A Modern Invention for a 100 Year Old Typewriter

[@HWPcville]

When I took typing class in 10th grade, 54 years ago, on that style typewriter, we would put a light pencil mark on the paper at the point we didn't want to type past. Insert into the typewriter and type to the mark, remove the paper and erase the mark. Nice machine you have there and I love the sound of a manual typewriter.

[@MorleyKert]

Thank you!

[@markgreen2170]

...lucky his dad didn't tell him that trick or he wouldn't have done the project, lol! Great video.

[@olik136]

all the typewriters I used had a small bell ring when you started the last line. Funnily enough I also learned typing on a typewriter in school.. but in 2003 because my school was behind a few decades..

[@gamingchinchilla7323]

@@olik136 that's the best sort of school imo

[@MagneticProductions1]

This is exactly the type of low tech but effective solution that would've been used in that era, which is smart because I and a lot of others would probably use some kind of microcontroller and a rotary encoder to count the steps which wouldn't fit in at all. Impressive as heck, nice job. Been keeping up with every upload since I found your channel c:

[@MorleyKert]

Thank you so much!

[@HWPcville]

Additional comment. I'm not sure about the specific typewriter you have but most manuals have a roller "click" release (by pressing or pulling the roller knob where you attached your new fixture). That allows one to reinsert a previously typed document and align the typed lines with the click when throwing the return. This is very useful when correcting typos that were discovered after the page has been removed or continuing with an existing document.

[@amanrai6175]

Its aways exciting to watch you solve your problems all on your own and in such innovative ways

[@MorleyKert]

That’s awesome to hear, thanks for watching 😊

[@matthiasdinkelbach1661]

This is really really cool! I found your channel pretty recently and I really admire your solution-oriented way of thinking, where the lack of an easily purchasable solution isn't a reason to give up on quality of use. It's not the way I'm used to looking at things, but I'll be taking an engineering design class in the fall and I'm excited to find out what I can do! Your channel taught me that a little ingenuity goes a lot farther than a big budget to come to arguably much more practical solutions. Definitely feeling inspired.

[@MorleyKert]

That’s so awesome to hear, thanks for watching!

[@garygronberg4310]

My 1960's Sears Tower portable (made by Smith-Corona) has a similar guide built-in on the left end of the platen. A very clever numbering countdown in two colors that tells you exactly where you are on the page. Same exact idea. You've done a fine job re-inventing it! Very enjoyable video. (I also love typing on my own 1926 Underwood Standard #5).

[@piemangamez8456]

Dang the satisfaction on this video. The vacuum after cnc, putting the numbers on the wheel. I just can't🥴🥴🥴😂 really good job!

[@MorleyKert]

I'm glad that satisfaction came through! Thanks for watching :)

[@Nosttromo]

Great project, but sadly nobody that was involved in the project for this typrwriter will ever see its improvement, or how people still appreciate it even after so long

[@spacemonkey200]

Most typewriters have a pop up paper support that adjusts in height. You set the height so when the paper hits the top of the support you know your on the last line.

[@InfiniteDarkMass]

Yeah, at the very start of the video I thought the improvement he wanted to make was a paper support. Sounds like a more elegant solution, but I'm not sure it can be made out of printed plastic. Then again trying to solve that might lead to a more interesting design and video.

[@thatlocalpessimist]

I love it when people find new and simple improvements to add to old devices. The "6 per-inch" rule you observed appears to be very intentional; it's equal to one typographical Pica, ⅙ of an inch. This Pica is then split further into the common measurement of 12 points. The part I find strange about all of this is that the designers went so far to design a typewriter optimized for a 10/11-point font, but not to provide a vertical measuring tool on the wheel to begin with...

[@kathyfann]

Very nice I love the Sound makes me remember older movies 🎥 that’s where I have seen them

[@otherdogdesign8666]

What an elegant solution. Simple and functional.

[@MorleyKert]

Thank you!

[@alejandroperaza5406]

Simply beautiful! Thank you for recording these videos!

[@MorleyKert]

Thanks for watching!

[@footrotdog]

Fun fact: I'm pretty sure that knurled knob you were originally going to cover up, allows you to move the roller in a stepless fashion. Just pull on it and adjust the roller knob on the right. You should be able to freely move the roller without any steps. At least that's how the typewriters worked when I was in school in the 80's :)

[@MorleyKert]

It does! But there’s also a lever that does that as well… I wonder why there’s both?

[@footrotdog]

@@MorleyKert I guess the lever is so that you can lock it to 'smooth'. The knurled knob is so that you can made 'micro-adjustments' to the alignment quickly using both hands, say for example if you are filling out a pre-printed form and needed to type inside a box (basically the OG version of filling out a pdf form).

[@MorleyKert]

Ooohhhh that makes sense!

[@iout]

@@MorleyKert ​ a bit late, so you might have figured this out already, but the typewriter I use also has a knob and a toggle lever. The difference between them is whether they maintain the relationship to those clicks. The knob allows you to set the writing line smoothly and the clicks are referenced from that. The lever allows you to move smoothly, but it doesn’t affect where the clicks are referenced to. This allows you to type off the writing line (e.g. superscripts and subscripts) and when you’re done you can flip the switch again and the rollers will reengage with the clicks, preserving your original typing line.

[@InfiniteDarkMass]

@@iout Nice. Never knew there was all that functionality in the old typewriters. I actually wonder if most people using them knew even back then? Never got a chance to check out something written on a typewriter long ago.

[@Tomd8002]

I would love to convert a typewriter into a usb keyboard, including the carriage return triggering the enter key!

[@piemangamez8456]

That would be SICK plz do it!

[@ayylmao.mp3]

ultimate mechanical keyboard lmao

[@DrBovdin]

I have seen a “retro” keyboard designed in the way you described, but it was built for modern devices, ergo: plastic and flimsy (I think it was even designed specifically as an accessory for iPad or some other pad. A conversion would be much more interesting, feel better, and of course be more fun as one would have to come up with some clever solutions to get it done. I would suspect the easiest way would be to just get a donor Bluetooth keyboard and painstakingly rewire the keys of it to contacts underneath the old keyboard that are actuated by the key presses, and one on the lever. Bonus for an encoder on the roller to give up and down keying. Mega bonus if you then make it type back automatically… but then you would have essentially built a Bluetooth tty, and then why not get a 1930s tty anyway 😉 (if the noise from the motor is annoying, it can be modified with a modern silent high-torque motor that only speed up on data reception… I guess we just went beyond the scope of this comment)

[@Lumpio2]

The ultimate hipster keyboard.

[@EdgedPixie]

Linus Tech Tips did a video already, doing just that, if you're interested

[@vwestlife]

That same page layout became the standard of word processors and computer printers during the era of daisy wheel and dot matrix printers: 1 inch margins, 66 lines per page.

[@jacobcreech4382]

I’ve learnt so many useful tips about cad from watching you, even though I use Onshape rather than fusion360 and even though imperial measure sound made up to me. Would love to see you doing more CAM/CNC projects in the future. Keep up the great work.

[@MorleyKert]

Thanks! I’m really excited to do more CNC projects

[@thethriftyfawn]

This was absolutely WHOLESOME and the enthusiasm was so contagious! I am a viewer who has no knowledge of 3D printing and very minimal wood working knowledge, but this was totally irrelevant to my enjoyment of watching this video! I love the care taken and the thought towards further caring for and enjoying this beautiful typewriter, as well as giving it a new and loving home! Phenomenal job! 😊

[@MorleyKert]

Thank you so much for your lovely comment!

[@thethriftyfawn]

@@MorleyKert I subscribed after leaving the comment! 🙂

[@markusosterle3958]

Your videos are really great and showing the cad modelling is a very nice touch. A few videos ago I commented you can use circular patterns on features and now you actually did it this way! Great! This really put a smile on my face!

[@hrdcpy]

Duuuuuude. How satisfying. Nice work on this one. Fusion 360 looks a little intimidating and it helps to watch your videos. I have too many ideas locked up.

[@MorleyKert]

That’s so awesome to hear. Thanks for watching!

[@alfredklek]

This invention already exists. It's called a "Page End Indicator." My 1974 IBM Selectric has a something very similar to this, made of clear plastic, on the right hand platen knob. It's a little bit more convoluted to use because the scale is set up kindof wonky but it's basically the same idea.

[@traininthebutt7215]

I think a some Royals had them in the ‘30s, like on the KHM. My Royal FP has an end of page indicator, as do most of my machines.

[@scruffy3121]

Honestly I don't really care for what ever is being made here. But the CAD design process always gives me new hints and ideas on how to do clever CAD. Keep up the great work.

[@MorleyKert]

Thank you!

[@dean_duplantis]

Excited to see you added a new tool for you to explore with. Liked that you used the leather man screw driver.

[@MorleyKert]

I’m excited to use it more! Gotta love those multi tool screwdrivers

[@davebauerart]

This is pretty cool! Nice improvement, as always I appreciate the design process.

[@MorleyKert]

Thanks Dave!

[@Petrslav]

I've been on an ididathing and William osman kick recently and was hoping to find another channel to add to that mix. Your channel is an awesome find, and I've been binging your videos like crazy. The KZbin algorithm has finally done something right!

[@MorleyKert]

That’s awesome to hear, thanks for watching!

[@Jeff_Eats_Local]

Another great solution to a typewriter issue! Turned out great!

[@MorleyKert]

Thank you!

[@assassinlexx1993]

If you find some black bottles with a 2 on the bottom. You can easily melt it. By making a fast wooden mold. You can make that know look original knob but your design for the paper length. Cool idea you thought of.

[@MandoThingz]

Incredible, just incredible

[@MorleyKert]

Thank you!

[@brucermarino]

Excellent design and manufacturing! I seem to recall typewriters where there was a riveted piece or two of flat metal attached to the back of the carriage. When rotated up these would support the paper so instead of folding over the card you could see what you just typed. A simple indicator on the top would let you know when you were reaching the bottom of the paper. This would also have the advantage of being your natural field-of-view. Thanks again!

[@jonny555ive]

Awesome job dude. Way to look outside the box. bringing a modern twist to a classic typewriter. Very cool. You get an 11 out of 10 🤣 Big props for the spinal tap reference 🤘🤘

[@GeahkBurchill]

I have an Underwood No.5 and I’m gonna tinker with this idea too

[@MorleyKert]

Awesome!

[@randomvideos6944]

Next time if you need tiny text on your 3d prints try laser engraving the print. First mask the part that needs to be engraved and then set your laser to burn the tape and etch the PLA. After that spray the engraved area with clear paint, after that dries hit it with a contrasting color, then remove the masking. (If you skip the clear coat step the contrasting paint will run under the masking and wick into the layer lines)

[@Bass-guitarist]

Brilliant, well done!

[@highpath4776]

That metal bar pull out releases the step lock on the roller, allowing for subscript and superscript, but its tricky to reset !!

[@JV-pu8kx]

One click is on pica, or twelve points. Six picas, or seventy-two points per inch. (Traditionally it's 72.27 points per inch.)

[@MorleyKert]

Ooohhhh, cool! TIL

[@MrDrProfPatrick12]

Very clever! I feel like I'm learning fusion 360 just by watching these videos even though I've never used it haha

[@juancastellon7183]

Similar to Smith Corona's Page Gage feature. Cool project!

[@MorleyKert]

I’ve never heard of that, I’ll have to check it out! Thanks for watching 😊

[@DrPWNS-fz6yh]

That… was… AMAZING 🤩

[@MorleyKert]

Thank you!

[@sethphillips4779]

Great project man!

[@MorleyKert]

Thank you!

[@chrisgebben2043]

My goodness i've been considering snap connector 3 in 1 this makes it more convincing

[@MorleyKert]

Awesome! They have a sale going on right now, check out the link in the description :)

[@andrhamm]

Whoa, so cool that you got a CNC! 👏

[@MorleyKert]

I’m stoked!

[@SmithMrCorona]

I collect typewriters, and many have indicators that tell you when you're getting close to the bottom of the page. I'm looking right now at my stalwart Smith-Corona Silent from the early 50s, and on the roller, there is a bit that you can adjust when you put in your onion skin (you have to pull out a pin on the carriage). Others, like my Olympia SM3, has a fold out paper stand in the back that acts as an indicator.

[@MorleyKert]

That’s really interesting!

[@SmithMrCorona]

@@MorleyKert The ones on the Smith-Coronas work very similar to your design. That pin on the roller handle can be pulled out and the roller will spin freely when turned - that might save you from having to loosen the indicator every time you put in a page.

[@AndyCPugh]

Now that is clever!

[@MorleyKert]

Thanks, Andy!

[@JamesMossR33]

My Mum spent many years typing in jobs, and still hammers the keys of her laptop like it's a typewriter. What a great solution this is.

[@craigb.5902]

That’s a good solution. Not unlike a zeroing dial on lathe and mill cranks. There were some end of page indicators on typewriters but not all had them and of those that did most of them were not exactly user friendly. But, the Olympia SM series of typewriters had an elegantly simple solution to end of page indication. They had a flip up paper support that had a hook at the top. You would extend the support out to whatever size paper you were using, fully extended being standard letter size paper. Once the paper was out far enough to touch the hook at the top, you knew you had a one inch margin remaining at the bottom of the paper.

[@johnsavard7583]

When I saw your picture for this video, I thought you were holding a Selectric typeball in your hand. The Selectric typewriter actually had, on the edge of the roller, a device similar to what you're making here. But that roller had a circumference of 4 1/2 inches - IBM's electric typebar typewriters had a circumference of 5 1/2 inches, half a page, like your typewriter.

[@av8bvma513]

The simplest and quickest and cheapest EOP indicator, is a pencil mark. 1" from the lower edge of the paper is a good distance to start. - You can also make an extension to your paper-rest, such as a wooden ruler, that you affix in such a way that the Top of the paper reaches an easily seen mark when your desired length has been reached.

[@bracco23]

CNC for working with wood: check 3d printer for accurate stylish numbers: check Simple screwdriver to unscrew simple screw: missing. jk, great idea, wonderful execution!

[@MorleyKert]

Haha gotta love the Swiss Army knife! Thanks for watching 😊

[@mambono6]

Love your work but an even bigger fan of your voice. keeps me interested

[@swedneck]

I love the detail of 11 also being 0, that's such a time-appropriate thing.

[@aweirdguynamedjeff]

Good job getting the cnc and 3d printer to work together 👍 It's time to learn Fusion cam, there is really no need to export the svg.

[@MorleyKert]

Soon!

[@timmundorff2354]

Very cool! Eventually typers came about with just this capability built into the roller..so you could see where you're at as long as you lined it up properly at the top of the page. But none of those machines are as cool-lookin' as your Underwood!

[@rogerwhiting9310]

I used to put a light pencil mark on the paper to denote the lowest type.

[@snax_4820]

You are a genius!

[@Neo2]

i love your work i hope i can be as good as you one day wish you luck and happiness in your long life thank you again for the joy

[@maxximumb]

Great solution to a 100 year old problem.

[@MorleyKert]

Took long enough! 😂😉 Thanks for watching ❤️

[@donalddenning2383]

Cool. Got an underwood finger flight from my grandmother.

[@MorleyKert]

That’s a sleek machine compared to this behemoth!

[@donalddenning2383]

@@MorleyKert that looks like it might be easier to type on though

[@Mobin92]

I didn't think the numbers would print that neatly.

[@MorleyKert]

I was definitely impressed! Gotta love multicolour printing

[@SparkleBoom2023]

Great video!🤍

[@MorleyKert]

Thanks!

[@_landro_1092]

And have a öool on IBM Selectrics paper length indicator which even work for different paper sizes! Yay!

[@Mr_Pr3sid3nt]

This is awesome.

[@loubano]

Great video thank you very much

[@MorleyKert]

Thanks for watching!

[@RetroGamerVX]

Many if them had a bar wt the back that raised, as paper came out and up, it would rest against it, that rest would have marks on to show you how many lines left. Good idea though :)

[@FrankGrauJr]

Some typewriters had a feature to indicate when your paper was about to run out. I forget which models I’ve seen it on, but I know they’re out there.

[@Beaches_south_of_L.A.]

We liked you Morley. You cool.

[@1st1anarkissed]

Well that's more interesting than just measuring and marking the bottom margin before hand with a small pencil mark on the left side of the page.

[@_landro_1092]

You can simply draw a short mark with a soft pencil e.g. 1 inch from bottom and when you see this, you change paper. You can even markt stacked paper. After typing simply erase the small marker.

[@kazolar]

If you're already in fusion 360 -- do the cam in fusion, way more powerful than exporting SVGs. If you know you're feeds and speeds -- and depth of cut, cam in fusion is really straight forward.

[@MorleyKert]

Definitely! When I made this video, I hadn’t yet learned CAM in Fusion 360 but I spent some time yesterday learning and I’m excited to use it 😊

[@jimbobjones9330]

That was my thought. I have a Snapmaker as well (largely since I wanted to try CNC/Laser/3D printing without having a separate machine), and the CAM stuff in Fusion 360 works great for it.

[@WhyWouldYouDrawThat]

Awesome video. Here’s a nerd suggestion for you. Redo it 100% 3D printed. Add a reduction gear and a cover. This would enable only ever seeing exactly where you are up to. I would make it start at the point you drop the paper in. You first manually set it here, then drop the paper and turn it to ‘0%’. Each click adds 1.5%. 100% is the last line before you run out of page.

[@proletariennenaturiste]

The Royal Quiet De Luxe for example has a way of seeing how many lines you have left.

[@mlem7108]

Nice! What was the strand of black besides the numbers on the 3d printer bed? Was that it clearing out the nozzle of the previous colour?

[@MorleyKert]

Thanks! That was the left over filament from when the extruder loaded the black filament and pushed a bit out of the nozzle.

[@jimcagle7648]

that was available on Smith Corona, IBM Selectric and possible some others in the 1950's

[@Rick-wn5oh]

When I was a teenager, I use to work on that exact machine. Of course it almost 50 years ago. I worked for a business machine repair shop. If I remember right, I might have earned around $6.00 an hour.

[@highpath4776]

I think there were guidelines underpapers you could buy.

[@oswaldgustav8858]

It's a genius!

[@Furzgun]

Came here out of boredom, left with new skills for fusion360

[@Dominguezangel94]

Yes!!

[@MorleyKert]

Thanks for watching 😊

[@donalddenning2383]

Comment 2,: you could reprint the indicator inserts to have numbers for the first half of the page 1-33 and second number to the right for the second half of the page 34-66

[@neatt3815]

Ancient problems require modern solutions

[@MorleyKert]

💯

[@davidjacobs8558]

simpler solution, put a wooden ruler (commonly used in schools) behind the paper. the paper will ride on it as it moves up. just put a place marker on ruler to indicate 1/2 " remaning, 1" remaing, etc. also, most mechanical typewriters have 12 point font size, 72 point in an inch. so 6 lines per inch. pica means 10 characters per inch, elite is 12 characters per inch side ways.

[@MorleyKert]

That’s a clever simple solution!

[@LeifNelandDk]

@@MorleyKert my parents typewriters had a paper guide, to hold the printed part visible, and an movable ruler to show how much left.

[@jancharouz3252]

You got away with it this time, but if you go bigger, you will need to add fillets to the bottom corners of the dovetail inserts. The bit cannot cut tight corners due to its radius, so you have to match the fillet to the bit radius. Also, I would really like to see a V2 with a 2:1 gear reduction, and a percentage scale. With that, you could go from 100-0% in one rotation.

[@e7yu]

Hope you made a patent for that

[@maxdarkdog5051]

Small tip for everyone If your text is to small to extrude just do a text pocket. You can print a part quth a 0.2mm hole with a 0.4mm nozzle but not an extrusion. Also recesed text won't be able to de laminate

[@MorleyKert]

True!

[@MarkEichin]

Was having a selector for 6 lines/inch vs 8 lines/inch a feature of this typewriter, or only a later thing? (it's still "two full turns of the platen" but the intermediate numbers might be less useful.)

[@lasqueur]

I thought you are going to add a magnifying glass on top of the line indicator

[@HamsterXFiles]

Can you save your game on it?

[@robwgeorge]

The famous Beat poet/author Jack Kerouac "solved" this problem by typing on scrolls of paper. There's a fun podcast on NPR about this. "Jack Kerouac's Famous Scroll, 'On the Road' Again"

[@vitezslav-jaros]

How many clicks you have to make to see paper in front? this number set in oposite direction on counter, before you insert the paper. Then roll to 11 and paper should apear in front. And you dont have to adjust the counter.

[@Ektalon]

Or, you could advance a sheet of paper until it disappears behind the roller, and then count the advance clicks to get to the end. Then ember that.

[@scottgriz]

Do you have to pull the wheel out and manually turn it from 6 to 7 for the second half of the sheet?

[@MorleyKert]

No, because it’s an odd number it cycles through automatically.

[@infolearner9058]

Very nice video! You have great ideas. What's the name of the software??

[@MorleyKert]

Fusion 360!

[@infolearner9058]

@@MorleyKert Thank you very much!

[@systemchris]

Silly question what paper size is that, A4 or us letter?

[@saturnslastring]

Why not just add a ruler to the top that holds the sheet after it comes off the roller? Number it 0-11 with zero at the top to show how many inches of paper you have left.

[@MicroMidas]

Won't it show the wrong number every second time also? If the point was to see just when you hit the last line, why not just make _one_ mark, for _just_ that?

[@mariasil8234]

Muy bueno, lastima no está subtitulado al español😢

[@registromalplena2514]

I started typing on one just like that about 1975.

[@MorleyKert]

I love mine!

[@darkchachouke2614]

Man, That's ??? I can't find the words

[@mvaneijgen]

I watched a few of your videos now and I really like them! I had one suggestion: I seem to lose focus when you open Fusion 360. I think it has to do with that you have a clear form you're working towards, but this is in your head and that makes is hard to follow, maybe you could include a quick sketch to illustrated what it is you're working towards in Fusion. Also video idea: build a 3D printed mechanical keyboard! I build a few already, great fun when you have a 3D printer and know your way around CAD! Keep it up!

[@MorleyKert]

Thanks for the feedback! I would love to do some 3D printed buttons, whether that be a full keyboard or a more specific device!

[@thespencerowen]

Make the 11 a different color, like Red

[@MorleyKert]

That’s a cool idea!

[@harrisonkatzz7090]

I HAVE REMINGTON NO 6 NOISELESS . WANT IT ?