An Anniversary And a Rocket

I enhanced this a bit in GIMP to hopefully make it a bit more readable, typos and all.

 GIMP only works with JPEG. I've been using DarkTable for RAW.

I used a butterfly clip to weight the end of the paper.  Whichever long edge was over the side got the clip.  At the beginning the blank sheet, about half way down the sheet I placed the clip in the finished half.  This was a great way to keep the paper from flopping in the breeze.

This is one beautiful typer. I wish it did not lack a tabulator and touch regulator, but it has a nicer bell than any of my Hermes 3000s. Ding!

Screw with the allen head is not original. Some one in this typewriter's past did not know to unlock the locking nut before attempting to turn the screw and broke half of the screw head off.

Same situation as the above photo. I had to replace the upper case adjustment screw.  Another typewriter saved by McMaster-Carr.

After I cleaned this typewriter (which looked good before cleaning) it looks new.

Like many square body Hermes 3000 typewriters, This one needed a knob also. I think this is a knob from an old Underwood drilled out to fit the metric shaft.

My office/typing room is a spare bedroom we use for storage.

 I bought this when I spied the German/French characters on the keyboard.
Price was right too. I'm guessing because the seller did not know how to adjust the alignment.  When I got it the lower case looked good, but only the bottom half of the upper case letters would print.

Lest we forget, there is an afternoon of fun planned to take place in Grand Rapids.

I get 90% of my hardware from McMaster-Carr.  (including my Starrett oil) I also get rubber feet and other parts common to electronics and typewriters from Parts Express.

Underwood Typewriter Tripod Desk & Case

Sent from my 1936 Underwood Universal

First I had to free all the legs from being painted fast and corroded hinges.

Typewriter in the case will get a new case.

Evidence of the legs being closed while the paint was still tacky, and the corrosion at the joints.

My go-to oil for all my typewriters so I thought I'd give it a try here (I'm one of those who do not like 3-n-1 oil (also from the WD-40 Co. as I understand)

Table with the typewriter mounted.

The spring clasp paper holder is a good place to keep the repro of the manual which really does match the model of this typewriter (Underwood Universal Touchmaster)

The completed desk, chair, and typewriter.  I wanted to see if the lid would be able to stay on the table. I would not type with the lid attached, it puts way too much stress on the hinges.

The chair (between $8 and $10 at Wal-Mart) seems the perfect height when matched to the table.

The typewriter most often seen with this table seems to be the Universal. (or t least they look like Universals) Mine though was made a few decades before the table was even invented.

According to Robert Messenger over at oz.Typewriter this table was patented in 1956. My typewriter was made in 1936, and it fits perfectly into the case.

Next project will be to strip the paint from the legs, and clean the covers on the typewriter, and install a fresh ribbon.  A previous owner, who by the evidence on the case, did not know how to paint.  Good intentions to keep the case/table looking good, but gone about incorrectly. The entire case and table were heavily spray painted in glossy black. The legs were folded while the paint was still soft or tacky.  Therefore I'm guessing the owner did not know how to re-extend the legs and along the way the seller did not know either, so I got it cheap.  It arrived Thursday while I was finishing some work in the yard.  I decided yesterday would be a good time to set it up.

When finally ready I found it to be quite sturdy.  My only complaint is (ever since I first saw one) is that the table part should be on the right as that is the common place to put a copy stand.  Perhaps William John Wade was left-handed.

There is more information in the 2 posts here 

 

Blogger no longer allows me to comment on my own posts.     Another good reason to change to wordpress!!!!!

 If you leave a comment without your email I will not be able to answer your questions like how to open the legs.  If you press the little tab on the leg it will unfold.  Robert Messenger explains with photos -- follow the link.

 

Like New Olympia SM-9 Thrift Shop Find

As I entered the local Salvation Army store I spotted this neat looking box sitting on the front counter. I sprang from the door and flew across the isle, pushed in on the buttons and threw open the top.

When what should by wondering eyes behold but a like new SM-9 all shiny and bright. It smelled of the factory and glistened all white like snow, the keys were quick and smooth and the bell rang out at the end of the line. AH! I must have this!. 

It followed me home all anxious to work. I inserted the only paper I could find close by. After all I'm in the garage.  I spun the paper into the carriage and pressed the keys with delight.  This is one SM9 that is a fantastic typewriter. (I have no idea why I took the image with the paper bail up)

As I read over this I discovered I negated impress (!impress as a spontaneous (but wrong) corretion) but the sentence is correct none but those impress me.  The SM7 and SM9 typewriters I have used, and those I have never did impress me as good typing typewriter.  This new one does impress me as a good typer.  

The only dirt seems to be the black on the segment and the mark on the 3 key top. There is a very minute amount of dust here and there and a tiny smudge on the edge of the ribbon cover.

1971

Sometimes there still are bargains.  Second cheap typewriter in 2 weeks.

I only went to the thrift store for a used oak table we found there a few weeks ago.  It was still there over the week end so I made a stop today.  I got the table and a bonus.

I only typed a few words on a small piece of paper out of my pocket notebook when I bought the typewriter, but I was so impressed I did not want to get the table and repair the power washer.

I brought everything home, setup the table, changed out the pump on the power washer, and cleaned the concrete around the house.

Then I picked up a Coors and found a sheet of paper, got out the typewriter, sat it on my Harbor Freight work stand I used for the power washer repair, and set out a chair.
 
When I sat at this typewriter and started to use it I wanted to keep it. I still want to keep it, but I'm sure it will need to go.  I have too many typewriters at the moment.  Then I do not have any that type as good as this one.

Even my Adler J4 is not as good as this SM9, and this SM9 platen is excellent.

Typing with this SM9 is the quietest of any of my typewriters.  I know if my neighbor is really interested in it I will be giving it to him.

This post replaced the post I had in mind on my Century's old typewriters.  I'll be doing that one in the very near future. 

100 Years Old and Still Going Strong, Underwood No.5

Workbench was full with H3k machines so I used the table saw to clean the No. 5

I did a quick and dirty edit in GIMP to remove the original text (body of the letter) from the letterhead and printed it so I could at least use an Underwood letterhead. I need to work on this one and a Remington to make blank letterhead. My proof reading skill leaves a LOT to be desired. Notice the unmarked typos?

Working Underwood No. 5.

The Underwood No. 5 was ok to use when it first arrived if one could tolerate sticking type bars, a very sluggish carriage, and carriage shift that would not always return to lower case.

It did not take much work to get this working, and had I not been short on time I may have even swapped the platen with a better one that I have for a spare.  The spare still needs recovered, but it is not as hard as this one.

A Home For The Hermes Ambassador

When I brought it into the house and it fit the Hi-Lo typing table I lifted the tables wings to see how much space I could get.  More than enough for an Ambassador.

The footprint is so huge it takes nearly the entire center section of the table.

Had to test the note holder.

And type a note

Notes sent from my Hermes Ambassador and Curvex desktop fountain pen.

This has been a fun year in our new location.  The 28th of this month we will be here for our first full year.  Last year this time we were packing, typewriters, lots of typewriters and associated things as well as a ton of electronics of all kinds and almost as much photography gear.  We left plenty behind, but still have TOO MUCH STUFF! 

I'm satisfied I finally got our taxes done.  Sometimes I wonder is it better to live in a country where they just say 'you owe this much. pay it.' or in the USA where we tell the government what we owe based on complicated forms and calculations.  I sometimes think a flat tax is better, but I'll take the present method. I'm sure what we get next year will be .....

The Hermes Ambassador is really one easy and fun to use typewriter.  I never thought anything could get any better than an old Underwood office size typewriter.  The Ambassador is so smooth and well built it gives all of my Underwood typewriters a run for their money, and the Royal HH typewriters. No comparison what so ever.  The Royals I have do not even come close to being as good of a machine as the Ambassador.  Both the HH and Ambassador typewriters are built like tanks, but I'm sure the Ambassador will far outlast any HH.  Then we all have our favorites.