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Best period-correct Color for Four Prong Jacks and Plugs?

Started by OldPhoneUser, March 21, 2018, 08:29:52 PM

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OldPhoneUser

hi all, just getting my old phones set up. I had bought two sets of beige 4-prong wall jacks and plugs. But now having second thoughts. Fortunately, todays spray paint at home depot works really well on plastic, so I am thinking of making them dark brown which will go with the cloth cordage.

Then it occurred to me that I dont know what the most common color was back in the day (1930's). I would guess brown or black, but who knows?

Haf

Take a look here, a timeline with available colors over the time:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20033.msg205390#msg205390

*1932 February: BSP C36.201 formally describes plugs and jacks for portable telephones. Available colors of 283A: black (-3) and old brass (-6)

*1939: Catalog No. 10 shows 283B plugs in colors ivory (-4), old brass (-6), and brown (-9).

*1950: Catalog No.11: ivory (-4), old-brass (-6), and brown (-9) colors available.

*1957: The Graybar catalog 12-T shows 283B plugs in ivory (-4) and brown (-9) only.

*1962: A 1966 New York Telephone supply catalog lists 283B-42 (beige), -50 (ivory), and -54 (brown) colors, as of 5/62 (page date). colors -50 and -54 supersede -4 and -9, respectively.

*1967: Available colors: black (-3), Green (-51), Yellow (-56), White (-58), Pink (-59), Lt. Beige (-60), Lt. Gray (-61), Aqua Blue (-62), and Turquoise (-64)

Haf
Telephone:
0049-030-55474418
1-415-449-4743
1-604-757-7474

Key2871

Wasn't everything hard wired in the 30's through the mid 60's.?.
In the early 60's is the first time I saw the four prong plugs or jacks. In the later 60's bell system had rounder ones in colors to match the desk sets.
KEN

OldPhoneUser

#3
thanks haf, I need to figure out the search better. it seems like I always pick fruitless search terms, when it is all here.

The TCI links all seem to be dead. I searched there with the end string from one of the links from here, no joy. so I will have to learn that sites search quirks too.  anyway, looks like brown will do!

key, looking at haf's post, and based on an old phono jack looking thing i found that was from the 20's I think, jacks were around for a long time, but not everyplace.

poplar1

You can go to telephone collectors.info then type C36.201 in the search box.

Note that in the table unbeldi posted, the jacks usually matched the inside wiring (wire from the protector in the basement (or side of the house) to the jack. So brown IW (inside wire) with brown jack and brown plug. Or, ivory IW with ivory jack.

Plugs that matched the color of the phone (pink, green, etc.)  don't show up in unbeldi's table until 1967.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

OldPhoneUser

Quote from: poplar1 on March 21, 2018, 10:03:30 PM
You can go to telephone collectors.info then type C36.201 in the search box.

got the doc, thanks!   in my case brown will do. I'll plastic paint the plugs and jacks and install them.  wire is brown 2-conductor thermostat wire I had. Don't see why that wouldnt be fine. it is not exposed, as I plan to mount the jack where the wire comes from the sheetrock, and use toggle screws so the jack is very secure.

now on to learning how to wire things up, and want to learn about side tome. I will search for sidetone posts as I am sure its all here in detail.

thank for the advice and sorry for the newbie type questions.

Haf

I did not just quote unbeldi's table but checked with TCI Library (links are dead after reorganisation but I provided the pdf files in the other threat) and double checked with my own documents just to make sure. Information provided by unbeldi seems to be legit in my opinion.

Haf

===================

New TCI Links:

34jul BLR P343 Jacks and Plugs for Portable Telephones

C36.201 I1 Feb32 Jacks Plugs Inside Loc
Telephone:
0049-030-55474418
1-415-449-4743
1-604-757-7474

OldPhoneUser

OK so I lightly wiped the beige taiwanese 4 prong jacks and plugs with acetone which I think was too strong for the type of plastic. Anyway then painted with rustoleum dark brown spray paint from home depot.  The paint crazed a little which I think was the acetone effects on the plastic. Next time will just use alcohol for prep. Then installed the jack to the sheetrock using 3" screws and toggle nuts.  That way it wont pull off.  Had to order the #6-32 3" screws from amazon.

The last pic is an original Bell system plug.


Haf

To make it more time period correct you should have used slotted srews. Just for the details ;)

Haf
Telephone:
0049-030-55474418
1-415-449-4743
1-604-757-7474

OldPhoneUser

didnt think of that. but not sure if I could find slotted flat head 6-32 at 3".  maybe.

the only good thing is  I'm pretty sure no one who sees it will notice,!  ;)


mazda_matt

Quote from: OldPhoneUser on March 25, 2018, 05:16:35 PM
OK so I lightly wiped the beige taiwanese 4 prong jacks and plugs with acetone which I think was too strong for the type of plastic. Anyway then painted with rustoleum dark brown spray paint from home depot.  The paint crazed a little which I think was the acetone effects on the plastic. Next time will just use alcohol for prep. Then installed the jack to the sheetrock using 3" screws and toggle nuts.  That way it wont pull off.  Had to order the #6-32 3" screws from amazon.

The last pic is an original Bell system plug.

I love when I see my pictures being used!

-MM
oldphoneworks.com
1-800-843-1320

Coupon Code - CRF10 (10% off)

WEBellSystemChristian

Looks nice! ;)

The crazing you experienced after painting was probably not from using Acetone instead of Alcohol, but because the Acetone didn't fully evaporate from the surface before painting. If the plastic didn't melt or smear from using Acetone, it was probably perfectly safe to use for prep.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford