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Chris Aldrich

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Musings of a Modern Day Cyberneticist

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Front view of a light gray 1966 Underwood Touch-Master Five standard typewriter
Acquired used at a second hand store for the As-Seen-On-TV price of $19.99 and in stunning condition. It’ll need a clean, but this is in almost perfect cosmetic condition. It’s my first Underwood and technically also my first Olivetti as it was manufactured after the merger. The touch and speed are truly stunning and may … Continue reading

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Yellow Royal FP typewriter on a wooden table next to some index card notes and a crystal glass containing a Negroni.
Spent some time tonight typing up notes from the type-in on Saturday for the typosphere. Should have a post about it all soon.

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Yellow Royal FP on a dining room table next to a blue vase full of yellow flowers. In the background we see a book case with some books and ceramics on it. A framed yellowed map hangs on the wall in the background.
Spring flowers next to the 1961 Royal FP typewriter.

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A 196X Remington Streamliner typewriter viewed from the front.
Acquired 2024-09-04. In generally good shape. The case is in exceptional shape given that these usually aren’t extant or have been shattered into pieces. There is one piece broken off, but it came with the machine and should be able to be fused back onto the case. Came without the hubs or covers. It’s slightly more … Continue reading

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Two typewriters on a wooden bench in front of a large book case. Surrounding it are 7 more standard typewriters of various makes and models
My current collection of 9 standard typewriters clocks in at 289.6 pounds (131.6 kg). Which one(s) should I take to the type-in at Vromans Bookstore this Saturday, May 10th at 1:00pm? Which machines are you bringing? Front row (left to right): ’51 Remington Super-Riter, ’56 Remington Standard, ’55 Royal HH, ’58 Royal FP (gray, 16″ … Continue reading

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Typed index card in blue and green ink that reads: You're invited to a Type-In! / Saturday, May 10, 2025 / 1:00 PM onwards / Vroman's Bookstore / 695 E. Colorado Blvd., / Pasadena, CA 91101 / Typewriters Optional / Bring a Friend for an afternoon of fun / Details and RSVP / https://boffosocko.com/type-in/

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Card Indexes in Wedding Crashers

Card Indexes in Wedding Crashers
While watching Wedding Crashers (2005, New Line), I noticed that John Beckwith (portrayed by Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) both have multiple card indexes in their offices in the movie. One can’t help but wondering if their work leverages one of the variety of card index filing systems? Were they commonplacers? Zettelkasten users? … Continue reading Card Indexes in Wedding Crashers

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Frontal view of 1960 Smith-Corona Skyriter typewriter. It has a cream colored keys with a brown spacebar and a silver name plate with the brand written on it. The front left "chin" of the machine has a small dent with some paint missing.
Acquired for a song and a dance on 2025-04-14; Seems to be in relatively solid shape; nothing huge out of place; need a full COA, but seems fully restorable; the case is a bit dirty and has a light smell, but should be cleanable; came with the original manual and warranty card stub. The dried … Continue reading

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An orange and black box with the name RIGID on it fills an orange wire shopping cart.
Picked up for some work related to the Eaton Fire recovery, but it also means I’ve upped my game on tools for typewriter repair.

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Game: Name that naked typewriter

A typewriter with the hood and body panels removed making it appear "naked".
To be clear, I know what this is. (It’s a typewriter I’m most of the way through cleaning and restoring.) Just for fun for the regulars and the collectors, let’s see who can come closest to a make, model and year for this lovely machine I recently acquired for restoration. Please, no more than two … Continue reading Game: Name that naked typewriter

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A typed baseball scorecard for the Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game from 2025-03-31 which the Dodgers won 6-1
My first baseball scorecard in ages, but also my first typed scorecard with format courtesy of Lou Spirito of Thirty81 Press. Besides a few examples by Lou himself and one I saw from Tom Hanks on March 29th, I may be the third person doing this?! It pulls together two spectacular pastimes and creates a … Continue reading

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First Time Typewriter Purchases with Specific Recommendations for Writers

Green Olympia SM3 on a desk in front of a Steelcase card index, a Macey Co. Card index, a barrister bookcase, and a small side table with a brown Royal HHE typewriter
I regularly see writers (or their friends or significant others considering buying them presents) interested in purchasing their first typewriter as a (distraction-free) writing tool. Naturally, unless they grew up with them or have other direct experience, the primary questions are: how much are they?, which ones are the better professional tools?, and where can … Continue reading First Time Typewriter Purchases with Specific Recommendations for Writers

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Frontal view down onto a 1951 Remington Super-Riter typewriter in brown crinkle paint. It is absolutely covered in dirt and dust from what seems like decades sitting in a barn.
Dirty as all get out, but seems to function nearly flawlessly. A full clean, oil, and adjust is mandatory as will be new ribbon, but in surprisingly solid condition for all the accumulated filth. Not all bad for a thrift purchase of $11.00.

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A 1950s Smith Corona portable in a case sitting on a wooden floor in front of a large green box fan/Hydroxyl Generator
Industrial typewriter cleaning Following the Eaton Fire catastrophe, our house is finally being cleaned. While the duct cleaners were here, I thought I’d break out a dirty Olympia SG3 and use the 175psi air compressor and industrial 300 pound air filtration to “dust” my machine. I now want one of these for the typewriter workshop! … Continue reading

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An Olympia SG3 typewriter packed in a box full of packing peanuts.
One of the reasons one doesn’t ship typewriters in packing peanuts without completely first wrapping the typewriter with something first is that the typewriter will be full of packing peanuts by the time it arrives at its destination. Thirty minutes to clean peanuts out of every part of the machine is annoying.

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Dark gray bodied Olympia SG3 typewriter with white hood sitting on a library card catalog. It's got an orange Olympia logo in the front right corner.
In generally solid shape out of the box. Some paint worn off body along the corners and a bit dusty with some white out to clean up. It’ll need some tweaks to the a few minor spots, but it should clean up to almost new pretty quickly. The one glaring issue is a needed tweak … Continue reading

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You’re invited to a Southern California Type-In!

View of the front street entrance of Vroman's Bookstore. An elegant purple lettered sign hangs over the door. In the foreground is an artistic and quirky plastic red "chair" in front of a Little Free Library box. On the adjacent wall is the window for Tepito Coffee with a yellow lettered sign. Beside this is a painted wall mural featuring a typewriter painted in red with a page coming out of it that reads: I will forever be in love with you. And that's not fiction.
Date Saturday, May 10, 2025 Time 1:00 PM onwards Location Vroman’s Bookstore 695 E Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101 2 blocks West of Lake Avenue, which has both East and Westbound exits off of the 210 Freeway. We’ll be meeting upstairs on the second floor.  Parking available behind the bookstore as well as on surrounding … Continue reading You’re invited to a Southern California Type-In!

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Standard Typewriters versus Portable Typewriters and Ultraportable Typewriters

A hulking gray 1950 Royal KMG standard typewriter next to it's much smaller relative, the 1949 Royal Quiet De Luxe as they sit on an oak library card catalog.
Within the typewriter space there are three broad categories of typewriters primarily based on size: Standard (or office or desktop) typewriters were designed and meant for use in a stationary location, most often an office where they would be used for 8 hours a day (or more), every day of the work week. These typewriters, … Continue reading Standard Typewriters versus Portable Typewriters and Ultraportable Typewriters

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Save the Date: A Southern California Type-In on May 10, 2025

Two rows of four typewriters each lined up on opposite sides of a table.
I’ve been in conversation with a local bookstore in Pasadena to help host a type-in in Southern California. We’re making plans for Saturday afternoon on May 10th from 1:00 PM onward.  So mark your calendars, limber your fingers, and start tuning up your favorite typewriter(s)! More details and specifics to come shortly.  If you’re nearby … Continue reading Save the Date: A Southern California Type-In on May 10, 2025

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Great! Another evacuation warning. This time instead of for catastrophic fire, it’s for rain and potential mudslides from the burn scar. Fortunately (?) I’m still evacuated from January 7th about 6 miles south.

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Table level view of the front of a 1929 Corona 4 Portable Typewriter
Received on Saturday 03-08, but didn’t open it up until this morning. The case is fairly worn and has the fabric peeled off in several spots, but the leather handle is in tact and in reasonably good shape. The machine has seen better days certainly and needs a thorough cleaning. The paint has some significant … Continue reading

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1920 Corona 3 folding typewriter viewed from table level
Received on Saturday 03-10 and unpacked this morning. This is now the oldest machine in my collection and the first true antique as it’s now 105 years old. The first thing I’m struck by is the tiny size and scant weight of the entire machine and the case. I’m curious to compare the weight to … Continue reading

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Typed white index card sticking out of the carriage of a typewriter with the quote: "Gladys also tell you I drink my lunch? She forgets I eat the olives. That's where the nourishment is. Gladys talks too much. I ought to get rid of her, but she has it on me ever since I got juiced up at that Christmas party and made a couple passes at her IBM machine." --Henry Rufus portrayed by Henry Jones in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (20th Century Fox, 1957)

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A pearl gray 1957 Royal FP standard typewriter stands atop an oak library card catalog
Received in generally workable shape, though without ribbon; definitely dirty; internal foam disintegrating; brights are going to need a load of polish; temporary photos to provide some idea of condition until I get the chance to clean it up. My wide carriage 1958 FPE was so nice I thought I’d try out the larger face … Continue reading

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I’ve finally broken a small barrier and am now ranked as typewriter hunter #115 on the Typewriter Database. I have a few machines that should arrive soon which in combination with doing some repairs and uploading some data should help me finally break into the top 100.

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Frontal view of a 1964 Olympia SM9 typewriter sitting on an oak library card catalog.
In what I may call the Academy 97 typewriter because I received it on the day of the 97th Annual Academy Awards on March 2nd, I’ve acquired my first SM9. It’s a solid looking machine aside from some small damage to the rivets at the back of the case, some paint wear on the hood … Continue reading

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For those interested in writing methods, Peter Elbow’s work can be seen as an interesting shift in pedagogy from the 1970s. Interestingly it relies on pieces of practices pre-dating him which inform commonplace book and related zettelkasten methods.  For my own files, from the obituary, it looks like he was using an IBM Selectric I … Continue reading

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Hero image of a 1945 black Remington 17 Standard typewriter on a wooden dining room table
When I was interested in getting my first standard typewriter last year, Ruben Flores immediately recommended I get a Remington 17. While I’ve picked up a handful of other standards in the meanwhile, I’ve kept my eyes peeled. I just couldn’t let this $21 beauty slip by. If my 1956 Remington Standard is any indication, … Continue reading

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Typewriter Market: It may be better if you didn’t get an Olympia SM3 typewriter today

I’m not out to shame people for their purchases, just to caution uninitiated typewriter purchasers and budding collectors who aren’t carefully watching the market. Olympia SM3s are well-touted and excellent typewriters. They’ve recently been selling on ShopGoodwill in unknown condition for $120-150 based only on photos. Earlier today, an Olympia SM3 sold for $334! So … Continue reading Typewriter Market: It may be better if you didn’t get an Olympia SM3 typewriter today

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A bottle of Four Roses Select bourbon next to a 1958 Royal FP typewriter in pearl gray.
My partner got me some roses for Valentines Day. 😍