type a short letter on a rectangle, then fold it in half and glue it on the postcard. I fold it over so that the typed on sheet fills up the left half of the postcard and hold down the open flap with a sticker. That way, you really can get a mini-letter on a postcard and they've always gone through fine for me with regular post card postage.
- Spazmelda
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Re: Tying on Postcards
As far as where to get them, I've bought several packs on Amazon.
- skywatcher
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Re: Tying on Postcards
Hi Nick
When typing postcards, the larger the platen diameter, the better the card feeds through. If you can find a 17 CPI (Characters Per Inch) typewriter, you can actually get quite a bit of text onto a postcard. The average post card appears to be about 6" x 4" which is pretty close to a sheet of A4 or letter size card stock (depending where you live) cut into quarters, which I believe would be A6 if starting with A4 (please correct me if I'm wrong).
I'm figuring it wouldn't be that hard to draft up the back of a basic post card on a computer, print them off 4 to a sheet of card stock and cut into 4. As for saving a copy, scan them a few at a time on a scanner or one of those all-in-one office machines that do faxing, scanning, copying and printing. Just a few thoughts,
Sky
We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
- TypewriterKing
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- From: DeepInTheHeartO', Texas
- Registered: 17-2-2016
- Posts: 1,011
Re: Tying on Postcards
nick wrote:
I would like to quickly write letters, and I'm considering getting postcards. Is there anyone who does this? Do you use a specific postcard for typewriters/thin cardstock? Where do you buy postcards, I'm having trouble finding a "pack" of postcards--only individual tourist variety.
Benefits:
cheaper postage (.23 instead of .49)
potentially quicker, don't have to deal with typing on an envelope also
Possible disadvantages I see:
typing possibly curls the postcard
postcards not really made to go into a typewriter/cardstock too thick
can't keep a copy/can't use carbon paper
Add one other to your disadvantages: Whatever you type is going to be read by every one and his pet boy Sherman down at the post office, and possibly by passers-by, depending on where your mail box is and how the postman dropped it off. You really don't want to send anything personal, confidential, or otherwise sensitive this way.
Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
- TypewriterKing
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- From: DeepInTheHeartO', Texas
- Registered: 17-2-2016
- Posts: 1,011
Re: Tying on Postcards
Hi Nick
When typing postcards, the larger the platen diameter, the better the card feeds through. If you can find a 17 CPI (Characters Per Inch) typewriter, you can actually get quite a bit of text onto a postcard. The average post card appears to be about 6" x 4" which is pretty close to a sheet of A4 or letter size card stock (depending where you live) cut into quarters, which I believe would be A6 if starting with A4 (please correct me if I'm wrong).
I'm figuring it wouldn't be that hard to draft up the back of a basic post card on a computer, print them off 4 to a sheet of card stock and cut into 4. As for saving a copy, scan them a few at a time on a scanner or one of those all-in-one office machines that do faxing, scanning, copying and printing. Just a few thoughts,
Sky
17 CPI? That's pretty small there, cousin. Even if you do have such a typewriter, you'd have to send two postcards: The first one, in regular print, saying, "You gonna need readin' glasses for the second one I'm gonna send."
Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
- TypewriterKing
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- From: DeepInTheHeartO', Texas
- Registered: 17-2-2016
- Posts: 1,011
Re: Tying on Postcards
I would like to quickly write letters, and I'm considering getting postcards. Is there anyone who does this? Do you use a specific postcard for typewriters/thin cardstock? Where do you buy postcards, I'm having trouble finding a "pack" of postcards--only individual tourist variety.
Benefits:
cheaper postage (.23 instead of .49)
potentially quicker, don't have to deal with typing on an envelope also
Possible disadvantages I see:
typing possibly curls the postcard
postcards not really made to go into a typewriter/cardstock too thick
can't keep a copy/can't use carbon paperAdd one other to your disadvantages: Whatever you type is going to be read by every one and his pet boy Sherman down at the post office, and possibly by passers-by, depending on where your mail box is and how the postman dropped it off. You really don't want to send anything personal, confidential, or otherwise sensitive this way.
Hey, just had a couple of thoughts (uh oh, here goes): To combat this last disadvantage I talked about, you could: Find a typewriter with print so small (like the 17 CPI Skywatcher was talking about) that the average snoop would find it too troubling to look for a magnifying glass so they could read someone else's mail; Or: Send your letters in code--any system you and the receiver of this letter could work up. It could be fun sending and receiving letters this way, and who in the world could decipher (or would take the trouble to--average snoops are lazy idiots besides) them?
Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
- Javi
- Touch Typist
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- From: Valladolid (Spain)
- Registered: 27-5-2016
- Posts: 182
Re: Tying on Postcards
Send your letters in code--any system you and the receiver of this letter could work up. It could be fun sending and receiving letters this way, and who in the world could decipher (or would take the trouble to--average snoops are lazy idiots besides) them?
It´s not that it could be fun, it´s that it IS GOING to be fun! I´m going to pester some of my friends with that 
TaktaktataktaktakcluccluctaktaktaktaktakDINGtaktaktaktakCREEEEEEEEECtaktaktak...
(Olivetti Linea 98)
