My New North 541

[LarryInMichigan]

I bought a North phone on ebay (iitem #180426570199), and it arrived today.  For some reason, I was the only bidder.  The phone is a bit dirty, and the dial is a bit sluggish, but it works well, and I can dial out.  The original ringer is missing, and a strange ringer was installed (under the dial, and next to the network.  The dial is dated "I 57", the base is stamped "SSPT 58", and the network is dated 7-1-58, as you can see in the pictures.  The receiver is stamped "3 31 54".  Does anyone know what the official model number is for this phone?  Has anyone ever seen a ringer like the one in the picture below?

Larry

[JorgeAmely]

Hi Larry:

That is a North 541 phone. The black painted base may take a C4A ringer, which is an easy find. I have an album in Picasa that shows how to restore the dial, otherwise, Steve Hilsz can restore it for you for $6 + shipping.

I don't know what type of ringer is that, but it could be a buzzer.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Amelyenator/NorthElectricModel541DialOverhaulProcedure#

My N541:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Amelyenator/EarlyNorth541PhoneWithAluminumBase#

[Phonesrfun]

Strangely, that "buzzer" looks like an electric motor from the photo.  Looks like it has a gear on the end of a shaft.  Does that turn when the phone "rings"?

[McHeath]

I think that ringer is a metal gong with  the hammer being that shaft sticking out on one side of the assembly.  When it rings the shaft is driven back and forth and strikes both sides of the gong.  I've got a similar ringer from an old Asian Trimline copy from the late 80s, it works well and is quite loud.

[JorgeAmely]

Bill, Larry:

These phones have been known to use various annunciators. Check out Paul's page for more examples. Black bases arrived in 1957 more or less. Those could use WE C4A ringers. Prior to that, they were made with aluminum bases and could only handle ringers made by North Electric Company from Galion, Ohio.

http://www.paul-f.com/North555.htm

[LarryInMichigan]

Jorge,

I have seen your albums before, but I forgot that you had a phone like this in the collection.  Yours is about two years older than mine.  I cleaned up the dial a bit, but I have a poor track record when it comes to reassembling mechanical things with many small parts (an especially springs), so I think that I will leave it alone for now.  It does work, I just think that it could turn a bit more smoothly.

McHeath is correct about the ringer, although mine does not seem to work very well.  The phone came with an extra 1 μF connected between the L2 and A terminals, with the ringer connected to A and G (L1).  The ringer did not ring in that configuration, so I placed the external cap in parallel with the built-in cap in the network (A-L1), and I got some movement from the ringer hammer, but not very much.  The DC resistance of the ringer measures about 2.7KΩ.

This ringer obviously does not belong in this phone.  There are obvious marks on the inside of the base from the prior presence of a ringer which, judging by the size and shapes of the marks, probably looked like the one in Jorge's pictures.  This ringer was being held to the base by a single screw though the hole which is just in front of the network (visible in the picture with the ringer).  That hole was obviously enlarged with a drill to allow the screw to pass.  If I can find a proper ringer for a low enough cost, I will install it.  Otherwise, I will leave the phone without a ringer (I already have about ten phones ringing in my small house).

The housing, dial bezel, and finger wheel are in good shape, and the handset is only moderately rough on the top, so I expect that a little bit of sanding and polishing will give me a nice looking phone to join my WE500, AE80, and SC1543s.

Larry

[Dennis Markham]

Larry, if you would like a C4A ringer for that phone, I'm sure I have an extra one kicking around in my work shop.

[JorgeAmely]

Hi Larry:

The handset in mine looked a little tired, but after hitting it Novus 2 with no mercy for an hour, now it shines like black granite. The plastic is just like 302 black plastic. When sanded, the residue is kind of blue, but it is so soft, that it won't take long to make it look very nice.

A C4A ringer will complete it and if you decide that it is just too noisy around the house, you can rewire it so it doesn't ring.

Good luck and post some pictures of the completed project.

PS: The hook switch actuator is VERY delicate. I spent weeks looking for one because mine was broken inside the phone.

[LarryInMichigan]

Dennis, I may take you up on your offer.

After doing a bit of initial sanding and rubbing, I have discovered that this phone has actually been painted !  The roughness on the handset rubbed out quickly (and turned my hands black), and the finger wheel has an 'orange peel' surface.  Even the plastic shell seems to have a thin layer of paint on it.  The dial bezel apparently escaped unpainted.  I am apparently going to need to do some paint stripping before proceeding with the sanding and polishing.  What kind of lunatic would apply black paint over perfectly good black plastic?

I have noticed that the hook switch has a very short travel distance.

BTW, did WE make the networks for these phones?

Thank You


Larry

[JorgeAmely]

Larry:

When you sand bakelite, a black residue will come off, and lots of it. Just sand the handset VERY lightly and proceed to polish with Novus 2.

I suggest you just sand the paint off the housing. A paint stripper can damage the soft plastic surface.

The travel of the hook switch is about 3/8 of an inch.

All elements and network are from WE. Everything else is of North Electric design.

[LarryInMichigan]

Jorge,

The receiver was painted, and the black residue was paint.  I have removed most of the paint from the handset and dial center ring with paint stripper, and I managed to remove the paint from the shell and finger wheel with Brasso.  The shell is mostly very shiny underneath the paint.  I am sure glad that the previous owner didn't paint the cords .  I hope to have it all polished sometime next week, and I plan to post pictures of the results.

Thank you for your help.


Larry

[LarryInMichigan]

I have to retract one of my previous statements.  There actually is paint on the handset cord  .

Here is a picture of the handset without the paint.  The surface is smooth, but it is not very black.  Is there a good way to reblacken it without painting?



Larry

[LarryInMichigan]

I finished depainting the phone, polished it, and installed a C4A ringer borrowed from a 1950s 554.  For some reason, the ringer does not work with the network's internal capacitor (it barely moves), so I used the external capacitor which was in the pone when it arrived.  Here are mode pictures.  Not quite Jorge or finlover quality, but reasonable by my standards.

Larry

[JorgeAmely]

Larry:

It looks very nice. Congratulations.

[Phonesrfun]

Very nice job, Larry.  Great work.