Nekkid-Riter Storage Box + More

Post-Script: Typecast via Hermes 3000 Nekkid-Riter. I wrote that last paragraph partly in jest, earlier today after having completed the storage box for the Nekkid-Riter. But later on, I decided to take a look at the electric Coronet Automatic 12. I used an old extension cord to replace its original power cord (that was spliced in two places, badly frayed and with an intermittent open near the plug). Upon powering it on, lo and behold it works! I spent the next hour or two cleaning, degreasing and lubricating. The insides are still not entirely clean, since I only hit the critical areas where debris and residue might affect the machine's operation, rather than spotlessly cleaning every surface.

The carriage rails were grinding, so a thorough cleaning, degreasing and re-oiling has smoothed it out nicely. I spent a lot of time cleaning the type slugs with alcohol, swabs and toothpicks, the result being that, with its new ribbon, it types very nicely. The body and storage case were filthy, so plenty of window cleaner, swabs and paper towels were consumed, but the results are enticing.

I'm not certain I like the chocolate-brown color, but I suppose it's less drab than that of my older Smith-Corona Silent. I was originally thinking about calling it the "Brown Streak," from its speedy operation and color, but my wife, in her wisdom, convinced me that this term might be misconstrued as being somewhat scatological. Yes, it's a fast typer; darned if I can't throw words on paper at a speedy clip. This is certainly an office workhorse machine, but it's rather loud; I can only imagine what an office of these machines sounded like, back in the mid-20th century. I suppose if the room were clouded in cigarette smoke (which they often were), it might dampen the racket. Actually, it's not quite as loud as my brother's Hermes 10 electric (that, you might recall, is on permanent loan to the Guild Cinema).

The rear, hinge-side of the case is badly rusted. It looks like it sat up on end in a wet environment. This is one of the few circumstances where I had no qualms about applying some WD-40, followed by a wire brush and plenty of paper towels. It's better than it was, certainly.

So, am I going to keep it? I suppose ... if someone were to twist my arm ... perhaps. I can imagine if, needing to put some high volume of words down on paper at a speedy clip, and the noise were no objection, having one electric typewriter wouldn't be so bad, especially one having the wide carriage and ergonomics of this series of SCM, and with a standard cloth ribbon. But that's it! No electric collection for me, no sir!

Here's a glamor shot of the new clan member. I still need a name for it, something combining its chocolate appearance with speedy operation. It does have that two-tone espresso/coffee look, so perhaps some caffeine-themed name would be appropriate. Jitters? Hmm ... I'll think more about it.

TWVS Episode 6 & More

Post-Script: Hopefully, by next week the weather will be much improved and I can set the next Typewriter Video Series episode somewhere a bit more interesting than my garage workshop. I do understand, however, that future videos may require an indoor setting, so I need to think about how to make the workbench "set" a bit more photogenic. I have to sit fairly close to the bench to be in the sweet spot of lighting, and in order to get a medium shot along with the typewriter I have to shoot down the length of the bench. Perhaps some kind of wall decor along the left side of the bench can improve the look. I'm using as a mental reference the great studio room that Ted Forbes uses in his "Art of Photography" YouTube channel, which serves as inspiration for me in how it's properly done.

The thing I really don't want to think about is why I let the workbench get so cluttered. It really happened over the course of years, with various projects I'd start, then let fall to the side as other things took precedent. Having such a large workbench also makes it tempting to be used as a "catch-all" for whatever clutter doesn't seem to fit in the house; the garage seems to function as a halfway point between the house and the storage shed in the back yard.

This idea of dedicating typewriters to certain physical locations, such as a workshop or car trunk, is an interesting one, probably unique to this post-typewriter era where machines in decent condition can be more easily procured than in their heyday, when they were very expensive relative to the average person's income. So us typewriter-using collectors now find ourselves in a kind of renaissance of mechanical type, where a small collection of usable machines can be easily built up over time; the surplus of machines in one's possession thus begging the question of what to do with them, besides storing them in the closet or under the bed. Putting them to good use, each to a dedicated area or purpose, becomes logical.

I think there are two aspects to the typewriter hobby. There's the "typewriter fondling" aspect, where touching and servicing them is paramount. Then there's the writing aspect, putting typewriters to good use for the purpose of actual writing. Of course, a person doesn't have to be a world-renown author to have some serious purpose in using a typewriter. But what they seem to do, because of their focused purpose in being specifically useful only for writing, is to force us to face the issue of being literate and being able to write. There was an age, earlier in the last century, when it was assumed that the average person could write with little difficulty. Not so these days; which makes the purpose-focused utility of the manual typewriter all that more important.

Typecast via Hermes 3000. It sure has been getting a lot of attention lately; and deservedly so, given how well it types and prints.