andre_janew's telephone collection

[andre_janew]

Also, I've read that the bad smell is caused by the plastic breaking down.  Soft plastic, as I understand it, was used in the making of phone cases in the 1950s.  The WE 500 phones used such plastic  and I read about a WE 302 that had a 1950 date and may have had a soft plastic case.

[unbeldi]

Also, I've read that the bad smell is caused by the plastic breaking down.  Soft plastic, as I understand it, was used in the making of phone cases in the 1950s.  The WE 500 phones used such plastic  and I read about a WE 302 that had a 1950 date and may have had a soft plastic case.

Here is an example where the use of this (nonsensical) term "softplastic" make no sense again.  The plastic of the 302s and the 500s in the 50s is indeed very similar, but different in its detailed chemistry.  They are both a form of Tenite, but the Tenite Butyrate used on the 500s sets was not the standard plastic used on the 302, even if we find an example here or there.

It's important to name materials properly, otherwise it just causes a lot of confusion and misinformation.

[andre_janew]

I finally got the proper handset for this phone.  The receiver cap doesn't have a center hole, so it must be the right one.  I couldn't get the cap screwed down enough to keep the receiver from rattling around, yet it seemed tight.  I put some cotton inside and now it doesn't rattle.  There is even a 54 on the restraint.  The cord is straight instead of coiled.

[andre_janew]

This will be the first WE 500 I have had with a straight handset cord since I lost that 1953 model with the 1973 dial.  This 1954 model is probably better and more original anyway!

[RotarDad]

The earpiece cap should screw on tighter than that.  I would check to ensure the receiver part fits properly in the handset, not caught by a wire, etc.  It should sit almost flush in the handset.  Then clean the threads in both pieces carefully.  You can try the cap without the receiver element installed to determine where the issue is.  I have found cases where later plastic caps interfere with the element on a G-1 handset.  In one case, I used a Dremel tool to relieve the ledge for the element inside the handset which allowed the cap to fit properly.  Hope this helps.

[andre_janew]

I'll certainly check those things out.  I know it should fit tighter than it does.

[andre_janew]

Looking ahead to February, I can't decide which phone would be the better find.  Would it be the black push button or would it be the black rotary?  Such  a tough choice.

[andre_janew]

My red push button isn't doing too well, so maybe I should enter the rotary because it might fair better than the black push button.  Mine was the only vote that red phone got so far.  Perhaps a black 1954 WE 500 would be more desirable that a black 1979 WE 2500.

[Doug Rose]

Andre....your  TT phone is a very common phone. Millions were made. The contest is about a desirable phone that is hard to find, not a common phone that you won for little money. I did try to explain this to you before, its not how good of a deal you got on the price, it is how good of a phone you got for the price. Phones that were mass produced by the Bell System in the 70s are not a hard find......Doug

[andre_janew]

So, a 1950s rotary would be harder to find and more desirable than a 1970s TT phone.  If that is the case, then I did the right thing by entering my black 1954 WE 500 as a Find of the Month.  I hope it gets more than two votes.  That is all my red TT phone ended up getting.  I know, I'm probably lucky it got that many!

[andre_janew]

Does anyone know what an HEBF handset cord is?  Is it just a fancy term for a straight handset cord?

[unbeldi]

Does anyone know what an HEBF handset cord is?  Is it just a fancy term for a straight handset cord?

I think you misread the designation.  It is H4BF,   H= handset cord, 4= four conductors,  BF= specific type designation.

So, all handset cords on 500 sets are H4xx.
On 302s, the standard handset cord is an H3x, for example H3P.

[poplar1]

Here's a link for a BSP on cords,  including the H4BF. In 1955, black cords of 6 conductors or less had neoprene jackets and rubber conductors (C36.101 Issue 3, May, 1955). Cords for color 500s were already vinyl in 1954 (BLR, May, 1959).

http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/bsps/by-letter-code/components/doc_view/3345-c36-101-13-station-cords-all-types-tl

http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/3345-c36-101-13-station-cords-all-types-tl

(TCI library)

[andre_janew]

Actually, I got the HEBF from the seller's description of the handset and cord.

[andre_janew]

Good thing I decided to get that other handset.  I recently discovered a small problem with the handset that came with the phone I bought.  I'll show you what I'm talking about.