Hi Joe, I’m very new to typewriters in general and have been enjoying your content. I don’t understand the hate towards Daisy wheel typewriters, apart from the fact they are cheaply made. At the end of the day, they are just tools and these serve their purpose as writing tools just the same as manuals, you could argue they are more efficient, even. I have a brother AX-350 and now a smith corona XD 5910 bilingual for typing in Spanish. I really like these machines for making lists and banging out rough drafts as they are easier in the wrists; as someone prone to carpal tunnel, I can really appreciate this. Also, I use the built in dictionary for the XD 5910 quite a bit as I am brushing up on my Spanish and it’s been a god send for figuring out the correct letter to place accent marks in. Until I can find a manual with a Spanish keyboard layout, this will be my primary machine for writing letters back home to family. Cheers and keep up the great content.
I love my Brother daisywheel typewriters. As you say, they produce a lovely clean print. One drawback of the Brothers (I have the AX-140 and the AX-230) is that you cannot see what you are typing because the carriage blocks it, whereas with the Selectric you have more confidence because you can see exactly what you're typing as you type it. I agree with you Joe that the soft touch of the keys means I am more prone to errors, but I do not find this is the case with the Selectric II. In fact, I think thus far with the IBM Selectric II I am making fewer mistakes than on any of my typewriters. I've also recently acquired a Royal Apollo 10 electric typebar machine and am enjoying using that too. Great video as always, and thanks from Ireland! Anthony
I have Brother, Smith-Corona, and IBM wheelwriter daisy wheel typewriters and am really impressed by their efficiency and functionality. My Underwood 555 type bar electric is still my favorite electric, but the daisy wheels are not that far behind. I am a manual typewriter junkie, but I certainly get a buzz on my daisy wheels!
My first typewriter was an IBM Wheelwriter 3 that my dad gave me in the 90s. I was 12. I don't know what happened to it but I just added an IBM Wheelwriter 6 Series II to the collection I started in my 20s and I love it. A really fine, high quality, heavy duty business machine that has a very satisfying typing experience. Parts and ribbons are still widely available.
Thank you for another great video, Joe. After being long-time anti-electronic typewriters two years ago my wife entrusted her Brother AX-15 to me. So who I am not to honor this gift :) It has no computer-like extras like buffering, but I really like typing with that machine. As I can still buy cartridges I look forward using it for many years to come. And today I ordered two more brother daisywheels (that you still find a lot of in Germany), so I have 10 different fonts to write with 🤓 My favorite for letters is the Brougham (12), though Italic and Script are looking nice, too. And I am keen to see the Quadro and the Anelia P.S. that hopefully will arrive before the weekend 😃
@@Joe_VanCleave And there is one thing I really like about these machines: Sometimes my desk is messed up with stacks of books, so I'm glad that there is no moving typewriter carriage and the stacks are not in danger 😂
The PS stands for proportional spacing. I doubt that it will work on the AX-15. It will only work on certain advanced models primarily heavy duty office models.
@@benjaminernsberger9997 Correct, the PS daisy wheel did not work properly. Instead of an "m" it printed an "n" - I wonder if that ist the reason why the font is named "Anelia" and not "Amelia" (just kidding). For a moment I was tempted to buy another Brother that can work with the PS (and the 15 char/inch). But I could return the daisy wheel and bought the Super Grande 10 instead.
I had 5 of these same typewriters,I love them,my first one lasted the longest 10yrs! I had 4 more after that,problem was when they went down for various reasons,no one to repair them! Now almost impossible to find for purchase! One of my favorites,miss them! Have a Royal Script right now,no comparison,dissapointing! Loved my sx 4000!
I have a Brother GX-6750 ... that one was my 3rd typewriter of that era with the first being a Royal Daisy wheel purchased about l987 or so and then a Smith Corona DL600 (or something like that around 1990 or so. (All of them were used in our carpet-cleaning business. (I only have the Brother as of today) The thing I liked about the Royal and Smith Corona was that they typed instantly when hitting a key -- whereas the Brother has a slight delay when hitting a key to when the character actually strikes the page. I like the Brother but I give the edge to the Smith Corona and the Royal for that reason. (Wish I has kept those other two!)
This reminds me of my old IBM Wheelwriter. Both create beautiful copy. Speaking of copy, do you remember "Huron Copysette" carbon paper. That was such a time saver in 70s and early 80s. It would be very interesting to see you try some on your channel. Thank you.
Thanks for this, Joe! As you know, I enjoy a good daisy wheel. It’s tempting to get a Brother-branded one, but I have so much invested in my Smith-Corona SL 480. I really like that view feature. That would come in handy on thermal typewriters, too.
I have a GX6750 and as far as giving the page a nice clean look, it can't be beat. The issue is the lag from pressing the key to the letter being impressed on the page. It can be maddening.
Hi ..I have just brought electric Brother GX- 300. I am having great difficaulty learning how it operates. Could you possibly make a full tutorial how to use the keys as some keys have 3 or 4 punctuations on a single key...very confusing. I cannot find a user download for this model 😢
@@Joe_VanCleave Wow...thank you so very much for such a fast reply...so much appreciated. I am loving this type writer but feel its a bit too advanced for a novice ?
Like yourself Joe, I love typewriters of any description. Of course I favour manual typewriters but I think we should be able to mix and match for whatever creative purpose. I'm glad that you can still get new ones and that supplies are still available. I wonder if the noise level means that it would be awkward to bring to coffee shops? I have to say, locally, they play the music very loud these days in those various chain coffee shops and the chatter can be loud. Is it bad?
I appreciate this video. I am a professional writer, so my interest isn’t in antiques. I don’t have an electric typewriters yet. But I have a collection of mechanicals dating back to a 1929 Royal Portable with a platen that inexplicably looks brand new. (It’s possible the platen was replaced when I took it in for service ten years ago.) I am interested in getting an electric and I’m torn between an Olympia type bar and a daisy wheel without an LCD.
You will regret not buying one with an LCD, the longer the better. Eventually, you will want to type line by line, so you can correct the last few letters entered, before they appear on the paper. You'll need the LCD to see what you are doing. Phil
@@benjaminernsberger9997 I absolutely get what you’re saying, but correction is something I’m not interested in. I’ve switched back to using manual typewriters. Picked up a pristine SM-9. I take everything I write with the typewriter and retype it into the computer, so small mistakes don’t bother me. I’ll backspace and x over things or just rewrite a line I don’t like.
I'm very new to typewriters but I'm planning to buy one. They help so much with my creative flow. Do you have any suggestions as to which one I should get? I'm a budding author, so which one would suit my purposes??
This is a great question, one I should have addressed in the video. The issue with buying manual typewriters built decades or half a century or more ago is they almost always need servicing before they're functional. You have to build that into the cost of acquisition. If you aren't necessarily keen on an antique manual machine and just want to create with mechanized printing direct to paper, a modern electronic daisy wheel typewriter, of the kind you can buy new off Amazon or other online sources, will work for you right out of the box. The question is can you deal with the plastic feeling body shell, and the clack of the print solenoid. But they produce perfect print quality, provided the ribbon cartridge is good.
@@Joe_VanCleavealways appreciate your insight. Currently typing on a Alphasmart Neo 2 and i believe this is how I found your content. I’ll definitely consider your advice and insight as I seek out something a little more analog. Thanks again !
Id argue that smith coronas offerings are more reliable, have an old memory correct ii model that kicks the wheelwriters ass feature and. Reliability wise
Hello everyone, does anyone know how to RESET the Brother AX-440 electric typewriter? It seems to write but it doesn't print anything and I've changed the ribbon etc.
@@glendaador4609 When you hit the space bar does the carrier move to the right? When you power cycle it do you hear it do the reset on the carrier, spin the print wheel and move to the left margin? When you hit letter keys does it try printing or make a noise? Is the print wheel installed properly? Is the ribbon cartridge installed properly and does it have ribbon left?
Another place to look is there’s a sensor near the left end of the rod that the print carrier rides on, this sensor is normally not blocked, when the machine does a reset it’s supposed to move the carrier to the left until it hits this home sensor, then it knows where it’s at. This sensor could be blocked with dust or grease, try cleaning it with alcohol and a swab.
Open the cover, lift the old cartridge up and out, then seat the fresh cartridge onto the two brackets under the back of the cartridge. When placing the cartridge in, make sure the ribbon loop goes behind the print wheel, close to the platen roller.
Set the print head where you want the margin. Look for the second function on one of the keys in the top row "L MAR" Note color of the letters, green requires code key, blue requires ALT key. to be held while striking the correct key. Phil
Hi Joe, I’m very new to typewriters in general and have been enjoying your content. I don’t understand the hate towards Daisy wheel typewriters, apart from the fact they are cheaply made. At the end of the day, they are just tools and these serve their purpose as writing tools just the same as manuals, you could argue they are more efficient, even. I have a brother AX-350 and now a smith corona XD 5910 bilingual for typing in Spanish. I really like these machines for making lists and banging out rough drafts as they are easier in the wrists; as someone prone to carpal tunnel, I can really appreciate this. Also, I use the built in dictionary for the XD 5910 quite a bit as I am brushing up on my Spanish and it’s been a god send for figuring out the correct letter to place accent marks in. Until I can find a manual with a Spanish keyboard layout, this will be my primary machine for writing letters back home to family. Cheers and keep up the great content.
I love my Brother daisywheel typewriters. As you say, they produce a lovely clean print. One drawback of the Brothers (I have the AX-140 and the AX-230) is that you cannot see what you are typing because the carriage blocks it, whereas with the Selectric you have more confidence because you can see exactly what you're typing as you type it. I agree with you Joe that the soft touch of the keys means I am more prone to errors, but I do not find this is the case with the Selectric II. In fact, I think thus far with the IBM Selectric II I am making fewer mistakes than on any of my typewriters. I've also recently acquired a Royal Apollo 10 electric typebar machine and am enjoying using that too. Great video as always, and thanks from Ireland! Anthony
I have Brother, Smith-Corona, and IBM wheelwriter daisy wheel typewriters and am really impressed by their efficiency and functionality. My Underwood 555 type bar electric is still my favorite electric, but the daisy wheels are not that far behind. I am a manual typewriter junkie, but I certainly get a buzz on my daisy wheels!
Joe, that was a really fine video, and a great rumination on the value of these machines as creative writing devices.
My first typewriter was an IBM Wheelwriter 3 that my dad gave me in the 90s. I was 12. I don't know what happened to it but I just added an IBM Wheelwriter 6 Series II to the collection I started in my 20s and I love it. A really fine, high quality, heavy duty business machine that has a very satisfying typing experience. Parts and ribbons are still widely available.
Just for info. If there is a total dead machine, take it to a repairman. Just replace the condenser component whose value is 400 volts 150 uf.
And diode sb 560 Replace if damaged with type MUR460
Thank you for another great video, Joe.
After being long-time anti-electronic typewriters two years ago my wife entrusted her Brother AX-15 to me. So who I am not to honor this gift :) It has no computer-like extras like buffering, but I really like typing with that machine. As I can still buy cartridges I look forward using it for many years to come.
And today I ordered two more brother daisywheels (that you still find a lot of in Germany), so I have 10 different fonts to write with 🤓 My favorite for letters is the Brougham (12), though Italic and Script are looking nice, too. And I am keen to see the Quadro and the Anelia P.S. that hopefully will arrive before the weekend 😃
It's good to know there are other people who like these kinds of typewriters!
@@Joe_VanCleave And there is one thing I really like about these machines: Sometimes my desk is messed up with stacks of books, so I'm glad that there is no moving typewriter carriage and the stacks are not in danger 😂
@@michaelh.gerloff3659 I can relate to this!
The PS stands for proportional spacing. I doubt that it will work on the AX-15. It will only work on certain advanced models primarily heavy duty office models.
@@benjaminernsberger9997 Correct, the PS daisy wheel did not work properly. Instead of an "m" it printed an "n" - I wonder if that ist the reason why the font is named "Anelia" and not "Amelia" (just kidding). For a moment I was tempted to buy another Brother that can work with the PS (and the 15 char/inch). But I could return the daisy wheel and bought the Super Grande 10 instead.
I had 5 of these same typewriters,I love them,my first one lasted the longest 10yrs! I had 4 more after that,problem was when they went down for various reasons,no one to repair them! Now almost impossible to find for purchase! One of my favorites,miss them! Have a Royal Script right now,no comparison,dissapointing! Loved my sx 4000!
Used a Brother electronic typewriter to write about my trips to the Panama Canal along with Canada and Alaska
I have a Brother GX-6750 ... that one was my 3rd typewriter of that era with the first being a Royal Daisy wheel purchased about l987 or so and then a Smith Corona DL600 (or something like that around 1990 or so. (All of them were used in our carpet-cleaning business. (I only have the Brother as of today) The thing I liked about the Royal and Smith Corona was that they typed instantly when hitting a key -- whereas the Brother has a slight delay when hitting a key to when the character actually strikes the page. I like the Brother but I give the edge to the Smith Corona and the Royal for that reason. (Wish I has kept those other two!)
I've had this model for a while, and in just the first few seconds, I learned that the cover for the keyboard doubles as a back for the paper input.
This reminds me of my old IBM Wheelwriter. Both create beautiful copy. Speaking of copy, do you remember "Huron Copysette" carbon paper. That was such a time saver in 70s and early 80s. It would be very interesting to see you try some on your channel. Thank you.
uld you please review the Brother AX-25? It's the model of my typewriter.
Thanks for this, Joe! As you know, I enjoy a good daisy wheel. It’s tempting to get a Brother-branded one, but I have so much invested in my Smith-Corona SL 480. I really like that view feature. That would come in handy on thermal typewriters, too.
I have a GX6750 and as far as giving the page a nice clean look, it can't be beat. The issue is the lag from pressing the key to the letter being impressed on the page. It can be maddening.
Hi ..I have just brought electric Brother GX- 300.
I am having great difficaulty learning how it operates. Could you possibly make a full tutorial how to use the keys as some keys have 3 or 4 punctuations on a single key...very confusing. I cannot find a user download for this model 😢
Here’s an online manual: www.manualslib.com/products/Brother-Gx-300-2793306.html
Oops, that was a parts manual. Here’s an operation manual for a similar machine: www.manualslib.com/products/Brother-Gt-341-117137.html
@@Joe_VanCleave Wow...thank you so very much for such a fast reply...so much appreciated. I am loving this type writer but feel its a bit too advanced for a novice ?
These are great for typing on colored paper because of the lift off corrector.
Like yourself Joe, I love typewriters of any description. Of course I favour manual typewriters but I think we should be able to mix and match for whatever creative purpose. I'm glad that you can still get new ones and that supplies are still available. I wonder if the noise level means that it would be awkward to bring to coffee shops? I have to say, locally, they play the music very loud these days in those various chain coffee shops and the chatter can be loud. Is it bad?
Thanks for the video! I’m considering one of these. I just broke my pact with manual typewriters and bought a IBM Correcting Selectric II.
Awesome! And guess what ... I'm currently reading your letter!
Used a aging Smith-Corona electronic typewriter to write about my trip to Greece
I appreciate this video. I am a professional writer, so my interest isn’t in antiques. I don’t have an electric typewriters yet. But I have a collection of mechanicals dating back to a 1929 Royal Portable with a platen that inexplicably looks brand new. (It’s possible the platen was replaced when I took it in for service ten years ago.)
I am interested in getting an electric and I’m torn between an Olympia type bar and a daisy wheel without an LCD.
You will regret not buying one with an LCD, the longer the better. Eventually, you will want to type line by line, so you can correct the last few letters entered, before they appear on the paper. You'll need the LCD to see what you are doing. Phil
@@benjaminernsberger9997 I absolutely get what you’re saying, but correction is something I’m not interested in. I’ve switched back to using manual typewriters. Picked up a pristine SM-9. I take everything I write with the typewriter and retype it into the computer, so small mistakes don’t bother me. I’ll backspace and x over things or just rewrite a line I don’t like.
I'm very new to typewriters but I'm planning to buy one. They help so much with my creative flow. Do you have any suggestions as to which one I should get? I'm a budding author, so which one would suit my purposes??
I made a video to answer your question: th-cam.com/video/aKMt-aCHZZk/w-d-xo.html
@@Joe_VanCleave thank you so much!!
Dont they still make nakajimas and those brothers? Seems like you can still buy em new everywhere
I like to refer to landscape orientation of paper on the typwriter as Spreadsheet or Accounting format.
Nice!
how to set the margins?
Hi Mr Joe. Thanks you for your explanation. I really need this type of typewriter. Let me know if I could buy this type.
Regards,
Sam
???Sorry, I don’t sell typewriters.
Ecumenical :D
I HAD to throw that out!
Me too!
Best beginner typewriter? Love your content. But overwhelmed with all the choices. Need help
This is a great question, one I should have addressed in the video. The issue with buying manual typewriters built decades or half a century or more ago is they almost always need servicing before they're functional. You have to build that into the cost of acquisition.
If you aren't necessarily keen on an antique manual machine and just want to create with mechanized printing direct to paper, a modern electronic daisy wheel typewriter, of the kind you can buy new off Amazon or other online sources, will work for you right out of the box. The question is can you deal with the plastic feeling body shell, and the clack of the print solenoid. But they produce perfect print quality, provided the ribbon cartridge is good.
@@Joe_VanCleavealways appreciate your insight. Currently typing on a Alphasmart Neo 2 and i believe this is how I found your content. I’ll definitely consider your advice and insight as I seek out something a little more analog. Thanks again !
The IBM Wheelwriter is the best daisywheel you can get. I have a fully refurbished 1990ish Model 15.
Id argue that smith coronas offerings are more reliable, have an old memory correct ii model that kicks the wheelwriters ass feature and. Reliability wise
Hello everyone, does anyone know how to RESET the Brother AX-440 electric typewriter?
It seems to write but it doesn't print anything and I've changed the ribbon etc.
Hi sir, it's my first time to use typewriter but when I set the margins and click the return it's not working :( What should I do?
What type of machine?
@@Joe_VanCleave Carrera Deluxe sir
Olympia Carrera de luxe MD
@@glendaador4609 When you hit the space bar does the carrier move to the right? When you power cycle it do you hear it do the reset on the carrier, spin the print wheel and move to the left margin? When you hit letter keys does it try printing or make a noise? Is the print wheel installed properly? Is the ribbon cartridge installed properly and does it have ribbon left?
Another place to look is there’s a sensor near the left end of the rod that the print carrier rides on, this sensor is normally not blocked, when the machine does a reset it’s supposed to move the carrier to the left until it hits this home sensor, then it knows where it’s at. This sensor could be blocked with dust or grease, try cleaning it with alcohol and a swab.
How do I change the ink ribbon?
Open the cover, lift the old cartridge up and out, then seat the fresh cartridge onto the two brackets under the back of the cartridge. When placing the cartridge in, make sure the ribbon loop goes behind the print wheel, close to the platen roller.
Great fucking video.
how to change PITCH
Set the print head where you want the margin. Look for the second function on one of the keys in the top row "L MAR" Note color of the letters, green requires code key, blue requires ALT key. to be held while striking the correct key. Phil