Robert,as a hobbyist/tinkerer I completely understand the satisfaction -- that sense of closure after successfully returning one of these machines to the world of the living and working. I tell my friends that my wife likes to solve jigsaw puzzles, and I like to solve typewriters. But after working with hundreds of these machines, I've accumulated a small but problematic collection of typewriters whose condition is too good to be relegated to the parts shelf yet not good enough to send along to the next owner. An example is the 1969 Olympia SM9 that is working perfectly in all regards except with an oddly, mysteriously heavy keyboard action. My suspicion is that it might have been dropped at some point and its internal geometry compromised. It's a beautiful typewriter, but not quite right, and I have spent hours without being able to suss out its issue(s). I put these typewriters aside, sometimes for months, and go back to them when I have the patience for another attempt at repair. The frustration posed by these mystery machines is the counterbalance, I suppose, to the satisfaction of getting the others just right . . .
4 comments:
Delightful! Glad you were able to figure out that Halda - that was a puzzler when you emailed about it :D
Sounds like a busy month with a lot to learn. Yes, that is surprising about the non-interchangeable parts on Lettera 32's!
Wow 22 in a month! Thanks for sharing your typewriter journey with us.
Robert,as a hobbyist/tinkerer I completely understand the satisfaction -- that sense of closure after successfully returning one of these machines to the world of the living and working. I tell my friends that my wife likes to solve jigsaw puzzles, and I like to solve typewriters. But after working with hundreds of these machines, I've accumulated a small but problematic collection of typewriters whose condition is too good to be relegated to the parts shelf yet not good enough to send along to the next owner. An example is the 1969 Olympia SM9 that is working perfectly in all regards except with an oddly, mysteriously heavy keyboard action. My suspicion is that it might have been dropped at some point and its internal geometry compromised. It's a beautiful typewriter, but not quite right, and I have spent hours without being able to suss out its issue(s). I put these typewriters aside, sometimes for months, and go back to them when I have the patience for another attempt at repair. The frustration posed by these mystery machines is the counterbalance, I suppose, to the satisfaction of getting the others just right . . .
Post a Comment