1919 Corona 3 #208273
Status: My Collection
Hunter: Jonas Lauritsen (legofanatikeren)
Created: 05-05-2024 at 12:35AM
Last Edit: 05-05-2024 at 05:17AM
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Description:
Found at a flea market, this was the first time I ever laid eyes on a folding typewriter - and I decided it had to be mine. Gave about $30 for it, and it included the original - and heavily battered - case, with no key, and (though I didn't catch it at the time in all my excitement) missing the left spool holder and nut, along with no backspace arm or key.
It's a Danish keyboard, with one glass panel slightly broken, but otherwise fine condition overall. Feet intact. It's from the early part of 1919, so it has the thicker folding bars, and it's too early to have a second set of shift keys on the right side. The spacebar is by far the most worn down component on the machine, having completely eroded the paint and finish away on the right side, exposing the wood(!) inside. And even that has been worn down into a small crater.
Serial number is found on the inside of the frame, back panel. When I got it, the machine had almost grown onto the case fastening brackets, but with a bit of violence, I got it free. Having since cleaned it of most of the dirt, it now goes in and out of it's case much smoother. This model has no stencil setting, being too early.
[Backstory incoming]
So, once I took this home, and got a look at some other Corona 3's, I realized I was missing the backspace arm. But I thought to myself, that I could at least create a decorational one, if the internal mechanisms were also lacking. First off, though, I wanted to replace the spool and nut on the left side. I wound the ribbon over to the right, got the make-shift spool off (it was just a massacred DIN 2103 spool with sawed off prongs and a drilled out center, leaving just the "trunk" left) I found a picture of a spool for sale, and replicated that for 3D printing, along with the clip (see links if interested).
Next, I made a backspace arm based off some reference photos of a disassembled arm mechanism, printed a few test runs to adjust the geometry to the existing mounting point and interactive parts, then made a new arm, and fitted it on with an M3.5 electrical bolt I happened to have.
With that replaced, and with a bit of cleaning, this is the result.
Typeface Specimen:
Links:
- link to spool nut replacement (STL file)
- link to my spool replacement (STL file)
- link to my replacement backspace arm and keycap (STL file)
Photos:
Hunter: Jonas Lauritsen (legofanatikeren)
Jonas Lauritsen's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 643
Casual collector of replica flintlock pistols, and in that same vein, picked up a couple of typewriters through the years - as a mechanical engineer, I could not resist.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Corona 3 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Corona Serial Number page and the Corona 3 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.
