WE 1500D arrives

[Dennis Markham]

Brian, I'd say you're right.  That handset cord was also nasty, as you can see.  But I don't recall a smoky odor as is often the case.  Sometimes I can smell that as I'm opening the box.  Since I'm a non-smoker I'm sensitive to that.   A good cleaning and polishing and some airing out will generally get rid of the tobacco odor.  Mouth piece cap stains from smoke are often difficult to remove, as are stains from make-up.

[Perry]

Dennis' previous post about sanding the Princess brings up a question I have been wondering about: Why do Princess phones have that indented area on the front, anyway? It doesn't seem to serve any obvious structural purpose, nor does it seem to make the phone more attractive.

Check out this phone, which has some impressive fading on top of the handset:
http://tinyurl.com/bleached-Trimline
I bet that could not be sanded out...

[Dennis Markham]

Perry, I don't KNOW the answer to that question but as I was destroying the edge of the front of that phone I thought about that area and the ridge around the front of the phone.  In many of the advertisements that were published showing the Princess phone, the user---usually a woman---was holding the phone in the palm of her hand.  Having used one myself I think the edge was built into the phone to make picking up the phone easier.  With the thumb on one side of the phone and the fingers on the other and squeezing the phone that edge makes it easier.

Those Princess shells are so thin that they can be cracked by squeezing too hard.  Also they are so light that I believe they were often pulled off the table top during use.  I have seen so many of them on eBay and in person that have cracks on the end, usually opposite the handset cord.  The first models, the 701B had no internal ringer but have a weight where the ringer was later installed.  I would imagine the weight was for just that problem....once the handset cord was extended it's easy to pull the phone off the desk, even with the counter weight.

As far as the Trimline goes, I think one could get some positive results (from sanding).  The surface is relatively smooth.  The thing I don't like working on Trimlines is that they were getting too new for me.  By that I mean they started making the phone more difficult to work on them.  There is a foil-like electrical strip inside and more stuff to remove and some stuff that I didn't know if I should take it apart or not.  I know that they can be disassembled and serviced because a friend of mine did that to one with success.  But I've stayed away from them.  I have a few but they're just as I bought them.  I do prefer the older ones with hardwired cords.

[BDM]

You're correct Dennis. I once had a fairly large collection of Princess phones. I traded them off years ago, retaining maybe 5 or 6. I recently acquired early version of blue and pink. I've had very early or first run models without the weight. Some with the weight added, and others I've added the weight too. Many were also upgraded with a ringer. Even with a weight or ringer, they slide easily on a smooth surface.

Last, I've seen many with the cracks you describe. This is a warning to potential buyers. ASK about cracks near the oval ended corners. More common than I care to admit. I've been biting by these ads stating "I can see no cracks". Well, sometimes they're well hidden, especially on darker colors.

[Dennis Markham]

I once asked an eBay seller if there were any cracks.  He/She replied, "none that I can see".  Well that really doesn't answer the question so I responded by asking "...are there any I can see?"  I don't recall the specific reply to that but if they can't give you a definitive answer, move to the next one.  In all fairness to the untrained eye, some of them are so thin that unless you do a little tugging and pulling you may not notice the crack.  I have had phones that I didn't see the crack until AFTER I polished it.

[McHeath]

I'll post some pictures of the handsets caps later tonight so you can see the difference in sanding and polishing.  The yellowing has no smell but is deep, it even is on the inside of the caps!  It also rolls under the bottom of the phone, and the cord is just as bad.  Geesh, what do people do to these things?

[benhutcherson]

I once asked an eBay seller if there were any cracks.  He/She replied, "none that I can see".  Well that really doesn't answer the question so I responded by asking "...are there any I can see?" it.

Reminds me of an aircraft maintenance log I was emailed a while back

(Problem) Left inside main tire almost needs replacement
(Solution) Almost replaced left inside main tire

(Problem) Test flight OK, except autoland very rough
(Solution) Autoland not installed on this aircraft

(Problem) #2 Propeller seeping prop fluid,
(Solution) #2 Propeller seepage normal - #1 #3 and #4 propellers lack normal seepage

(Problem) Something loose in cockpit
(Solution) Something tightened in cockpit

(Problem) Evidence of leak on right main landing gear
(Solution) Evidence removed

(Problem) DME volume unbelievably loud
(Solution) Volume set to more believable level

(Problem) Dead bugs on windshield
(Solution) Live bugs on order

(Problem) Autopilot in altitude hold mode produces a 200 fpm descent
(Solution) Cannot reproduce problem on ground

(Problem) IFF inoperative
(Solution) IFF always inoperative in OFF mode

(Problem) Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick
(Solution) That's what they're there for

(Problem) Number three engine missing
(Solution) Engine found on right wing after brief search

(Problem) Aircraft handles funny
(Solution) Aircraft warned to straighten up, "flyright", and be serious

(Problem) Target Radar hums
(Solution) Reprogrammed Target Radar with the words

[McHeath]

Here are the caps.  Receiver cap was sanded with 400, 800, 1000, 2000 and then hit with two coats of rubbing compound.

[Dennis Markham]

Heath, that is a great improvement.  Nice job.  It is a lot of work, isn't it?  But the results can be very rewarding.

[Steve]

what a difference. you started with 400? was it that bad or did you just want it to take less time? I am thinking about doing this to my turquoise 554 now. how long is the entire sanding process?

[McHeath]

Thanks guys, it really did help.  But as I noted if you look hard enough at the cap you can still see a little yellow lurking about, no matter how hard I rubbed the 400 grit it would not go away.  The time to do this cap was probably about 30 minutes, but I was taking my time and finding my way with it, I would imagine that the transmitter cap will go be a shorter time.  I'm going to go with a 320 grit for the rest of the phone, trying to get that yellow out.

Here are some pictures of the very curious adaptor on the line cord.  It's Bell System, has the logo and says Western Electric inside, dated 1974.  Never seen anything like this.

[Dennis Markham]

That's pretty cool.  I've never seen one of those before either. 

[benhutcherson]

I agree-it looks like you made a huge improvement on the receiver cap.

I was working on an avocado green 500 this past weekend that was also horribly yellowed. I put a huge amount of work into, and didn't make all that much of an improvement. So, you have my utmost respect for the amount of improvement you've achieved.

[Dennis Markham]

Ben, your aircraft maintenance "squawk" sheet is funny.  There is often friction between pilot and mechanic.  The pilots write up those kind of "squawks" and the mechanic has to figure out what he/she means.  I had two brothers-in-law...one was an airline pilot and the other a chief of maintenance.  They spent family reunions arguing about who was right, talking about maintenance issues.

[McHeath]

It's official, the yellowing is from smoke, probably cigarette.  When I pulled the handset apart I was finally able to smell it, which would explain how the yellowing got into everything, under the handset, under the handle, inside the caps, and even creeping under the shell's bottom edge.