I'm (wal)nuts about this phone!

[Buzby]

I'm unreasonably excited today with the arrival of a package from Canada.

I managed to buy a burled walnut Number 1 Uniphone for the princely sum of $120 all in! It was a phone I had saved in my watch list purely for the photos, and at the time it had been listed at $200. I dad briefly toyed with the idea of purchasing it at the time, but a chat to a friend of mine in the UK who collects bakelite radios suggested that my skill level would not be up to restoring this beauty.

Clearing out my watch list, I noticed that the phone had been reduced to $125 plus shipping. I ummed and erred over it. I was wondering why someone hadn't snapped it up. Was I missing something? What the hey, I thought. I messaged the seller, and I made an offer, and we struck a deal.

The phone is not a perfect example, however. The case does have a couple of cracks in, and one of the base securing mounts has broken off. It also needs a good polish and clean. All the innards seem to be okay, although the dial is a little sticky.

I don't know if I overpaid or have given myself a frustrating project. Right now I am rather chuffed with my second Number 1.

Time to find a bargain basement ivory!

[paul-f]

Congratulations, Jonathan.

It appears that the front is crack-free, so it should display well - once tidied up a bit.  These usually are relatively easy to clean and polish and look fantastic when completed. It woll look great next to your black Uniphone. The dial and handset differences will add to the visual differences.

The real bonus is the NF handset. Does yours have the early capsule elements? The later NU and F1 handsets are much more numerous.

If you're looking for an ivory Uniphone, you'll need a lot of luck.  I hope you find one.

[Buzby]

Thanks, Paul.

The front is crack free, although there is a small nick on the front.

The NF handset is a bonus, and it has the D96337 receiver, so judging by your website, this must be an early handset. The transmitter has been swapped out at some point as it's dated 9/58.

I'm stripping it down now so that I can give it a clean before stabilizing the cracks.

[19and41]

That crack looks like it would be a good candidate for a super glue repair, after working out a good clamping strategy.

[Doug Rose]

Great Phone! When I got mine from Paul,  it was painted black. Yours will clean up great. I went with a chrome finger wheel, but brass would look just as nice in my humble opinion. You are picking up some really nice phones in short amount of time. You are hooked!...Doug

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14753.msg153053#msg153053

[Buzby]

That crack looks like it would be a good candidate for a super glue repair, after working out a good clamping strategy.

I'm trying to work out one right now!

[19and41]

I have used the polimide (amber colored) tape to hold together segments of cracked bakelite housings while the glue fully sets.  it makes good dams to fill nicked areas as well.

http://www.surplussales.com/RF/RFTeflon-Mylar.html

[Buzby]

Great Phone! When I got mine from Paul,  it was painted black. Yours will clean up great. I went with a chrome finger wheel, but brass would look just as nice in my humble opinion. You are picking up some really nice phones in short amount of time. You are hooked!...Doug

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14753.msg153053#msg153053

Thanks, Doug!

Yours looks very smart indeed, and I like the look of the coiled cord.

I've got a Canadian Monophone arriving tomorrow with a nice Siemens Manitoba (QZ) dial. If there's a dial adapter with it that fits, then I may go with a silver dial, although brass could be nice. I do have a British AE dial with a brass fingerwheel.

Yes, I've got phoneitis pretty bad!!!!

[Buzby]

I have used the polimide (amber colored) tape to hold together segments of cracked bakelite housings while the glue fully sets.  it makes good dams to fill nicked areas as well.

http://www.surplussales.com/RF/RFTeflon-Mylar.html

Thanks for that advice! 

What width would you recommend?

[19and41]

I like the 1 inch size, then you can cut it into smaller widths if need be.  The nice thing about it is that it doesn't stretch and if you use it as a dam, the glue sticks to the adhesive as opposed to the tape and the adhesive will clean off with lighter fluid.

[NorthernElectric]

Clearing out my watch list, I noticed that the phone had been reduced to $125 plus shipping. I ummed and erred over it. I was wondering why someone hadn't snapped it up. Was I missing something?

You were missing Canadian seller selling Canadian phone in US dollars when the exchange rate is about $1.35.  I made an offer based on what I would be willing to pay for that phone in that condition in Canadian dollars.  Converted to US dollars, it probably seemed lowball to the seller.  It was declined. 

[Buzby]

You were missing Canadian seller selling Canadian phone in US dollars when the exchange rate is about $1.35.  I made an offer based on what I would be willing to pay for that phone in that condition in Canadian dollars.  Converted to US dollars, it probably seemed lowball to the seller.  It was declined.

I hadn't thought about the exchange rate, although the seller did ask me if my offer was in US $.

I paid $90 for the phone plus $30 for shipping, which I'm happy enough about. I'm not planning on selling it, and it's a good looking phone in person.

[HarrySmith]

Great phone! Guess we were lucky it wasn't on my watch list, we both would have spent too much! I would of went for it!

[Buzby]

I've finally got the phone finished, and I think it looks a little better than when I received it.

I spent a lot of time on the phone to an old family friend in the UK who restores and collects radios, who patiently explained to me all about internal stresses and how they affect bakelite (and plastics) when they crack. All about adhesives, resins and superglues and how I should use them. All good stuff that helped me a lot.

So after lots of clamping, superglueing and polishing, here's the before and after pictures. The before pics are from the original Ebay listing.

I've changed the 5H dial that was in there to a nice Siemens dial.

[Buzby]

The cracks have turned out really well. You can see where they were if the light is just right, but they don't leap out at you.