Western Electric MODIFIED Card Dialers

[paul-f]

The long Memorial Day wekend gave me a few minutes to do a preliminary partial cleaning on a curiosity I picked up a while ago --

A Multi-line Rotary and Touch Tone Card Dialer with built-in Speakerphone

    a.k.a. "The Siamese Twins" Card Dialer

Putting up a quick web page for the set gave me the opportunity to post a more common standard modification that put a standard rotary phone and touch tone card dialer in a Call Director housing.  Several of these have been reported over the years with different markings.  They were apparently made in the Distribution Houses to a standard design spec.

See them both here:
   http://www.paul-f.com/weCardDialers.htm#Mods

Does anyone have other modified Card Dialers to add?

[Dave F]

Paul,

I've never seen a speakerphone transmitter installed in a Card Dialer, but it would obviously fit in a keyset like it fits in a Call Director.  It's too bad that you are missing the very special faceplate that this design would have required.

As to your second set -- I have seen two previous examples of this combination rotary/TT Card Dialer.  Are you sure that the housing is the same width as one used on a Call Director.  Maybe it was an optical illusion, but the ones I saw looked to be not quite as wide.

DF

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I'm just looking at your site, and you mentioned that everything was cobbled together crudely. Because of that, the areas where the speaker on the back was installed look like it was obviously installed with body putty-type material. There are also some chips on the corners of each set as a whole. Do you think you're going to repair (or send away to be repaired) those corner pieces and perfect the slobbered speaker opening, and then paint the plastics the original set color?

Either keeping the phone as-is or totally restoring it has its pros and cons. Totally restoring it would make it look cool, plus the color would be perfect. It would also give a ton of insight as to what the set may have looked like as a factory production item, or as it looked as a vision.

Leaving it as-is would preserve the look as it sits right now, from field trial use and from the shed. It would show where the speaker was fabricated, and other interesting techniques that were used for its production.

[RotarDad]

In looking at the crudeness of the cobble on this, I'm thinking that the missing faceplate would likely have been a cobble also.  Maybe just a standard plate with a large chunk cut out of the right side, or maybe just a hole drilled for the volume knob.

[Dave F]

Here's an interesting modified Card Dialer.  This puppy started life in 1965 as a 1036 adjunct, equipped with a very early 12-button TT dial with Star and Diamond button legends.  In 1966 it was converted into a modified 2660.  Network, handset, and new housing were installed.  This set does not have a phone line cord.  Instead, an AC power cord feeds an internal DC power supply which operates both the TT dial and the attached 107A Spokesman amplifier.  Apparently, this was some sort of Touchtone demonstrator.  Lifting the handset turns on the Spokesman and you can hear battery in the handset.  The Spokesman broadcasts the tones from the dial/card dialer loud enough to be heard half way down the street!

DF

[paul-f]

Paul,

Are you sure that the housing is the same width as one used on a Call Director.  Maybe it was an optical illusion, but the ones I saw looked to be not quite as wide.

Dave,

I did say one of the found sets was marked 630DAM, the model number of the donor Call Director.  They are definitely the same dimensions.

Here's a photo next to a 1623 Call Director.

[paul-f]

In looking at the crudeness of the cobble on this, I'm thinking that the missing faceplate would likely have been a cobble also.  Maybe just a standard plate with a large chunk cut out of the right side, or maybe just a hole drilled for the volume knob.

It's likely they would have used the 661A's faceplate as a starting point.

My current restoration plan includes using a standard faceplate from a 661 or 662. 

The two buttons for the speakerphone fit nicely in the holes for the top two line keys and there is a window next to the lower button for the ON light to shine through.  (No chunk to cut out.)  The sound can get to the transmitter through the faceplate holes for the remaining line keys.  It will need a hole for the volume knob.

A rectangular cutout with a mat behind the faceplate may simulate the look of a proper faceplate.  (See the relative spacing in the Call Director example below.)

Anyone have an extra rotary Card Dialer keyset faceplate for early style buttons?

[paul-f]

Here's an interesting modified Card Dialer.  This puppy started life in 1965 as a 1036 adjunct, equipped with a very early 12-button TT dial with Star and Diamond button legends.  In 1966 it was converted into a modified 2660.  Network, handset, and new housing were installed.  This set does not have a phone line cord.  Instead, an AC power cord feeds an internal DC power supply which operates both the TT dial and the attached 107A Spokesman amplifier.  Apparently, this was some sort of Touchtone demonstrator.  Lifting the handset turns on the Spokesman and you can hear battery in the handset.  The Spokesman broadcasts the tones from the dial/card dialer loud enough to be heard half way down the street!

Very nice, Dave.

I can see the value of that set-up as a Card Dialer demo for Business Offices, trade shows or phone stores.

[Dave F]

<snip>...

Anyone have an extra rotary Card Dialer keyset faceplate for early style buttons?

That search will keep you busy for quite a while!  If you were lucky enough to locate one, could you actually bring yourself to drill a hole in it?!!

DF

[paul-f]

Interesting question, Dave.

I hope to have the opportunity to answer it.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

About the faceplate;

Couldn't you just get a pane of plexiglass the same thickness as the other faceplate? You could cut it to match, and then install letter/number decals on the underside of the pane. Then, use some Duplicolor Vinyl Paint (Charcoal Grey) on the underside to match the other faceplate.

I used some on a modified 12-button faceplate that I converted to a 10-button 2-line. I used it on the outside, so it looks flat. If it's on the underside of the clear plexiglass, it will look glossy and match the other faceplate well.

[Dave F]

Interesting question, Dave.

I hope to have the opportunity to answer it.

All spare parts for Card Dialers are exceedingly difficult to find.  I have a 662 with a cracked faceplate, so it seems that you and I are on the lookout for the very same thing.  It will be interesting to see which of us gets lucky first.  I've had it on my wish-list for at least 5 years, so I've got a little bit of a head start.

In any case, I don't think I could modify a good faceplate.  I would certainly attempt Christian's method first, even if I had to hire a machine shop to make it.  John You-Know-Who has an AUTOVON Card Dialer that was missing the faceplate.  (If you think a spare faceplate for a 662 is a toughie, just imagine trying to find one for a 3666!)  His relative has a machine shop and is a real artist when it comes to projects like that.  If you look at pictures of John's 3666, you can see the quality result of his homemade faceplate, complete with ribbing on the back side.  I have seen that phone in person, and it really looks great.  You might try asking John if his relative is interested in doing one for you.

DF

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I bet there's some way to cut it out with a digital laser cutter. I know my old middle school has one (or at least had one a couple years ago), but I don't know of anyone else.

I found a company website that states they can cut and create intricate designs in plexiglass, up to 1/2" thick. That would make creating the exact circles and shapes for buttons easier, plus the ribbing on the back!

Sounds much better than a machine shop. Only problem is you would need to design an exact replica of the faceplate you want to attain on a CAD program.

http://www.customlasercutting.com

[paul-f]

Thanks for the creative ideas!  Keep 'em coming.

The faceplate will be the finishing touch, so probably won't get started any time soon.  Further work will probably be on the back burner until at least after the Lancaster show, so there's lots of time to revise the plan.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Since I'm not really familiar with different card dialers, does anyone know what type of faceplate closest resembles the one this phone should have? Does anyone have a good picture of it from the direct front? Maybe someone here could create a blueprint for the faceplate, in case Paul decides to send some plexiglass to a laser-cutter specialist?