It is funny how typewriters seem to come into the shop in groups. Apparently, this is IBM Selectric typewriter month. We have so many Selectrics lined up for service and repair!  Many have deteriorated drive belts and cracked cycle clutch main gears. Also, the main electric drive motor, the drive clutch and main power switch all need to be pulled apart and serviced. We see a lot of plastic fatigue, with plastic items falling apart. We charge … [Read more...]

Well, look what wandered into the shop courtesy of Ray. A beautiful Noiseless Standard 5 with a steel platen and fourteen inch wide carriage. According to the serial number 76835 this typewriter is from 1923.  It types with the original ribbon! Ray, thank you for the donation. This big old machine will have a good life sitting here being admired as one of our reference machines. … [Read more...]

A customer machine in for service, this is a fine example of the Remington Pioneer typewriter. Gotta love the ALL CAPS plus no margins, no carriage return arm, no bell, no back space no this no that no other distractions. JUST TYPE TYPE TYPE! The type impression was fading on the bottom. How to adjust? loosen the carriage mounts and slide the carriage either to the rear or front. Tighten the screws, you are done. … [Read more...]

A customer brought in this Smith-Corona PoweRiter battery/AC electric operated typewriter to see if we could get it running. Plugged the machine in, it did nothing. At least the machine did not sparkle or go boom. The drive belt was toast. And by toast it was crumbly and broke apart as soon as I touched it. No amount of butter or honey is going to revive this one. Damn. I knew it would be a chore finding a replacement 0.080 pitch MXL cogged belt … [Read more...]

Wow, Large Pica is a delight on this customer's Royal portable P from the year 1933. Feast your eyes upon this lovely typewriter. As my vision has diminished I REALLY appreciate type faces such as LARGE PICA! … [Read more...]

This is a customer's Burroughs Standard Typewriter brought in for repair and service. It was totally frozen up. This sucker did not move an inch. Reminded me of those burros you see on the trail refusing to budge. After copious penetrating oil campaigns the carriage finally started to move. After that it was a ton of solvent cleaning and detailed attention to everything previously stoved up. Turned out pretty nice. … [Read more...]

This shop owned Olympia SM portable typewriter has what appears to be Farsi type face. The machine features proportional spacing and is a very clean typewriter. … [Read more...]

This Smith-Premier 2 typewriter is a customers brought into the shop for a complete work over. According to the serial number 45347 the typewriter is from the year 1900. The typewriter received a new platen, paper roller, new rubber feet and that glorious inch and a half wide ribbon. Typical of the Smith-Premier typewriters that wander into the shop this beast was pretty gunked up. I'm again grateful for the water bath sonicators … [Read more...]

This customer typewriter was in the shop for a bit of work. Included were new rubber feet, new platen and paper rollers. This Royal Portable P features everyone's favorite; Vogue Typeface. Feast your eyes on this bit-o-candy. … [Read more...]

This lovely Royal McBee Administrator typewriter is a customers machine and came in as the paper tray was jammed, the bell clapper not working plus some cleaning. After cleaning, the tab set was a bit balky. Looks like a bit-o-rust on the back rail was holding the tabulator pins in place. After another detailed cleaning, they all worked as planned, The jammed paper tray was a few previously bent parts. So after a bit of forming, the paper … [Read more...]