Typewriter Talk / SC Pacemaker

**Posted by Pete E.** 23-5-2023 13:13:22

Enjoyed a nice Spring morning in my open garage with the 1961 S-C Pacemaker.

Tabulator sticking issue cleaned right up.

Ribbon spools were not moving but a deep clean of their mechanisms took care of that.

Touched up quite a few paint nicks all over the place with some custom paint I made up. Got a very good match made up. I used 2 shades of green, a bit of grey and even a drop or 2 of black to get it right. Paint colour is definitely a light sage green with a slight hint of grey.

Still deciding whether to add some different colour to the ribbon cover. Maybe a light nutmeg colour. Will think about this for another week or so.

Compared to my Royal FP standard in terms of typing...I think I like my Royal somewhat more than this S-C Pacemaker. The Pacemaker does not appear to have a touch control feature...which seems odd for a desktop machine.
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**Posted by thetypewriterman** 23-5-2023 16:33:42

Your machine looks really good as it is. Just a personal opinion - and after all it IS your typewriter to do whatever you wish with - but personally I would leave it alone and not re-colour anything. It seems to me to be too good an example to do that sort of thing to.

**Posted by Pete E.** 23-5-2023 20:33:37

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your inputs...I think you are probably right.

With the touch-ups I have done for the overall "sage" colour, I think this one looks as good as it possibly can...as-is.
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**Posted by robmck** 24-5-2023 01:07:00

That cleaned up really nicely! Looks great!

**Posted by Pete E.** 24-5-2023 08:10:49

Hi Rob,

I am disappointed that I am not liking this one as much as my Royal FP. The action of this Pacemaker is a bit "lumbering" and holds me back, somewhat. I think the geometry of the linkages might just be too long for it to be a really snappy machine. If the Pacemaker were electric...that would be different.

It also needs a touch control but seems like that came on the other models at the time.

There is a collector 2 hours from my home. I might see if he has a machine I can "trade" with him for the Pacemaker.

But I will work with the Pacemaker for a month or so...before taking such actions.
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**Posted by Uwe** 24-5-2023 10:27:34

thetypewriterman wrote:
...personally I would leave it alone and not re-colour anything. It seems to me to be too good an example to do that sort of thing to.

I have to second this opinion. I have the Secretarial variant of this generation (the Sixty-Two) that featured a factory two-tone treatment (as did the Electric), and it doesn't look as good the colour scheme of this particular Pacemaker. It doesn't help that mine is a well-beaten example, one that clearly had a long and hard life in an office.

In terms of touch control, the Secretarial has a seven position set-up.

**Posted by robmck** 24-5-2023 18:35:03

Pete E. wrote:
Hi Rob,

I am disappointed that I am not liking this one as much as my Royal FP. The action of this Pacemaker is a bit "lumbering" and holds me back, somewhat. I think the geometry of the linkages might just be too long for it to be a really snappy machine. If the Pacemaker were electric...that would be different.

It also needs a touch control but seems like that came on the other models at the time.

There is a collector 2 hours from my home. I might see if he has a machine I can "trade" with him for the Pacemaker.

But I will work with the Pacemaker for a month or so...before taking such actions.
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That's unfortunate that it's disappointingly slow (I guess "Pacemaker" is an apt name: It makes you go at a slower pace...). Good, though, that you have the option to use it as a bargaining chip.

**Posted by Pete E.** 26-5-2023 18:43:14

Well....I did a big 180-degree turn about its colour scheme.

Here is its new look.

I am inclinded to keep it now... with its new colours...slow typing pace and all.
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**Posted by Pete E.** 31-5-2023 16:58:15

Comparison views of my 1961 S-C Pacemaker and my 1960 Royal FP.

The Pacemaker weighs in at 29.8 lbs. while the Royal FP is a bit lighter at 29.54 lbs. even though it a a bit larger, overall.
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