Heh, don't be ashamed to admit that you hunt under a certain price range - that attitude represents a pretty significant subset of modern typewriter collecting, and tends to get you interesting specimens you may not consider if you've got the "I must have X model typewriter right now because I saw that it was popular, and I don't care what I pay for it" attitude. Of course, they're both valid attitudes, but I've had more fun pursuing the former. (:
Just picked up my first typewriter. It’s a brother underwood model 11 from 1926. It was on sale from $675 to $243. Almost perfect condition for the age and it came with 2 new ribbons.
Great ideas! For finding cheap typewriters in my area, my advice would be: start collecting fifteen years ago! It worked for me! Now everyone thinks they have a priceless artefact. Keep up the good work; I so much enjoy your videos.
@@wheelieblind Only locally. There are some fantastic repair techs who do ship typewriters and have great websites. Check out Lucas Dul, Charlie Foxtrot, The Type Space, IronFox Typewriters- each of them have websites!
I have been selling cleaned and repaired typewriters on eBay for a few years now, shipping is not as terrifying as it sounds, I only sell portables since office standards are too bulky. Trick is to use FedEx since they seem to be better and more affordable for bulky and heavy items, and always, always, always, always add on insurance, it is only like $2-$4 extra and if the worst does happen you get your money back. Lost track of how many I have sold and only had one issue where FedEx decided to drop kick the box, but insurance paid out, got the typewriter back, repaired it, and sold again. Also, Walmart heavy duty boxes, the blue ones, can be cut down to better fit typewriters, always use'em with a ton of newspaper packing with cardboard to give room for shock. Also did I mention the importance of insurance....
It also helps that you can fix them too. There are many of us who are not handy at all and are willing to pay more for a machine they do not have to fix in order to get it working. For me, I only buy machines that have been cleaned and restored. My cheapest has been $200 and my most expensive has been $600.
That is definitely an additional cost factor- but those who professionally service typewriters are worth the extra money! Their knowledge is astounding!
The coffee was working,... your WPM was off the charts here. Also 19:22 made me laugh. That is a special advantage right there, not one I have myself. I have a face for radio, as we say around here.
So I'm starting a collection apparently. Not even a week after I bought my first, I have bought an Underwood 315 for 17 usd including shipping. The machine itself was only 7 usd.
Some machines are really hard to get when you have a tight price cap. I learned that when i was looking for a Groma Kolibri and a Hermés Baby. Those are usually laughable expensive... unless you get one that is in serious need of servicing, like my Hermés Baby. It was totally not working well at all and had rust everywhere, when i got it. Type lugs were all dirty and the platten was covered in moldy spots and was super hard. But with proper care i got this machine back to working state and REALLY love the super straightforward and easy mechanism it has. However most of my machines in my collection were usually in that 20-30 bucks price range. I got a Brother Deluxe 220 for under 20 bucks, my Adler Tippa from the 70s cost me 10 bucks and my Robotron Cella S 1001 cost me about 20 bucks. Also found a pristine looking Groma Model T (1940s style) on a fleamarket once for 20 bucks. Needed a new ribbon (i had to re-spool a fresh ribbon on the spools it came with) but other than that it looked factory new. An absolute steal.
Sadly, the prices have soared due to renewed interest in typewriters (which is great!) and historic inflation (which is not great!). Finding a typewriter under $25 today that is in decent shape is pretty hard. But your video still has good points that hold up a year later! Thanks for posting.
Good little vid! Typewriters (as most things) are worth what people are willing to pay for. Cleaning Typewriters is a....strange joy of mine. 😅 I don't want a fit-n-finished machine because I want to work on it. Another tip for ebay is follow auctions with no bids but around you price; when it's about to end with no bites, asked the seller for a lower price. Cheers, and good luck!
I love your attitude which of course can be applied to collecting any old gear. You have to do what suits you too. Lots of sound advice. I do live in a city in the UK and I have seen one in a charity shop for £25 and another at a vintage fair for £65 both in working order. I was also surprised to see that the Royal brand typewriter is still being made. Sadly they don't seem to ship to my area. They are a couple of hundred new so a big price difference. Maybe they will sponsor some of your videos!
Happy for you that you could find typewriters that reasonable. Yes, location is huge. I live in ridiculously expensive Bay Area Ca. No deals here or EBay. Just makes the hunt more interesting
@@wonderwomanguy you consider yourself lucky to find the small portables for under 100. 80 is the best i found without it being broken. Even Craigslist is a joke. 150-200
@@ronnisullivan9794 I wonder if those sellers are getting what they are asking for at $150 - 200? I'm seeing similar pricing in Raleigh, NC but I know that those machine will keep right on sitting on the shelves. If typewriters are moving well in your area, it would almost make sense for you to strike up a deal with Ms. Just My Typewriter to get her products into your market with a pay day for you both! My recent buy was in the middle of nowhere Arkansas, and I over paid but it was worth it to me. But the dozen or so typewriters in that antique store were mostly north of $100 with no work do to them in their lives.
If I was asked what I miss most about living in Pennsylvania, it would be the amazing antiques at rock bottom prices. I purchased a beautiful 3500 square foot home for $80,000 and spent seven years filling it full of gorgeous antiques and cool vintage finds for super cheap. The town I lived in looked like a fairy tale with brick and cobbled streets, iron fences, lush lawns and street lined trees. The only thing that I don’t miss are the harsh winters.
I bought one from FB Marketplace. They were asking $75. I went to look at it and because it wasn't showing well and she gave it to me for $40. I just wanted it to type on. It's a nice Smith Corina Sterling from the mid-1960s. I'm in Washington County, Md., not far from you.
My oldest wasn't specific enough in what they were looking for when they said they wanted a typewriter a couple years ago. I ended up getting them an early electric, but they wanted a full manual. They're a bit harder to find at Goodwill. Think I've only seen 2 or 3 in the past few years, and most have been in terrible condition. I did pick up an old manual typewriter from the Goodwill in Ebensburg for myself because I thought it would be neat. I forget what they were originally asking for it, but I did negotiate it down to $15 or $20. The typewriter isn't in terrible shape. It does need some cleaning, but the case has seen some better days and is the part I'm least confidant in being able to fix which has stalled me from doing anything with it. Not sure what model off the top of my head.
I'm just like You when it comes to prices ^^ Especially when i see them locally. And even if i would not actually NEED that certain model but if it tickles me right, i just couldn't say no and take it home with me and restore it back to working conditions. Because for the sheer sake of love toward these machines. It would break my heart if nobody else would buy it and the machine would end up on the dumpster because it just wouldn't sell.
Great video!! I love hunting for typewriters but I see few in my area and usually they’re way overpriced. I’ve had mixed luck having them shipped. Honestly the one that shipped best was a Brother 220 from France to Seattle. On the flip side if I do find a cheap one that doesn’t need more than cleaning, it’s fairly easy to fix up and sell. Another vid of yours I liked was replacing the feet. I just put new feet on a Hermes Rocket and it improved the typing SO much. I was shocked.
I have 3 typewriters with a fourth on the way! XD I’m a mechanic and I fix “broken” typewriters in stores and impress the owners running the place. They still don’t lower the price for me XD I collect typewriters for a practical purpose however. I’m a writer who pumps out work really fast but I don’t want the power to go out on something while I’m writing, that and I like back up machines! Off grid stuff that’s basically bulletproof.
I love your channel and the tactile feel of typewriters, however everything I see is waaaay overpriced. I'm talking £75 to £90. So I can't really get near my first experience of one. Anyway, love your channel, keep it up 😊
I had never thought of looking on Craigslist till this week and when I did I saw that most everything was above $150. For the fun of it I asked someone if their $250 SMC Electra 120 was fully restored and they said no but what would I offer. My offer $20 as they aren't any more collectible than a 2000 Toyota Camry. Offer declined and I said good luck. Moral of the story: avoid Craigslist!
@@JustMyTypewriter ive been looking into getting a typewriter to help speed up writing letters, and your videos have been super helpful. still not sure what kind is right for me, but I know what I'm looking for now haha. Your video quality is really good! everything looks and sounds great. do you do it all yourself?
You are fortunate. I live in an area where the ‘pickers’ hit the common places, so everyone thinks their typewriter is a Hermes 3000.
Heh, don't be ashamed to admit that you hunt under a certain price range - that attitude represents a pretty significant subset of modern typewriter collecting, and tends to get you interesting specimens you may not consider if you've got the "I must have X model typewriter right now because I saw that it was popular, and I don't care what I pay for it" attitude. Of course, they're both valid attitudes, but I've had more fun pursuing the former. (:
That attitude is the "fast fashion" of typewriter collection, instead of just picking what you want.
Just picked up my first typewriter. It’s a brother underwood model 11 from 1926. It was on sale from $675 to $243. Almost perfect condition for the age and it came with 2 new ribbons.
Congratulations!
Great ideas! For finding cheap typewriters in my area, my advice would be: start collecting fifteen years ago! It worked for me! Now everyone thinks they have a priceless artefact.
Keep up the good work; I so much enjoy your videos.
I've found it means I wait quite a bit between machines- but it does make that one good find really fun!
@@JustMyTypewriter I do not know how to fix them and would not be able to do you sale fixed ones?
@@wheelieblind Only locally. There are some fantastic repair techs who do ship typewriters and have great websites. Check out Lucas Dul, Charlie Foxtrot, The Type Space, IronFox Typewriters- each of them have websites!
I have been selling cleaned and repaired typewriters on eBay for a few years now, shipping is not as terrifying as it sounds, I only sell portables since office standards are too bulky. Trick is to use FedEx since they seem to be better and more affordable for bulky and heavy items, and always, always, always, always add on insurance, it is only like $2-$4 extra and if the worst does happen you get your money back. Lost track of how many I have sold and only had one issue where FedEx decided to drop kick the box, but insurance paid out, got the typewriter back, repaired it, and sold again. Also, Walmart heavy duty boxes, the blue ones, can be cut down to better fit typewriters, always use'em with a ton of newspaper packing with cardboard to give room for shock. Also did I mention the importance of insurance....
That's great advice- thank you!
It also helps that you can fix them too. There are many of us who are not handy at all and are willing to pay more for a machine they do not have to fix in order to get it working. For me, I only buy machines that have been cleaned and restored. My cheapest has been $200 and my most expensive has been $600.
That is definitely an additional cost factor- but those who professionally service typewriters are worth the extra money! Their knowledge is astounding!
These are great tips for finding anything that's not in high demand, not just typewriters. Thanks for posting this.
The coffee was working,... your WPM was off the charts here. Also 19:22 made me laugh. That is a special advantage right there, not one I have myself. I have a face for radio, as we say around here.
I do talk rather fast.
So I'm starting a collection apparently. Not even a week after I bought my first, I have bought an Underwood 315 for 17 usd including shipping. The machine itself was only 7 usd.
Some machines are really hard to get when you have a tight price cap. I learned that when i was looking for a Groma Kolibri and a Hermés Baby. Those are usually laughable expensive... unless you get one that is in serious need of servicing, like my Hermés Baby. It was totally not working well at all and had rust everywhere, when i got it. Type lugs were all dirty and the platten was covered in moldy spots and was super hard. But with proper care i got this machine back to working state and REALLY love the super straightforward and easy mechanism it has. However most of my machines in my collection were usually in that 20-30 bucks price range. I got a Brother Deluxe 220 for under 20 bucks, my Adler Tippa from the 70s cost me 10 bucks and my Robotron Cella S 1001 cost me about 20 bucks. Also found a pristine looking Groma Model T (1940s style) on a fleamarket once for 20 bucks. Needed a new ribbon (i had to re-spool a fresh ribbon on the spools it came with) but other than that it looked factory new. An absolute steal.
Sadly, the prices have soared due to renewed interest in typewriters (which is great!) and historic inflation (which is not great!). Finding a typewriter under $25 today that is in decent shape is pretty hard. But your video still has good points that hold up a year later! Thanks for posting.
Good little vid! Typewriters (as most things) are worth what people are willing to pay for. Cleaning Typewriters is a....strange joy of mine. 😅 I don't want a fit-n-finished machine because I want to work on it. Another tip for ebay is follow auctions with no bids but around you price; when it's about to end with no bites, asked the seller for a lower price. Cheers, and good luck!
Love estate sales! Enjoyed the new video trick of moving machines 😁. I am of same mindset $25 or under...generally😆
Another great video!
Love the hunt!!
I love your attitude which of course can be applied to collecting any old gear. You have to do what suits you too. Lots of sound advice. I do live in a city in the UK and I have seen one in a charity shop for £25 and another at a vintage fair for £65 both in working order. I was also surprised to see that the Royal brand typewriter is still being made. Sadly they don't seem to ship to my area. They are a couple of hundred new so a big price difference. Maybe they will sponsor some of your videos!
Happy for you that you could find typewriters that reasonable. Yes, location is huge. I live in ridiculously expensive Bay Area Ca. No deals here or EBay. Just makes the hunt more interesting
What are typewriters averaging over there?
@@wonderwomanguy you consider yourself lucky to find the small portables for under 100. 80 is the best i found without it being broken. Even Craigslist is a joke. 150-200
@@ronnisullivan9794 I wonder if those sellers are getting what they are asking for at $150 - 200? I'm seeing similar pricing in Raleigh, NC but I know that those machine will keep right on sitting on the shelves. If typewriters are moving well in your area, it would almost make sense for you to strike up a deal with Ms. Just My Typewriter to get her products into your market with a pay day for you both! My recent buy was in the middle of nowhere Arkansas, and I over paid but it was worth it to me. But the dozen or so typewriters in that antique store were mostly north of $100 with no work do to them in their lives.
If I was asked what I miss most about living in Pennsylvania, it would be the amazing antiques at rock bottom prices. I purchased a beautiful 3500 square foot home for $80,000 and spent seven years filling it full of gorgeous antiques and cool vintage finds for super cheap. The town I lived in looked like a fairy tale with brick and cobbled streets, iron fences, lush lawns and street lined trees. The only thing that I don’t miss are the harsh winters.
I agree that the winters are a bit rough!
I bought one from FB Marketplace. They were asking $75. I went to look at it and because it wasn't showing well and she gave it to me for $40. I just wanted it to type on. It's a nice Smith Corina Sterling from the mid-1960s. I'm in Washington County, Md., not far from you.
My oldest wasn't specific enough in what they were looking for when they said they wanted a typewriter a couple years ago. I ended up getting them an early electric, but they wanted a full manual. They're a bit harder to find at Goodwill. Think I've only seen 2 or 3 in the past few years, and most have been in terrible condition.
I did pick up an old manual typewriter from the Goodwill in Ebensburg for myself because I thought it would be neat. I forget what they were originally asking for it, but I did negotiate it down to $15 or $20. The typewriter isn't in terrible shape. It does need some cleaning, but the case has seen some better days and is the part I'm least confidant in being able to fix which has stalled me from doing anything with it. Not sure what model off the top of my head.
I live in one of those tourist towns that has a lot of antique stores people come from the city to visit on weekends. Very expensive unfortunately.
@@jamesonjabiru small town stores seem to be more affordable
I'm just like You when it comes to prices ^^ Especially when i see them locally. And even if i would not actually NEED that certain model but if it tickles me right, i just couldn't say no and take it home with me and restore it back to working conditions. Because for the sheer sake of love toward these machines. It would break my heart if nobody else would buy it and the machine would end up on the dumpster because it just wouldn't sell.
Love this content. Thank you for sharing these tips and tricks!!!!!
I would've never thought to check fb marketplace. Found a good selection
Fantastic, this all sounds amazing, such a fun hobby 🤓
Well this is how I look for my typweriters 😉 we must live in similar parts of north America....
Great video!! I love hunting for typewriters but I see few in my area and usually they’re way overpriced. I’ve had mixed luck having them shipped. Honestly the one that shipped best was a Brother 220 from France to Seattle. On the flip side if I do find a cheap one that doesn’t need more than cleaning, it’s fairly easy to fix up and sell. Another vid of yours I liked was replacing the feet. I just put new feet on a Hermes Rocket and it improved the typing SO much. I was shocked.
I'm glad that helped your typewriter!
I have 3 typewriters with a fourth on the way! XD
I’m a mechanic and I fix “broken” typewriters in stores and impress the owners running the place. They still don’t lower the price for me XD I collect typewriters for a practical purpose however. I’m a writer who pumps out work really fast but I don’t want the power to go out on something while I’m writing, that and I like back up machines! Off grid stuff that’s basically bulletproof.
The market has also swung again- they're back up in prices over the past few months
I love your channel and the tactile feel of typewriters, however everything I see is waaaay overpriced. I'm talking £75 to £90. So I can't really get near my first experience of one. Anyway, love your channel, keep it up 😊
i've look all over can't get anything under 200 dollors. i'm not trying to get lots and of typewriters, just want one.
Typewriter cases are almost never have a brand logo or anything on them to indicate what's inside, do they?
Sometimes they have a badge across the front that denotes brand. Other times it's based on experience- "I know this looks like a royal QDL case" etc
I had never thought of looking on Craigslist till this week and when I did I saw that most everything was above $150. For the fun of it I asked someone if their $250 SMC Electra 120 was fully restored and they said no but what would I offer. My offer $20 as they aren't any more collectible than a 2000 Toyota Camry. Offer declined and I said good luck. Moral of the story: avoid Craigslist!
I think location also matters!
2 words, Thrift Store, more advanced version. Goodwill outlet stores that organize their items in blue trolley carts.
I’m 21 with no drivers license, but I’m about to learn purely so I can drive and pick up typewriters being sold through the Facebook marketplace 😅😅
It's a good reason
I love the “hunting force”
Very helpful to have them across the pond as well :)
Hi I am hakeem looking for typewriter cost under $20
Your channel is cool!
Thanks!
@@JustMyTypewriter ive been looking into getting a typewriter to help speed up writing letters, and your videos have been super helpful. still not sure what kind is right for me, but I know what I'm looking for now haha. Your video quality is really good! everything looks and sounds great. do you do it all yourself?
@@templartv4226 yep! Learning more every video
Ill buy one from you if you are gett8ng rid of some
I only sell locally- I'm afraid of shipping! Sorry!
@@JustMyTypewriter no worries thanks