26 Matching Annotations
  1. Last 7 days
    1. EquivalentHead3589[S] 0 points1 point2 points 2 hours ago (1 child)Yes to all that! I agree and understand.

      reply to u/EquivalentHead3589 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cbzx1n/how_do_you_price_typewriters/

      The primary difference is that listing prices don't indicate actual value. That is only determined by actual sales price. Things are worse for the listings which don't indicate much about condition as you're probably more likely to need to have the machine serviced and/or replace or recondition parts. This can often add a few hundred dollars (or significant research and time, tools, and elbow grease) to the bottom line to be able to use a machine.

      I do recall a burgundy Olympia SM3 which sold in the last 4 months for right at $300 which was regularly used (loved) and serviced and in excellent condition with some fantastic photos. If you compare it to this Burgundy/Gray machine (https://www.ebay.com/itm/404901285037) for $299, but which has a missing key cap, and a damaged case, and may likely have other hiding issues. If you consider that you'll likely need to put a minimum of another $100 into this to get it up to the fighting shape that the first was in and it's still got damage, you'll start seeing the stark difference. The people with listings at $550-800 know they're not selling and they're just sitting there, so why not email them and ask more specific questions about condition and get a typed typeface sample of all the keys. Then make an offer for $200 +/- with some wiggle room for service costs once you've gotten it to see if they'll sell?

      As an example, look at https://www.ebay.com/itm/226016437104 which is a Gray SM3 originally listed for $549 and now on sale for $428. The seller knows it's not moving. They state that they got it at an estate sale (probably for around $25) and they definitely did no work other than quick check of the keys. If you demonstrate that you've savvy enough to know the specific machine (what shape are the rubber washers on the frame next to the feet to prevent the carriage from rubbing against the frame? how what is the durometer measurement on (how hard is) the platen?), the market (in top shape maybe $300), and what servicing/repair costs are, they'd probably accept an offer of $150-200 and you're off to the races and they've made a solid profit.

      The biggest issue in the typewriter market at present is the broad lack of information and knowledge about them on both the buyer and seller side. If you can demonstrate you've got more knowledge than the other side, you'll be in a far better position to negotiate, otherwise a seller can sit and wait an undetermined amount of time waiting for a sucker who will likely never show up.

    1. https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1caofcz/how_to_get_my_silentsuper_to_not_rotate_to_the/

      Because of aging, the rubber feet of many typewriters can harden thereby reducing their friction against the table on which they sit. As a result, this can cause one's typewriter to "walk" across the table as they type for extended periods necessitating their recentering from time to time. To remedy this, one could use custom made typewriter mats with rubber bottoms to prevent this walking as well as to protect the table underneath. Other options which may also work are either wool or felt pads from fabric stores or from Chinese/Japanese calligraphy stationers. In Japanese these mats are called shitajiki.

  2. Mar 2024
    1. The platen was quite hard to begin with, around 100 on the Shore A hardness scale, though it would feed two sheets reliably. The platen was cleaned and treated with methyl salicylate, which brought the hardness down to about 92, and has remained at that hardness for several months.
  3. Dec 2023
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  6. May 2023
    1. I buy exclusively from Ribbons Unlimited since their products and service are superb. I have purchased from Amazon suppliers if I need a ribbon "pronto", but the biggest problem that I run into with their supplier's ribbons is the fact that they normally don't have reversing grommets installed at the end of the ribbons, and unless your machine can sense ribbon tension and reverse the ribbon, you have to reverse the ribbon direction manually. I purchased a grommet installation tool to try and capitalize on the cheap price of Amazon ribbons, but found that it's not really worth the effort (plus my hands got really "inky") - I always come back to Ribbons Unlimited.

      Some cheap typewriter ribbon spools don't have grommets on them to force auto-reverse of the spool. Without grommets, some machines may sense ribbon tension for reversal, otherwise one needs to switch direction manually.

      There are grommet installation tools that one can use, but this often requires getting one's hands dirty to install them.

      Ribbons Unlimited has a good reputation in the r/typewriters community for providing good sales and service.

    1. Typewriter Cleaning and Repair Basics #3 Bell Fixed

      Keep in mind that some typewriters don't have hard mechanical margin stops, but rely on the user to hear the bell to know the margin is approaching and return the line manually.

      Bell hammer mechanisms may simply need to be cleaned to get them into functioning order. Dirt and grime may prevent the hammer mechanism from having enough force to strike the bell. Beyond this replacing the spring may be necessary.

  7. Apr 2023
    1. https://thetype.space/

      Sales, service and repair of typewriters. Also has some parts access according to some.