Rituals of Re-Enactment

Post-Script: I'm a newbie to this whole organizing an event thing, so I've lots of learning in store. But there are some good resources available, such as Ted Munk's excellent Type-In page.

Albuquerque's a funny town. It's hard to predict the response to a Type-In event. News of popular fads and new customs seems to travel here slower than one might expect, inland from the west coast to the high desert. We're usually a few years behind everyone else when it comes to popular culture; although the Internet-based media has helped to reduce the delay.

In my rounds today I stopped in to Field and Frame for a roll of black gaffers tape and talked to Alan Fulford about my ABQ Type-In fliers. He was interested, and permitted me to leave a few for his customers. He also mentioned he had several manual typewriters in the back room. I took a look at one, an Olivetti Lettera 35, that has dirty type slugs and needs a new ribbon. I'm going to bring one by on my next visit, with perhaps a little kit to service his machine. He also has (are you ready for this?) an Olympia SG-1! OMG! It turns out that Alan tweets typewritten poems to his friends. Who woulda thunk?

Typecast via Facit 1620.

Another Tabletop Tripod

Post-Script: Bonus Image:



Now that I've altered the design with discrete tension wires between each leg, this new design is more stable atop a table. I think for the full-sized tripods, intended to be used outdoors on potentially uneven terrain, having the continuous loop system works better to help level the tripod head. Here's a video describing how they work.

Here's the video about my first tabletop tripod design:



And here's the video on this latest version:



Typecast via Facit 1620. Pronounced like "faucet" (I think).

Facit 1620

Post-Script: Finding this machine was a pleasant surprise. Finding it for $8 was even better. And finding out that, after being serviced, it types remarkably smooth and clear was an added bonus. This initial round of typing impressed me even more, especially the smoothness of the carriage return, as it uses a peculiar design of tubular bearing housing with radial ball bearings mounted inside a large diameter tube.

Be sure to check out Episode 42 of the Typewriter Video Series for details on how I serviced this machine back to life.

Journey to the Center of the Donut

Post-Script: Bonus Image:


This city park was once the location of an historic steam locomotive from the days of the Santa Fe Railroad, when Albuquerque was the site of a major locomotive repair facility. That engine, once viewable by the public for free in the park, is in the process of being restored and resides elsewhere.

Typecast via Olivetti Underwood 21.

Thoughts on 'A Place of Truth'

Post-Script: I enjoyed this documentary more than I expected; not only because typewriters play a central role, but also Ms. Mott's story is compelling, as is the life of the for-hire street poet. As I hinted at in my typecast, to blog via typewriters is one thing (tantamount to an amateur snapshot shooter wielding a camera); but to type for a living on the streets, that's the real deal.

But there's more involved than the machines themselves; poets like Mott are true writers, despite the venue within which they work. They love the written word and see themselves as carrying on in the tradition of mainstream literature, despite their working setting seeming far removed from academia.

I'm not certain professional street typists have gained the recognition they deserve as an important part of the typewriter renaissance; Abby Mott's blog deserves more recognition, be sure to visit.

Be sure to visit the film's website, and make an effort if you can to watch it.