Monday, May 14, 2012

Confessions

Not time-traveling: actually from May 2012. This machine has been in hiding for a while.

typecast 20120514

Typed on a little-seen 1947 Royal Quiet De Luxe
Royal Quiet De Luxe

10 comments:

Scott K said...

Looks a lot like my folly!

I'll certainly give a write-up on my machine when I get it later this week.

.... And can I just say, I think there's going to be more of a tale to my story. The seller is leaving the machine with her ex-husband, who lives near me. I just hope they get along!

I'm certainly curious about what other machines have been rescued.

notagain said...

I have quite a number of those acquisitions myself, such as the cripple - er, clipper, and the Wizard truetype when I found it coming apart in the bins. I'm curtailing that now, but I would rescue a glass-key job for sure.

Bill M said...

What?! Pick up, purchase or otherwise acquire a machine in a less than enthusiastic way? I have this uncontrollable habit of if I see it and it is the right price and I think I can squeeze just one more inch of storage space out of my house, I get the typewriter. This is even happening on line lately.

Dwayne F. said...

I still have a $0.50 Adler J5 lurking around. One of my kids got attached to it, but it needs to go. It actually has a nice feel and is very resistant to jamming.

- a typebarhead said...

I've picked up a few rescues lately. Ever since I took one apart and painted one, I think I can save dying typers. I've been lucky on a few but my current project is becoming harder and harder to save. I now know why you really want to start with a decent machine. Ive been picking the worst ones bc those are the one that need rescuing but It takes a lot of work. I have renewed admiration for restorers.

Art said...

I actually share a similar feeling about my own QDL--very similar to yours, Mike. Granted, mine has some bigger issues, like carriage rails that are off the body on one side and an annoying habit of not typing desceders (thought I had it fixed but nope. :( ) I love it... if it would type as good as it looks and feels. Same thing for my other two. I'll always love my Silent Super, but it's fussy and won't fix itself, and my Remington 3 has issues that I'm not sure will get fixed. :( So yup, you're in good company.

wordrebel said...

Mine was a Remette that I wanted, but only bought the one I have because a lady at the antique store I was at was talking to the lady behind the counter about making jewelry. Yeah....overpaid for a non-functioning machine, but it was worth it!!

Cameron said...

The Underwood Universal I just finished working on rather fits this category; James chose it for its looks rather than functionality, as the keys were totally frozen...but I just couldn't resist getting it to work!

Remember the Olivetti "Dora" that I brought to our first type-in? The one missing all the screws holding the shell onto the inner workings? After many months, I have finally found tiny, metric screws at the local hardware store and am about to bring this baby back to life...

maschinengeschrieben said...

The Royal looks very nice - the big brother of my little Royal Companion.
There is quite a number of typewriters I don't like - Adler Junior 12, brother 1613, engadine 44, Hermes 2000 - or that are (partially) defect - Erika L, Hermes Baby, another 2000, Patria, Underwood Finger-Flite - which I've hidden away under a shelf far, far away.

Duffy Moon said...

The Erika Model 41. It's so new and pristine and German - it should be awesome! Sadly, not so much.