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Interesting and Effective Handset Repair!

Started by DavePEI, September 19, 2011, 06:22:12 PM

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DavePEI

Hi All:

I picked up a telephone last week, which had the rare type
NU Northern Electric handset on it. Now, I have several
phones with these handsets, but this one was somewhat
unusual.

Unlike the later F-1 handsets, NU's handles are solid, with
the wires run through the bakelite. Now, as I picked up
this handset, I noticed something unusual. It had a very
thin slot cut along the length of the handset, running from
transmitter to receiver through the Northern Electric NU
marking...

Of course I investigated, and discovered it was a repair
for one of the internal wires which had gone bad. A former
owner had discovered the lack of continuity and performed
tht quite effective and almost unnoticeable repair. What
the had done was cut a neat narrow slot in the handset on
the underside using either a dremel cutting blade or a
hooked knife, and then slid a length of what looks like
German  Silver wire into it, and one each end run it
through a small unnoticeable hole into the transmitter and
receiver... Either way, he must have had a very steady
hand. It was such a neat job, that I was able to completely
hide the repair using some Black Max. It is very hard to
detect now, and was hard enough to detect even before the
Black Max. What a beautiful repair he made of a fairly rare
handset!

I just thought I would mention it on the here, as I
have never seen such an ingenious repair before. I guess
it proves nothing is impossible!

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

LarryInMichigan

I have a SC handset which could use such a repair, but I am afraid that it would be a wreck if I tried it.

Larry

DavePEI

#2
Quote from: LarryInMichigan on September 19, 2011, 06:34:16 PM
I have a SC handset which could use such a repair, but I am afraid that it would be a wreck if I tried it.

Larry


Hi Larry:

So would I. The kerf is barely large enough to put the wire in it, and incredibly straight. He must have had one incredibly steady hand. I am kind of thinking he might have cut it with a linoleum knife, dremel wheel or dental bit or something like that, and scored it deep enough to hide the wire. It really looked good before I put the Black Max in the kerf - I daresay when I sand that area to smooth out the Black Max, that it will truly be invisible.

Anyway, I thought it was noteworthy - certainly a great way to restore a rare-ish handset!

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

DavePEI

Quote from: DavePEI on September 19, 2011, 06:48:53 PM
The kerf is barely large enough to put the wire in it, and incredibly straight. He must have had one incredibly steady hand. I am kind of thinking he might have cut it with a linoleum knife of something like that, and scored it over and over until it was deep enough to hide the wire. It really looked good before I put the Black Max in the kerf - I daresay when I sand that area to smooth out the Black Max, that it will truly be invisible.

Here is the result after sanding the Black Max - I took the sanding a bit too far, and will have to redo some of the Black Max filler, but it gives you the idea how he repaired the handset. I first spotted that the repair had been done because he had filled what was left of the slot with an epoxy which had yellowed over time. You will note that in a couple of places, the wire shows - I sanded the Black Max too aggressively in those spots.

However, I does give one more repair option for a semi-valuable handset!The slot he cut is just barely deep enough to hide the bare wire.

The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

Greg G.

Quote from: DavePEI on September 19, 2011, 06:22:12 PM

Unlike the later F-1 handsets, NU's handles are solid, with
the wires run through the bakelite.

I never knew that about the F-1s.  I just looked at the six that I have, 3 hollow, 3 solid.

That repair job would take a real pro with good equipment, not something I would attempt.  That being said, I think that's what may be wrong with one of the solid F-1s I have, but I haven't checked it out thoroughly yet.  The receiver end doesn't always work, and it's not the element.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

DavePEI

#5
Quote from: Brinybay on September 21, 2011, 04:56:40 PM
Quote from: DavePEI on September 19, 2011, 06:22:12 PM

Unlike the later F-1 handsets, NU's handles are solid, with
the wires run through the bakelite.

I never knew that about the F-1s.  I just looked at the six that I have, 3 hollow, 3 solid.

That repair job would take a real pro with good equipment, not something I would attempt.  That being said, I think that's what may be wrong with one of the solid F-1s I have, but I haven't checked it out thoroughly yet.  The receiver end doesn't always work, and it's not the element.

That may well be the problem your F1 has. The early ones were built the same with these, with the internal wires to the receiver embedded into the bakelite!

Got a friendly dentist? That would be a great way to get the slots made!

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

AE_Collector

Too bad they didn't think to"run conduit" in the handset (like the AECo type 38's) when they were manufacturing these handsets.

Didn't someone have a rare colored handset that had had been drilled for a lamp post which severed the internal wires? Maybe this method could fix it.

Terry

DavePEI

#7
You know, I was thinking. Seems to me I remember from many years ago hearing of this way of repairing solid handsets - no doubt at the time referring to F1 handsets. This would be 30 years ago at least. It wasn't until I got this handset with a bunch of other equipment a couple of weeks ago, that I remembered, reminded of course by the repair on the NU handset.

For some reason, I think the suggestion back then was made in a hints section in Popular Electronics, 73, QST or some other Electronics or Ham magazine.

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001