WE 302 and “Paying it Forward”

[Slal]

Hi everyone,

Part of my "to do" list for phones is to get this 302 working again, but I wanted to share some background about it.

I'd sent an AE type "F" phone with no lock mechanism to another collector who had an "F" model with more potential.

Heavy beast, he agreed to pay for shipping, but wasn't satisfied.  "I have some spare phones.  Anything I can send to return the favor?"

Thought about it and replied, Never gotten around to a WE 302.  That style might look nice next to an old typewriter from 1936."

So anyway, I got this one in the mail recently thanks to a member named Nick!

Thanks!    

My knowledge of 302s very limited though. 

Early ones would have had cloth handset cord?  A straight one?

--Bruce

[poplar1]

Black 302s as originally furnished:

Brown fabric jacket with rubber conductors 1936-ca. 1951. (Part number H3C handset cord, D3AL or D2D mounting cord)

Neoprene jacket on new sets ca. 1951-1952 (H3AG and D3AY cords)

[AL_as_needed]

Oldphoneworks has repro brown cloth cords with modular ends. I have a set on my We 302 and it really makes it look the part  being a 39/41. I think its been two or three years and they have held up very well thus far with regular light use. I think black cloth is also available too.

[mazda_matt]

Here are a nice set of cloth cords (Handset & Line).

https://www.oldphoneworks.com/cord-combo-pack-desk-brown-2.html

-MM

[Slal]

Thanks for replies & links.

Happy to report it works!

Little story behind that too.  Remember this is another member returning a favor.  Project phone he never got around to doing anything with.  Handset wasn't hooked up.

So search "How to wire a Western Electric 302 Telephone"

Led right back here, and a handy PDF file written by a fellow named Dennis Markham.  Wonder who that could be... 

Anyway, thanks to Dennis, handset & line easily hooked up & works fine!  Nice higher pitch ringer than used to hearing on 500s.  Can see why 302s so popular.

So now just a little curious about it.  (Makes a great story which is half the fun of hobby)

Outside chassis is unmarked except for sticker that reads "Lippencott Industries Inc."
Inside chassis has a date of 10/47

Ringer is marked B3A - 1/46

Coil is 101A IV '47

Shell has "AB" near line cord opening

Dial imprinted with 5H and very quiet.  WE -vs- AE... They would've been competing  to make dials less noisy?

Hollow grooved HS is marked Western Electric F1W

So... Courtesy of Paul-F's site:

I got a free post war telephone made by WE for a smaller company.  (Lippencott?)  This smaller company would've put ringer in it to suit subscriber's needs.  At some point its life, phone likely refurbished by Lippencot in 1978.  (Sticker reads, "Lippencott Industries Inc.  Init:______ Date:_____")  Hand written on sticker is "custom built / by 1978 / russ becker"

Where might I find more about Lippencott then?  A search only revealed some court rulings/legal stuff.

Lippencott was a smaller independent telco?

This was a bit long so thanks for reading.

--Bruce

[Babybearjs]

always remember there is a telephone library available for all those who want to get literature on their phone... the 302 was the most, and still is....popular telephone around... I have several of them and I love the design... art deco... Plus the 302 is one of the easiest phones to repair... once you do it a 1/2 dozen times... just go to the TCI library and pull up the schematics and other info... Old Phone works has ben my favorite place to shop for parts for about 10 years... so that site is quite valuable! good luck with your phone and "Happy Dialing"...

[jsowers]

Where might I find more about Lippencott then?  A search only revealed some court rulings/legal stuff.

Lippencott was a smaller independent telco?

Bruce, I think it's spelled "Lippincott Industries" which may be why you didn't find much. A google search of lippincott industries brings up several phones that look like WE clones. I'm thinking Lippincott wasn't a telco but a manufacturer and refurbisher of phones. They put their label on the back or the base of the phone. I found a generic modular 554 made by them on eBay and below is the side of the box and the label from the back that sounds a lot like the label you found on your 302.

[Slal]

Yep!  Lippencott as you say.  Usually I'd say it's helpful (when using a search engine) to spell correck-lee.

Unfortunately, didn't seem to make any difference!

Didn't find anything about them.

Straying way off topic a little, but anyone know what were people on sites like Reddit complaining about: "Vincent is lobotomizing our search engines!" etc.

Didn't pay any attention at the time, but if 'duckduckgo' is any indication, 'search' has become almost useless. 

As you can tell, I'm always the last to find out stuff about tech.  ; )