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Does anyone have any recommendations on fixing or replacing a platen? (reddthat.com)

submitted 10 hours ago by Micans@reddthat.com to c/typewriters@lemmy.cafe

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I have a Remington with a platen that has had every single letter space indented. I assume the prior owner(s) were hitting the keys hard. I have tried to mitigate the hardness and the extra pressure needed to put ink on the page by adding extra sheets of paper behind my first.

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[–] zloubida@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

That's IMO the principal problem with typewriter restoration. But to restore the platen seems possible without exotic tools, if you have time and patience.

There's a tutorial on YouTube, and it looks almost easy when he does it… but I doubt it is that easy in real life. The seasoned collector from the YouTube channel Just My Typewriter had troubles with feed rollers in one of her videos: if she had troubles, I fear to try, but I'm not very competent.

The other option is to send the platen to a professional. But that will cost you quite a lot, I think. I heard that JJ Short was good.

Me, I generally just accept the hardness. The trick you described to use two sheets of paper seems enough.