Typewriter Talk / Another hard platen emergency fix

**Posted by beak** 03-4-2025 20:49:57

Heat shrink is a material used by electricians as a new covering for wire joints etc. It is a thin plastic flexible tube which shrinks when heat is applied.
It will of course sightly increase the diameter of the platen, but as hard rubber shrinks, this may restore factory diameter as well as give a softer surface. You will both have to remove the platen to thread the stuff over, and find heat shrink of a suitable diameter to slip over the existing platen. Heat by gentle application of a broad flame so material shrinks just enough to grip firmly.
The risk is that the result will form a platen that is too wide in diameter, so best to know how to readjust the machine to suit the new platen size if that should be the case. Of course, one an simply cut the heat shrink off if it's just not working.

**Posted by Pete E.** 04-4-2025 11:33:51

Hi Beak,

I am a bit of a spend-thrift...so I use some Avery laminating sheets as my backing-paper for the hard-platen machines in my collection.

Here is my "fix" for hard platens in my collection.

I just use a sheet of this Avery product as a backing sheet to my typewriter paper.

I cut the sheet to the size of my typing paper on my flat-bed paper cutter.

I keep the peel & stick backer-paper on the laminating sheet and place its clear plastic side in touch with my typing paper.

In a month or so when the laminating sheet is full of typing "dimples", I just toss it and start with a new sheet.

The laminating sheet provides for a soft landing surface for the type-slugs before they contact the platen. And it makes for quieter hits on the platen, as well.

When my local office supply does not have the Avery sheets in stock, I get them on eBay.
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