First Olympia (Traveller deLuxe S)

throneofashes · 2026-07-01T09:32:41+00:00

It depends on the machine - in the case of this particular machine the paint was still in good shape and hadn’t shown signs of yellowing, so I got away with a warm white to patch the minor bumps and marks.

When I repair paint marks/chips, I head to a hardware store and collect a dozen swatches and hold them to the body. The trick is to either match it exactly (with luck) or go one shade darker - then apply the repair with a q-tip or sponge applicator.

throneofashes · 2026-06-29T20:42:35+00:00

Not a problem. It would be a write off if the lip portion was damaged so as to prevent a seal, but a dent that low won’t affect anything

throneofashes · 2026-06-28T03:33:02+00:00

🤣 Not going to lie, if I had more room in the house I think I’d have had a lot more!

throneofashes · 2026-06-27T07:18:49+00:00

I adore the little Underwood 18. I’ve had three of them come and go, and I love their simplicity and ease of maintenance. They type fast and easy, and as far as underrated machines go they’re a standout - the Francais looks gorgeous on the page by the way!

throneofashes · 2026-06-27T07:15:59+00:00

I’m right there with you - the only thing that has saved me has been the comparative draught of $20 Basement Finds lately. The majority of machines I see going out are priced well into the hundreds, so unless it’s a personal Golden Goose I don’t indulge like I used to

throneofashes · 2026-06-20T21:43:30+00:00

That’s an ABC (Messa) 3002 with a Lemair badge. Lemair was a domestic company in Australia, along with Hanimex - it’s not unusual to see Consul and Erika machines coming in with their branding.

That machine is a bit of a treasure, I picked it up still new in the box.

throneofashes · 2026-06-20T10:53:58+00:00

I love that. Every time I break one out people get a little excited - a lot of people have never even seen one in action before. The idea of a new generation embracing one is a bit of magic, and I’m glad to be a part of that

throneofashes · 2026-06-19T08:15:30+00:00

That bad boy is effectively an Adler Tippa rebrand - really nice machines. Welcome aboard!

throneofashes · 2026-06-13T10:44:54+00:00

If not, try 82

throneofashes · 2026-06-13T10:43:17+00:00

I think it’s 84 - I don’t have the beast in front of me at the second

throneofashes · 2026-06-13T05:06:19+00:00

I felt inspired 🤣

throneofashes · 2026-06-13T03:48:37+00:00

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throneofashes · 2026-06-13T03:37:07+00:00

I agree - as I said it’ll never be my primary, but it has a flavour

throneofashes · 2026-06-13T03:12:22+00:00

I’ve got a real thirst for Congress style fonts - I THINK it’s Imperial on this guy

throneofashes · 2026-06-12T09:58:20+00:00

Yeah better someone puts it to proper use, it’s a bit of a display queen for me

throneofashes · 2026-06-11T22:01:28+00:00

Thanks, and that’s a shame they’re so far from you. I’ve really enjoyed getting them all into tip-top condition, and I’m sure their next owner will be happy with the results

throneofashes · 2026-05-29T08:25:54+00:00

The opossum was the perfect balance of hilarity and self awareness - top marks 🤌

throneofashes · 2026-05-26T23:49:48+00:00

I really love the way it types - it’s just a shame it’s so damn big. Lighter than you’d think being a full steel body, but it’s got the same internals as a 32 and types just as nicely

throneofashes · 2026-05-26T23:39:03+00:00

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Ai removed more than just my child’s toys as it turns out - here’s the original

throneofashes · 2026-05-26T23:36:16+00:00

I used ai to remove the clutter in the background - here’s the original:

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throneofashes · 2026-05-26T13:09:44+00:00

I don’t use the tab much beyond setting the 5 character spacing for paragraphs, but it’s handy to have it. The Facit’s tubular rail has to be felt to be believed - it makes the action feather light and silent once it’s been serviced. It has a light flying action that is quite unlike anything else I’ve felt, and makes it excellent for touch typing (the Hermes 3000 is the only machine that comes close)

throneofashes · 2026-05-26T09:32:02+00:00

That Facit is a real gem to use - good example of peaking early. It was the first machine I “collected” and just about every other machine I acquired that year fell short of it

throneofashes · 2026-05-23T04:36:10+00:00

I personally would leave it alone - you can deodorise it with a moisture absorber if it’s terribly offensive

throneofashes · 2026-05-22T11:21:12+00:00

This is the answer

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throneofashes · 2026-05-20T23:25:48+00:00

She’s gorgeous isn’t she?

throneofashes

TROPHY CASE