The Perkins Brailler has been a staple in the lives of braille users ever since the first one was manufactured in Watertown, Massachusetts in 1951. To this day, the Perkins is widely considered to be the most durable braille device on the market, with machines over 50 years old still going strong.
They are so popular, in fact, that it is easy to forget that we need to teach new braillists how to use them! Furthermore, even established braillists do not always know how to diagnose faults when they arise, or how to take the best care of their machines so as to minimise the risks of faults arising in the first place.
We will be joined by Alan Thorpe of Eyecan, a certified Perkins Brailler Repair Centre. Alan will take us on a tour of the Perkins Brailler, introducing us to the proper names of all of the parts! He will explain how to insert paper and write braille, and describe some common faults and how to overcome them. He will also explain when a professional service or repair may be required and briefly explain the differences between the different models of Perkins Brailler available.