The Fox Typewriter Co. of Grand Rapids produced some of the finest and most beautiful typewriters ever (much more here). I have the good fortune to own a lovely Fox no. 23, made in 1908 and still in near-mint condition, with a few exceptions. Its typebar rests, consisting of leather-wrapped sand, became brittle; its feet are squashed; its fragile ribbon vibrator broke and has been repaired with a little metal tape; and its platen was rock hard. (I believe I had it redone by the late Ames Co. around 25 years ago, but if I did, either they used rubber that was too hard, or it hardened over time.)I decided to get the platen recovered by J.J. Short. This required some disassembly, which I've decided to explain on this blog for the convenience of future Fox owners.The platen easily pops out of the typewriter when you slide back two pieces at either end that hold it in the carriage. The left end of the platen looks like this:Now let's take it apart. (I recommend storing the pieces in a…
No comments yet. Log in to reply on the Fediverse. Comments will appear here.