| TYPE TEST: ORGA PRIVAT MODEL 3 |
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| As related to us by Thomas Fuertig, the Orga Privat series of machines was introduced for either small office use (or use as a backup or light-work machine in larger offices) or for use in the home. Its size is nearly that of a conventional standard machine, but it omits very many features found on the majority of office-sized typewriters. Overall, though, the machine functions very well if expected only to be used inside of its originally intended parameters. What the machine does have: Four rows of keys, with single shift (carriage shift in this case) and backspacer; shift lock lever on left side, manually locked and released; one-sided carriage release lever; thumb-operated line spacing with variable spacing; paper release lever on left side of carrige; paper bail. There are no rollers on the paper bail, but it performs its intended function quite well. One-color ribbon only, with side-mounted winding and reverse knobs. The machine is most hindered by its lack of anything like we would think of as a conventional margin stop arrangement. What it does have is shown below. |
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| The left (beginning of line) margin set device is shown here mounted on its graduated rail. The stop is released by finger pressure on the top and can slide variably; there is no margin release or bypass whatsoever. Just below this, a small crank is seen mounted on a screw; this rings the warning bell for end of line but there is no end of line margin stop at all. The typist must watch so as not to run out of the intended space. A positive stop holds the carriage at maximum travel to the left. |
| Testing (taking the machine's limitations into account) produced positive results. The key action is light, and the feel of the keys while typing can be described as "notchy" -- and the keys do have a somewhat long throw. The space bar has a more pronounced notchy feel but operates acceptably. The carriage shift is light and agreeable. The type-bar return speed was better than expected (but not nearly at the upper end of the range for conventional standard typewriters) and acceptable speed was achieved, with comfort. Pushing what the machine seemed to tolerate as acceptable speed also produced decent results, but this machine is not suited for those in that class of the very fastest typists. The alignment was good and the copy acceptable, with uniform impression of all letters even at the highest speed the machine seemed willing to accept. Overall, our feeling is good about this machine so long as its many limitations are accepted. For light work not requiring either tabulation or frequent manipulation of margin placement it is a decent product. Although a product of Bing-Werke, this is NOT a toy and in the final analysis proves out to be exactly capable of its intended functions, which we were quite pleased to discover after a good round of testing. |
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