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61 Yellow 554

Started by Greg G., June 15, 2014, 12:49:43 AM

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Greg G.

Another from the "Gang of 9".  Refurbed in July 74, so it has a mixture of dates.  The external parts are from 74 - shell, handset, caps.  Handset cord restraint has a date of 70. The basic internal parts are dated 12-61 - base, dial, network, IV 61 ringer, although the dial has color code 60 (light beige).  Receiver element dated 9-29-53, transmitter 8-10-71.

In need of some TLC with clean up and a distorted handset cord, but otherwise it's ok, fully functions.  Dial rotates and returns fine, but the finger wheel has some heavy scratches or crazing in the middle, but that shouldn't be hard to replace.    However there's one thing I'm a little concerned about, some sort of goo or ooze on the ringer coil, you can see a blob of it in the ringer picture.  What is that stuff? 
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

jsowers

The goo could be excess wax that got warm and dripped down. If the ringer still works, I wouldn't worry about it. It shouldn't change the performance of the ringer.

The mouthpiece cap on this phone looks painted to me. I've seen many yellow plastics painted that ugly shade of yellow that doesn't match (maybe it did originally, but it doesn't now). If it's yellow underneath, take a paper towel with a lot of denatured alcohol on it and take the ugly yellow paint off. Then it will match the rest of the plastics. It may take more than one paper towel, but it should come off easily. I've done that to entire phones painted that color and it's worked well and the phone underneath is pristine yellow. Why did they paint perfectly good new plastics? We will never know. It was the 1970s.

The handset cord will need cleaning and being wound around a dowel. Then leave it in a hot car under the windshield on a sunny Seattle day and hopefully it will coil back together. I use denatured alcohol to clean the cords and the plastics on hard plastic. It takes a lot of grime and goo off. This phone looks like it was in a kitchen, so it should have plenty of goo.

Post some pictures of your progress. And thanks for making them on the small side. Much quicker to load for me.
Jonathan

Greg G.

#2
Quote from: jsowers on June 15, 2014, 09:29:46 AM
The goo could be excess wax that got warm and dripped down. If the ringer still works, I wouldn't worry about it. It shouldn't change the performance of the ringer.

That's good to know, I cleaned it off.

Quote from: jsowers on June 15, 2014, 09:29:46 AM

The mouthpiece cap on this phone looks painted to me. I've seen many yellow plastics painted that ugly shade of yellow that doesn't match (maybe it did originally, but it doesn't now). If it's yellow underneath, take a paper towel with a lot of denatured alcohol on it and take the ugly yellow paint off. Then it will match the rest of the plastics. It may take more than one paper towel, but it should come off easily. I've done that to entire phones painted that color and it's worked well and the phone underneath is pristine yellow. Why did they paint perfectly good new plastics? We will never know. It was the 1970s.

You were right, it was yellow paint on yellow.  I used around 6 heavy-duty paper towels and denatured alcohol and scrubbed it until no paint came off on the paper towels.  At first I thought the cap had green paint underneath, but it was just the old paint which looked greenish.  I guess yellow paint doesn't want to turn yellow with age, it has to be different, so it "greens" with age. 

Quote from: jsowers on June 15, 2014, 09:29:46 AM
Post some pictures of your progress. And thanks for making them on the small side. Much quicker to load for me.

Quicker to upload too.  I always take macro pics in full resolution mode, then crop and resize them to usually 33% of the original size.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

poplar1

Just to clarify, you said not to use denatured alcohol to remove paint on soft plastic parts:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=12039.msg127683#msg127683

Do you have a suggestion for removing paint from repainted soft plastic?

Quote from: jsowers on June 15, 2014, 09:29:46 AM
The mouthpiece cap on this phone looks painted to me. I've seen many yellow plastics painted that ugly shade of yellow that doesn't match (maybe it did originally, but it doesn't now). If it's yellow underneath, take a paper towel with a lot of denatured alcohol on it and take the ugly yellow paint off. Then it will match the rest of the plastics. It may take more than one paper towel, but it should come off easily. I've done that to entire phones painted that color and it's worked well and the phone underneath is pristine yellow. Why did they paint perfectly good new plastics? We will never know. It was the 1970s.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Dennis Markham

Easy-Off oven cleaner does a nice job of removing paint from SOFT plastic, as long as the paint is not Polane.  There are two types, a Blue can and Yellow can.  I think the Blue is "fume free".  Much easier on the breathing.  Both are effective.  I have removed black paint from a couple of rare colored handsets.  Again, SOFT plastic (Tenite).

~Dennis

jsowers

It does really depend on the paint and the plastic what you use. Polane may be impossible to get off any kind of plastic. It's almost like another layer of plastic. You have to be very careful with soft Tenite plastic. Anything like alcohol or paint stripper will melt Tenite. I haven't used Easy Off yet, though I did buy some. Others have had mixed results with this LA's Totally Awesome cleaner, but I'm not sure it works on thick paint.

On these yellow hard plastic phones, I've seen that ugly greenish-yellow paint a whole lot on 1970s yellow phones. My grandmother even had one. I've also seen red plastics painted red and denatured alcohol will get it off too. This paint is very thin and dulls easily. Underneath is the original plastic and the paint protects it.

Briny, I'm glad you were able to make it match better by taking the paint off. It does make a mess taking off the paint, but it looks better when you finish. You should see how many paper towels you have to use on an entire phone.
Jonathan

Greg G.

Quote from: jsowers on June 15, 2014, 07:33:51 PM
...

Briny, I'm glad you were able to make it match better by taking the paint off. It does make a mess taking off the paint, but it looks better when you finish. You should see how many paper towels you have to use on an entire phone.

I'm glad it was only the mouthpiece cap that was painted and that it came of relatively easy.  I tested it on the handset and shell, no paint.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Greg G.

Quote from: jsowers on June 15, 2014, 09:29:46 AM

The handset cord ... leave it in a hot car under the windshield on a sunny Seattle day ...


???  Not many of them in these parts. 
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Contempra

I'm not sure but it seem that i saw one like this in the same color on eBay some weeks or months ago or so......however, love this one. Anyway it's a W.E

Greg G.

Quote from: Contempra on June 17, 2014, 02:11:19 PM
I'm not sure but it seem that i saw one like this in the same color on eBay some weeks or months ago or so......however, love this one. Anyway it's a W.E


This should turn out to be a nice looking phone, just needs a little TLC. 
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Contempra

Quote from: Brinybay on June 17, 2014, 09:49:41 PM
This should turn out to be a nice looking phone, just needs a little TLC. 

Exactly Brinybay.

Greg G.

Quote from: Brinybay on June 17, 2014, 09:49:41 PM

This should turn out to be a nice looking phone, just needs a little TLC.

Quote from: Contempra on June 18, 2014, 11:47:27 AM
Exactly Brinybay.

Well, the poor thing turned out to be yet another OMS (Oh Maybe Someday) project that sat in a box for 5 years.  It's going to a better home now.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Contempra

Quote from: Brinybay on March 26, 2019, 02:44:37 AM
Well, the poor thing turned out to be yet another OMS (Oh Maybe Someday) project that sat in a box for 5 years.  It's going to a better home now.

Good thing . ;)