Typewriter Talk / New Member Thread

**Posted by Uwe** 06-12-2013 17:00:45

Welcome Karl! I can't wait to hear about all of the models in your growing collection.

**Posted by defectx11** 12-12-2013 22:28:16

Hi there, my name is Gordon and I'm a little new to typewriters. I'm most likely going to be quite a bit younger than the lot of everyone here, as I was born well into the post-typewriter age, but I am honestly and fully amazed by pre-1980 technology. Especially so if it performs functions one would take for granted or expect a digital circuit to provide.

For the most part I was never too interested in typewriters, partly due to a complete lack of knowledge. That is, until I met the Selectric line from IBM.

I had a small need for a free/cheap typewriter that was working, and I manged to find a Selectric I on the local Criaglist for $5. The woman was kind enough to give it to me for free, as I still had to take it home for about an hour on transit. "Hefty, Hefty, Hefty!" for sure!

I took it home and studied up on the system before I attempted to try and fix the problems it had- mainly sticking keys and a motor that woudn't spin.
After looking up the full details of the system, I was amazed just to read about the complexity of the mechanics on the inside, and the reliance on the whiffletree mechanism to convert a key press into a mechanical form of binary... Very, very interesting. This piqued my interest in pre-80's tech greatly.

I now realize that the Selectric I I picked up is actually in fantastic shape, as it was used very lightly be a personal writer who passed away shortly after buying the unit- it had remained unused for the good part of 45 years! Minus a couple minor paint chips on the case from being moved about, it was quite a catch.

I'm in the process of fixing up a Selectric II, and I'll be picking up another Selectric unit, either a II or a III tomorrow. I have been in need of a small knowledge base that I could get some help from to expand my self-taught knowledge of these typewriters, so I'm hoping all of you here will be able to help me. I'm going to stay away from intensive dissassemblies for now until I find a junk machine that I won't feel guilty when I tear it down (systematically, I might add), so for the time being I'll just have some simple questions.

Thanks! Glad to be a part of the forums, and while I'll be asking a lot of questions, hopefully I can give back in some way.

**Posted by Shangas** 12-12-2013 23:34:52

Hello Gordon.

Welcome to the forum.

I was born in an era when typewriters were JUST dying out. I'm old enough that I learned touch-typing on a typewriter instead of on a computer. How old are you?

**Posted by defectx11** 13-12-2013 01:27:06

18, first year in University. I'd be fairly surprised to see someone my age here. While people think that having a typewriter is "cool", I'm not so sure about too many people who would go out and use/fix/buy one (or more)

**Posted by Shangas** 13-12-2013 09:17:02

I'm 26.

My generation, born in the 80s was probably the last to use typewriters for large-scale typing. I grew up using computers and typewriters, but we only had a typewriter at home. We did have a P.C., but at the time, only one for the whole family (this is ca. 1993). So whenever I wanted to write stories or practice my touch-typing, I rolled sheets of paper into my parents' old typewriter. I used that thing until I ran out of ribbons.

I still remember, it was an electric Canon TypeStar.

**Posted by JanetLand** 16-12-2013 13:31:52

I'm Janet and live in Maine with 8 typewriters. The oldest is a Royal Model P (1930) and the youngest is an Olivetti Lettera 32 (around 1978). In between are a Corona Comet DeLuxe, a Corona Silent, a Royal Quiet DeLuxe, a Corona Silent-Super, and a couple of Olympias.

I am not mechanically minded -- I can change the ribbon, but other than that I leave repairs and cleanings to Cambridge Typewriter.

Last edited by JanetLand (16-12-2013 13:44:24)

**Posted by Uwe** 16-12-2013 15:19:54

Hi Janet. Welcome to TT! That's a good cross-section of typers you have; I hope we'll get to read and see some of them in the Portables sub-forum.

**Posted by Equitas** 05-1-2014 10:40:01

Hello. I'm from Toronto, and I learned to touch type with a Selectric back in high school. (I'm a Gen-X-er).....so high school in the mid-late 80's.
I have always been drawn to older technologies, and love letterpress printing (although I no longer own a press...space issues), and am getting back into manual typing as a form of art.
I would love to talk with people about a good typer to get.

**Posted by Uwe** 05-1-2014 13:43:05

Toronto? How did you get in here? We don't allow Torontonians here!

Welcome. Fortunately for you there are tons of typers available to buy in T.O., but whatever you do don't spend more than $50 - unless of course it's some super-rare model that you just have to own. In fact, I'm sure between either Valiant (another member here from Toronto) or myself, we can hook you up with a good machine at a reasonable price. But this is all discussion material for a different thread...

**Posted by Ten Thumbs** 29-1-2014 14:09:52

Hello all,

I'm Ten Thumbs 'cause that's how I type! I bought a Remington Deluxe Model 5 a few years ago for my WWII Living History display & recently tried to get it working. Turns out my feed rollers have long given up the ghost so I'm trying to replace those & clean up the machine. Other than the rollers, it seems to work just fine.

I came across this forum at the Fedora Lounge & I look forward to learning more about my machine.