A vintage Ditto machine (spirit duplicator) was a pre-digital office/school copier using a waxy master sheet and alcohol-based fluid to create colorful, smelly purple or blue copies, popular for short runs like worksheets and fanzines before modern photocopiers, known for its distinctive aroma and low cost.

How it Worked:

Create the Master: You typed, wrote, or drew on a special two-ply master sheet (top sheet waxed, bottom paper). The image appeared in reverse on the back as wax transferred.

Load the Machine: The master was wrapped around a rotating drum.

Duplication: The machine fed copy paper, moistened it with a solvent (alcohol mix), and pressed it against the master.

Transfer: The solvent dissolved the wax, transferring the colored dye to the copy paper.

Key Characteristics:

Colors: Commonly purple or blue, but other colors were possible.

Smell: Famous for its sweet, distinctive smell from the alcohol fluid (methanol/isopropanol).

Limited Copies: Produced 40-200+ copies before the master wore out.

Users: Popular in schools, churches, and for fanzines due to low cost and ease of use.

Vintage Feel: Often seen as a nostalgic piece of tech from the mid-20th century.

In essence, it was a low-tech, budget-friendly way to print documents before laser and inkjet printers became common, leaving behind unique purple, waxy copies and a memorable scent.