Does anyone really need 4 typewriters? I'm told (by members of www.typepals.com) it doesn't seem to matter how many typewriters you acquire, you can always use another one. 

Typewriters are getting harder to find in thrift stores. Lots of electrics but not so many manuals. I guess this is a sign that more people are discovering the joy of using typewriters - which is a good thing as these machines often have lots of life left in them. 

My latest find was in the local classifieds. It is an Underwood Rhythm Touch. I watched the ad for several days as the typewriter was calling my name. At $50 it was around half the price of a couple of giant standards also listed. I finally succumbed to the temptation and drove over to take a look. The typewriter was working and a faint image could be seen on the paper. The space bar was sticky and the bell only rang about 1/2 the time. After paying the sellers $40 I drove away with my new typewriter.

After a bit of cleaning using air and alcohol (tip: don't blow the typewriter out on your office desk) the spacebar was no longer sticky. The bell took a bit longer to figure out. It required both cleaning with alcohol but also some sewing machine oil on the mechanism to allow it to reset between rings. It is now ringing the bell on every line as I approach the margin.

The serial number is 6716768 which identifies it as being manufactured in 1950. This is my oldest typewriter and also my first standard sized typewriter. The 11 indicates the carriage is 11 inches and will take an 8.5x11 in landscape orientation. This was originally designed for typing full size envelopes and such and is a handy feature without needing a wide carriage (like my Olympia SM9) which can be a bit too wide and unwieldy.

I was a little apprehensive about purchasing a standard typewriter because of the extra size required to store it, but I am enjoying the fact the page is so high. The paper is in your line of sight and limits the distraction around your - it is so easy to focus on the words on the page and the writing experience.

I have ordered a new two coloured ribbon and will still type on this one while I'm waiting.