Pimping up Antares Parva
My typewriter collection has reached the boundary of how many machines I can squeeze into my tiny house.
It was high time to engage a hand brake - especially that I already have most of my desired machines. I still have many machines in state “as found”, waiting for my attention so I focus now on “curating” my collection, not expanding it.
My all time favourite ultra-portable typewriter is Antares Parva. Back then, when I got her, I was considering doing something with utterly boring bakelite cover. The time has come.
Paint was already flaking and judging from how oily the underlying surface is I think the cover is moulded in hot-epoxy process although it could also be bakelite. Small parts with already ablated paint reveal amber-coloured material with cork-like features embedded.
I decided to remove all the paint.
Tedious around small features like handle or latching holes the work went otherwise smoothly and quickly. Paint was not sitting very hard on this oily material.
Inside surfaces were holding paint much better but they also needed to be cleaned - this grey is utterly sad!
A few evenings later I arrived to this stage: the cover is clean and looks very good. Time to take care of the handle.
I cut out the original, grey plastic handle, to substitute it with a piece of honey-tanned leather.
Cut to size and temporarily mounted to check if all fits.
Leather is attached to steel core with tape, to hold it in place before sewing. Sanding and rounding the edges, for more pleasant grip.
I don’t have proper leather-maker’s tools so I use my woodworking arsenal: scribing sewing line with wood scriber.
After punching holes I use red thread to sew both parts together. Red stands out a bit, like in a sports car I imagine. This Italian machine is well worth it!
I’m very pleased with the result.
I move on to the last bit: machines bottom plate. It is aluminium painted in same, boring grey colour. I want to match the cover. Initially I thought about wood veneers but this is ultraportable machine so I need to keep things lightweight. Cork shall do the job well here.
Removed bottom plate with double-tape.
Mounted on the bottom plate, trimmed edges.
I redesign rubber feet to match the new cover better.
The cork I used has 4mm thickness. I put a chamfer on all edges to soften the look and feel and mount it on the machine.
And there we go!
With so small changes I got much more sexy-looking package.