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- Pete E.
- Typewriter Talk Elite
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- From: Idaho - USA
- Registered: 23-6-2020
- Posts: 2,621
Re: Royal Diana - opinions please.
Well...my experiment with a spare Facit case did not work out. The Diana Administrator's width was fine for the case, but the machine was about 1/4" too tall for the case lid to close.
My back-up plan...win the SGW auction for another Administrator with a factory case. Which I did.
Case will need some minor patches, touch-up paint, and rust-removal from some of the case hardware.
The 2nd. machine seems to be in good condition...needs a few things repaired and a deep cleaning. Will find a new home for this 2nd. machine once I sort it out.
More photos when the work is done.
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- Pete E.
- Typewriter Talk Elite
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- From: Idaho - USA
- Registered: 23-6-2020
- Posts: 2,621
Re: Royal Diana - opinions please.
Case cleaning and repairs/touch-ups all done.
Case is now housing my 1958 machine. The newer 1959 machine awaits me on the work-bench.
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- mikeytap
- Speed Champion
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- From: Georgia, USA
- Registered: 25-12-2021
- Posts: 354
Re: Royal Diana - opinions please.
An interesting machine I was not familiar with. I've skipped Royals and Underwoods in my collecting but if that is German must be a nice machine.
- Be kind
- Pete E.
- Typewriter Talk Elite
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- From: Idaho - USA
- Registered: 23-6-2020
- Posts: 2,621
Re: Royal Diana - opinions please.
Hi Mike,
Even my 1963 Royal Century still has lots of German "Diana" mechanisms internally.
Royal took the Diana and added their Magic Margins.
With the Century, they pushed it into the Royal Futura body stylings.
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- Pete E.
- Typewriter Talk Elite
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- From: Idaho - USA
- Registered: 23-6-2020
- Posts: 2,621
Re: Royal Diana - opinions please.
Sales advertisement from 1960 for a sale on Diana machines.
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- Pete E.
- Typewriter Talk Elite
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- From: Idaho - USA
- Registered: 23-6-2020
- Posts: 2,621
Re: Royal Diana - opinions please.
Another style of a hard case for a Diana Administrator.
Noticed it is quite different from my case, but both have the same handles on them.
This case does not have the retaining-blocks, inside, as my case does. But does have a file/paper holder along the inside of the lid.
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- Pete E.
- Typewriter Talk Elite
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- From: Idaho - USA
- Registered: 23-6-2020
- Posts: 2,621
Re: Royal Diana - opinions please.
Both of my Diana Administrators...side by side after their spa-days.
My first machine (made in 1958) is on the right-side in the photos. My 2nd. machine (made in 1959) is on the left-side.
Curious differences in their "Administrator" name-plates. I like the 1958 badge much more.
The 1959 machine has a very week bell ring. I will take its covers off again to see if I can get it to ring like my 1958 does.
The 1959 does not hold its Tab stops and seems to clear any stops when a Carriage Return is cycled. I think the Tab clear mechanism might need a bit of re-forming.
The paint job on the 1958 machine was applied thicker and is more lustrous when I polished up the paint on the covers. The 1959 is a bit thinner and does not shine-up as much as the 1958.
Pretty sure the 1958 is my favourite of the two.
Both are great typing machines.
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- Pete E.
- Typewriter Talk Elite
Offline
- From: Idaho - USA
- Registered: 23-6-2020
- Posts: 2,621
Re: Royal Diana - opinions please.
Got the last 2 items sorted out on the 1959 Administrator.
The bell is now 2x as loud as it was...but still has a very, very puny sound. Reading some of the TWDB comments from other Diana owners, this seems to be a common observation.
The Tabulator got re-cleaned 2 more times but it was still very sticky in movement and ratchety in sound.
I made an adjustment to 2 adjustment screws on the rear of the carriage chassis to raise the back just a bit (titling the carriage back-end a bit upwards) and all Tabulator problems went away.
Nice when my to-do list goes away for a typewriter.
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