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HEEMAF type 1955 restoration

Started by Tribune, September 08, 2010, 03:43:31 PM

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Tribune

I've had a Dutch HEEMAF type 1955 'Batphone' for a while, though it took a little effort to get it wired to ring on the North American system. The primary issue was actually a broken solder and a short on the connection block, but with Gord Gerdes' help I managed to get it ringing like a dream. Only problem was that during the 'fixing' process it got dropped  :o Bakelite cracked, but a little super-glue put things back together.

However, during the search for the short, I sourced another HEEMAF '55 on eBay for parts. The phone was in good working order apart from a sticky dial, missing receiver and transmitter capsules, and a badly chipped case. But after reading so many inspiring restoration stories on this forum, I have been sucked in to refurbishing this beastie rather than parting it out. Given the state of the phone, this will be a painting project.

So, after disassembly, it was Bondo time. The Bondo worked very well, allowing me to completely fill the chips along the edges of the case and rebuild one of the corners. After smoothing with 600 grit, the Dremel came in handy for notching the rebuilt corner to allow the base plate to fit flush. The receiver cap had a crack in the middle of it. Again, super-glue fixed this, and the 600 grit got it nice and smooth and flush.



It was then into the dishwasher. What a surprise though! The satin, but still black, bakelite shell came out very matt and grey! Clearly the bakelite was more weathered than I thought. The inside though was still jet-black and glossy.







So, next step will be to carefully degrease the whole surface, and then two or three coats of primer before heading into the oven for a few hours. And then the real painting! I was toying with black, but after seeing a very fetching ivory type '55 on Remco's Dutch On-line Telephone Museum website, I'm thinking going with ivory. Not sure if HEEMAF ever made this model in ivory, but it appears that Philips did. Just need to know what colour the finger-stop was on the ivory model, as well as the hook switch plungers.



And if anyone has any HEEMAF receiver and transmitter capsules they want to part with, let me know!

Mark
Mark Furze - TCI, ATCA

To miss-quote "Bones" McCoy . . .
                     "darn it Jim - I'm a doctor, not a telephone engineer!"

teka-bb

Hello Mark,

HEEMAF made the ivory type 1955 for Philips. It has the Philips logo on the hook switches. The rest of the phone is the same.

I can bring some receiver and transmitter elements when I visit the US in November. You can pick them up at the Northern California telephone show that will be held in San Jose, Saturday November 6th or I can mail them to you.
=============================================
Regards,

Remco, JKL Museum of Telephony Curator

JKL Museum of Telephony: http://jklmuseum.com/
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TCI Library: http://www.telephonecollectors.info/
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Tribune

Can't make it down to San Jose sadly, long ways to come from Canada. Though an escape from the winter snows would be welcome  :-\  Autumn has already arrived here in northern Alberta - leaves starting to turn, and rainy weather the likes of which I grew up with back in the UK!
I'll PM you my address here - cheers Remco!
Mark Furze - TCI, ATCA

To miss-quote "Bones" McCoy . . .
                     "darn it Jim - I'm a doctor, not a telephone engineer!"