Typewriters

166 readers

10 users here now

A community dedicated to everything related to manual, electric and electronic typewriters, their history, use, collection, service, maintenance, …

Things published with a typewriter but about something else should be published in !typecasts@sh.itjust.works

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

purposetypist@lemmy.cafe

zloubida@sh.itjust.works

Does anyone have any recommendations on fixing or replacing a platen? (reddthat.com)

submitted 1 day ago by Micans@reddthat.com to c/typewriters@lemmy.cafe

3 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I have a Remington with a platen that has had every single letter space indented. I assume the prior owner(s) were hitting the keys hard. I have tried to mitigate the hardness and the extra pressure needed to put ink on the page by adding extra sheets of paper behind my first.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] zloubida@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

That's IMO the principal problem with typewriter restoration. But to restore the platen seems possible without exotic tools, if you have time and patience.

There's a tutorial on YouTube, and it looks almost easy when he does it… but I doubt it is that easy in real life. The seasoned collector from the YouTube channel Just My Typewriter had troubles with feed rollers in one of her videos: if she had troubles, I fear to try, but I'm not very competent.

The other option is to send the platen to a professional. But that will cost you quite a lot, I think. I heard that JJ Short was good.

Me, I generally just accept the hardness. The trick you described to use two sheets of paper seems enough.

[–] Micans@reddthat.com 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This is really helpful! Thank you!

I definitely want to try out the heat shrink wrap. I think that best preserves the original machine. Plus, if I muck it up, I should still be able to cut it off.

[–] zloubida@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

You're welcome :-)

If you try, come tell us how it turned out!