So I was going through boxes I got from my grandmother, when lone behold there was this black 9/53 WE 500 in one of the boxes in pretty rough shape. Turns out it was my great grandpas workbench phone out of the garage. Still has grease on it, cigarrette burn marks all of it, I remember great grandpa using this phone alot as a kid when he was working on his tractor or car, stuff like that. Its got lots of patina and it looks like its gonna stay that way. Even still has the original number sticker on it. Im gonna clean it up just a bit. I hooked it up and gets dial tone, Dial is a bit sticky but a bit of 3n1 oil will fix that right up. Either way it was cool to find a phone with family history. Even still has the leather feet intact on it.
That is a special find c64man! Any phone with memories like that is a definite keeper. And yes just a surface cleaning but no need to replace shells or anything like that. Just the way you found it. I have my parents AE40 in my livingroom.
Can you post pictures? Be sure to get some "Before" shots too.
Are you into old computers...such as c64's?
Terry
I agree, clean it up, clean the dial, then leave it as you found it. That way, every time you use it, you will bring your Great--Grandpa back.
D/P
Heh.. What a cool story, and it seems like a cool phone too.
Clean it up, show us some before and after pictures. We would all be interested in seeing it.
Ben
Quote from: AE_Collector on October 30, 2013, 12:27:41 PM
That is a special find c64man! Any phone with memories like that is a definite keeper. And yes just a surface cleaning but no need to replace shells or anything like that. Just the way you found it. I have my parents AE40 in my livingroom.
Can you post pictures? Be sure to get some "Before" shots too.
Are you into old computers...such as c64's?
Terry
Ill get some pictures tonight and post em up, yeah I collect old computers, mainly commodore. I keep a black WE2500 Next to my c64, and my commodore 64 is wired into my phone system too, so I can call DiversiDial and RMAC with it, an old BBS. I also have a Mac 512k with an external 1200bps modem that is beige with a beige WE500 on top of it. It really completes the setup.
Pics of the phone. So after looking at it more, its a WE 501
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5509/10583653894_a478aafc83.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583653894/)
Grandpas phone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583653894/) by slandon110 (http://www.flickr.com/people/67970316@N08/), on Flickr
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3815/10583628846_cec803d621.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583628846/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583628846/) by slandon110 (http://www.flickr.com/people/67970316@N08/), on Flickr
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2866/10583665464_0410ba8877.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583665464/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583665464/) by slandon110 (http://www.flickr.com/people/67970316@N08/), on Flickr
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3780/10583676574_e9188b4c60.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583676574/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583676574/) by slandon110 (http://www.flickr.com/people/67970316@N08/), on Flickr
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3681/10583698654_2c8d20697f.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583698654/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316@N08/10583698654/) by slandon110 (http://www.flickr.com/people/67970316@N08/), on Flickr
Nasty!! That will sure take a good cleaning effort but you can do it.
If your into computers, you should try to find a plato one. If I was told right from my grandpa (a computer tech. in the 1960s and 70's) you just pushed the handset into the computer and it was dial up.
Sence its a 501 its wired for a party line, I think you can convert it though I'm not exactly sure.
Ben
From the bottom photo, it appears the screw that should hold the tube in place is missing, so it's probably already been converted to a 500 -- just not marked.
Quote from: paul-f on October 30, 2013, 10:51:23 PM
From the bottom photo, it appears the screw that should hold the tube in place is missing, so it's probably already been converted to a 500 -- just not marked.
Paul, what would one look like? I was looking over an old print out and as a corrective measure, "replace tube." And I was wondering which model would have one?
Ben
Quote from: c64man on October 30, 2013, 08:54:18 PM
Quote from: AE_Collector on October 30, 2013, 12:27:41 PM
That is a special find c64man! Any phone with memories like that is a definite keeper. And yes just a surface cleaning but no need to replace shells or anything like that. Just the way you found it. I have my parents AE40 in my livingroom.
Can you post pictures? Be sure to get some "Before" shots too.
Are you into old computers...such as c64's?
Terry
Ill get some pictures tonight and post em up, yeah I collect old computers, mainly commodore. I keep a black WE2500 Next to my c64, and my commodore 64 is wired into my phone system too, so I can call DiversiDial and RMAC with it, an old BBS. I also have a Mac 512k with an external 1200bps modem that is beige with a beige WE500 on top of it. It really completes the setup.
off-topic, but:
hey! RMAC Diversi-Dial #34! whats your handle? mines xhausted110. what kind of modem are you using? acoustic coupled bell 103? or direct connect 103? cool to know there's another vintage computer and BBS guy on here!
My great grandparents were all long gone by the time the 500 came out. With an 18-year-old grand daughter, it is probably only a matter of time before I am a great grandpa <<GASP!>>
:o
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on October 30, 2013, 10:52:56 PM
Paul, what would one look like? I was looking over an old print out and as a corrective measure, "replace tube." And I was wondering which model would have one?
Here's some good reference material on the subject...
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/9082-501-320-100-i5 (http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/9082-501-320-100-i5)
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/document-repository/gsps-general-tel/doc_view/4529-gsp-471-151-040-i1-sep67-electron-ringing-tubes-application (http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/document-repository/gsps-general-tel/doc_view/4529-gsp-471-151-040-i1-sep67-electron-ringing-tubes-application)
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsps/doc_view/10408-500-115-400-i1 (http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsps/doc_view/10408-500-115-400-i1)
You can see a tube in a NE 501 on this page:
http://www.paul-f.com/we500F.html (http://www.paul-f.com/we500F.html)
Quote from: paul-f on October 30, 2013, 10:51:23 PM
From the bottom photo, it appears the screw that should hold the tube in place is missing, so it's probably already been converted to a 500 -- just not marked.
Yes, and it has been converted to a 500D and wired for tip party identification--note that the red and black ringer wires are both on B and not on L2 and L1. This phone was on a party line, but I'm guessing a 2-party line and wired this way so that message rate local calls and/or long distance calls would be billed to the correct party.
Tube was needed only for 4-party lines (fully selective where your phone rang only for your calls) or 8-party semi-selective lines (where 2 of the 8 parties' phones rang together and were distinguished by the ringing cadence: one long or two short rings).
SUnset used to be an exchange in Seattle also.
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on October 30, 2013, 09:21:36 PM
Nasty!! That will sure take a good cleaning effort but you can do it.
If your into computers, you should try to find a plato one. If I was told right from my grandpa (a computer tech. in the 1960s and 70's) you just pushed the handset into the computer and it was dial up.
Sence its a 501 its wired for a party line, I think you can convert it though I'm not exactly sure.
Ben
Nasty??? This should spook you ...
https://picasaweb.google.com/vintagerotaryphones/KelloggModelDK500?noredirect=1
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on October 30, 2013, 10:52:56 PM
Quote from: paul-f on October 30, 2013, 10:51:23 PM
From the bottom photo, it appears the screw that should hold the tube in place is missing, so it's probably already been converted to a 500 -- just not marked.
Paul, what would one look like? I was looking over an old print out and as a corrective measure, "replace tube." And I was wondering which model would have one?
Ben
The tube in question is a Western Electric 426A. Here is an album of one in action:
https://picasaweb.google.com/108755568773115900755/WesternElectric501PhoneWithA426ATube
For tube specs, visit the Western Electric company website:
http://www.westernelectric.com/spec_sheets/426A.pdf
Jorge, for some reason those Google links aren't working. I don't know if the viewer has to be logged into Google Picasa in order to view them or not. I had some trouble viewing one of my albums recently as I wasn't logged in to Picasa.
Quote from: JorgeAmely on October 31, 2013, 10:53:14 AM
Nasty??? This should spook you ...
https://picasaweb.google.com/vintagerotaryphones/KelloggModelDK500?noredirect=1
Nice! I learned a couple of tips from your pics. The hair dryer w/baggie trick (I've only been using hair dryer by itself) and the part about squeaky-clean electrical contacts improving voice quality. How do you get all the terminal contacts so clean and shiny?
Quote from: Brinybay on October 31, 2013, 01:22:46 PM
Quote from: JorgeAmely on October 31, 2013, 10:53:14 AM
Nasty??? This should spook you ...
https://picasaweb.google.com/vintagerotaryphones/KelloggModelDK500?noredirect=1
Nice! I learned a couple of tips from your pics. The hair dryer w/baggie trick (I've only been using hair dryer by itself) and the part about squeaky-clean electrical contacts improving voice quality. How do you get all the terminal contacts so clean and shiny?
I take it the links worked for you, Greg?
Quote from: Dennis Markham on October 31, 2013, 08:36:17 PM
...
I take it the links worked for you, Greg?
Yes, no problem with the links from my end.
Quote from: Dennis Markham on October 31, 2013, 12:09:42 PM
Jorge, for some reason those Google links aren't working. I don't know if the viewer has to be logged into Google Picasa in order to view them or not. I had some trouble viewing one of my albums recently as I wasn't logged in to Picasa.
Dennis:
If could be due to Google's world domination plans that require you to be logged in into some form of Google software in order to see other stuff from Google's servers.