The other day I was in a thrift shop and found an old typewriter ($25.00) and got to thinking how many typewriters are sitting around, collecting dust or have landed in landfills? What can you do with old typewriters? Apologies for not giving image credit .
I just got to Eco Ya
- Typewriters were invented around 1808 although prototypes were introduced earlier (Wikipedia)
- 2009, typewriters were still used by some U.S. government agencies. Reported that in 2008 New York City purchased a few thousand typewriters, mostly for use by New York Police Department, at the total cost of $982,269; another $99,570 were spent in 2009 for the maintenance of the existing typewriters
- In Latin America and Africa, mechanical typewriters are still common because they can be used without electrical power.
- Electronic Typewriters are considered electronic waste and should not be put in the trash
- Typewriters are still recycleable- Call Goodwill to see if they will take. Post on other sites to either sell or giveaway. List of FREE Giving Away Sites.
1.) Make a Typewriter Fence
2.) Make a Typewriter Wall
3.) Reuse Typewriter Keys to make a wall or art piece. This was done by Sarah Frost typewriter keys glued to a wall in the lobby of the James.
4.) Redecorate and make a centerpiece or a visual merchandising display
5.) Use in the garden (Image from Pinterest)
6.) Reuse the parts to make things like this Birdhouse
7.) Reuse to make sculptures.
Typewriter Man by Philip Williamson
Jeremy Mayer is known for his typewriter Robot Sculptures
8.) Make your typewriter into a USB port/keyboard for Macs, iPads and PCs. You can also buy the kit to make one yourself.
9.) Make Art-Artist Tyree Callahan
10.) Make Jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, anklets, rings and cufflinks.
Reuse Keys to make a necklace
Even make some hairbands
11.) Make a Paintbrush holder, or for that matter, pens, pencils, rulers. From one of my favorites sites Instructables. Also how to make on the site.
12.) Make a mobile- This is from Mark Leary’s Upcycled Art Show
13.) Make a Joystick
14.) Reuse for Bookends
15.) Make a lamp
16.) A little spooky Halloween Decor from Poetic Home (and how to make this haunted device, which prints paper!)
17.) Nothing like a waffle in the morning
18.) Like this idea, for wedding guest or other special occasions, have them type out a message. Image Source http://katiedayphoto.com/blog/2010/07/01/krystal-chris-the-wedding
More Ideas
50 Typewriter Photos for Conversation Pieces-
Vintage Typewriter Images and lots of Typewriter stuff
Love the reuse idea. My old standard typewriter is displaying part of a rock collection.
Thanks a million for including one of my repurposed birdhouse creations! Great typewriter creativity all around!
Oh my GOD. This is revolting. How can you destroy typewriters, incredible pieces of engineering, to create FLOWER POTS? PAINTBRUSH STANDS? JEWELRY???
As a typewriter collector I am appalled at the ineptitude and artistic idiocy of some people.