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Sunday, July 8, 2012

A Brother for my brother




What an ugly little typer!



I like it much more just without the shell.


So much tape to protect the innerworkings. But hey, better than taking the carriage off.


All finished. Not too shabby for a first attempt. I touched it up after these pictures, and vowed to never again paint a typewriter directly on grass. Leaves too many marks. Wound a fresh NOS black/red ribbon onto its spools, and it was ready to go.




Figuring it all out.


Even the light carriage shift of this typer was giving his computer-keyboard-spoiled fingers some trouble. I would like to see him try shifting an Olympia SM3!


"Why isn't the backspace working?" he asked, pressing the margin release over and over. He did, eventually, find it.

12 comments:

  1. Nice job. You could not have given your brother a nicer gift.

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    1. Well, thank you. He really seems to be enjoying it.

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  2. Very nice story, and excellent paint job!

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    1. Thanks! Not bad for a first time. I hope to do better, with less mess and frustration, next time.

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  3. What a great gift, that your brother will always remember!

    This is very good writing, by the way. The style is excellent, which leads me to believe that "writing what you know" is often the best!

    You can apply this style to any story (hint).

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    Replies
    1. Ha! I take your hint. Thanks for that, man

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  4. Cool! Of all the enjoyable things you can do with a typewriter, giving it to an appreciative kid may be the best.

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    1. It was quite awesome, I must say. I really hope he keeps interested in them now that he has one around all the time. He gets so excited when I bring them over.

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  5. This is great! I think we've got a typewriter convert right there!
    Good choice of color for the Brother, I had to chuckle about the grass though. ( :

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    1. Yea...didn't even think of it when I was doing it. I'll use cardboard next time, to be certain.

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  6. awesome story!

    my brothers recently saw my typewriters and played with them.
    i havent seen them in a few months
    one brother lives in NYC
    the other one in the philippines for another few years
    but they both typed some and asked why i had them.
    my youngest brother liked my groma.
    they eventually said the machines were cool.
    i said maybe they could have one when they got back to southern california.
    of course i probably wouldnt give him the groma though hahaha

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  7. I plan on giving one to my sister here soon. My other brother, just a few years younger, actually had a typewriter before I did. A Lettera 32 he found at a thrift store for $5, sans case and ribbon guard. I fixed the mainspring, and he said I could have it. Of course, in the time he had had it, the carriage return bar broke off as well. I still have it, but haven't gotten around to epoxying it back on. I doubt I will ever use the thing much, but it was really nice of him to give it up. He is a computer guy, and really has no use for a typewriter. Unfortunate...

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