Dear Congress,
This is the Internet calling. You may take your SOPA back. Thanks!
A blog about all kinds of vintage technology from simple mechanisms of the late 1800s through electronics and robotics of the 1980s. Many posts will be typecast and some will be off topic bits from everyday life. The blog will wander and meander with my quasi-evolving and ever changing interests.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Greetings from a Happy Robot
The junk bots on this blog look vicious.
I'll admit enjoying the whole mythos of giant robots from space run amok and determined to take over our pretty, shiny planet. But there are also heroic robots like R2-C4 that come out of nowhere to save humans from the literary slaughter.
I also have some totally happy and well adjusted junk bots I've built and similar collaborations with Claire. She tends to save robotic destruction for cartooning and builds generally happy robots.
Unfortunately, those robots haven't been featured often enough and I need to alter the Happy Bot Quotient.
The following happy robot was built as a gift for a friend of the family's high school graduation. She is a Harry Potter fanatic and one of the biggest Word Nerds we know outside of our own family - ironic as she is the child of an engineer and a math teacher. She is relentlessly upbeat with a touch of snark and needed a friendly companion for the dorm.
With the exception of the after Halloween clearance arms, this bot was built with parts from my favorite thrift shop. I was so excited to find a travel Lite Brite! I can think of few things better for Word Nerds.
This robot has a lower recycled content than many due to the light sticks. All of the assembly hardware came from yard and estate sale garage and basement collections. We often use LEDs and sound boards recovered from dead or unwanted toys.
I have to admit a bit of existential angst after reading Robert Messenger's post on typewriter vandalism (more commonly known as Key Chopping in North America). It's hard for me to know where to draw the line between junk and history when gathering parts. Happy Meal toys are easy as there are whole tubs full that go unsold and end up in the thrift store dumpster. My Spousal Unit would probably not be shocked to learn that I have scrounged things out of said dumpster.
Both the Lite Brite and the Kodak Hawkeye were garage sale rejects that still had their masking tape price stickers. Still, the Hawkeye is unique. I do save and display a variety of point and shoots from the 1930s-1970s. So the line is fuzzy at times and subject to fits of whimsy on my part. Generally, the higher the technology and mechanical level, the less likely I am to turn it into a robot part.
So there you have it: a happy robot with a side of angst. This probably won't be the last happy robot to earn a spot on Vintagetechobsessions.
I'll admit enjoying the whole mythos of giant robots from space run amok and determined to take over our pretty, shiny planet. But there are also heroic robots like R2-C4 that come out of nowhere to save humans from the literary slaughter.
This is R2-C4. You may have seen him defending William Shakespeare from the Spacebot. I would classify him as a moderately vicious looking robot. It's a good thing he is on our side. |
I also have some totally happy and well adjusted junk bots I've built and similar collaborations with Claire. She tends to save robotic destruction for cartooning and builds generally happy robots.
Unfortunately, those robots haven't been featured often enough and I need to alter the Happy Bot Quotient.
The following happy robot was built as a gift for a friend of the family's high school graduation. She is a Harry Potter fanatic and one of the biggest Word Nerds we know outside of our own family - ironic as she is the child of an engineer and a math teacher. She is relentlessly upbeat with a touch of snark and needed a friendly companion for the dorm.
With the exception of the after Halloween clearance arms, this bot was built with parts from my favorite thrift shop. I was so excited to find a travel Lite Brite! I can think of few things better for Word Nerds.
I didn't have time to add batteries, a switch and LEDs inside the camera. The light stick arms really balances this guy's look. |
Still charming with the lights off. |
Both the Lite Brite and the Kodak Hawkeye were garage sale rejects that still had their masking tape price stickers. Still, the Hawkeye is unique. I do save and display a variety of point and shoots from the 1930s-1970s. So the line is fuzzy at times and subject to fits of whimsy on my part. Generally, the higher the technology and mechanical level, the less likely I am to turn it into a robot part.
So there you have it: a happy robot with a side of angst. This probably won't be the last happy robot to earn a spot on Vintagetechobsessions.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Typing Heavy Metal
Typed on a Torpedo 18 (Because I am too lazy to take another one out of a case.) |
White Zombie - Black Sunshine with Iggy Pop
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Everest K2 with a Serif Allergy
The Everest K2 has a classic shape. I purchased less for the color than the typeface. |
The body shell is all aluminum as are a number of components such as the key bar guide. |
The color and style this De Luxe logo remind me of early 1950s Chevy sedans. |
Maybe Everest had a dislike for serifs in general. Alright, that is a bad theory given the identical machine in Robert Messenger's possession and Adwoa's shiny, black K2. |
I like the odd little details. I can easily imagine that lever inside one of the little Fiats now cruising around American cities. |
Does anyone have a controls diagram for this machine that they can scan?
I observed in the typecast that this typewriter still has a few issues. I can't help comparing this to my German machines including the Olympia SM3s and the freakishly smooth Torpedo 18. I had to do a lot of filing and bending to get parts to work on this machine due to alignment problems in the key bar slots. That gave me a chance to get to know the mechanical bits well, with some problem yet to be discovered that is keeping the carriage from moving consistently.
My general opinion is that they tried hard, but there are just some basic design and finish issues that get in the way. It isn't as slushy as the Royal Futura 800. The cast aluminum frame is well done. They didn't skimp on key tension springs. With all that going for it, various alignment issues appear to have kept this machine from having been used very much. The type slugs were already pretty clean when I got it.
Assuming I get the carriage draw tweaked, I think it will be a decent typer for short works. The type face is really cool and joins the unique SM3 italic iterations and the Royal script in the household typing pool. Guess I need to buy some new ribbons!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Christmas Was So Two Weeks Ago
It's interesting to me just how short the American post-Christmas attention span is. We have this huge build up starting before Halloween (our local CVS had nutcrackers and zombie masks out at the same time), and by December 27th Christmas is just a dim memory made foggier by leftover cookies and family feast remains.
Christmas was so two weeks ago, but I am still enjoying gifts including a little something that Claire lovingly modified for my amusement.
We'll just say that no board book or mini bit of kitsch artwork is safe from her and her pens. These particular books had moved from her closet to a donation pile over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Thus ends Christmas 2011. As long as the Mayans were wrong, we look forward to another season of lights and nerdy fun at the end of 2012.
Really, I mean it. Christmas is over. We take down the decorations this weekend. Some people have a hard time letting go, but the the next post will be something entirely different - promise!
Christmas was so two weeks ago, but I am still enjoying gifts including a little something that Claire lovingly modified for my amusement.
We'll just say that no board book or mini bit of kitsch artwork is safe from her and her pens. These particular books had moved from her closet to a donation pile over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Each page has an added hidden Nerd symbol. The rocket was really hard to find. |
Yep, every letter of the alphabet is now a monster. At first I thought the "Q" was smoking a cigar - that is until the girls pointed out the fingernail. Very much my kid in so many ways... |
Claire received multiple sketch pads and pens for Christmas. |
Really, I mean it. Christmas is over. We take down the decorations this weekend. Some people have a hard time letting go, but the the next post will be something entirely different - promise!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
New Maker Space - Teen Spirit Free of Charge
Behold our new slate top work bench! It should be impervious to solder, fire, many fine chemicals and Lego NXT pieces. Metal bits can scratch slate, so we'll be careful with typewriter repairs and robot builds.
The real challenge is keeping a house full of book, crossword, pen, typewriter and electronics loving nerds from filling up this luscious horizontal space. We will do our best and try to keep the major builds out by the drill press on the junk art bench.
Here is the new multipurpose maker space. This was before addition of 200 watts of halogen lighting above. This beast is all oak and the slate is 1 1/4" thick. Yes, it as heavy as it looks. |
This is somewhat benign teen spirit spoor. Shelf liner covers up the worst of it. Not that we or our middle schoolers have never seen four letter words. Mild refinishing will have to wait for spring. |
Well, my boring gray Royal Futura 800 looks like it grew out of the slate. If I'm not careful, the color scheme may actually grow on me. |
Saturday, December 31, 2011
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