There seems to be a rather curious trend happening in that small niche that combines the written, or rather typed, word and computers. Moving away from powerful but distracting laptops and tablets, distraction-free digital typewriters have started popping up left and right to satisfy the cravings of writers of all levels. Some come in the form of polished and professional portable devices, while others aim for a bit of flourish that comes with a design made by makers and artisans.
The nascent “WriterDecks” craze, an offshoot of the CyberDeck trend, has seen an assortment of designs ranging from toy-like to futuristic. This particular project, while simple and raw, offers plenty of room for refinement, and it takes inspiration from a familiar retro design, ye ol’ suitcase typewriter. The twist: it’s made of wood.
Designer:
All DIY WriterDeck projects start with a single-board computer (SBC) like the Raspberry Pi or similar, running some customized software with the singular purpose of typing and storing text files. Connect your keyboard of choice, slap on a small display for limited visual feedback, and put everything inside an enclosure. Of course, the real thrill is in designing that shell to your liking, which some have taken to extremes in terms of themes or materials.
In stark contrast, The Typewriter is on the simpler side of things. You can almost even consider it a prototype rather than a finished product. It uses an older Raspberry Pi 3B+ model, a 7.9-inch LCD screen, and a 10,000 mAh power bank to drive the whole system. The keyboard is a regular mechanical keyboard, one that actually uses a wired connection that you can see snaking out from the side. It’s definitely one of those details that can use some polish.
Housing all these is a black wooden box designed in the style of old suitcases, complete with brass-like decorations in the corners, metal barrel hinges, and old-school swing locks. It flips open to reveal the “typewriter” inside, with the cover functioning as a shelf for a notebook and a nook for a mouse of the computing kind. Curiously, the assembly eschews screws and nails for glue, including for the hinges, which probably raises concerns about its durability.
The Typewriter definitely has an interesting vibe to it, but there are definitely plenty of opportunities to improve on the design beyond the carrying strap mentioned by its creator. A final version would probably do well to hide the keyboard cable from sight while adding a hinge for easy access when needed. Sturdier and more reliable connections are definitely necessary for a portable typewriter, but one that uses screw-less and adhesive-less designs like dovetail joints might be just as effective.
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