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and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

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Finally got my Gray 500!

Started by Dan, May 27, 2009, 10:07:24 PM

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finlover

You must be proud of that Oxford Gray two-tone, Jester, it's very handsome.  Good luck with the cord repair!

Dan/Panther

Jorge;
We have a rather lengthly thread about cord restorartion which I started about a clothe cord, then Dennis and others added their experiences. If you read that thread you will see we came to the exact same solution you did, and independent of your efforts. I would say it must be the one and best soilution. It has worked countless times for me, and shortening a bad cord a loop or two doesn't seem to effect the looks of a set at all. i've moved the mounting rings more than once but didn't mention it as I thought it might be frowned upon.
D/P

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=202.0

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dan

Thanks for the kind words about my phone. I'll get it on 6-2 according to fedex. I love your yellow Jorge. Gray cords always add to the value for me. I have a moss green with gray cords. (curled, not straight). Hey Jester, I hope you like your gray, I wanted that '59 but I set a max of $100 and qiut when it went over that.

Funny how the future of phone collecting I feel is towards these 500's. It will be interesting in about a decade or so when you won't be able to touch a colored 500 (soft plastic) for under $100. Already the mediterranean blue, mahagony brown, and the rose beige and oxford gray are going for $$$$$$$, unless you stumble on one @ a yard sale.

I am waiting on a craigs list find but won't talk about it till I get it. I hate sending money orders via craigs but it's worth the gamble if  the guy is honest.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

JorgeAmely

Sorry sir, didn't mean to confuse you with finlover.  ;D

I also have a yellow WE500 from 1969, all original, for which I paid $22. It is dated around mid 1969, so it is my Moon Landing Year phone. It came with a yellow 4 prong plug, stamped with the Bell logo.

It is in my guest room, therefore, guests don't visit for too long.  ;D

Jorge
Jorge

McHeath

Quotei've moved the mounting rings more than once but didn't mention it as I thought it might be frowned upon.

Oh my Gawd!  You are off the Forum!!!   ;)

Oh wait, I've done this once or twice as well.

bingster

Moving the restraints?  I do that quite often, too.  I'll occasionally loosen the handset cord restraint at the phone end, just so I can rotate it a bit to make the handset cord lay better as it comes out of the phone.  And when repairing cut mounting cords, it's an absolute necessity to move them back a bit.
= DARRIN =



Dan/Panther

Thank God now I can breath again....
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dan

Whats the best way to remove a crimp and resqueeze it on another cord ? Needle nose pliers are how I try to do it, but there has to be another way that's easier.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

bingster

I use the bottle opener of a mini leatherman tool to start mine.  At the end of that tool is a very small chisel point, and I work that into the seam at the end of the restraint.  A little twist will open the restraint a bit.   If you don't have one of these, a very small regular screwdriver with it's point filed into a sharp, flat point would work just as well.  A small regular screwdriver pushed into the center of the restraint's seam and twisted will open it further, and allow it to be slipped off or repositioned. With a little practice, you can do this without damaging or even scratching the restraint.
= DARRIN =



Jester

My apologies, Dan-- It seems my question to George regarding cord repair has hijacked your thread!  It does appear, though that you are as interested in this subject as I am, so I hope you'll forgive me one final intrusion.  Jorge, you asked for a picture of my cord-- here it is!  As I was taking this shot, I believe I answered my question-- removing the first coil & moving the H/S restraint & metal crimp would, along with reshaping the coils using Hi temp/ Lo temp as described here & elsewhere, should restore the look & action of this cord.  There will also be no need to use super glue since the blemish will be eliminated by removing the coil.  While I'm at it, the second shot is of the cord on my red '57.  I hope you can see from the photo that there is more than one reason this cord can be called "cherry" red!  Someone has dropped the red hot business end of a lit tobacco product on this cord.  Have you ever tried a vinyl repair product on this type of damage?  Thanks for your indulgence.  Stephen
Stephen

Dan

No apologies needed Jester, I'm interested in this as much as you are!
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

JorgeAmely

Gentlemen:

I would remove around 1/4 inch from this red cord (thus removing the damaged section). Two identical cuts around and at 90 degrees with the cord will be required. Under hot running water, squeeze and push the insulation one way until it touches the other section (may not need to reposition the crimp). Let it dry for a couple of days, since the wires inside are wrapped in paper. Now, I would wrap it around a 3/8 Craftsman extension and tape one end to the extension. Wrap the entire cord and make sure the gap is closed. Unwrap it again to where the cuts are and very carefully, glue it with crazy glue (flat section with flat section, round section with round section). Wrap the rest around the extension and let it harden for one day. Next day, unwrap it and inspect it. Remove excess glue, if any present.

Now, wrap it again and tape it to the extension. In my case, I have put these cords in the back window of a parked car during hot summer days for two days to get them to "learn" a new shape. While hot on the third day, stick it in the freezer for 6 or 7 hours. After that, let it return to room temperature. Spray with Turtle Wax F21 Sun Protection spray, polish and unwrap. Ready for show.  :o

Jorge

Jester

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Jorge.  I am beginning to look at cord damage with a similar eye, now.
Stephen

Dan

#28
Getting back to the original thread. Well, it came today. packed well, marked fragile all over with a 3 inch dent in the corner of the box.... I opened her up and my heart was racing a little, luckily, she followed the "phone wrapping instructions " we posted on this site (paul's save the phones thread) and it was unharmed.

Waxed her up. I am very pleased. All matching 11-6-58 to be exact!

http://tinyurl.com/oqa3mn

http://tinyurl.com/ozhtd7

http://tinyurl.com/oh8noc

"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Dennis Markham

Dan, that is a nice looking telephone.  You can scratch that off your list of phone you need.  You don't see a lot of them out there in Light Gray.