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E1 HANDSET SERVICE TIPS

Started by bingster, September 09, 2008, 04:42:57 PM

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BOB BONCHAK

My E-1 handset looks just like the one pictured by Bingstar (above post).  Appreciate all the previous posts, but am still quite confused.  Need to get into the handset to replace the cord, which has been cut off.  Can anyone provide step-by-step instructions about how to further dissasemble the handset in order to replace the cord?  The talk and listen ear pieces come off easily, but nothing below them (threaded mountings) can be moved.  Perhaps a pictoral of the construction of the handset would help those of us trying to open it up.  TIA.
BOB

bingster

#16
Funny you should post about this today, Bob, as my ultimate solution was waiting for me on the doorstep when I got home from work tonight.  I broke down and got a set of Western Electric E1 handset wrenches, and I finally got my handset apart effortlessly in no more than thirty seconds.  Given their price, I don't know if I'd recommend this approach or not, but I have to say I'm not regretting the purchase.

1)  Here are a couple pictures to show what you'll see as the pieces come apart.  The first step would be to remove the caps, as you already have, and as I showed in the picture in the post above.  Next the aluminum parts come out with their black spacers:




2)  From there, the spacers can be removed from the aluminum parts, leaving you with this:




The aluminum transmitter part threads onto the outside of the brass ring at the cord end, while the aluminum receiver part threads onto the inside of the brass ring at the other end.

And as a last resort, here's where I got my handset tools: 

http://www.oldphoneworks.com/western-electric-e1-handset-tool-kit.html
= DARRIN =



benhutcherson

#17
The handset tools look like they could be readily adopted from a set of point spanner wrenches, such as those used to disassemble camera lenses.

Microtools sells an "economy" version for $15 that I think probably, could, with some filing, be used very nicely.

If I had an E-1 handset, I would try it.

Here's the link to the microtools one I have in mind

http://www.micro-tools.com/store/item_detail.aspx?ItemCode=SPP     --> (  dead link 7-18-17 )

Dennis Markham

Hi gang. When we started this thread I too was experiencing problems getting mine apart.  My phone collector friend, Mark Scola brought over his strap wrench the other day and in 20 seconds he had the aluminum piece off of the handset.  His wrench has a thick rubber strap.  It took very little force to remove each end of the handset.  I had given it a pretty good soaking with WD 40 ahead of time.  The hair dryer did not do the trick.  (I still like that method for removing both plastic and Bakelite caps from either ABS plastic or Bakelite).

He said strap wrenches are available at stores such as Home Depot, Lowes, etc.  I need to get one myself.  But that did the trick.  The trouble with those wrenches that fit into the little holes, they often chip the hole.  How many E1's have we seen with the holes chipped on the edges or widened out?  A few.

Dennis

benhutcherson

I have a strap wrench, and it has been one of the best telephone tools I've had.

I have a couple of black 500s with G1 handsets that have thermoplastic caps. On every single one of them, I'm unable to get the caps off without the aide of my strap wrench.

I've also had a couple of other stubborn caps, and the strap wrench did the trick every time.

Somewhere or another, I've run in to an original Bell system strap wrench. Apparently, they were, at one time, part of a field repairman's tool kit.

BOB BONCHAK

I thought about the strap wrench today.  Realized that I had an oil filter wrench (about same thing) in the garage that I had glued some rubber inside the strap in order to work on some small diameter oil filters.  This cheap/modified wrench worked perfectly to remove the  transmit section, exposing the wiring connections (R-W-BK).  Will need to reduce the wrench diameter further in order to remove the listening section.  Bet you can get one at Wal-Mart real cheap (mine is old), and modify it to work.  Is this really needed in order to replace the three wire cord that goes from the handset to the base?  Additional questions - all the connecting wires are disconnected from the handset to the base and to the dial mechanism.  The base has terminals marked GN, W,BK,Y, on one side, and R on the other.  The dial has terminals marked Y, BK, BB, and R.  How do I connect the wires?  Where can I purchase the correct wiring harnesses?  Looked at PHONECO, but there wiring descriptions are confusing to me.  TIA.
BOB

bingster

#21
You can head over to House of Telephones for your cords.  You'll need a three conductor handset cord and a four conductor "desk stand" cord (which is called a "mounting cord" by the Bell System).  They're beautiful cords, and well worth the price.   You can get cords from other vendors, but they all get them from house of telephones, so you may as well go to the source. > www.houseoftelephones.com <

Also, please note that D-mount (and older) telephones need a subset to work properly.  If you don't have a proper subset, you can make do by using an old telephone as a subset.  In fact, there's a thread here about doing just that.  If you connect the telephone directly to the line, the phone will work, but the longer it's used this way, the weaker the receiver will become.  The reason is that too much current is allowed to flow through the handset, and it demagnetizes the receiver, causing fainter and fainter sound.  This kind of damage is irreversible.

You can check the diagram below for 202 wiring for B1 and D1 mounts:
= DARRIN =



bingster

It was a black and white drawing on one of the online telephone sites.  I can't remember which site it was now, but I'll have a look for it.  I "colorized" it so that it would be easier for me to trace the conductors.  One note about the colors:  The blue and purple dial cords should be black in reality, of course.  I just picked other colors for the diagram to help differentiate them from the black conductors in the cords.

= DARRIN =



Bill

Nice job on that diagram, Bingster. I'm not sure how I would go about "colorizing" something like that. You must have a better tool than I do.

Bill

BDM

Easy to follow that's for sure. You should do the same with some of the other desk-stands including the candlestick. Then just note the fact about some of the colors changed for readability.
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

BOB BONCHAK

Thanks BDM.  Should have mentioned this previously.  I'm working on a WE model 202, round base.  Marked B1 on back of base.  It has an E1 handset.  The metal portion of the transmit section is marked 625A and 8/34 (manufacture date?).  Can't find any identification numbers on the dialer.  The base needs to be repainted.  What is the correct (spray) paint to use?  What are the correct cord sets to purchase?  This set was "rescued" from my grandparent's estate many, many years ago.  I strored it away because I could not determine how to open the handset to replace it's cut off cord.  Thanks to this forum, I have now opened the handset and am ready to do restoration.  I do have a three wire (RD-YL-GN) round cable with spade ends and stain reliefs that I stored with the phone.  Don't know where this fits into the wiring scheme.  Thanks for all the forum assistance.
BOB

BDM

Bob, many collectors bake the paint on in the oven. It's been years since I've messed with paint. I honestly cannot say what to use. But, spray bombs probably shouldn't be used for correct and long term durability. Sorry I cannot help further.
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

bingster

#27
Quote from: BDM on September 28, 2008, 12:49:47 PM
Easy to follow that's for sure. You should do the same with some of the other desk-stands including the candlestick. Then just note the fact about some of the colors changed for readability.
Even though I'll probably never need it, I did a matching diagram for an A-mount.  They're the only two such diagrams I've ever found, though.  I haven't been able to find the source of my diagrams, but I cropped the images from BSP pages found online (the older, small BSPs).  If anybody has a set of those and could look for other "cording" diagrams, I'd be glad to to do the same with them.

Quote from: BOB BONCHAK on September 28, 2008, 07:08:54 PMI do have a three wire (RD-YL-GN) round cable with spade ends and stain reliefs that I stored with the phone.  Don't know where this fits into the wiring scheme. 
That sounds like a three-conductor mounting cord (the cord that goes from the phone to the subset).  Those are fine, but better performance can be obtained from a four-conductor mounting cord.  If you use the three-conductor cord, just ignore the placement of the mounting cord's black conductor in the diagram.
= DARRIN =



Dennis Markham

The red/yellow/green cord is a standard 3 conductor line cord.  That would best be used from the subset to the wall jack.  A 4 conductor "desk stand" cord work good from the phone to the subset for anti side-tone connection.

Speaking of cords, has anyone mentioned already that Odis LeVrier has sold his business effective November 01?  The word from the ATCA is that he was recently hospitalized but is expected to fully recover (Diabetes) but has sold the business.  From what I read on the ATCA List Serve the owner of Oldphoneworks, Don Woodbury.  Here is the message current partner of Odis wrote to both the ATCA and TCI.

I am responding because Odis had to be rushed to the emergency room today.  He had a reaction to his diabetes.  I believe he is going to be ok.  (could you please let others know to keep him in thoughts and prayers)
He is going to sell House of Telephones effective Nov. 1st.  You can place orders up to then, but the sooner the better.  Everyone is stocking up on their products while they know they are truly Odis's cords.  (WE ARE SWAMPED WITH WORK!!!)
I will train the new owners employees in a couple of weeks, so they can (hopefully) continue to create our QUALITY and HIGH standards of telephone cords.
Sorry this email is not more elegant and to the point as Odis, but I'm still a bit emotional.  If Odis does not respond to you please send me or call me for your orders.  He may not be able to conduct proper business for a while.
Signed, Aaron Hess.


Dennis

BOB BONCHAK

Harbor Freight Tools has a two piece set of stap wrenches (Item 94119) on sale for $2.99 until 10/27.  Work great in removing the round parts of handsets.
BOB