This is a typewriter I have experience with, well, the plain 35 without the L.

I can confirm that the chassis can be swapped with a lettera 32, also with a lettera DL and also Dora but this one doesn't have tabulations. And I've heard the the olivetti valentine also shares this same chassis.

To be honest, knowing how hard it is, I didn't try too hard. I remember that Just my Typewriter has a video about her repair of that machine; if she had so much troubles, I can't even dream about repairing one myself. At least, not today!

I don't blame you. They are monsters. There is a reason the typewriter shop near me runs an apprenticeship to learn how to fix them. Takes years to learn. They charge north of a grand for a single selectric restoration

I have one, but I never succeeded to make it work 😅

I think selectrics are very cool and fun to type on. I like the thunk. Real bastards to repair though

At the time it was very confusing to me, to type on a tiny screen and then print that sentence. I remember seeing it once and hating it.

Just weighed it: 32.8 pounds. RC Allen. I wonder if they're so damn heavy for marketing--so they seem "serious". Or it could be because the mechanisms were stiff enough that otherwise you'd constantly be chasing the typewriter around a desk.

Yeah there are very different kinds and sizes! It's one of the interesting things with these machines. For example, I have a Japy S18, it weighs almost 15 kg (32 pounds). I also have an Adler Contessa de Luxe, I don't know exactly but without the case it should weigh 3-4 kg (less than 10 pounds).

Nice.

I have a typewriter I just sort of stumbled upon.. I'm more interested in learning gregg shorthand than typing on it at the moment, but it is a freakin' BEAST! Must weigh 20-30 pounds. Yours looks much lighter.

I disagree at least with the lettera 12, I have one and I could barely use anything as spare parts donor for the others.

I didn't know about the 40s and 50s, in the pictures they look like they have very different elements on them.

From Wikipedia, the Olivetti Dora and Lettera De Luxe (1965), Lettera 25 and 35 (1974), Lettera 10 and 12 (1979) and 40/41/42 and 50/51/52 (1980) all shared the same basic mechanicals, and differed only in case design and color.

When my grandma passed away and we were settling her estate we found a wildly large and or ate typewriter buried under papers in her office.

It was enameled black with gold ornamentation, not gaudy but it looked like it would fit in next to one of those old pedal sewing machines.

The desk fell apart when four of us picked it up off it, it was apparantly the only thing holding the desk to the earth and when the weight came off the desk gave up the ghost.

Pretty sure my cousins scrapped it :(

Beautiful!

The case is in bad shape but I don't care, I can learn to fix it. The vibrator is locked, that doesn't seem hard to fix.

It still has the original spools!🤩

Yup, very portable, and a manual… Making for a device that can be carried if needed. I likely won't be carrying it anywhere (unless there is a typewriter meetup in my area that I decide to attend).

The biggest thing, IMO, is the condition. You can see a bit of yellowing along the bottom, and on one of the keys…but otherwise it looks like it was barely used. I looked at others, but this one as definitely a stand-out for how well it's been maintained over the years.

It is indeed beautiful! And it's a lightweight, you can take it anywhere.

Well, given that I've ordered it, I'll just show you: it's Royal Sprite in Cream and Navy Blue.

although I do have my eye on a particular typewriter, mainly due to its' aesthetic

Which one 😛?

Yeah, I was thinking I would find that information in Typewriter Revolution, not that I needed an answer to it. I suspected, if nothing else, that I'd be able to re-ink an old ribbon if needed.

I suspect the Selectric cartridges would be available in some form. Given there were 13 million of these typewriters produced, I'm guessing quite a few of them are still in service, making it reasonable for the cartridges to be produced.

Anyway, thanks for the follow up. I'll do more research (although I do have my eye on a particular typewriter, mainly due to its' aesthetics).

That's the kind of info you'll find in the Typewriter Revolution, but I'll be happy to answer those as much as I can!

For the ribbons, there's no problem. These are still mass produced; I generally buy cheap Chinese ribbons and they do the trick perfectly. Others prefer high quality ribbons, which are also still produced but in lesser quantities, so they're anything but cheap. In fact the community lost a few weeks ago one of the only producers of high quality ribbons in America, but the offer still meets the demand. There's also the possibility to ink yourself your ribbons, that way you can have custom colours (or even a rainbow one)! It looks fun, that's something I want to try someday.

For the cartridges, it will heavily depends on the machine. Some brands are still produced (like the Nakajimas), so their cartridges are still produced. For others, it will depend. I avoid cartridge typewriters because of that, so I don't know much but I think the Selectric's cartridges, in spite the fact that the machines aren't produced anymore, are still produced too, so if you chose that brand it should be okay. For most others, you'll have to look on the second hand market, which is a gamble.

Thanks for the advice. That sounds like something I want to check out—I do have questions about certain things (like getting replacement ribbons / cartridges).

Hi! If you have time, I'd advise you to read The Typewriter Revolution. It will give you an overview of the state of the typewriter world and market today, and will help you find your type (pun intended). And if you have questions, shoot!

Oh, and user zloudiba's theory is that a post will garner more engagement as a comment on this small sub. This post is a competing with a comment a with one reply.

For me, the reason is easy: my writing is horrible.

Fear not, mine is as well (and I used to be a paid creative too, now I'm just creative because that's what I am) ;)

But maybe it could be a self standing post instead of a comment? You’d have more answers.

Maybe, I just always think we're such a tiny bunch most of us must be reading whatever is happening, even in a comment ;)

For me, the reason is easy: my writing is horrible. I learnt cursive at school (and my children are learning only cursive at school, cursive is not disappearing in France at all) so it's not the problem. I'm creative, but clumsy, so the typewriter is the perfect solution for me. Moreover, I have ADHD, so I need things to “launch” me if I want to do something. Often the typewriter do the trick. And there's a pleasure in the act of typing that i don't feel with a computer or a pen.

But maybe it could be a self standing post instead of a comment? You'd have more answers.