Who are you calling Fatboy?

Buzby · December 09, 2015, 03:55:30 PM

Saw this on eBay at the weekend with under 2 minutes to go. The title and description were very vague, and the seller had no idea who it was made by. Thankfully, some of this telephone stuff is starting to stick, and I was pretty sure it was a Fatboy, so decided to stick in a bid and won at $31.

Package arrived today, and it's not the prettiest right now. Fortunately, the case and handset are damage free. It's been painted at some point, which is covering the SC decal on the back (Probably why the seller couldn't identify it), although if you get the light just right you can read it. The dial is stuck and there's a bend to the fingerwheel, although the bend isn't causing the problem. The gasket?? on the bottom is dry and cracked. Plugging it in, you can hear a dial tone, and it does receive calls, although there's crackling on the line. It also doesn't ring, and I found out the reason for that once I opened it up.

Someone had removed what was there, and some other bell shoved inside, very loosely held in place by a single rivet.

G-Man · December 09, 2015, 04:37:03 PM

I am unable to see how it is fastened but it very well could be a military version of the 1212 since it has a Signal Corps ringer. It could also explain why "Stromberg Carlson" was painted out. There is a schematic for the Signal Corps version in the TCI Library.

Doug Rose · December 09, 2015, 04:46:33 PM

Hey...I resemble that remark! G-man is correct....Military Signal Corps Ringer. Citrix Stripper will remove the paint. This will be a beauty when finished. Paint protects the Bakelite. Nice phone. Oil the dial and replace or bend the finger wheel back....Welcome to the Form....I am a fellow New Englander form MA....Doug

Buzby · December 09, 2015, 05:03:25 PM

Quote from: G-Man on December 09, 2015, 04:37:03 PM
I am unable to see how it is fastened but it very well could be a military version of the 1212 since it has a Signal Corps ringer. It could also explain why "Stromberg Carlson" was painted out. There is a schematic for the Signal Corps version in the TCI Library.

Thanks for the information, G-Man. I'll check out the schematics on this.

Here's a picture of how it's attached. Just a simple pop rivet. The rivet is now pretty loose and the ringer is moving around on the base.

andre_janew · December 09, 2015, 05:13:14 PM

I'm not sure if the finger wheel is properly installed. If it were an AE phone, I might even say it was upside down!

Doug Rose · December 09, 2015, 05:23:43 PM

QuoteI'm not sure if the finger wheel is properly installed. If it were an AE phone, I might even say it was upside down!

Stuck dial

Buzby · December 09, 2015, 05:35:12 PM

Quote from: Doug Rose on December 09, 2015, 04:46:33 PM
Hey...I resemble that remark! G-man is correct....Military Signal Corps Ringer. Citrix Stripper will remove the paint. This will be a beauty when finished. Paint protects the Bakelite. Nice phone. Oil the dial and replace or bend the finger wheel back....Welcome to the Form....I am a fellow New Englander form MA....Doug

Thanks for the welcome, neighbour!

Judging from the visible bakelite on the handset, it should look fantastic once I get it "naked".

I've already had a look at the dial and attempted a fix myself. There was a little bit of hardened oily crud in there. Careful use of degreaser and a little gun oil seems to have done the trick. The dial is spinning nicely.

Buzby · December 09, 2015, 07:41:07 PM

Once I get this stripped, I would like to restore the SC logo on the back. I've tried searching for a waterslide, but there doesn't seem to be one out there.

Am I looking in the wrong place?

ETA: I'll also need a rubber thingy for the bottom. Any pointers?

Thanks folks.

rdelius · December 09, 2015, 09:43:18 PM

Reproduction rubber gaskets are available,the same size fits SC 1212, AE types 40 and 34a3.I think that ringer was added when the set was rebuilt.It was unbiased and was used in switchboards,field telephones and US navy versions had a brass gong and a bias spring

Buzby · December 09, 2015, 10:00:03 PM

Quote from: rdelius on December 09, 2015, 09:43:18 PM
Reproduction rubber gaskets are available,the same size fits SC 1212, AE types 40 and 34a3.I think that ringer was added when the set was rebuilt.It was unbiased and was used in switchboards,field telephones and US navy versions had a brass gong and a bias spring

Thanks for that. I'll see if I can find a gasket.

I'm going to replace the ringer. Would an AE40 bell set work in this?

Is it wrong to be unreasonably excited to have your first spare part to sell?

rdelius · December 09, 2015, 10:17:17 PM

It most likely would not fit well.If the military one works, use it until the right part turns up.A SC 1243 ringer might fit

Buzby · December 09, 2015, 11:15:15 PM

Unfortunately, the military ringer is not working at all.

Being a newbie to the world of phones, do I try to get it back working in military congratulation, or would returning it to Civvy Street be a no-no?

Dan/Panther · December 09, 2015, 11:24:12 PM

I have one of those ringers, and I could never figure out what it went to.
It came on an AE Monophone.
D/P

dsk · December 10, 2015, 05:05:39 AM

Regarding the ringer, it looks like the one used in the field telephone EE8, The EE8 used 2 microfarad capacitor in series with this ringer. Then you get an enormous REN load, but 0.47 may be to small, so my suggestion will be to try 1 microfarad.
The enclosed pictures are from the manual TM 11-333

dsk

dsk · December 10, 2015, 12:14:24 PM

I had to look it up, the EE8 telephone did draw a load about 5 times my WE 2500 set. (3.79 vs 0.69 REN) But the EE8 makes the voice circuit remain in all the time. I will make some more measurements.

dsk

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Who are you calling Fatboy?