The keyboard in these pictures is mine, I'll get it next week.
I'm speaking literally, this specific one is mine, it's the first Mac keyboard he has made.
Ray said...
Those keys look like ones on an old 1948 Underwood manual typewriter that I had reconditioned once, and recently donated to a pair of nice gals who run a shop where they hold monthly writing group meetings, using old typewriters. I also gave them an old Remington from the fifties, and
the girls assure me they have a good home and are much appreciated.
eolake said...
Yes, those old typewriters are beautiful.(And clearly these keys are designed to be reminiscent of them.)
I have a fondness for mechanical objects from the early 20th.
I am considering buying a typewriter like that for decoration. I don't need to restore it, but I'd like it to look nice, so the question is: how do you clean a thing like that?
Another Danish invention: the amazing Hansen "typing ball".... The web is amazing. A decade ago, if I had suddenly developed a (no doubt temporary) interest in vintage typewriters, I would have had to go to the library and see if they had any books about them, and they probably wouldn't have. Today I can google it in ten seconds and find wonderfully informative sites like typewriter.be. (I love its simple and handsome design too.)
Those keys look like ones on an old 1948 Underwood manual typewriter that I had reconditioned once, and recently donated to a pair of nice gals who run a shop where they hold monthly writing group meetings, using old typewriters. I also gave them an old Remington from the fifties, and
ReplyDeletethe girls assure me they have a good home and are much appreciated.
Yes, those old typewriters are beautiful.
ReplyDelete(And clearly these keys are designed to be reminiscent of them.)
I have a fondness for mechanical objects from the early 20th.
Nice keyboard, indeed. The name is particularly cool too. Datamancer Aviator.
ReplyDeleteIf I was you I'd attempt to convince people that the keyboard used to belong to Howard Hughes. And that in his will he bequeathed to you not just his keyboard but some very important business secrets too.
How did you find out?
ReplyDeleteI am currently building the Golden Goose. It's like the Spruce Goose, only built of gold instead of wood.
I admit it has to be a bit smaller, because of weight issues.
It was a pleasure working with you on this keyboard, Eolake. I hope it gives you many years of faithful service and inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThe keys are actually authentic Royal keys, I believe from a 40s-50s era machine, judging from the rectangular secondary keys.
-~D~-
I've actually been on a Hughes kick for the last few days. This is one of my favorite of Howard's scams...
ReplyDelete(from Wikipedia)
"As his empire grew, Hughes used every trick conceivable to avoid paying taxes to the government...Hughes was able to keep and maintain highly qualified managers in his companies by promising them large sums of money at the end of their careers. In order to be able to give them the most money without taxation, Hughes would make an arrangement whereby he would publicly criticize a certain manager that had recently left his company. Then, the manager would sue Hughes in court for public defamation. A settlement was given to this manager in court which was not subject to taxes. This happened with Noah Dietrich, Robert Maheu, and others. For example, Robert Maheu was awarded $2.2 million in a defamation lawsuit shortly after leaving Hughes' employ."
...brilliant!
-~Datamancer~-
"Royal", was that a brand of typewriter?
ReplyDeleteHehe. So it's no accident the keyboard is called Aviator. How long has it been called that?
ReplyDeleteYep. Royals were some of the most beautiful typewriters around. Take a look at the Royal 10 that had beveled glass windows in the sides and the Royal DeLuxe which was plated gold!
ReplyDeleteLINK
Jake von Slatt actually started calling it The Aviator shortly after the first one came out back in...April? I liked the name too, so it stuck. The brushed aluminum finish and the drilled holes reminded us of a wing rib and jewel LED covers look like they belong on the instrument panel of a 50's fighter plane. I've since taken that wing rib idea a step further and will be releasing the "Aviator Mark II" shortly which is EXACTLY modelled after a wing rib section and has a dark brown leather faceplate that was cut from an old bomber jacket. The LEDS will probably be modified WWI or WWII pilot wing pins or medals.
-~D~-
"As his empire grew, Hughes used every trick conceivable to avoid paying taxes to the government..."
ReplyDeleteSee, I knew the keyboard comes with important business secrets.
So what case mod are you going for on your desktop? Any screen mods?
ReplyDeleteWell, the CPU is in a closet. Admittedly that's much less required with the Intel machines which are much more quiet. (I love that.)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any mods for the Apple 30-inch screen.
The Aviator just wouldn't look right in front of a contemporary apple display. Most LCD's have a uniform mounting plate on the back, and a standard viewable screen, the bezel is so low profile that a steampunk bezel could be fashioned to fit over, and a new stand (tripod? easel?) could be fitted to the rear.
ReplyDeleteSomething you and Richard should talk over.
An LCD mod is definitely something we could work on. I do have a design on paper for a matching screen and it's modular enough to accomodate a 30 inch display.
ReplyDeleteIf you'd be interested, hit me up in a month or two after my cross-country move and I'll be in a better position to consider the commission.
-~D~-
"Datamancer Aviator". This sounds so cool, it hurts! :-)
ReplyDelete"Datamancer Aviator". "This sounds so cool, it hurts! :-)"
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's one of those things you gotta have even before hearing what it is. Anything called "Datamancer Aviator" is a must have! :-)
Thanks, folks. I'm glad you like the name. I'll be adding a page to the site (www.datamancer.net) in about 2 weeks with 6-8 new keyboard designs including "The Sojourner", "The Industrial", "The Aviator Mark II", "The Baron of Cyprus", "The vonSlatt Original", "The Paramount" and "The Archbishop".
ReplyDelete-~D~-
I love the World of Tomorrow. It's so... how do you say again?... "cool, yo!"
ReplyDeleteAnd I suppose an "emot-ic-on" is adequate here.
:-)
http://oreedesign.com/
ReplyDelete