Thrift Store AE80

[newskeeto]

So shiny! I really need to get some Novus. I don't think I'd ever be able to do anything that nice, but it would be interesting to see how it would turn out if I tried.

Never say never!

I didn't know anything about phones until Dennis introduced me to an Aqua Blue from 1955. Back then, to me, Novus could have been the name of a star in a far away galaxy. You can start with Novus unless there are deep scratches: in that case, progressive sanding is the way to go. Deep sun fading or discolorations can be handled by light sanding also. Some people in this forum have tried with very good results dipping plastics into mixtures of various chemicals. I once tried oven cleaner with good results, as in this case:

https://picasaweb.google.com/Amelyenator/AE80White

Or, as I have seen in the auto restoration business lately, just leave as it. Dust it off and leave the original patina on it. This one just took a light Novus polish:

https://picasaweb.google.com/Amelyenator/MonophoneAE801959Beige

Please, post some under the hood pictures.

If you don't mind me asking, how do you usually go about removing extremely stubborn sticker remnants from the body of the phone? I managed to get some sticker goo off of the sides of the phone, but there are some seriously "baked" on pieces of sticker in the handset cradle area and I can't seem to remove them.

I will try to have some pictures of the inside of this phone tomorrow.

[newskeeto]

Here are some of the photos that I took of the inside of this telephone.  I have no idea if the ringer is wired correctly; I just messed with it until it sort of rang which is all I expected it to do since it is a frequency ringer.

[JorgeAmely]

If you don't mind me asking, how do you usually go about removing extremely stubborn sticker remnants from the body of the phone? I managed to get some sticker goo off of the sides of the phone, but there are some seriously "baked" on pieces of sticker in the handset cradle area and I can't seem to remove them.

I will try to have some pictures of the inside of this phone tomorrow.

Try submerging the affected part in water or a soapy solution for a few days. That may soften the stickers. Or submerge it is very warm water for a few hours before you try removing it.

[HarrySmith]

I usually soak the phone parts overnight in an Oxi-Clean solution. I mix it about twice as strong as is normally recommended, mix with hot water and let sit overnight. Normally the stickers will just peel right off after that, sometimes it takes a little scraping with the fingernail for the really stubborn pieces and/or a rub with an alcohol pad to remove the adhesive.

[WesternElectricBen]

What they do probably works but is a waste of time. I will just drizzle some goo gone in the sticker for .5-5 min and then It just rubs off...

The goo gone sometimes even shines the phone! Which is always an added bonus.

Ben

[poplar1]

What they do probably works but is a waste of time. I will just drizzle some goo gone in the sticker for .5-5 min and then It just rubs off...

The goo gone sometimes even shines the phone! Which is always an added bonus.

Ben

Not sure if it was Goo Gone or a knockoff brand, but in any case, it melted a turquoise 2554 housing I tried it on. Someone told me to use lighter fluid. (Does anyone still refill lighters?)

[WesternElectricBen]

What they do probably works but is a waste of time. I will just drizzle some goo gone in the sticker for .5-5 min and then It just rubs off...

The goo gone sometimes even shines the phone! Which is always an added bonus.

Ben

Not sure if it was Goo Gone or a knockoff brand, but in any case, it melted a turquoise 2554 housing I tried it on. Someone told me to use lighter fluid. (Does anyone still refill lighters?)

Definitely not goo gone, I've never had a issue with it yet.

Well maybe one, shining the phone to make it look great... Though thats fine with me!

Ben

[DavePEI]

Kerosene or WD-40 does it well, too - never yet seen either damage a phone.

Dave

[WesternElectricBen]

Yea, I've seen people use wd-40 on phones and stuff, though I have never been able to try this myself as our wd-40 can sprayer is broken! haha

Ben

[DavePEI]

Yea, I've seen people use wd-40 on phones and stuff, though I have never been able to try this myself as our wd-40 can sprayer is broken! haha

\Ben

Another hint which works particularly well with thick stickers and those which are plasticized, score the surface of the sticker lightly so the solvent gets at the sticky under-layer - put the solvent (WD-40 or kerosene) on a cloth, and lay it over the sticker for a while. Scrape remnants off with a thumbnail.

Dave

[newskeeto]

I think I will probably try the WD-40 method first as I have plenty of that around.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I picked up 9 phones at a yard sale for a total of $55. I found an AE 80 in the parts bin, along with 2 white 500s. I thought it was beige, but when I took the advertisement sticker off of the handset, it was white underneath. As it stands, it has a crack, a chip, a badly faded shell and handset, a missing clanger, a damaged dial, a missing plug (I have 4 in my parts bin), 3 replaced screws that hold the ringer set to the base, and a kinked handset cord. Got a lot of work to do.