It was exciting to get a request to make a "house call" for typewriter repair this morning at the Contemporary Arts Center in downtown Cincinnati—a dramatic building designed by Zaha Hadid.
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QeqHDTRVR4g/XHGQzUMxmdI/AAAAAAAAPvw/t0A9G2Yu2P4t6g2y-94zqHrdKME_XPHPgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3447.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uurBklO6BBY/XHGQxOw4YVI/AAAAAAAAPvo/JNl7HAQic8YtmoN7SHo1c4kqvUz5At0rQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3429.jpeg)
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfNc_17KiMA/XHGSM2SzeNI/AAAAAAAAPxA/PhK-tZ-iNIsk5MhORmeEw-CSTzRJWjUvwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3446.jpg)
Upstairs, an installation by artist Calcagno "Cal" Cullen includes four Smith-Coronas.
Two of them invite visitors to type on an endless loop of paper:
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_nXEVot6sLU/XHGRXUxG2DI/AAAAAAAAPwA/19XFCVnstk4ju04r_yf2dugw8tpxpgNCQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3430.jpg)
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-INptqUsytOI/XHGRamYcLyI/AAAAAAAAPwI/ncaaYjJ1eyAnfNiTZh83v19EjPvt0qfSwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3431.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bP7cYDCdFgE/XHGRklGWIOI/AAAAAAAAPwY/8NsmR7wADSAxK0bkh9mubhq991833K1fACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3444.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KkJ5zmLrYVQ/XHGRiyUhDjI/AAAAAAAAPwQ/W3P0chwQt7QssfLv-0DKq_M5Z0VuxvbfQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3443.jpg)
I showed Cal that we could remove the paper from the typewriters without breaking the loop by pulling out the platens.
The other Smith-Corona invites visitors to write letters to random people in New York.
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-APW5KFeLbvc/XHGSBrd1IdI/AAAAAAAAPww/56Kbnal1lAEi6LQV7r4iuZZwaWW4mP-QQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3435.jpg)
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-omX3iIQP_Pk/XHGSEhLH_5I/AAAAAAAAPw4/Fegyqo9_msET_mwjCNWKvpR1Hpc1l-vegCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3442.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P3iixi-Ma4A/XHGSX8nhiUI/AAAAAAAAPxM/BaK9jSTp35QmLPd-2mkdOtkxuuVWh9LqACK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3434.jpg)
Finally, a Courier that has typed "OK OK OK OK OK ..." is mounted on the wall:
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kvS7VtR3uqU/XHGSe4Wpy-I/AAAAAAAAPxY/4URKEgRpcu0com8NLuUEpELB0Zjgd79-gCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3438.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oDaABsNxfEI/XHGSo785azI/AAAAAAAAPxk/hs_S2PhORXQZvRJVaGdxToMBdNqaYUx2gCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3439.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2sod83zjtwo/XHGSqSJTB3I/AAAAAAAAPxs/B114SdHGVbI14l0GNwc0vbmw9C5ip6JRgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3440.jpg)
The three typewriters in use all needed some cleaning, but the biggest problem was that one of the brown machines was skipping badly. A couple of adjustments to the escapement fixed the trouble. It looked like some visitors had really been pounding on the keys.
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0p1hgYYAJKg/XHGS0yavRtI/AAAAAAAAPx4/VTVACuWG07kYaZnToN-z6CHHcio9U3ILwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3432.jpg)
Here are a few more views of the exhibition:
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QoF49sTrhxY/XHGS4UpUD-I/AAAAAAAAPyA/MHkt2f3LUdsYINCpjIlFVoPHjNuIWTRMwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3436.jpg)
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9J6MPTGGnn0/XHGS6kM9sOI/AAAAAAAAPyQ/T-s8w6SDcMg7_mQUCmM6yRiDZ-S9dySegCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3437.jpg)
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vyEOOaEyEsE/XHGS8-3My1I/AAAAAAAAPyY/AVMdDGyCyaoVuYHxeG_eZT6vE5odRW2pwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3441.jpg)
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kDVQHGAx4lo/XHGS_uivwfI/AAAAAAAAPyg/ztUbJwSHHtEuStBsB_GjU5M6r20RpRopwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3445.jpg)
You never know where typewriters will bring you!
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QeqHDTRVR4g/XHGQzUMxmdI/AAAAAAAAPvw/t0A9G2Yu2P4t6g2y-94zqHrdKME_XPHPgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3447.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uurBklO6BBY/XHGQxOw4YVI/AAAAAAAAPvo/JNl7HAQic8YtmoN7SHo1c4kqvUz5At0rQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3429.jpeg)
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfNc_17KiMA/XHGSM2SzeNI/AAAAAAAAPxA/PhK-tZ-iNIsk5MhORmeEw-CSTzRJWjUvwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3446.jpg)
Upstairs, an installation by artist Calcagno "Cal" Cullen includes four Smith-Coronas.
Two of them invite visitors to type on an endless loop of paper:
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_nXEVot6sLU/XHGRXUxG2DI/AAAAAAAAPwA/19XFCVnstk4ju04r_yf2dugw8tpxpgNCQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3430.jpg)
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-INptqUsytOI/XHGRamYcLyI/AAAAAAAAPwI/ncaaYjJ1eyAnfNiTZh83v19EjPvt0qfSwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3431.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bP7cYDCdFgE/XHGRklGWIOI/AAAAAAAAPwY/8NsmR7wADSAxK0bkh9mubhq991833K1fACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3444.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KkJ5zmLrYVQ/XHGRiyUhDjI/AAAAAAAAPwQ/W3P0chwQt7QssfLv-0DKq_M5Z0VuxvbfQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3443.jpg)
I showed Cal that we could remove the paper from the typewriters without breaking the loop by pulling out the platens.
The other Smith-Corona invites visitors to write letters to random people in New York.
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-APW5KFeLbvc/XHGSBrd1IdI/AAAAAAAAPww/56Kbnal1lAEi6LQV7r4iuZZwaWW4mP-QQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3435.jpg)
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-omX3iIQP_Pk/XHGSEhLH_5I/AAAAAAAAPw4/Fegyqo9_msET_mwjCNWKvpR1Hpc1l-vegCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3442.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P3iixi-Ma4A/XHGSX8nhiUI/AAAAAAAAPxM/BaK9jSTp35QmLPd-2mkdOtkxuuVWh9LqACK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3434.jpg)
Finally, a Courier that has typed "OK OK OK OK OK ..." is mounted on the wall:
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kvS7VtR3uqU/XHGSe4Wpy-I/AAAAAAAAPxY/4URKEgRpcu0com8NLuUEpELB0Zjgd79-gCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3438.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oDaABsNxfEI/XHGSo785azI/AAAAAAAAPxk/hs_S2PhORXQZvRJVaGdxToMBdNqaYUx2gCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3439.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2sod83zjtwo/XHGSqSJTB3I/AAAAAAAAPxs/B114SdHGVbI14l0GNwc0vbmw9C5ip6JRgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3440.jpg)
The three typewriters in use all needed some cleaning, but the biggest problem was that one of the brown machines was skipping badly. A couple of adjustments to the escapement fixed the trouble. It looked like some visitors had really been pounding on the keys.
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0p1hgYYAJKg/XHGS0yavRtI/AAAAAAAAPx4/VTVACuWG07kYaZnToN-z6CHHcio9U3ILwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3432.jpg)
Here are a few more views of the exhibition:
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QoF49sTrhxY/XHGS4UpUD-I/AAAAAAAAPyA/MHkt2f3LUdsYINCpjIlFVoPHjNuIWTRMwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3436.jpg)
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9J6MPTGGnn0/XHGS6kM9sOI/AAAAAAAAPyQ/T-s8w6SDcMg7_mQUCmM6yRiDZ-S9dySegCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3437.jpg)
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vyEOOaEyEsE/XHGS8-3My1I/AAAAAAAAPyY/AVMdDGyCyaoVuYHxeG_eZT6vE5odRW2pwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3441.jpg)
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kDVQHGAx4lo/XHGS_uivwfI/AAAAAAAAPyg/ztUbJwSHHtEuStBsB_GjU5M6r20RpRopwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/IMG_3445.jpg)
You never know where typewriters will bring you!