Is there a website out there where you can print out your own dial cards?
I know that it is desirable to have original number/dial cards, but what would really be nice is a place that you can print out blanks or even enter the phone number that you would like printed on the card and then just print out to a heavy stock cardboard like paper (in the comfort of your own home).
... How's that for a run-on sentence.
I just did a little research and found out that my exchange actually existed when letters were used, and I would like to print out a number card using the correct wording/numbers.
You can find a lot of them here:
http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/index.html (http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/index.html)
WinkyDink;
This will get you about a billion dial cards.
D/P
http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/index.html
Perry;
You must have been looking at the very same time I was.
D/P
I was faster, though.
:)
Forum members
I have a proposition, but I need your help. I am a computer programmer by day and a telephone fanatic by night (at least recently). (no that's not what I need help for).
I would like to put together a program that will run under windows (sorry mac users) that will allow a person to print out customized dial card (i.e. user can input desired phone exchange and numbers) using some standardized blanks. Eventually, I will allow the user to use any blank card that they put into a custom directory, as long as the new dial blank is of the proper size (around 460 x 460, the size used by the site mentioned above).
Additionally, I will try to put slider bars and edit boxes so that the user can shink or grow the size of the final dial card so that will print out properly on multiple printers (hopefully yours). I also will try to make it so a user can print out 1, 9, or 25 number cards on a single piece of paper.
What I need from the forum is a crisp scan of a blank "Wait For Dial Tone" card with no number in the center and approximate size of 460 x 460 pixels (see picture below).
If any member have this as well as say 2 or 3 other "standard" number cards they would like to see, I can start there, and we can all see where version 1.0 of this software goes.
Additionally if someone can tell me what font type or types were used I can probably use that info as well. Otherwise I will just look at some samples and try to make the best guess I can.
I am not sure how long this will take, but it should be fun to attempt this type of application.
Thanks for your help.
I removed the number from the card you posted. Will that work?
Quote from: bingster on January 17, 2009, 10:31:47 AM
I removed the number from the card you posted. Will that work?
Bingster,
Thanks. This will work fine for now. As I said I plan to have the program eventually be able to choose from dial card images stored in a directory, but for now one or two demo cards will work to begin with.
Again if anyone else has a canditate dial/number card that they want, let me know and I will see what I can do.
Winkydink, have you seen this site:
http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/index.html
I think they've set it up so that cards can be printed. I've tried it and didn't have much success. I'd love to see how yours will turn out so I can print some on some heavy off yellow or other colored stock.
Dennis
Quote from: Dennis Markham on January 17, 2009, 12:44:28 PM
Winkydink, have you seen this site:
http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/index.html
I think they've set it up so that cards can be printed. I've tried it and didn't have much success. I'd love to see how yours will turn out so I can print some on some heavy off yellow or other colored stock.
Dennis
Hi Dennis,
Yes I did see this site and after looking around I felt that I could program something that should be a whole lot user freindly and also allow the user to enter in a phone number of their choice (something that I did not see anywhere on the web).
I would like to make this a web application, but I normally write programs for windows, so that is where I will begin. If the windows program turns out even partially successful, I may talk with some people I know to see if I can convert it to the web.
We shall see.
Thanks.
That would be great. I am anxious to see how your project comes out. It would be great to be able to customize some cards! Good luck!
I don't know if this is already part of your plan, but it would probably be better to clean up the scans to remove the jagged edges, texture and color, as that would be provided by the paper that you are using for printing.
I have printed out my own number cards from the telephone archive scans, and also bought cards and typed my own number on them. Either way, it is difficult to make them look exactly like the real (original) ones. The exchange number (or later, area code) seems like it was printed on, and the rest of the phone number was stamped on, resulting in a different font for that part.
BTW, does anyone know why the earlier cards were perforated? Like this one:
http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/assets/wb_we_blank_or_form/300dpi/wb_blank_black_background_big_middle.jpg (http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/assets/wb_we_blank_or_form/300dpi/wb_blank_black_background_big_middle.jpg)
They're designed to fit the older candlestick type curved card holders as well as the more modern round circular card holders. For the candlestick card holders, the upper and lower portions of the card are removed and discarded.
I think this is a great idea. I have to print my dial cards on plain white paper with only the number on it. I had thought about printing the dial cards from that site before and somehow adding the number to it. BUT.. I'm no good at computer stuff like photoshop.
A great idea, and one that will be very welcome.
Aren't Automatic Electric cards slightly larger than Western Electric cards ?
D/P
Quote from: Dan/Panther on January 17, 2009, 08:11:45 PM
A great idea, and one that will be very welcome.
Aren't Automatic Electric cards slightly larger than Western Electric cards ?
D/P
That I don't know. That is why I am hoping to add a shrink/enlarge slider bar/ edit box so that the user can size the dial card on their own and then print them out. I will start on the project in the next few days and give updates when I can.
One question, does the forum have a place for uploading / downloading items. If not does any one know a free site on the net that I can place the program for downloading.
that's a nice idea winkydink, since I'm living here in the Philippines and not so much people here are interested in old phones, also there's no old phone parts and accessories available here.
I'm looking forward to it
Quote from: winkydink on January 17, 2009, 12:52:16 PM
Hi Dennis,
Yes I did see this site and after looking around I felt that I could program something that should be a whole lot user freindly and also allow the user to enter in a phone number of their choice (something that I did not see anywhere on the web).
I would like to make this a web application, but I normally write programs for windows, so that is where I will begin. If the windows program turns out even partially successful, I may talk with some people I know to see if I can convert it to the web.
We shall see.
Thanks.
Well I have a bare bones program up and running for myself, but it is very limited. I can insert text into a number card and can scale the card and print it out. I have (at this point) hard coded the output size to print to an approx 1.5" circle.
I still need to add the ability to increase/decrease font size, add text formatting, increase/decrease print size, and the ability to print multiple number cards at one time.
Here is a sample of the output of version 0.1 of the software.
-WD
PS - I realize that one could have done the image below in photoshop, but I am attempting to make this a little more user friendly than that.
PSS - Not as good as Mark's contest, but 5 points goes to the first person to identify this phone number. And it should be "MUrray hill" not "MUrry hill". (and no, it's not "Francis the Talking Mule" phone number)
PSSS - If some one has a CLEAN, DARK example of the below dial blank that they can scan and upload onto this thread, I would appreciate it. (I will also accept suggestions for other types of blanks that members might be interested in). Thanks.
If you have a clean scan of a dial blank, you don't really need Photoshop to print your own cards. You can copy & paste the scan into Microsoft Word, and then either type over the card picture (after setting the properties of the picture to "behind text"), or add a text box and move it over your card. You can set the font size/type to whatever you want, and even use a different font for the exchange and number.
Maybe a Word macro would do the trick? Everyone has word but I think you need the right fonts or else it defaults to Times New Roman
You can easily change the font in Word, although I haven't figured out what font was really used on the original cards. It looks a bit like Copperplate Gothic. If you look at these cards, it seems that the fonts weren't always consistent, anyway:
http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/we/we_type_three.html
Don't know about original but I like a typewriter style fonts there are many free just google it.
http://simplythebest.net/fonts/typewriter_fonts.html (dead link 10-5-21)
I am new here, but I just bought some of the cards from old phone works and they have those cards in the package. I can mail you one if you can use it to scan into your computer. Or, I can scan here, but I figured you might be better off having it in hand.
Here is the assortment I bought. It appears that I have a couple extra.
(http://www.oldphoneworks.com/images/P/ICFZGKUHUTXZDJD.JPG)
Quote from: Firefyter-Emt on February 16, 2009, 10:59:57 AM
I am new here, but I just bought some of the cards from old phone works and they have those cards in the package. I can mail you one if you can use it to scan into your computer. Or, I can scan here, but I figured you might be better off having it in hand.
Here is the assortment I bought. It appears that I have a couple extra.
(http://www.oldphoneworks.com/images/P/ICFZGKUHUTXZDJD.JPG)
I just got the same card myself, so I am in the process of taking a scan and trying it out.
I have a million things going on right now, but I did get a prototype of the program working (not quite ready for prime time ), however in the next week or so, I will get back to the program and see if I can come up with something that all can use.
Stay tuned, and thanks for the offer !
Waking up this thread again.
I have been playing with making dial cards lately.
(Trying out a new avatar)
The avatar is made to fit a 500 and is like our tradition having the number ring here too. It is space enough to fill inn 2 lines with an old fashioned typewriter and the ext. no at the 3'rd line.
HAKADAL is the exchange name from the magneto times.
I would like to have a collection of dialcards here at these pages, if we just could collect them in an unsorted album, it would still be a resource.
The typewriter fonts are called mom's typewriter and downloadable for free.
http://www.fontex.org/download/Moms-typewriter.ttf (http://www.fontex.org/download/Moms-typewriter.ttf)
If you have trouble making them youselves PM me. I may give it a try. It will be shown here, but I may remove your no.
Regarding the size.
It will be able to scale when you are printing.
dsk
PS Changed my avatar some time after writing this. DS
Oldphoneworks has done an admirable job with these. However their AE dial cards don't quite line up correctly and have to be trimmed to fit right. This isn't surprising since the AE dial center design is difficult to get anywhere near right in the first place. I've tried to re-create it from scratch numerous times and never been satisfied, so I'd rather just buy 'em from Oldphoneworks and trim a little.
I'm in Canada, and my exchange cannot be named (519-800-xxxx) so it cuts out a lot of classic cards I've seen and liked.
Any suggestions for which dial card I should choose?
For developing, can I suggest looking at Cooltext.com which AFAIK is a HTML/PHP front end to The GIMP graphics program. Maybe the owner of that site might be willing to release code as it's for a non-commercial project.
Having it as a web service means it's easier to update periodically without releasing new versions, and allows non-Windows users to use it.
Quote from: winkydink on January 22, 2009, 06:14:18 AM
PSS - Not as good as Mark's contest, but 5 points goes to the first person to identify this phone number. And it should be "MUrray hill" not "MUrry hill". (and no, it's not "Francis the Talking Mule" phone number)
A couple years late, but apparently that number belonged to a sofa manufacturer in New York, Castro Convertible.
Looks like winkydink lost interest in dial cards. Too bad. I read through this entire thread on the assumption that it was current until I got to d_s_k's post yesterday that started out with "Waking up this thread again". Then I looked at the original postings and discovered that they were over two years old. Then I looked up winkydink's posting history:
winkydink:
Date Registered: October 22, 2008, 01:34:35 AM
Last Active: March 03, 2009, 05:53:24 AM
He didn't list his email address in his account page so we can't even attempt to send him an email to see if he ever had any success with his dial card program.
Terry
My dial card was generated with free software.
DraftSight for drawing the circles placing numbers etc.
Snagit to easy convert the drawing to JPG
IrfaView for adding text the blue text, making negatives tuning background etc.
Maybe a little complex, but effective progress.
The worst is to get a good old paper background, the best result is printing on old paper, next scanning old paper, printing background, and printing again on that.
Actually it is quite fun now, when I know more about how to do it, and get the results much faster.
dsk
This is only for fun but here are a new sheet.
I believe I came close to original.
You may have to scale the printing size.
dsk
Will this one look as original for GTE dials with adhesive stickers? Font type as text under the fonts.
dsk
That looks very well done. Thing is, there were very many different dial number labels used on AE dials with the plastic fingerwheels, both the version with the solid center and card-stock number labels inserted from the rear, and the AE 80-E version with the adhesive number labels stuck on the front. So anything you come up with is bound to be within reasonable range of something that was actually used by one or another operating company at one or another time.
IMHO the difficult issues are a) finding printer-friendly-sized pages of self-adhesive circles of the correct size, and then b) lining up the design you've created so it prints properly on all the labels on a page. If you can solve for both of those, the rest is easy.
Seems to me I've seen that DejaVu dial card somewhere before...
:D Thank you!
Just trying to make whats made before.
Should the telephone look original, or nice ???.
I like those black dialcards with white areas to fill in better, but what's the right.
Quite fun to make dialcards too.
dsk
More dial cards:
I just found, and scanned this.
The background millimeter paper should secure the format.
Can someone please tell me something about "Public Service Central Telephone System" ?
dsk
I just make my own dial labels in Macromedia Flash, they're not 100% accurate, but close enough for me... :)
Examples of my WE500 & GPO700 series labels:
:D Nice job!
dsk
Thanks... ;D
A previous Ivory GPO746 I had I did this dial label for (though it was an older version, so the "100" and "999" are not in-line) with intentions of using it for Skype, but never did (and yes, that's my skype name, but I'm never online!!! :D ), said phone was given away to someone for helping with moving house... :)
Since I got a Kellogg Redbar / 1000 I needed a new dial card. I could not find any for printing out, so this is my suggestion. It should be printed out with a with of 1-5/8" or 4.3 centimeters.
dsk
Yes, no one on the net is directly printable, but a little brush-up, and it looks OK. Side by side with the original, you will probably see the difference. I just made it circular, because its more job to make the uneven edge. Its important to cut out the field in the5-7 area for locking, unlocking the card holder.
A plastic window will need similar cutout. The orienting of the label is a little more tricky when the small cutouts not there, but nothing compaired to the job with the scissors.
dsk
PS It could be as a negative too.
PPS with cutouts.
Quote from: d_s_k on February 10, 2012, 07:45:49 AM
More dial cards:
I just found, and scanned this.
The background millimeter paper should secure the format.
Can someone please tell me something about "Public Service Central Telephone System" ?
dsk
The Central Telephone Company was an Independent operating in Virginia. "Public Service" was their motto. They also used WE phones.
Quote from: Sargeguy on May 09, 2012, 03:39:18 AM
Quote from: d_s_k on February 10, 2012, 07:45:49 AM
More dial cards:
I just found, and scanned this.
The background millimeter paper should secure the format.
Can someone please tell me something about "Public Service Central Telephone System" ?
dsk
The Central Telephone Company was an Independent operating in Virginia. "Public Service" was their motto. They also used WE phones.
Thank you.
dsk
We should probably make a library for labels and signs, I have some here. Not organized, but feel free to use and copy.
dsk
http://tinyurl.com/6nnk3j8 (dead link 10-5-21)
One more:
Very Cute d_s_k!
How about a TCI version as well!
Terry
Quote from: AE_collector on September 03, 2012, 01:53:19 AM
Very Cute d_s_k!
How about a TCI version as well!
Terry
TCI has a little more colors, making it a little harder to get it right, This could be a start?
dsk
The TCI Library contains a 'Printable Docs' section which contains a few dial cards.
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=383&Itemid=2 (http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=383&Itemid=2)
If it's OK with DSK I will ad his to the TCI Library. Others are also welcome to send their dial cards etc.
Yes, please feel free to use them as you want, and so for these:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v480/dsk/Telephone/labels%20and%20signs/ (dead link 10-5-21)
Many of them are just for fun, some to look like the original.
dsk
Thanks dsk
The second Black and White version speaks to me. It said Hello... ::)
D/P
Quote from: teka-bb on September 03, 2012, 06:54:31 AM
The TCI Library contains a 'Printable Docs' section which contains a few dial cards.
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=383&Itemid=2 (http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=383&Itemid=2)
If it's OK with DSK I will ad his to the TCI Library. Others are also welcome to send their dial cards etc.
Cool! I have one that I need to scan, however the "printable" ones that you link are some of the nicest files I've seen, I think I will start over with one of those. I was going to try to do something in AutoCAD but I might just not bother since those seem nice enough.
thanks for the pointer!
Fitting that all of the Dial Cards at that link are contributions from CRPF members.
Terry
Here's my attempts at making these looks right... "HERNDON" is in 90 pixel high Cantarell Bold (small caps are 45 px) the large caps have letter spacing at -9 pixels (using GIMP) then the text for the first card I did is in a font called "Veteran Typewriter" second is "Old Rubber Stamp" then the third is "Mailart Rubberstamp" all free fonts from fontriver.com. My only gripe is that both the rubber stamp fonts seem to be proportionally spaced meaning that if you are trying to replicate a stamping machine where you manually set the type it is OK but if the stamp is one like an old date stamp where you have rubber rings with numbers and symbols on them then it should be monospaced. Anyone know which was more common back in the day?
For both the "typewriter" and "rubber stamp" I greyed up the color a little bit for a hint of contrast.
(http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t402/thatguyN8/DialCard1mod.jpg)
If anyone wants a GIMP or Photoshop file of this just let me know.
Nate -
How on earth did you ever wade through fontriver.com to find the fonts you wanted? There are 800 fonts whose name begins with "A" alone! That's gotta be 20,000 fonts total - and they are presented 10 at a time!
Bill
Quote from: Bill on September 03, 2012, 03:01:56 PM
Nate -
How on earth did you ever wade through fontriver.com to find the fonts you wanted? There are 800 fonts whose name begins with "A" alone! That's gotta be 20,000 fonts total - and they are presented 10 at a time!
Bill
I was just looking at the fonts that came up in a search with "stamp" or "typewriter" as a keyword... there's no way I could possibly look at every font that they have! (which means that there are likely more suitable ones out there, but I think those cards are acceptable.)
BTW does anyone know how to insert text at an angle in the GIMP? I was thinking of making the station code text off horizontal by a small amount (half a degree or so, nothing too noticeable) and slightly off center for a more authentic look. The second is easy, the first I'm not sure how to do.
Can't you put every digit on it's own layer and move and/or tilt each digit as much as you want?
I know that's more work but I 'don't know another way. This is how I would do it in photo shop.
That way you can also 'mono space' the characters like in a real stamp.
I can't figure out how to tilt them at all, is the problem, because I'm not really fluent with photo/graphics editing in general or the GIMP in particular.
Quote from: N8N on September 03, 2012, 04:56:15 PM
I can't figure out how to tilt them at all, is the problem, because I'm not really fluent with photo/graphics editing in general or the GIMP in particular.
It's been a while since I did mine, but I did just as you're suggesting -- very slightly off angle, and I moved the numbers very slightly so that they're not on the same baseline (i.e. some are raised very slightly relative to the others. I didn't do it in Gimp, though. I used Open Office. Here's a "phantom" dial card I made:
(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5051.0;attach=26526;image)
QuoteBTW does anyone know how to insert text at an angle in the GIMP? I was thinking of making the station code text off horizontal by a small amount (half a degree or so, nothing too noticeable) and slightly off center for a more authentic look. The second is easy, the first I'm not sure how to do.
Do you want to insert each letter at its own angle (which I think would look weird), or tilt the entire line of text? If the latter, can you do it backward - rotate the blank dial card image and then put the text in horizontal?
By the way, PowerPoint can do all this quite easily. It's not much of a graphics program, but some things it does very well - and this would be one of them.
Bill
Quote from: Bill on September 04, 2012, 11:21:48 AM
By the way, PowerPoint can do all this quite easily. It's not much of a graphics program, but some things it does very well - and this would be one of them.
Bill
Yeah, but what fun is that? I'm looking for a vintage working typewriter to customize dial cards.
Not easy to find the right fonts, but how does this look?
http://www.fonts2u.com/cheapskate-fill.font
This font is just numbers and capitals.
dsk
I like that font!
1)Those complicated logos are loosing on printout at less than 2" diameter, and B/W color.
I have tried to do some simplifications.
2) I have tried to understand the system with Letters on label, So what would you dial when you see this:
dsk
Are you asking how you would dial this? MUseum 2= MU2= 682. However, there would be maximimum 4 digits after MUseum 2- in US or Canada.
Great, I have to do something with my dial plan, would 3 digits be OK? My main C*NET number
are 776 650, and that could be PResident 6 650 ???
(Both Museum and President are equal words in Norwegian and English)
dsk
dsk, how about PResident 6650?
PResident 6650 (not PResident 6- 650) would be the 2L 4N (2 letter, 4 numeral) format which was common in a lot of cities until the mid-1950s. At that time, all phone numbers had to be standardized as 2L + 5N in order to be dialable on the long distance network (DDD=Direct Distance Dialling).
Almost all US cities were able to get by with only 2L + 4N (2L= 64 combinations using only the letters assigned to 2 through 9 on the dial). The exceptions were Boston, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia which had 3L +4N until changing to 2L + 5N.
Even though where I live changed from 2L +4N to 2L + 5N around 1955, most step-by-step (Strowger) central offices were able to avoid adding additional selectors by using second selectors which were absorbing selctors. Where I lived changed from CAlhoun xxxx (22-xxxx) to POplar 1-xxxx (761-xxxx), but the 6 was absorbed (once but only once) so that we were able to dial 71-xxxx.
I think I just figured out how you derived your forum name!
D_s_k - in Vancouver 68x is mutual rather than museum. I am parked about 100 meters from "mutual' right now. We still refer to most of the Vancouver exchanges by their old names.
Jerry
Interesting,
I searched for exchange names, and got one really good hit, and several quite good:
http://ourwebhome.com/TENP/Recommended.html (dead link 10-5-21)
and
http://ourwebhome.com/TENP/TENproject.html (dead link 10-5-21)
dsk
dsk, here's a 202 with MU that sold today:
This will will be until further notice, I have bin in my old step by step exchange and re-soldered the termination of my desk telephone (Redbar 1948) to line 6, and may now be reached at the number on this label.
The font for MUseum 2 is Cantarell, and the blue numbers are fontCheapskate fill.
dsk
I received my AE40 today, with this label:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/dsk/Telephone/labels%20and%20signs/AE40.jpg)
dsk
Eastern Missouri area code initially but that area has been split twice since. The exchange name looks odd on the number card since the I is capitalized which makes it look like a lower case L in that font.
Terry
As stated by Bill, PowerPoint can produce most any number card you want, including having the 4-digit direct directory number appear to have been produced on an old manual typewriter.
Chuck
I make my own. I use word and make 1.5x.1.5 circles and write area code in the upper left corner. Then I use my typewriter to write the telephone number.
Ben
Quote from: old_stuff_hound on September 03, 2012, 05:55:16 PM
Quote from: N8N on September 03, 2012, 04:56:15 PM
I can't figure out how to tilt them at all, is the problem, because I'm not really fluent with photo/graphics editing in general or the GIMP in particular.
It's been a while since I did mine, but I did just as you're suggesting -- very slightly off angle, and I moved the numbers very slightly so that they're not on the same baseline (i.e. some are raised very slightly relative to the others. I didn't do it in Gimp, though. I used Open Office. Here's a "phantom" dial card I made:
(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5051.0;attach=26526;image)
That looks great. I've got Gimp and am on Linux Mint Libre office. Haven't got a clue how to use Gimp or Libre Office to create such a great cars as yours though!
I bought my first WD 500 phone last week. I was looking for a way to print a dial card when I found this thread.
I couldn't find exactly what I wanted so I built one myself:
http://newmanium.net/phone.php (dead link 10-5-21)
I know that it doesn't match any of the originals exactly - but I wanted a design that used all 10 digits.
If you have suggestions for better fonts or layout, let me know.
Please give it at try.
Thanks,
Matt
Clever! Now a higher resolution image might be cool (say 300 dpi?)
Quote from: newman99 on May 30, 2013, 09:22:42 PM
I bought my first WD 500 phone last week. I was looking for a way to print a dial card when I found this thread.
I couldn't find exactly what I wanted so I built one myself: http://newmanium.net/phone.php .
I know that it doesn't match any of the originals exactly - but I wanted a design that used all 10 digits.
If you have suggestions for better fonts or layout, let me know.
Please give it at try.
Thanks,
Matt
Matt,
First of all, welcome to the forum! I think you'll love it here, based upon my experiences!
I, personally,
love your blending of the older, and newer, on your dial card. A very commendable take, imho.
Have you run any off on your printer? Just idle curiosity, beacause to my old eyes, on my monitor, based upon your hosting site, it
appears slightly elongated in the vertical axis, vs.: the horizontal.
Would you please be so kind as to post the picture to this site, vs. offsite? also, this ensures that you will be remembered, and your post remain clear,
long after your hosting site du jour folds.
Best regards, kick your shoes off, and
please stick around the place! Collectively, we gots some stuff goin' on 'round here! ;)
Mr. Bones
My dial card printed out nicely (and perfectly round). However, the card I printed was an SVG and the one on my website is a PNG. My website host doesn't have the software installed to work with SVG. I will try to remedy that.
Quote from: Brinybay on September 04, 2012, 02:54:59 PM
Quote from: Bill on September 04, 2012, 11:21:48 AM
By the way, PowerPoint can do all this quite easily. It's not much of a graphics program, but some things it does very well - and this would be one of them.
Bill
Yeah, but what fun is that? I'm looking for a vintage working typewriter to customize dial cards.
I finally got one, a near-mint 30s Royal Portable. It does NOT work well typing dial cards, in fact, it's a PITA and they look terrible.
Quote from: Brinybay on May 31, 2013, 10:28:12 PM
Quote from: Brinybay on September 04, 2012, 02:54:59 PM
Quote from: Bill on September 04, 2012, 11:21:48 AM
By the way, PowerPoint can do all this quite easily. It's not much of a graphics program, but some things it does very well - and this would be one of them.
Bill
Yeah, but what fun is that? I'm looking for a vintage working typewriter to customize dial cards.
I finally got one, a near-mint 30s Royal Portable. It does NOT work well typing dial cards, in fact, it's a PITA and they look terrible.
I use my Royal typewriters on my dial cards and they come out great...
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on June 01, 2013, 09:49:17 AM
Quote from: Brinybay on May 31, 2013, 10:28:12 PM
Quote from: Brinybay on September 04, 2012, 02:54:59 PM
Quote from: Bill on September 04, 2012, 11:21:48 AM
By the way, PowerPoint can do all this quite easily. It's not much of a graphics program, but some things it does very well - and this would be one of them.
Bill
Yeah, but what fun is that? I'm looking for a vintage working typewriter to customize dial cards.
I finally got one, a near-mint 30s Royal Portable. It does NOT work well typing dial cards, in fact, it's a PITA and they look terrible.
I use my Royal typewriters on my dial cards and they come out great...
I think maybe the ribbon isn't a good quality, it seems to have too much ink on it. Parts of letters come out solid black, like the balloon in "b", "a", and lower case "o" looks like a black dot, and then they smear.
Quote from: Brinybay on June 01, 2013, 12:47:19 PMI think maybe the ribbon isn't a good quality, it seems to have too much ink on it. Parts of letters come out solid black, like the balloon in "b", "a", and lower case "o" looks like a black dot, and then they smear.
I found that my Olivetti typewriter had to have it's Q, R, O, P, A, D C, and B key hammers cleaning out as they were packed with inky dirt that turned them into solid blocks, might be the same for your typewriter too... :)
Still haven't worked out the double-printing though, I think that might just be my typing as I'm used to a laptop keyboard rather than a typewriter... :D
:) I'll try to wake up this thread.. because I got a new dial card. I just scanned it and I hope to be able to enclose a picture.
I'm not shore how to clean up this picture but I'm sure I will try.
I do not have tools to make it better, this should be printed with a with of 35 mm.
dsk
I found another one today, it is from an Oslo phone with a strange dial where the last pulse is longer, so long that it will not work at a modern exchange. The phone is made in 1935.
dsk
Here's my (rather cheesy) addition to the discussion:
http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html (http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html)
I based them on the dial cards installed in some of the very first phones I found. Nothing fancy, but I still have them installed in some of my phones. Really should try and update that page at some point... :-\
By the way, I recently acquired a vintage S. H. Moss, Inc. self-inking stamp which looks like it was meant for use on dial cards of some sort. Has five knobs (two on one side, three on the other) for adjusting the last 5 digits (guessing the first two were set manually), with some selections having characters available. Just need to find an ink pad for it, and figure out how to lubricate its many pivots.
-Adam
Back in April I posted this, I try to make my cards as authentic
as possible.
Scot
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14179.msg148064#msg148064
Quote from: AdamAnt316 on October 25, 2015, 04:56:50 PM
Here's my (rather cheesy) addition to the discussion:
http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html (http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html)
I based them on the dial cards installed in some of the very first phones I found. Nothing fancy, but I still have them installed in some of my phones. Really should try and update that page at some point... :-\
By the way, I recently acquired a vintage S. H. Moss, Inc. self-inking stamp which looks like it was meant for use on dial cards of some sort. Has five knobs (two on one side, three on the other) for adjusting the last 5 digits (guessing the first two were set manually), with some selections having characters available. Just need to find an ink pad for it, and figure out how to lubricate its many pivots.
-Adam
The first 2 or 3 letters/numbers (or exchange name) were pre printed on many early dial center cards.
Jim S.
Quote from: Jim S. on October 26, 2015, 12:39:26 AM
Quote from: AdamAnt316 on October 25, 2015, 04:56:50 PM
Here's my (rather cheesy) addition to the discussion:
http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html (http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html)
I based them on the dial cards installed in some of the very first phones I found. Nothing fancy, but I still have them installed in some of my phones. Really should try and update that page at some point... :-\
By the way, I recently acquired a vintage S. H. Moss, Inc. self-inking stamp which looks like it was meant for use on dial cards of some sort. Has five knobs (two on one side, three on the other) for adjusting the last 5 digits (guessing the first two were set manually), with some selections having characters available. Just need to find an ink pad for it, and figure out how to lubricate its many pivots.
-Adam
The first 2 or 3 letters/numbers (or exchange name) were pre printed on many early dial center cards.
Jim S.
Yeah, should've clarified that this is a 7-digit stamp. I'm able to move the first two digit stampers with my fingers, but there's no knobs for the purpose, as with the other 5. I'm not sure exactly what application it was intended, but I'm guessing either post-exchange dial cards, or the horizontal cards used in the touch-tone phones. The opening for the stamp is roughly top hat-shaped, with a narrower opening just above the main opening for the stamp. Looks similar to this one:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/207736310/sh-moss-german-made-number-stamp (https://www.etsy.com/listing/207736310/sh-moss-german-made-number-stamp)
I'll try and take some pictures of it in the near future, and perhaps start a new thread about it.
-Adam
Hi guys, I have been messing around with Photo Shop & was wondering what fonts you use on 60s vintage WE dial cards? I'm thinking these cards should be simple to make on my own.
If you do a full search here you will come up with many threads containing example dial cards with all the fonts used to create them.
Quote from: AdamAnt316 on October 25, 2015, 04:56:50 PM
Here's my (rather cheesy) addition to the discussion:
http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html (http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html)
I based them on the dial cards installed in some of the very first phones I found. Nothing fancy, but I still have them installed in some of my phones. Really should try and update that page at some point... :-\
By the way, I recently acquired a vintage S. H. Moss, Inc. self-inking stamp which looks like it was meant for use on dial cards of some sort. Has five knobs (two on one side, three on the other) for adjusting the last 5 digits (guessing the first two were set manually), with some selections having characters available. Just need to find an ink pad for it, and figure out how to lubricate its many pivots.
-Adam
When you ink it, use numbering machine ink ONLY. Regular ink will gum up the wheels badly. Numbering machine ink contains a light oil, which lubricates the wheels. At least that's what I was told when I bought a HOMS numbering machine, which is similar to yours in operation.
Quote from: HarrySmith on November 03, 2015, 07:33:12 PM
If you do a full search here you will come up with many threads containing example dial cards with all the fonts used to create them.
This link is from the first page of this topic provides a wide variety of original number cards
http://www.telephonearchive.com/numbercards/index.html
and I use it to first find the type of dial card I want to create. Then using any imaging software that allows layers, to search for and match not only the font types (2-3 usually) on a card but also their placement and spacing on the card.
Once created, then the options for printing come into play to make it look NOS old, or as desired to look.
Quote from: xhausted110 on November 04, 2015, 07:41:05 AM
Quote from: AdamAnt316 on October 25, 2015, 04:56:50 PM
Here's my (rather cheesy) addition to the discussion:
http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html (http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/phone2.html)
I based them on the dial cards installed in some of the very first phones I found. Nothing fancy, but I still have them installed in some of my phones. Really should try and update that page at some point... :-\
By the way, I recently acquired a vintage S. H. Moss, Inc. self-inking stamp which looks like it was meant for use on dial cards of some sort. Has five knobs (two on one side, three on the other) for adjusting the last 5 digits (guessing the first two were set manually), with some selections having characters available. Just need to find an ink pad for it, and figure out how to lubricate its many pivots.
-Adam
When you ink it, use numbering machine ink ONLY. Regular ink will gum up the wheels badly. Numbering machine ink contains a light oil, which lubricates the wheels. At least that's what I was told when I bought a HOMS numbering machine, which is similar to yours in operation.
Good to know, thanks. I need to find a proper ink pad for it first, since there isn't one installed on the inking plate (and I'm sure it would've gone bad by now, anyway). Also, is there a specific way by which the first two digits of the stamp were supposed to be adjusted? Finally, is there a good way to lubricate the stamping mechanism? Again, thanks!
-Adam
Not printable but selectable, in the field. I've seen these in phone but never as NOS so posting this for posterity. Interesting to someone who has never seen these before being used.
Seller has 9 of them for sale on eBay right now in 7 day auctions. Here are 3 of those listed. Something to have but not to use, right?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Electric-Bell-System-vintage-dial-telephone-number-disk-insert-NOS-747-/371487188296
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Electric-Bell-System-vintage-dial-telephone-number-disk-insert-NOS-623-/371487187326
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Electric-Bell-System-vintage-dial-telephone-number-disk-insert-NOS-793-/221941619111
(dead links 10-5-21)
Quote from: TelePlay on November 15, 2015, 08:32:22 AM
Not printable but selectable, in the field. I've seen these in phone but never as NOS so posting this for posterity. Interesting to someone who has never seen these before being used.
Seller has 9 of them for sale on eBay right now in 7 day auctions. Here are 3 of those listed. Something to have but not to use, right?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Electric-Bell-System-vintage-dial-telephone-number-disk-insert-NOS-747-/371487188296
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Electric-Bell-System-vintage-dial-telephone-number-disk-insert-NOS-623-/371487187326
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Electric-Bell-System-vintage-dial-telephone-number-disk-insert-NOS-793-/221941619111
I haven't looked up the ad, but I am sure this must be the same seller who has been trying to sell these for something like two years. They pop up from time to time. At first I was following the auctions, but I think he/she never sold one. I don't recall the pricing, but it didn't entice me.
PS: I see the pricing is more reasonable now, at least they are letting people bid, instead of fixed pricing.
Correct, these have been for sale for quite a while, I bought about half a dozen a while back. IIRC I contacted the seller through email, off eBay, and made a deal outside eBay, got a good deal!
Be careful if you go this route, eBay does not like that! Be sure to use regular email, not eBay messaging.
Wondering, did you ever create your computer program? Thanks, Mark
you have seen this page?
http://newmanium.net/phone.php ( dead link 06-22-21 )
dsk
DSK that site has been broken for a while.
the created image doesn't come up.
Now I've got to look. I had put up a card creator site too a few months back.
But I cant remember where it is... hitting search now..
try : http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20322.15
You are right, but this page generates a JPG:
https://goo.gl/FTCY5H (dead link 10-5-21)
dsk
Hah that's cool.
Plugging that into my phone it looks like that links to my generator.
If not you can try:
https://goo.gl/c56qWF = www.btcnetworkservices.com/dialcard/dialcard.html (dead link 10-5-21)
and
https://goo.gl/wtXeTi = www.btcnetworkservices.com/dialcard/dialcard1.html (dead link 10-5-21)
Many of the links here are dead, so I made my own number cards on Word .
Posted here to save work for someone. The fonts may not be perfect, but they're close enough for me. I print them on a Laserjet 5 on 32lb (0.05") paper (which was easy to find on Amazon).
The LJ5 will take up to 36lb paper on the hand feed tray. The dial cards I have measure from 0.004" (20lb paper) to 0.010" (67lb paper)
File is a .docx file, but I zipped it because the forum doesn't accept .docx. Created on Office 365 Word version 2107
Does anyone know where to get the same type of paper that was used for original dial cards? It's kind of a tan color with a somewhat rough texture.
I printed some dial cards based on the "Wait For Dial Tone" one that was posted earlier in this thread; I printed them with an inkjet printer onto some pure white matte presentation paper that I already had on hand. For the "6950" numbers I used a rubber stamp. The pure white looked wrong, so I dunked it in black coffee and let it air dry, and the resulting color is almost the same as the color in that picture of the original (see attached picture below).
However, I'd rather find some paper that is the right color and texture to begin with, in which case I'd go through the trouble of screen printing it (and I'd still use the rubber stamp for the phone number, since that's what was used originally). I don't know if any of the original dial cards were screen printed or not, but they could have been, since screen printing has been around for about 1,000 years. One thing is for certain: they were obviously printed with a traditional printing process of some sort, rather than an inkjet or laser printer.
Quote from: MaximRecoil on October 30, 2021, 07:14:44 AM
Does anyone know where to get the same type of paper that was used for original dial cards? It's kind of a tan color with a somewhat rough texture.
Quote from: MaximRecoil on October 30, 2021, 07:14:44 AM
I would check a local printer/copy centers. These places will have nice paper types and will sell paper by the sheet.
JMO,
Jim
Since you are printing dial cards, you may want to print out some Master sheets and have them copied on to the proper paper stock at the place with the paper.
Quote from: Jim Stettler on October 30, 2021, 09:45:28 AM
Since you are printing dial cards, you may want to print out some Master sheets and have them copied on to the proper paper stock at the place with the paper.
If I find the right paper, I'd be printing the ones for use with my phones myself, specifically, screen printing. Since I already do screen printing, it wouldn't cost much to do it, other than time and effort. A print shop could only do inexpensive prints if they did it digitally (e.g., inkjet or laser), which I don't want. Traditional printing processes like screen printing or offset printing are expensive to have someone else do, and there's usually a minimum order requirement. The originals were printed with a traditional process, because digital printing didn't exist yet, and even if it did, traditional processes are still more economical for mass printing, which is why offset printing and screen printing are still used for large print runs today.
Black screen printing inks are very thick and extremely black, significantly blacker than you can get from inkjet ink or laser toner. Beyond the blackness of the ink, screen printing has its own look and feel that you can't get from an inkjet or laser printer.
Unfortunately there are no shops around here where I can browse a big paper selection. I'm hoping someone already knows of a type of paper that's a good match to original dial card paper.
You may be able to take a dial card to a local offset printer and ask the senior printer the official name of the paper stock used.
Then order a pack of it from Amazon.
Different brands and vintages of dial cards probably used different card stock.
I decided to just use the paper I already have. I dunked it in tea instead of coffee and I liked the way it looked. Coffee was closer to the color of the original that I used as a template, but the lighter colored tea was closer to some original dial cards that I have.
very nice!...Doug
Maxim, your WAlker 4 numbercard looks like the genuine article.
I've read on the forum that people have used the blank pages at the back of old paperback books as a source of aged paper for these.
Quote from: Doug Rose on November 13, 2021, 11:15:07 AM
very nice!...Doug
Quote from: david@london on November 13, 2021, 04:56:09 PM
Maxim, your WAlker 4 numbercard looks like the genuine article.
I've read on the forum that people have used the blank pages at the back of old paperback books as a source of aged paper for these.
Thanks, and that's a great idea if those pages are thick enough. I just measured the thickness of some original dial cards that I have and they are all around 0.01" thick, which is exactly how thick the matte presentation inkjet paper is that I used to screen print these WAlker 4 dial cards. I also measured the thickness of the blank pages at the back of an old recipe book that I have, and while they are thicker than the regular printed pages, they are still on the thin side for a dial card (0.0065").
Found a nice, inexpensive 1-1/2" punch on Amazon. $16. Brand is "EK Tools" and it cuts nice dial cards (minus the notch, natch).
https://www.amazon.com/EK-Tools-Circle-1-50-Inch-Package/dp/B0090JVGFU
Also: have successfully made dial cards in both Word and LibreOffice. Took me about an hour on each, most of which was figuring out how to get the fonts right and how to position the text blocks. I drew a 1.5" diameter circle and used that as a positioning reference. Text Boxes are your friends :-) Both tools allow raising and lowering individual characters by small amounts to simulate stamping tool belt alignment, but only Word allowed me to fade the character color to simulate partial inking on top or bottom of characters. Maybe I'll figure out how to do it in Libre as well (update: Fontwork)...A little playing around on a rainy day will probably get you some nice dial cards off your own printer. The one below was done in about an hour.
The font closest to what was used for the EXchange name is Copperplate.
Quote from: SUnset2 on November 26, 2021, 02:06:17 PM
The font closest to what was used for the EXchange name is Copperplate.
Yeah, the bigger (first two) letters of the exchange name and the number are Copperplate, but the shorter letters of the exchange name are a sans-serif, AKA: gothic font, same as the "Wait For Dial Tone" font, at least that's how it is on the original FIdelity 2 dial card that I went by. I used a font called News Gothic Bold, though I modified some of the letters slightly to make them better match the original.
The script font for "Wait" is called Brush Script. It's a very common font which was designed in 1942.