WE 354 Refurb

[winkydink]

I decided that I would try to tackle a wall phone for my next refurb, hoping that I learned from my first 302 refurb (and not make some of the same mistakes again).

Below are a few pics of the 354.  As I had indicated in another post, I purchased the phone for about $20 including shipping.  It has a whopping 25 foot straight line cord (hooked up rather precariously) and who ever did the inside wiring had never heard of electrical tape.

Overall the phone is in very good shape.  The handset cord will need to be replaced and will need a good cleanup inside and out, but it is not as dirty as my first 302.  One added feature of the phone is that it appears that all the dates for all the components match (June 1955) including the transmitter and receiver elements (See post below for explanation of the handset).

As one can see on the photo of the inside, once again the bells to the ringer have been removed (I can pick 'em).

Additionally, the phone actually works.  I did hook this up and was able to get a dial tone and to dial out.  Did not test the ringer however but I am relatively sure this will work when I can locates some proper bells.

Another problem that I have is that if I want to wall mount this, I have the delemma of DSL in my house.  I will need to put a filter on the line.  I know I can run a line down attach a filter and run it back up, but has anyone put a filter on the inside of a phone ?  My other option is to attach this to the "wall" filter adapter.  This is a misnomer (word of the day) as the filter sticks about 2.5" off the wall, and the phone will "Float" off the wall if I attach it that way.

Additionally, I might want to put a newer backing plate on so I can attach it to a standard mounting, but what might my other options be?

Anyway here is the phone and more questions to come.

[Sargeguy]

I think that's a 354.  The wiring is a little different than a 302.  Look at the ringer terminal and the network.  See my thread:  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=485.0
.  I use a DSL splitter, available at Lowe's, it seperates your DSL from your phone line so you can run whatever crazy telephone experiments you want witout worrying about the internet.

[winkydink]

I think that's a 354.  The wiring is a little different than a 302.  Look at the ringer terminal and the network.  See my thread:  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=485.0
.  I use a DSL splitter, available at Lowe's, it seperates your DSL from your phone line so you can run whatever crazy telephone experiments you want witout worrying about the internet.

I am very ashamed, I did mean 354.  However is there a WE 352 ?  I see from your link that there is also a 356.  What is the difference between these phones ?

[Dennis Markham]

There are some model differences here:

http://www.paul-f.com/we300typ.htm

[bingster]

Additionally, I might want to put a newer backing plate on so I can attach it to a standard mounting, but what might my other options be?

Just a personal preference, but I'd skip the backing plates, wall plates, and all that.  I have mine screwed directly to the wall.  It just looks better to me, because even the modular backing plates make the phone "float."


Can the filter be installed "downstream" of ALL the phones in the house?  I don't know how these systems are set up, but that would eliminate the running of wires back and forth from phone to filter and back to phone.

[McHeath]

You can get a standard sized wall mount plate with a built in DSL filter, I have one.  But yeah it will still stick out a little. 

This looks like a nice solid phone to restore, and it should turn out well and make you proud.  Sure is a long line cord, where was this phone installed? 

[winkydink]

Just a personal preference, but I'd skip the backing plates, wall plates, and all that.  I have mine screwed directly to the wall.  It just looks better to me, because even the modular backing plates make the phone "float."

Do you have a picture of your phone mounted on the wall?  How are the wires attached directly from a wire inside the wall to inside the phone ??

I am thinking of possibly building a frame around the mount area that I can attach the phone to and have the DSL filter rest on the inside of the frame so everything is flush.  I would then (possibly) have a modular connector on a very short wire (inches) so that I could plug into the DSL filter

Which leads me into your question ....

Can the filter be installed "downstream" of ALL the phones in the house?  I don't know how these systems are set up, but that would eliminate the running of wires back and forth from phone to filter and back to phone.

If you look at the last picture of the first post, this shows my current Kitchen phone setup.  The white plate next to the wall (with red paint on it) is the regular modular phone connector.  On top of that in Tan is the DSL filter.  Finally connected to that (at a whopping 2.5" off the wall ) is the phone itself.

The way verizon's DSL setup goes, is that for each phone you need to have a filter attached before the phone.  However, for the DSL modem, this needs to be unfiltered.  So unfortunately I don't see an EASY way of filtering the signal at a central location for all but the DSL modem (since this also has a built in wireless router used for internet within the house, and I need this upstairs for better reception, than at the point where the phone lines come into the house (as I have the same type of connector as TIP and RING shows in this post)

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=416.msg4025#msg4025

In anycase I go back to my 2 senerios for mounting the phone.

#1)  Build a frame (and paint the frame) around the present phone/DSL filter setup.  And mount the phone to the frame.

#2)  Figure out a way to put a DSL filter inside the wall phone, so I can mount the phone flush to the wall.

#3)  Something else.

[winkydink]

You can get a standard sized wall mount plate with a built in DSL filter, I have one.  But yeah it will still stick out a little. 

As I was explaining to Bingster in the last post, In the last picture, the Tan rectangle inbetween the white rectangle and the phone is the DSL filter.  Have you seen a different type ??

This looks like a nice solid phone to restore, and it should turn out well and make you proud.  Sure is a long line cord, where was this phone installed? 

This was install in some church in the midwest.  I don't see how they could really use the phone without constantly tripping over the wire etc.  At least 15 feet of it would be on the floor at all times.

[winkydink]

First Dumb question.

How does the handset hook come off, so that I can take the shell off and give it a bath?

2nd Dumb question.

The receiver cap on the handset is pretty scungy, and a little bumpy.  I will try to post a picture of this later.  In any case can I sand with (1500 or 2000 grit paper) the bumps in hopes of removing them.

As an asside, the handset shown in the photos are not from this phone.  I used the handset on this phone for my first 302 restore.  Well now that I know that all the dates match for this 354, I will be moving the handset back to this phone, and the handset in the photo above will be fixed up for the 302.  If that makes any sense.


3rd Dumb question:

What type of handset cord did these use?  I have seen coiled rubber, coiled cloth, and straight cloth (although not 25 feet worth).  In one of Dennis' restore he used a straight cloth cord.  What would be correct, and also as important what length.  I may wind up using a coiled rubber cord from one of my 302's that is in good shape to start off with, even though it is probably only the 6 foot variety.

[Sargeguy]

Wall phones came later so any type of cord is good.  Length depends upon how big you kitchen is.

I have my 354 connected to a block mounted on my baseboard.  I run the wire across 4 inches of wall and down the moulding.

[Dennis Markham]

Removing the hook is very simple.  I have put together a few photos.  I'll apologize up front for the blurry one.  But you'll get the idea.

Photo #1: 

Step 1:  Remove the return spring.  This one happens to be open at both ends.  My experience has been that the end that hooks over the switch hook mounting bracket (not the screw end) comes off easiest.  I use a pair of needle nosed pliers to just lift off one end of the spring.  In this case both came off easily.

Step #2:  Remove the screw where the other end of the spring is/was attached.

Step #3:  Not visible is the axle, or pin that holds the hook onto the mounting bracket.  Just take a paper clip or something that gives you a 90 degree bend and push on one end of the pin.  Once enough of the other end sticks out you can just pull it out.  (See Photo #2) The hook will now come off.

Step #4:  Remove the two screws that attach the hook switch bracket to the cover. (See Photo #4).   (These are my words for the names of these parts--not official W.E. terminology).

Photo #2

Shows the axle pin coming from inside the hook switch bushing.

Photo #3

Shows the parts you just removed.

Photo #4

Shows the switch hook bracket coming away from the plastic.

Once you remove the rest of the hardware from the cover you are ready to submerge it for cleaning.

I learned by doing.  I just keep taking things apart until nothing more comes apart.  The first couple of times I did this procedure I had to refer to another phone to reassemble.   You know the drill...just make some notes or take a couple digital photos.

Hope this helps.

[winkydink]

Removing the hook is very simple.  I have put together a few photos.  I'll apologize up front for the blurry one.  But you'll get the idea.

I learned by doing.  I just keep taking things apart until nothing more comes apart.  The first couple of times I did this procedure I had to refer to another phone to reassemble.   You know the drill...just make some notes or take a couple digital photos.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Dennis

[McHeath]

Handy pics Dennis.

In the last picture, the Tan rectangle inbetween the white rectangle and the phone is the DSL filter.  Have you seen a different type ??

I have a wall mount DSL filter that replaces the standard wall jack.  That way the phone only sticks out a small distance from the wall, which it still does however.

[winkydink]

Removing the hook is very simple.  I have put together a few photos. 

Thanks to your picures the hook is now off (it was a snap).  The dial was taken out, but unfortunately the gasket for the dial stuck to both the dial as well as the inset area.  It did not look like a full gasket like the one of the 302, it almost looked like there was 3 small gaskets each near the screw positions.  I will need to look for replacements.

The shell was washed in warm soapy water and I was able to get a sticker off the side of the phone.  I still have some glue.  I remember that others had this issue.  Can someone point me to the post to remove the glue.

I also have some paint speckles on the phone.  Too many to try and scrape off with a fingernail (I wouldn't have any fingernails left).  Is there a post that addresses the paint speckel issue. 

Thanks.

[Dennis Markham]

I just use Novus2 and a lot of rubbing to remove the paint speckles.  It takes a good bit of rubbing to get some friction/heat.  It seems to help remove them.  Don't press too hard on the plastic while you're doing it...you will crack it.  Been there, done that---not fun.  On the sides, while pressing on the outside I like to put opposite pressure from inside.  I know some guys that mount the phone, usually a desk phone on an old base while buffing.