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Footpad and Base Plate Recovering - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Started by dencins, December 30, 2010, 11:59:36 AM

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dencins

Due to a substantial increase by the leather supplier, regrettably I will be increasing the price to recover base plates (A1, B1, D1 and WECo candlesticks) from $5.00 to $7.00 each plus shipping. 

Footpads (302, 500 and Galion) will stay at $7.95 plus shipping per set of four.

Dennis

Sargeguy

Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

wds

How does one buy the covers?  Do you have a web site?
Dave

dencins

#3
I do not have a web site but I do have some picture in a photo gallery.

This is how I do A1, B1, D1 and WECo candlestick base plates:

http://picasaweb.google.com/dencins/WECoBasePlateCover#  (dead link 3-25-2021)

Key for the process is no glue, never cut the spring to fit since it holds the leather with compression and make sure the screw heads are below the leather.

This is an example of recovered 302 and Galion footpads:

http://picasaweb.google.com/dencins/Recovered302Feet#  (dead link 3-25-2021)

This is how I recover 302 footpads:

http://atcaonline.com/Footpad.html  (dead link 3-25-2021)

These are 1937 riveted 302 footpads and early 500 riveted footpads:

http://picasaweb.google.com/dencins/1937302Footpads#  (dead link 3-25-2021)

http://picasaweb.google.com/dencins/500Footpads#  (dead link 3-25-2021)

The 1937 302 does not use a felt cushion but the early 500's have a felt cushion with a hole to allow for the rivet head.

These are the cork pads found on B1 and B1 baseplates with felt covers:

http://picasaweb.google.com/dencins/NewCorkPads#  (dead link 3-25-2021)

I do not do felt since I  have not found the proper woven felt in the correct color.  These were used to prevent the phone from slipping on smooth surfaces while dialing.   

Basically the process is to send me what you need recovered, I recover it and send it back.

Feel free to email me with any questions.

Dennis

cloyd

Hi Dennis!
I see that you do beautiful work recovering WE bases and feet.  I have a Kellogg 700 that desperately needs help.  Can you help me with it or are you strictly W.E.?  I think mine had felt but were Kellogg 700's always covered in felt?  I like the leather better.  If you can do it for me, I would like to remove the ring and felt, remove the rust and paint it with a primer before recovering.  Or is it trickier than it looks?

Let me know,
Tina Loyd
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Van Gogh -- 1885

dencins

Tina

Thank you.  I have only recovered WECo base plates and foot pads and I am not familiar with Kellogg bases.  When recovering I use patterns to cut the leather and punch the screw holes and a fixture to hold the cover while assembling.  I do not have either for this phone so I do not think I can help you.

Possibly someone familiar with Kellogg Masterphones could provide an answer to what materials were used.

It looks like the spring that holds the cover is held by 14 small clips as well as the two screws that hold the Masterphone tag.  Possibly someone also could describe how the clips should be removed without damaging them since they will be almost impossible to replace if damaged.

Dennis
     

Jim Stettler

I have experimented with recovering a KE 700 base with felt. I just took a square of craft felt, set the base on it (minus the inner lock ring) and folded the felt over the inner edge, at the same time I started the inner lock ring into the base, I started opposite the  opening on the ring. I used a small pair of channel lock pliers and a hammer to work the ring into position, Once it was in place I took a small pair of scissors and trimmed the excess felt. The one I was practicing with did not have the masterphone tag on the base

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was paying around .25-.50 a square for craft felt. Cheap enough to experiment with, but not a long term felt. Some collectors use used pool table felt  (available in many colors  from pool table repair places). Other sources of base material is thrift stores, You can find bolts of material or vintage jackets that will sometimes work.

___________________________________________________________________________________________
The phone base  turned out good enough that I would say, get some felt and practice. Once you get your technique figured out then you can find "proper" felt or leather and create the finished base
JMO,
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

cloyd

Thank you for your replies gentlemen,

I bought some craft felt and practiced with my Kellogg 700 and it turned out very nice.  I used a beautiful deep blue color felt and it looks great against the black.

I do woodworking when it isn't freezing cold out in the garage and I think I can make templates for covering feet and bases.  I looked around online for the F26 felt padding and was surprised with the cost.  I thought it would be cheap.  I bought a brown suede leather skirt on ebay as my leather source and I am hoping that it is heavy enough.  It will probably work just fine.

Any suggestions for local sources or better online prices for the F26 felt?

Thank you,
Tina Loyd
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Van Gogh -- 1885

cloyd

I am also wondering why there is no padding on the phone bases like the foot pads on a 302.  You would think that setting down a heavy candlestick phone at an angle onto a wooden table would put dents in the wood.  Perhaps they would be somewhat tippy?  On a Kellogg 700 though, it might be better.

What do you think?

Tina
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Van Gogh -- 1885

Jim Stettler

#9
Quote from: cloyd on February 14, 2016, 11:19:18 AM
I am also wondering why there is no padding on the phone bases like the foot pads on a 302.  You would think that setting down a heavy candlestick phone at an angle onto a wooden table would put dents in the wood.  Perhaps they would be somewhat tippy?  On a Kellogg 700 though, it might be better.

What do you think?

Tina

I have an early telephone table with a small dent in the top. My guess was a candlestick phone was dropped on the edge of the base dented the top.  With a cradle style phone, there wasn't a reason to pick it up unless you were dusting ect.
JMO,
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

dencins

#10
Tina

I suspect the addition of the cushion came from customer feedback once the 302's were in the field.   

The first (1937) 302 leather foot pads did not have padding - just the suede cover.  These were held on by rivets not screws.

About a year later WECo changed to using screws on foot pads that had a black, gooey substance (almost like tar) for a cushion with a suede cover.  Getting the black stuff off the plates when recovering is always fun.

Next the cushion was a sponge like material held on by the same black gooey stuff.  I have not seen many of these so I expect it lasted a only short time.

Sometime pre-WWII the change was made to use felt as the cushion with the suede cover.   

Post-WWII some foot pads can be found with a woven felt covers replacing the suede covers.  I have not been able to find any information if the woven felt was from the factory or from refurbishment centers.

Dennis Hallworth