note | Chris Aldrich

I started the process of cleaning my green 1958 Olympia SM3 to bring it back up to speed. Things are generally moving apace although the mixture of eraser shavings and old oil has tarnished the carriage rails. Spent some time with some metal polish trying to bring them back to their old glory. Should be able to finish flushing out tomorrow and getting it back together and properly adjusted.

Here’s a bit of a time lapse of the work:

An empty wooden table with some wooden chairs on the far side.

A light colored hand towel now sits in the middle of the table.

The silver wooden case of an Olympia SM3 now sits on the towel on the table.

The typewriter case is now open and we see the green dusty typewriter inside it.

The typewriter has been removed from the case and sat on the right side.

A small Dyson vacuum and brush have appeared on the table next to the cleaned out case.

A black leather tool case has appeared on the table above the typewriter which now sits on the hand towel next to some index cards and a pen. The case and vacuum/brush have been pushed off to the right side of the table.

The leather toolcase has been emptied and now sits in the chair opposite the typewriter. Several tool pouches full of tools have appeared between the typewriter and the case.

The typewriter hood and several pieces have been disassembled and appear on the table around the towel and the body of the typewriter.

The platen and even more pieces have been removed from the typewriter and its carriage. They sit above and to the side of the typewriter and the layout of tools.

The skeleton of the typewriter sits on the table surrounded by it's parts and screws.

Finally, we see a different angle of the typewriter looking across the table. In the front is the naked typewriter on the hand towel which is surrounded by it's now cleaned body panels, platen, feet, and various other parts, screws, and springs. In the background we see the tools including many screwdrivers in their tool bags.

Typewritten index card that reads: The revolution will be financed by unused vacation and sick time. #BenefitsOfToxicCapitalism

More progress on the 1931 New Orga (Privat 5): he types! I found some compatible spools and ribbon. Given the Orga typewriter from the movie, I thought this Willy Wonka quote was apropos both as the first type sample and as encouragement for the remainder of the restoration mountain ahead.

I’m now a full two years into using my variation of the Memindex/Bullet Journal on index cards and starting a third. I still find 4 x 6 inch index cards more freeing and flexible than using the more common notebook format. One big difference since a year ago: I’ve moved into using a significantly bigger box for increased storage which also includes lots of space for project notes, my zettelkasten / commonplace book practice, and an index for all of it.

I sometimes use one of the four typewriters behind my desk for logging. (Another benefit of using cards.) I put in a new card in the morning and add/cross out as I go throughout the day. I often use one of the other typewriters to write out slightly longer mini-diary entries about particular things as I go. This helps me get away from computer screens, even if it’s only for short breaks throughout the day.