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2nd Chance Offer

Started by wds, April 18, 2013, 07:03:59 PM

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wds

I bid on a Candlestick phone last week, and threw out an early bid, then didn't follow up on it since it went higher than I wanted to spend anyway.  7 bids later it sold for $119.50.  A couple days later I get this 2nd chance offer - apparently everyone that bid over me must have declined the 2nd chance, so I grabbed it for my offer price - $40.50 + $15 SH.  Not a bad price.  #2 converted to a #4 dial.  Needs some cleaning and polishing, but appears to be all original.  The only damage is the fingerwheel.  There is a chunk missing - unfortunately I've never had a need for a WE fingerwheel so I don't have any laying around.  Need to locate a nice brass fingerwheel.  Some on Ebay right now, but I think they're all aluminum.  I still have several other phones ahead of this one waiting for a good cleaning, so it may be a while before I get to it.  I'm pretty pleased with this one.  I'd like to know how in the world someone broke that chunk out of the fingerwheel.
Dave

Mr. Bones

Wow! :o :o

     What great fortune! I am patiently biding my time for such a good deal on a candlestick to fall my way.

     That one looks like with minimal parts, and some sweat equity, it will be a stunner!

     Enjoy your beautiful new toy, and remember: "We wants pictures!" ;D

Best regards!
Sláinte!
   Mr. Bones
      Rubricollis Ferus

poplar1

I think this phone has spent too much time under water. That's why I sent it back for a refund.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Mr. Bones

#3
Quote from: poplar1 on April 18, 2013, 08:17:12 PM
I think this phone has spent too much time under water. That's why I sent it back for a refund.

I don't fault you a bit for that decision: clearly, it was lengthily subjected to moisture.

    For me, it would have been a first candlestick 8), though I truly appreciate your perspective, and would do the same, given your circumstances.

    I am coming to the realization that I will have to 'Johnny Cash' one; ie': build it "One Piece at a Time". ;)

    It will, mostly likely, cost somewhat more to do that, but it will be broken into affordable payments, over a chosen period of time.

    It will still happen, in the long run...

Best regards to you, and yours!
Sláinte!
   Mr. Bones
      Rubricollis Ferus

wds

While it has definately been in a humid environment, in a basement or barn for a few years, I don't see any signs that it has water damage.  It will need a more thorough cleaning than I usually have to do on a phone, but I think it will turn out pretty nice.  The dial spins a little rough, but I've tuned up worse.  The phone is a converted 50AL, with early patent dates on the base.  At $119 I might have been upset, but for $40 I'm happy.  The transmitter cup is a converted two piece marked American Bell Telephone.   
Dave

Sargeguy

A bit on the rough side, but it's mostly there.  Brass wheels can be $$$ these days, but a steel one would also be correct.  Or you can just claim it's a "Sani-Dial"
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

wds

I looked it over again real good, and still don't think it has ever been under water.  However, the fingerwheel reallly puzzles me.  There is some roughness/corrosion on the stem right behind the fingerwheel.  I wonder, if the phone was in storage in a place where there was a constant drip of water on the finger wheel, over the course of several years, could the dripping water have caused the fingerwheel to completely corroade away like that?  Either that, or maybe the stick was hit by electricity and blew a piece of the fingerwheel off?
Dave

Sargeguy

I think brass would be resistant to water damage, it probably got bent, and snapped off when they were trying to straighten it.   
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

wds

I sent the Seller an email about the water damage and got a beligerent response.  "Sold As Is"  so too bad.  I reminded him that using the term "as is" does not relieve the seller from misrepresenting the product.  The plot thickens.  

The fingerwheel is aluminum.  Don't know if Alum. is more prone to water damage than brass.
Dave

LarryInMichigan

Aluminum is often used as a sacrificial anode (such as in a water heater).  I don't remember the physics and chemistry works, but the aluminum will corrode before other metals which are electrically connected to it.  I expect that this is what happened to your finger wheel.  If the phone had not had an aluminum finger wheel, the steel would probably have corroded much more.

Larry

poplar1

Quote from: wds on April 19, 2013, 12:24:35 PM
I sent the Seller an email about the water damage and got a beligerent response.  "Sold As Is"  so too bad.  I reminded him that using the term "as is" does not relieve the seller from misrepresenting the product.  The plot thickens.  

The fingerwheel is aluminum.  Don't know if Alum. is more prone to water damage than brass.

He's probably still angry because he had to refund my purchase price + shipping for "item not as described." It's definitely worth at least $40. The baseplates sell for $30-$40 and 2>4 dials sell from $30 to ridiculous.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Sargeguy

I'll give you $40 for it!!!
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

wds

#12
I definitely don't want to mess with it, but I've got $55 in it with shipping.  I could part it out, but i do not like selling damaged parts like this on Ebay.  Maybe if I only took one picture, make it real fuzzy, say "as is" in the ad, then it would be ok?
Dave

Adam

Quote from: wds on April 19, 2013, 08:52:27 AM
the fingerwheel reallly puzzles me.

maybe the stick was hit by electricity and blew a piece of the fingerwheel off?

It's a candlestick phone, after all.  Maybe it was caught in the cross-fire of a Chicago mob hit...

:)
Adam Forrest
Los Angeles Telephone - A proud part of the global C*Net System
C*Net 1-383-4820

wds

Well, after being left for dead for 50 years, and being kicked around by two ebay buyers who decided they didn't want the phone, it now has a new home.  Hopefully the poor old phone has found a good home, and will be treated with the respect it deserves.  I'll let the buyer step forward and identify himself - I won't post his name just in case he doesn't want his wife to find out..............if anyone has a fingerwheel to help him with his new project, I'm sure he would appreciate it.
Dave