A quick run through of the typewriter visually talking about it's functions and how to remove the case followed by a function demo, some typing, type shown, and the case.
My Mum bought a Smith Corona electric typewriter (very similar to this model) in Hong Kong in 1985. It was a superb typewriter that was easy to use. I used when typing out application forms for prospective employers after leaving university. I sometimes wish electric typewriters were still available.
They are, I sell these on eBay, but be careful who you buy from there, look at all their ratings, especially the lower ones. I put vids up when I sell there (obviously, this is one) and just leave them on for anyone with any later interest. There is also a professional shop seller at typewriters.com that seems to have a good reputation, but I haven't bought any so that's second hand info. Make sure you don't buy a machine that doesn't take standard ribbons that aren't available, like cartridges, or you will have to do a mod to make them work. Many aftermarket cartridges are made currently, bit not all, so do the research. Ebay is great for finding fixer uppers from machines that just need a good cleaning to absolute junkers for parts, and a few people sell well cleaned and serviced machines, but you have to be careful. Make sure it's a seller with at least 99.5% positives and a good number of them. I usually price mine 10-25% above the highest price I find on the particular unit and they sell quickly every time. Helps to do and document things well! Tom Hanks is one aficionado of vintage/antique typewriters and owns a BUNCH of them. Cheers.
They type really nicely, I think I have one or two more that will be going on ebay eventually, if I ever get back to finishing them. I have a bunch of others (probably 20) about 95% finished...including purely mechanical stuff back to the very early 1900s... and I always seem to do that. I need to STOP doing it, and actually FINISH a few to go, they are taking over, but old habits die hard, and that particular one is REALLY old. ;-)
I used this exact same model in high school and the first few years of college -- only stopped using it because after about my sophomore or junior year in college, the Apple Macintosh came out (and my roommate had one), and he got my dorm to set up a small computer lab with a few Macs and a laser printer, which meant that my papers looked SO much better than anything a typewriter could produce! Nevertheless, I still have the old typewriter in its case next to my old desk, and it still works!
Great story. Yes I remember when the Mac came out. I was a bit older than you, though. And now laser printers look even better. :-) And yes, it will likely still be working after your next four computers have been scrapped. Kind of like the DC3 / 727 pilot's verbal exchange I once heard about. 727's been boneyarded for many years, the DC3, I'm quite sure, accidents aside, is still flying, and likely will be two decades, maybe five or more, from now. I just heard that the B52s have had their service life extended to 100 years, now. This design to be quickly junked society is NOT a good idea, but with tech like computers, what are ya gonna do? Even if you had a fully functional XT or Mac, who's going to use it, and what could it even interface now?
@@MrJdsenior You wouldn't happen to know where one can obtain the eraser (white-out) ribbon cartridge for one of these things, do you? I tried to get one on ebay a few years ago and it turned out to be another black ink ribbon. That was one of the best things about this typewriter, that you could insert the erase ribbon and get much better cleanup of typos.
As a guy who's loved typewriters for over a half century, I remember when this flimsy thing with its cartridge ribbon was introduced. I'd had an Electra 120 for years and S-C had always made terrific electric portables, and then this showed up. But, by that time few offices were using S-C electrics anyway so this was consigned to the amateur/home market almost exclusively. Pity the poor people who have to use those plastic Coronamatic cartridges today; they're overpriced all because SCM wanted to ditch the intricate ribbon reverse mechanism.
Cartridges were used in many typewriters of the time, this was not remotely the only one. Actually many manufacturers went to them, including many typewriters that were almost exclusively professional, like the Selectrics. If you search typewriter cartridge in Google images you will see many many different configurations for many different makes and models of typewriter.
@@MrJdsenior You're talking with someone professionally using these at the time, son. They were awful--and I handled far more of those cartridges than you can dream of. Try your BS on kids who don't know any better.
@@loveisall5520 I'm not your son, and THANK GOD for that. Obviously, you have mistaken me for someone that gives a rat's patootie. Mind telling me what I wrote there that you think is BS? You apparently either don't know how to read or else how to comprehend simple English. I was wondering how long it was going to take to run into someone like you. And up to now it had been so pleasant. :-) Oh, and I can dream of a LOT of cartridges, so there's that. Come back to me when you can understand what is written and reply to it with some hint of logic. Until then maybe you should pick fights with people at your own apparent level. Cheers, my friend.
I just got this from a thrift store (i have no idea about typewriters) and I am trying to find cartridges for it. Do you possibly know what I could research to find the correct one?
Sorry I missed your comment til now. You can probably buy them at ebay or typewriters.com. online. If you haven't bought on ebay before, by any chance, stick with sellers that have close to 99% positive feedback, or more. Just search the name and model of the typewriter. Everybody I've heard comment on typewriters.com has had good things to say.
LOL...assuming you are kidding. If you are serious either you, or I need correction or a new prescription. After I spent the time I did cleaning this and my other machines I might have overdone the 'clean' statement a bit, it is a rather tedious and painstaking job. The typewriters are cleaned and adjusted for sale on ebay, mostly as a hobby, thus the sales pitch. Thx for watching and commenting. :-)
