1 of 1- Persiflage
- Novice Typer
Offline - Registered: 09-10-2015
- Posts: 27
Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
I have recently got an Underwood Universal but the front two feet have badly degraded over time. Does anyone know where I can source for some replacements, preferably in Australia?
- Uwe
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- Registered: 12-3-2013
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Re: Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
Can you provide either a year, serial number or photo of the machine? The Universal model name was used for many generations of Underwood portables.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Persiflage
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- Posts: 27
Re: Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
Oh right, my bad. The serial number of the machine is F907147 and it closely resembles this typewriter.
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Last edited by Persiflage (10-10-2015 23:03:27)
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Thread Starter- TypewriterGuy
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Re: Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
I would need a photo of the feet, but hardware stores like Lowes, home depot, and Abachaun hardware (My favorite for typewriter feet) have a section with metal drawers that contain springs, bolts, nuts, etc. There should be drawers full of rubber stoppers. Pick up some of those, that best fit your machine, and cut them into the right shape. Should only cost $10 max.
Back from a long break.
Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
- Uwe
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Re: Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
With that model you'll need four rubber bumpers, four machine bolts and nuts, and four to eight metal washers (depending on the type of bumper you buy). Rubber bumpers are readily available at most hardware stores, or online through hundreds of specialty stores such as this. You just need to measure the size of the metal flanges supporting the feet of your Underwood and buy a bumber that roughly has the same width. I've replaced many feet on older Underwood portables and it's as straightforward a repair as you could hope for when it comes to a typewriter. 
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- thetypewriterman
- Key Master
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Re: Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
I suspect that the front feet on your machine are the hollow type. Two spikes in the carry case pass through the holes to help retain the machine whilst it is being carried. If this is how your machine is, you will have a very hard time finding something that you can use from a hardware source. Here is a link to someone on e-bay in America who is reproducing this style of foot. Quite pricey, but could be what you are looking for : .
- Uwe
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Re: Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
If he does use the machine with a travel case - I'm not in that situation, which is why bumpers worked really well for me - and the case uses posts to retain the machine, then he would need rubber grommets instead of bumpers. Again, just as with bumpers, there are a wide variety of grommets available - especially online - but you have to be fairly exact with the sizing to make sure they will fit the existing flange on the typewriter properly.
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The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Persiflage
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- Posts: 27
Re: Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
Thanks you all for the advice, the feet I was thinking of replacing were of the hollow kind that thetypewriterman said. Although it doesn't look professional, I did found a blogpost of how a guy made a replacement feet from erasers.
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Thread Starter- Uwe
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Re: Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
The stuff one finds in blogs. To each his own, of course, but 'eraser' feet are less than ideal as the material is too soft. Why would anyone construct feet from a material that was designed to fall apart through a rubbing motion? They might be okay if the machine remains unused being displayed on a shelf, but if you move it around a lot - or if you store it in a travel case - it's not a long term solution.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Spazmelda
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Re: Underwood Universal Replacement Feet
I'm in the process of 're-feeting' an Underwood 3 bank. It's got round feet that need to fit into slots in the case. I've just purchased some of the Danco washers that I used for my Royal Royalite, and I'm combining that with another small washer to make up the height. I've also ordered some sugru to use to fill in the gap (the danco washers are concave) to give it a little extra support. I'll probably just go ahead and cover up the screw because I can always dig the sugru out later if I need to redo the feet.
