Novice looking for a little information

[Vini]

Hi All
I have only recently discovered my interest in old telephones.  I have only a couple, but the number is steadily growing.
Initially I bought a couple of phones that needed no work, just plugged them in and away we went.
A month or so ago I bought off EBay an old tatty GPO 332. Took it all apart cleaned it, scrubbed it and put it all back together. Brilliant fun, loved every minute of it.
Decided to try that again. Bought a Stromberg Carlson 1242 & a AE40 off EBay.
The AE40 is a real gem will clean up nicely. The SC1242 on the other hand seems to have had a very hard life.
I have decided the SC1242 will have to be repainted. Stripped all the paint  off this weekend, that was tough old paint.
At the moment agonizing whether to paint the handset at the same time. Don't really want to, but I'd quite like them to match.
I have two questions and was hoping you chaps might point me in the right direction.
1) On the base plate is the designation 1242-W. I think that means 'no ringer'?
However as you can see from the photo there is a ringer fitted. But it doesn't 'feel' right. The fixing holes are badly burred with swarf hanging off. Unless you chaps tell me otherwise I am sure this has been retro fitted sometime later in its life. The bell itself has some writing on, amongst which is a date '1952'. Any thoughts?
2) Could anybody tell me what I need to do? Or where to look to run these phones on the UK BT phone system? Do they need converting or re-wiring? Or are they just a straight plug-in?
Many thanks for any help.
Vini

[LarryInMichigan]

Welcome Vini,

The SC1242-W code suggests the the phone was made without a ringer, but the rust round the two holes near the front strongly suggests that a ringer had been attached at some time.  Look at http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1005 form information about the SC model codes.  The ringer which is in the phone now is not an SC ringer, but it may work on your line.  I have an identical ringer which came inside of a North 541 (it didn't belong there either), and at least a couple of other forum members have found those ringers, but nobody seems to know quite where they originated.

A very good source of wiring diagrams for various models of phones is at http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library.

Regarding painting, I personally am opposed to painting bakelite unless it cannot be properly polished.  With some good cleaning and polishing, and possibly light sanding, if necessary, bakelite can be made to look great.  If you paint the zinc shell black, the handset should match the handset closely enough.  Black bakelite never matches painted metal perfectly, and it didn't match perfectly when the phone left the factory.  Also, unless you use the right paint and apply it properly, it will wear off while you grip the handset.

Regarding connecting it the the BT network, I would expect that, if the phone works, it will be fine to connect straight to your line.  There is another British forum member, "gpo706", who could probably provide more information on that issue.

Enjoy you old phones

Larry

[Doug Rose]

I agree with Larry, there is no need to paint bakelite. Steel wool and Avon Skin so Soft and it will shine like new.....Doug

[Vini]

Thanks for this Larry
Yes I had wondered about the corrosion round those two holes. Irritatingly any suffix to the 1242-W would have been printed precisely where one of the two new mounting holes is positioned!

You and Doug have convinced me on the handset also. It has polished up very nicely and I really wasn't keen on the painting anyway.
Vini

[LarryInMichigan]

Vini,

It is quite possible that the original ringer was a frequency ringer, and the owner replaced it with the one that is there now. 

Please post pictures of the phone after it has been polished and reassembled.

Larry

[bingster]

I've found the brown staining to be due to outgassing of the rubber grommets.  It likely that there was never a ringer installed, and the mere presence of the grommets is what caused those stains.

Vini, check out this diagram, which should help in putting your phone right again:

http://telephonecollectors.org/library/sberg/1242_43.pdf

Depending on how far gone your handset is, painting may be an appropriate option.  The Bell System and the independent phone companies often painted their bakelite handsets during refurbishment, so there's definitely a precedent.

Welcome!

[Dan/Panther]

I recently posted a thread with concerns of mine concerning a AE Monophone that had that same ringer installed. Another member mentioned he also had that same ringer in a phone he has. You are across the pond right. Now I'm even more confused about that ringer.  Did your phone come from the States ?
D/P

[dsk]

May the ringer be Signal corps stock no:
4B3672
Fed Tele & Rad part/ dwg #GH-1535-2
2555 ohms +/- 10%, 2 1/2" dia ?

At least it looks like this. If so, the ringer should work well in the BT system, probably quite well even with a 2.2 kilo-ohms resistor in series.
Just connect this in parallel with the other telephone ringers.  (3 and 5 ?)

dsk

[Vini]

Spot on Bingster, You were right, the staining is due to gassing. This did not originally have a ringer.
D/P; Bought the phone on EBay, shipped  from Tennessee.

Couple of pictures of the finished article attached, also of its original condition.
Quite pleased with how it turned out, paint work looks OK. Wired it all up plugged it in away we went.
The little single bell sounds quite dainty. Would be hard to hear if it wasn't for the 5 other rotary phones & bellset ringing in the house on incoming calls....
Really enjoyed this refurbishment, had a lot of fun.
AE40 came out really well also, although it still has a persistently sticky dial, which I will have to take another look at.
Thanks for your advice chaps
Vini

[JorgeAmely]

Vini:

Excellent work. I see that you replaced the curly handset cord with a straight one.

Where did you find the straight handset cord?

[LarryInMichigan]

Vini,

Your phone looks great.  I have a 1243 which I would love to make to look like that.  Regarding your dial, I have found that giving the gears and other parts a good spraying with electrical contact cleaner often removes whatever was making the dial sticky.  If that doesn't work, you can send your dial to Steve Hilsz (phonesurplus.com) who will fix it for $6.

Larry

[Doug Rose]

Vini....outstanding refurb! Looks brand new. I'm not sure who the novice is, you look like an old pro to me. Amazing job!!.....Doug

[McHeath]

Welcome to the forum. 

Now let me get this straight, you are a "novice"??

That phone looks fabulous, you did an excellent job!  Even the handset looks great, shining old bakelite can be troublesome, especially if the outer layer has worn off.  Nice job.

[Dan/Panther]

I agree with Larry, there is no need to paint bakelite. Steel wool and Avon Skin so Soft and it will shine like new.....Doug

Doug;
How often if ever, do you need to reapply the Skin So Soft ?
D/P

[Dan/Panther]

Vini;
My AE40 had that same ringer in it when I bought mine. I switched it out for the correct SL ringer, I also had to change the Capacitor from 8  Mfd to 4 mfd. That ringer must have been an independent quick fix for a none ringer phone. I would be curious which company handled our phones to see if it was an independent fix, or factory ?
D/P