Help rewiring 634a subset

[Waterland]

I recently picked this subset up at an antique store with the intention of using it with a 202 desk set (which I have yet to acquire).  The lady at the shop didn't seem to know what it was as she called it a "servant's bell."  There were no cords to wire to a desk set nor cords to wire it to the wall, so I'm assuming someone bypassed the induction coil and wired it up to a button to make the bells ring.  I'd like to try to rewire this myself to save some money; I have a guy who could rewire it if I can't figure it out but I thought I'd take the opportunity to learn a little about how these work.

I've been trying to follow the wiring diagrams in this thread http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=784.0 but my subset seems to be a little different than the diagrams in the thread.  There is also a wiring diagram on the inside cover of the subset that I can't make much sense of, I'm attached pictures of it.

The induction coil is marked 146B and the condenser is marked 147A, which doesn't match any of the wiring diagrams in the previously mentioned thread.

First question:  I'm using 18 gauge solid wire, is this an acceptable wire type, or should I be using thinner gauge that is stranded?

Second question:  On the induction coil, there are thin wires soldered from all of the terminals to a small terminal on the side of the coil, is this necessary, and if so, what is its purpose? (In the third picture I've circled the part to which I am referring)  Can I desolder it, or should I just leave it alone?

Third question:  The wiring diagrams print "biased side" on the wire going to the left hand bell, what does "biased side" mean?  How do I tell which side is "biased?"  Is it always the left bell, or can it be either?

Fourth question:  The terminals on the condenser are not marked, the only markings I see are "I 32" and "2 MF."  Is the top condenser (silver one) the 2 MF condenser and the bottom one (black one) the 1 MF condenser?  If so, what colored wires should be coming out of which terminals on which condenser?

Sorry if I seem clueless, I've never done this before and I need simple to understand diagrams and instructions.  If someone could even just take my pictures and draw colored lines on them representing wires and where they should lead, that would be helpful.  Thanks for any advice you can give me, I appreciate it. 

I've attached detailed pictures:

[poplar1]

Connnect incoming line from wall:
Red to L1
Green to L2Y YL2

Connect 202:
Red to R
Green to GN
Yellow to YL2
Black to BK (BK B)

Condenser:
1 MF (Large Black One on the bottom): Connect to YL2 and  K
2 MF (Silver): Connect (faded red) to C and black to BK  (BK B)

Ringer:
Red to L1
Black to K

[poplar1]

(1) Solid 18 Gauge Wire is fine if you don't plan to move the phone around much.  Originally, tinsel wire was used because it is more flexible.
(2) Those are the wires from the coil to the L1, C, R, and GN terminals. They need to be there so that the coil can interface with the wires from the condenser and from the phone
(3) The biasing spring pulls the clapper towards one side. This helps prevent the tapping of the gongs when going off-hook or dialing.
(4) Your wires may be different colors. 2 MF is for the talk circuit. 1 MF is for the ringer.

146B is equivalent to a 101A Induction Coil.

[Waterland]

Thanks, that helps a lot, it makes a little more sense now.  One problem though, you said connect green from the wall to L2Y, there is no terminal marked L2Y, only YL2, are they the same thing?

[poplar1]

Thanks, that helps a lot, it makes a little more sense now.  One problem though, you said connect green from the wall to L2Y, there is no terminal marked L2Y, only YL2, are they the same thing?

Yes--meant to change that. It's usually L2Y but on this one it's YL2. Either way, you connect the green line cord wire, the yellow wire from the 202, and a (usually yellow) condenser wire.

[Waterland]

Sounds good.  Since I don't have a 202 to hook into this yet, once I get the line cord wired in, would I be able to plug the subset into the wall to test it and make it ring with no desk set connected, or will this damage the subset?  Or will it just not work at all?

[poplar1]

Since the ringer circuit and talking circuit are completely independent, you may connect the subset without a 202 as a ringer.

[Waterland]

Alright, so far so good.  I found this 2 wire modular cord to use as my line cord, but the wires are both black, not red and green.  Based on the cords' relative positions inside the crimped modular connector, which one would be red and which one green?

[poplar1]

It shouldn't make any difference on a rotary phone. (Either way will work.)

When you are looking at a jack, with the locking tab on the cord  toward the bottom of the jack, red is on the left. So if you follow that side of the wire all the way down, that would be the "red" wire.

[Waterland]

Success!  Everything was rewired and it rings when I call it!  It has a nice soft ring to it that I like, not as loud as I was expecting.  Thanks for the all the help, poplar1, I appreciate it!