Hello all,

Jamie here - from North East Scotland.

I am 19 years old, a native of Scotland and have a passion for anything vintage.  Especially electronic appliances (vacuum cleaners, washing machines etc...) and also typewriters! 

My typewriter "collection" (if I could call it that with only 7) started in 2013 when I procured a 1980s AEG Olympia Compact i model for free from somebody who had used it in "its day" but had long since retired it to a cupboard.  It is completely original and works like brand new, although I have not taken it out of my cupboard for a few months!  It is carefully covered and protected though, I hasten to add.

That was my first experience with a typewriter and I fell in love with it, as I thought I would.  I've always loved typing and have impeccible grammatical skills (that is one thing I am not afraid to boast about), but could never feel fully comfortable using a computer which seemed too "artificial" to me.  Plus there are the distractions of MSN and emails etc...  With a typewriter, the most you have to disract you is the tapping of the hammers.  Of course, there is no spell-check, but that has never been a requirement for me anyway.

Once I had typed several letters with the AEG I decided to move on to a manual model for comparison, so of course eBay was the first port of call and I immediately found an old Smith Corona Empire-Corona de luxe which was in great condition...  Until it was couriered by MyHermes!  The case was smashed into three pieces and the typewriter's body was also damaged.  Mechanically it was still functional but the bodywork was shot, so I ended up scrapping it after a few months. 

I did however have my first manual experience with the Empire-Corona and although it required a lot more effort than an electric, as well as much more consentration, the results and feeling of operating the machine when well practiced was fantastic. 

Skip forward to now, my collection has expanded to comprise of the following typewriters:

1970 Remington "Sperry Rand" Ten Forty
c.1975 Smith Corona Electra Automatic
c.1980 Smith Corona Citation Power Correct
1980s SCM Sterling
1980s Smith Corona XE 1630
1980s Triumph-Adler Gabriel 100
1980s AEG Olympia Compact i

All are in full working condition except for the Electra which I only received today and seems to have an issue with the electronic carriage return.  It tries to return when the button is pressed but barely moves, and the platten does not move down a line.  As I've never stripped down or repaired a typewriter before, I'm hoping some of you can help me with this matter.

I would like to obtain a few more manual models, but to be honest I question how often they would be used and for me I don't like to collect anything I won't regularly use.  I know it is the complete opposite for some where objects are obtained for the sole purpose of restoration and display, but I cannot do that.  If I own something that is intended to be functional, it is used!  I already have a hard enough time trying to use my current collection on a semi-regular basis, without adding to that.

Anyway, I have rattled on enough.  If I had been using my Ten Forty, my fingers would be just about dropping off by now! 

I hope to get to know the members here and hopefully gain some knowledge and maybe even pass some on.

~Jamie.

P.S.  Please excuse any grammatical errors, I've been working all week and am tired plus enjoying a "medicinal" alcoholic drink, so I'm not completely "on my game".