Showing posts with label dunk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dunk. Show all posts

Friday, January 31, 2014

Dip and Dunk

When a typewriter is so dirty or filled with dried pineapple juice, you sometimes have to take drastic measures. Soapy, drastic measures.



It's the 'old dip-and-dunk.


Vigorous dunking loosens all the dirt. A rinse with hot, hot water comes next. Then, it's off to the oven for a bit of drying. I think 130° F until all the water has evaporated. Oil (ribbon spool posts, carriage rails, shift linkage, other similar parts) while warm and enjoy a very clean typewriter ready for another 60 years.


Monday, November 25, 2013

Pineapple and Typewriters

Pineapple and typewriters don't mix. Specifically Dole pineapple cups and this typewriter.


Brian–typewriter lover and overall good student–was holding a cup of pineapple his teeth while carrying this typewriter back to his desk. A moment later I herd a yelp, a kerfuffle, and a blur. I turned to see small golden nuggets of pineapple falling into the segment of this typewriter, a stream of juice smacking the floor, and a horrified Brian looking at me like he was preparing to meet his maker.

I have had students bend type bars. I have had typewriters dropped. I have seen dubious choices made over how to treat someof these machines. Never have I encountered a typewriter filled with pineapple and pineapple juice.

As you can imagine, this typewriter is out of commission. The segments are completely frozen and the machine is non-functioning. Thankfully, I know what happened and I will be able to clean it very soon. In this instance a full water dunk will be the best option.

from Dole.com

So my advice: Don't dump pineapple into a typewriter.