Saturday, April 16, 2011

Untold Stories and Lies by Omission: a Lettera at Last

Olivetti Underwood Lettera 31




The paper I was typing is kinda wrinkly due to my stamp experiment, so the scan isn't completely even...sorry 'bout that.

7 comments:

notagain said...

will th 31 guts fit the 33 body? you could do the twOlivetti thing here that was done recently.

Elizabeth H. said...

It might well fit...but the panels on the 33 aren't in great shape (and they stink), and I think it would involve quite a bit of disassembly.

But the boxy look is kinda growing on me. And if nothing else, I could always resort to crazy decals or some such thing. After all, it's unpainted plastic...what harm can I really do?

Adwoa said...

The disassembly isn't so bad - the Letteras tend to part from their shells pretty easily and they all tend to be the same general size, so it should fit.

That is, if you like the aesthetic of the 33, otherwise the boxy 31 has a clean, minimalist appeal to it as well. I had the Dora and I can confirm that it is exactly the same - no paper finger or tab function!

Ted said...

I rather like the look of that 31, and Yay! you have your Lettera finally (:

You might practice disassembly of the 33 and sanitize the stink out of them just for fun, or...

If you'd like to make a donation to Magic Margin's Classroom Typewriter Project, I've got some perfectly functional Lettera 35 guts that would probably fit in the 33 body, that I'd be happy to donate. (:

just some notions...

Elizabeth H. said...

I'd be willing to donate the Lettera 33's shell to the cause...but I dunno if it'd really make sense. For one thing, it's a tricksy thing. Instead of being in solid pieces like most other Letteras, it has a sort of thin plastic skeleton (the grey edging) with sharp-edged metal panels that fit into it. They're easily bent, and as I mentioned, not in great shape. I could try to get 'em off and ship them, but you'd likely be better off putting the Lettera 35l guts into the 32 shell.

The 31 is much sturdier in feel.

Elmer gets his inaugural letter-writing run today. :)

Anonymous said...

Cool. I'm glad you ended up with a Lettera that you are happy with. If you decide to donate the 33 and Ryan doesn't claim it for a spare, I'd be willing to try to salvage it.

Elizabeth H. said...

Maybe I'll bring it up if I make it to the Snohomish write-in in May. I don't really thing it's fit to be a donation, but there must be at least something salvageable about it!