News:

"The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

Main Menu

Now the Story Can be Told - 1949 WECo 500 Set

Started by Dan/Panther, March 20, 2010, 11:08:11 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

McHeath

I'd clean the gongs a bit, but be careful of the lettering eh.  A good clean and removal of all dirt is helpful in preservation of pretty much anything, from what I know, which may be wrong but is what I've read and heard over the years.

Really interested to hear what Paul F has to say about it.

Dan

I also vote to leave the gongs alone. I like the original patina.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Craig T

I leave the original patina on the bells on any of my personal phones. Just in case you are looking for something in b/w, there is cleaner you can get that will clean the black or dirt color out while leaving the patina intact.

Dennis Markham

Sorry about that Dan. That one's fine.  I was wondering if there was any writing on the ringer where it appears on the other ringers we're familiar with.

JorgeAmely

D/P:

Excellent documentation of the Grand Daddy of the 500!

I like to use 70% Isopropyl alcohol plus Q tips to clean everything under the hood EXCEPT ink markings. Those will go away forever when cleaned with alcohol. Of course, is it better to go slow. Just remember those guys in museums cleaning old bones. They use very small brushes and tools to prevent doing damage to things that are one of a kind.

I suggest not removing any screws near the magnet and coil in the ringer. It is a known fact that it will render the ringer weak and perhaps not ring at all. The gong screws are OK to remove.

Alcohol can be used to clean the black base, but use caution around the ink markings. And of course, test with a Q tip to see if it dissolves the black paint away. If it does, plain clean water should be more than enough. The top of the 425B network tolerates alcohol very well. I have gotten excellent results cleaning all screws by rinsing them in a small capped glass container with acetone (in a well ventilated, spark free environment). Shake for a minute and let the acetone evaporate over a clean paper towel.

Keep the pictures coming!  And thank you for sharing your treasure.
Jorge

Dan

Love your analogy Jorge. Imagine someone who couldn't care less about a telephone reading your analogy about treating it like a rare dinosaur bone..... Heck there are tons of dino bones out there, but this is the first '49 I've seen!

I wish the owner  who has a '49  would present pictures .Maybe it's a myth.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Dan/Panther

Quote from: Dan on March 26, 2010, 12:41:30 AM

I wish the owner  who has a '49  would present pictures .Maybe it's a myth.

Dan;
It was explained to me that the reason the owner of the only known 49-500 won't share the photos etc. is the owner is afraid that he will be robbed for the phone.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

dencins

Quote from: Dan/Panther on March 25, 2010, 09:41:00 PM
Dennis;
The Galion appears to have the largest relief. I wonder if an appropriate nut could be sandwiched inside of the Galion foot so it could be screwed on from the inside. Anything between the foot and the frame would not show, and the Galion is about the best match for shape.
Here are a couple more ringer shots. The aluminum inner baffle unlike later 500's these are glued to the frame. The glue residue is very apparent and I'm not about to try to force them off.
D/P

I used nickel silver brazing rod and a MAPP gas torch to braze nuts to the Gallion outer plates then filed it flush to the plate.  The nut has to be outside the outer plate to hold the footpad on.

Then I hammered out the dimples on the inner plate and put leather covers on them.  I'll let you fit them to the base plate.

I'll put them in the mail in the morning.

Dennis

Dan/Panther

#143
Here are 5 more photos of the chassis minus the dial. This is about as much cleaning as I plan to do. I feel any more cleaning would be over doing it.
Of course I will still finish the bottom.
At that point I will decide what to do from there. Or rather ask for suggestions what to do from there.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dan/Panther

Dennis;
Read the post I just put up directly after yours. I didn't read your until after I posted mine. WOW!! absolutely fabulous.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dan/Panther

When it came time to distribute the test, and trial sets, how did they select the recipients ?
I would assume they were not just randomly placed. I would guess maybe important clients, family, executives of Bell Labs ?
Any idea how this was accomplished ?
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

bwanna

donna

bingster

There's something about that tape residue that has me thinking...

Since the residue stops at the edge of the base plate, rather than going up the side lip, that would seem to indicate that there was a shell on the phone when the duct tape was applied.  Duct tape hasn't been a universal household staple forever, I don't think, so it seems to me that the shell hasn't been missing for all that long.  Which would be very sad.
= DARRIN =



Dennis Markham

Looking at the first photos, we can see that the mounting screws are there and in good shape.  So the housing was probably removed without force.  Dan/P I'm wondering if you communicated with the seller.  Any chance he has any part of the housing or other parts?  Did he give you any of the story of how he came upon this?

Doug Rose

DP.....be careful with the Goo be Gone. Make sure it will not remove the lettering on the bottom of the phone. Test is on another phone with lettering. I have had it remove or smudge lettering. It is coming out beautiful!...DOug
Kidphone