Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Auction Talk => Topic started by: WEBellSystemChristian on August 28, 2015, 01:06:00 AM

Title: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on August 28, 2015, 01:06:00 AM
I just got this $75 BiN right after it had been listed. I held my breath as I pushed the button; it's not exactly a low-end price for a very, very faded 1500, but I probably won't see another Aqua 1500 for sale for a long time!

This one is incredibly faded (almost yellow now) and includes a couple front cracks, but some super glue and UV/Peroxide should get this back to a beautiful phone!

I personally find these 1500s very cool; the angled, squared lines and shapes combined with the two-tone combinations created by the faceplates, along with early Touch-Tone technology makes these sets very interesting to me!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151790529592
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: TelePlay on August 28, 2015, 06:23:29 AM
And it comes with the full "operator" 0 button on the keypad. Nice find.

Can't wait to see the "after" photos. May be a great addition to our "Back from the Dead" topic.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on August 28, 2015, 08:54:14 AM
Thanks! If it turns out nicely, I may enter it!

I'm glad someone found out about the peroxide method awhile ago, I would have to suffer the same torture McHeath went through on his Aqua 1500. When he tried restoring the color back on his, the peroxide method hadn't been brought into the phone community yet (or at least they didn't think Aqua would work like White does), and he had to sand the fading out! In the end, the plastics had slightly softened edges, and he ended up replacing everything eventually. I bet his fingertips still aren't the same... ;D

I posted a couple pictures here of McHeath's 1500 as arrived, and after sanding, with the plastics' softened edges from vigorous sanding.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=566.0
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: jsowers on August 28, 2015, 09:33:09 AM
Christian, I sincerely hope it's all you thought it was, but it sure looks turquoise to me. That faceplate is a dead ringer for the one on a turquoise 1500 and the plastics look like faded turquoise to me too. But then again it could be the camera or the lighting. Has it arrived yet? Let us know what it turns out to be. Turquoise is nothing to sneeze at and just as rare as aqua blue. They're both very hard to find. Whatever color it is, I'm sure it will look ten times better when you're through with it.

I totally agree about how unique these phones are, with their translucent contrasting faceplates and squarish lines. The design is a true classic.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on August 28, 2015, 10:11:32 AM
Quote from: jsowers on August 28, 2015, 09:33:09 AM
Christian, I sincerely hope it's all you thought it was, but it sure looks turquoise to me. That faceplate is a dead ringer for the one on a turquoise 1500 and the plastics look like faded turquoise to me too. But then again it could be the camera or the lighting. Has it arrived yet? Let us know what it turns out to be. Turquoise is nothing to sneeze at and just as rare as aqua blue. They're both very hard to find. Whatever color it is, I'm sure it will look ten times better when you're through with it.

I totally agree about how unique these phones are, with their translucent contrasting faceplates and squarish lines. The design is a true classic.
Wow, you bring up a great point! I hadn't looked at the faceplate compared to an Aqua version, and now that you mention it, it does look like Turquoise!!

Has anybody ever tried Peroxide on Turquoise to see if it works without damaging the pigments? I would assume it does, but I would like input.

I actually hope it's Turquoise now--I've at least seen Aqua 1500s, but never a Turquoise before! I don't have it yet, but if the seller packs the phone carefully as per my request, it should arrive here without damage and I can test peroxide on it to see how it works!
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: ESalter on August 28, 2015, 02:56:49 PM
A couple years ago I bought a cheap faded hardwired aqua blue 2500 on ebay.  When it showed up I couldn't believe how even the fading was and how well it matched the color of both cords.  Then I took it apart and discovered it was exactly the same color on the inside and was actually turquoise in un-faded, almost pristine, condition.  It wasn't what I was expecting, but was certainly a welcome surprise. 

---Eric
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: jsowers on August 28, 2015, 04:56:54 PM
Here's a composite shot I made with your phone and my turquoise 1500 side by side. That faceplate looks very similar to turquoise and not as blue as McHeath's aqua blue. Either way you have a nice phone. I haven't tried peroxide on turquoise, but I have tried bleach and it worked fairly well on a 554. I posted pictures of that too. I like the "Mr. Yuck" on the before picture. It was yucky all right.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on August 28, 2015, 05:33:03 PM
Wow, thanks for that composite shot! I was trying to compare pictures before, but this makes it much easier!

I might try the bleach method you did. How long did your 554 take sitting in the bleach to get back to the original color?
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: jsowers on August 28, 2015, 09:57:17 PM
I did the bleaching in 2003, so I can't be certain. I did take pictures during the process and I posted them below. I think it took more than one day in the sun for it to work. So two days would be about right. I took it out in late afternoon after the sun started going down and put it back in the next day when the sun was shining again. I have lots of trees in my yard, so finding a sunny place wasn't too easy. I probably put it in from about 10:00-4:00 each day and I always rinsed off the bleach with plain water and then dried it with a towel.

I used one part regular bleach to two parts water. I think the last picture is after the first bleaching and I could still see fading on the housing, so I did it again with fresh bleach and water one more day.

I hope you have good results. Fading can be due to many different things, so sometimes it works better than others.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: HarrySmith on August 29, 2015, 09:47:16 PM
Nice job, Looks great! In the original pictures you posted on the bottom there appears to be a faded "F" number next to the 1500 stamp. Is it possible this was a field trial unit that was converted? Did you check the internals to see if they are consistent with production sets?
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: twocvbloke on August 29, 2015, 10:24:51 PM
Looks like "R170D" or "R170U" to my eyes, so possibly a refurb date?
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on August 29, 2015, 11:32:03 PM
Quote from: HarrySmith on August 29, 2015, 09:47:16 PM
Nice job, Looks great! In the original pictures you posted on the bottom there appears to be a faded "F" number next to the 1500 stamp. Is it possible this was a field trial unit that was converted? Did you check the internals to see if they are consistent with production sets?
Are you talking about my 1500? If so, I think you confused the pictures I posted of McHeath's Aqua 1500 to my Turquoise 1500. I should have elaborated that! Mine hasn't arrived yet, but it should be in my possession soon.

I think that stamp is 'R170D', which would have been a refurb in January 1970, leaving it as a standard 1500 set. (don't you love WE's attention to detail?) That explains the tapered handset cord boot, as the boots were still stubby in '66, indicating a replaced HS cord.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: HarrySmith on August 30, 2015, 08:11:59 PM
OK, my old eyes are not what they used to be, it is a refurb date. Sorry.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 01, 2015, 03:16:59 PM
I was at school when it was delivered, so my dad has it now, and he sent pictures to me. The housing looks like Turquoise!

We aren't sure about the handset though. The handset cord almost definitely looks like Aqua to me (not a big deal) but the handset and caps look like they could go either way.

What do you guys think?
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 01, 2015, 07:11:00 PM
UPDATE:

The handset and caps are definitely Turquoise! I compared them to a perfect Aqua receiver cap, and the difference is undeniable. The cord is a maybe for Aqua, but compared to the handset cap, even inside the handset, it seems a little closer to Turquoise.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: andre_janew on September 01, 2015, 07:55:42 PM
The face plate looks Aqua.  The rest of the phone looks more like Turquoise.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: jsowers on September 01, 2015, 09:04:28 PM
Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on September 01, 2015, 07:11:00 PM
UPDATE:
The handset and caps are definitely Turquoise! I compared them to a perfect Aqua receiver cap, and the difference in undeniable. The cord is a maybe for Aqua, but compared to the handset cap, even inside the handset, it seems a little closer to Turquoise.

It looks all turquoise to me, especially next to the aqua blue cap. The second set of pics doesn't have very good light, so it's hard to tell about that cord. I always get the best results taking pictures outdoors using sunlight. And yes, the inside part of the handset cord seems to match more than the outside. Hopefully bleach or peroxide will get all the parts to match better.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Aqua 1500
Post by: compubit on September 01, 2015, 11:52:16 PM
Congrats! You snagged a nice one.  I got lucky also on a "blue" 1500 that ended up being turquoise - I just need to refinish it now.

Jim
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 03, 2015, 10:42:15 PM
Thanks everyone! The handset, caps and lift are in the peroxide now, I still need to clean the cord and address the housing's cracks.

The handset cord is definitely Turquoise! (bottom cord in the picture) I compared it to an Aqua cord I have, and it's absolutely not Aqua. That makes this phone 100% Turquoise! I just need a line cord for it...
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: McHeath on September 05, 2015, 02:59:05 AM
QuoteI'm glad someone found out about the peroxide method awhile ago, I would have to suffer the same torture McHeath went through on his Aqua 1500. When he tried restoring the color back on his, the peroxide method hadn't been brought into the phone community yet (or at least they didn't think Aqua would work like White does), and he had to sand the fading out! In the end, the plastics had slightly softened edges, and he ended up replacing everything eventually. I bet his fingertips still aren't the same...

Still no fingerprints all these years later! ;)

Don't sand it, you have better things to do I'm sure, like eat dinner and bathe and sleep, and if it's like mine was the discoloration goes so deep that there is little left of the original shape of the plastics when you sand the yellow out.  You can sand your life away and it won't help much,

Try the bleach method.

I've got an absurd amount in my aqua 1500, someplace over $200 I think by now.  All the plastics except the faceplate and dial buttons are NOS, and I even bought another dial to consider putting on it.  But it remains my favorite phone and does more time on my desk than any other.  Yours is a couple years older than mine, best of luck with it, they are worth it in my opinion. :)
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: podor on September 05, 2015, 06:53:28 AM
Does the bleach effect the tone or brightness of the color or soften the plastic?
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 06, 2015, 12:19:14 AM
Quote from: podor on September 05, 2015, 06:53:28 AM
Does the bleach effect the tone or brightness of the color or soften the plastic?
I don't know about bleach, but Peroxide does absolutely nothing to harm phone plastics. If you don't move the gel around inside the Ziploc bag every hour or so, it can create 'swirled' stains or burns in the plastic, which are very hard to remove.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: unbeldi on September 06, 2015, 08:58:05 AM
Quote from: podor on September 05, 2015, 06:53:28 AM
Does the bleach effect the tone or brightness of the color or soften the plastic?

Well, since the procedure is meant to remove discoloration, it does effect the 'tone'. It can also effect the brightness if the plastic is overbleached.  The light pastel colors are quite susceptible to that.
The trick is to find the proper concentration of bleach and time of exposure to reverse only the discoloration, but not destroy the pigments excessively that you want to bring back.  In principle it is likely unavoidable to destroy color pigments, but when doing this on darker colors the effect may not be noticeable, while it is noticeable on the pastel colors.

Discoloration results from the flame retarding compounds added to plastic during manufacture. Most of them contain bromides. Over time, the bromides decompose from the effect of sunlight, and quite possibly just from time and temperature. This causes elemental bromine to accumulate in the plastic which has an intense deep red-brown color when pure and concentrated. Even in the minute concentrations in the top plastic layer it adds yellow to brown to the plastic color.  The bleaching, whether using household bleaches or peroxides, oxidizes the bromine which looses its color in the process, thus exposing native plastic color.  If too much bleaching agent is used, it may destroy pigmentation too.  If progressed to that stage the plastic has to be sanded.

There are many posts on the forum that describe the methods and results in detail.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: podor on September 06, 2015, 09:07:31 AM
Thanks guys! I'm looking forward to seeing this gem come together.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 06, 2015, 09:24:42 AM
Quote from: podor on September 06, 2015, 09:07:31 AM
Thanks guys! I'm looking forward to seeing this gem come together.
It already almost is! Everything is done except for the housing, which I put in the UV box about an hour ago. It should hopefully be done by tonight or early tomorrow morning. Pictures to follow when done.

McHeath, out of curiosity, did you ever find a WE housing to replace the off-brand one you had/have on it? What manufacturer made the off-brand one?
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: McHeath on September 07, 2015, 10:54:02 AM
QuoteMcHeath, out of curiosity, did you ever find a WE housing to replace the off-brand one you had/have on it? What manufacturer made the off-brand one?

Nope, I never found a NOS WE housing for the phone, so it's had the off brand one for these last 6 years.  I don't know who made it as there is nothing stamped on it anyplace.  The NOS handset was WE and has all the usual marks, it was even in the original box. 
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 07, 2015, 01:51:10 PM
I got pictures this morning!

The peroxide method worked beautifully, this is probably my best peroxide treatment I've ever done!

The treatment took about a day and a half for the handset, caps, lift, cords, etc; and about a day for the housing. I used WD40 to lubricate the buttons to stop squeaking, and to even out the staining on the surface. I also removed the modular line cord, I would rather remove an incorrect cord than leave it on while I wait for the right cord to come along.

Although the cracks on the front don't look any different, believe me, they're fixed! I superglued them while being held as closed as they could be, and then added a top layer which was wetsanded and polished. Both cracks are flush with the rest of the housing. The faceplate was also wetsanded. It looks better glossy than textured (like it would be from the factory) because you can see the horizontal lines better.

I took some poolside pictures, the colors go great with eachother!

I wish this camera could better represent the color; this looks more Aqua in these pictures than it does in person. It has a really beautiful sea foam green 'glow' to it, it looks more like the cord's color does in the pictures in person. The cooler colored faceplate makes the color stand out even more!

I hope you guys like the results!

Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WesternElectricBen on September 07, 2015, 02:55:32 PM
Fantastic transformation, really looks good.

Just a word of advice "WD" stands for water displacement and should not be used as a lubricant. WD-40 has been known to gum up small parts, like on a dial.

Ben
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 07, 2015, 03:15:10 PM
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on September 07, 2015, 02:55:32 PM
Fantastic transformation, really looks good.

Just a word of advice "WD" stands for water displacement and should not be used as a lubricant. WD-40 has been known to gum up small parts, like on a dial.

Ben
I used it more to help with the discoloring on the surface of the buttons, the lubrication was more of a side effect. Besides,  I don't really see any reason why the buttons would stick very easily like a regular dial would.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: HarrySmith on September 07, 2015, 03:50:44 PM
Nice! Looks great! Nice job!
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: jsowers on September 07, 2015, 06:41:34 PM
Christian, you made a tremendous improvement in that 1500! Your splurge was well worth it. The color is very even now and that faceplate looks great too.

The aqua blue/turquoise problem with digital photography is hard to overcome. You might try a lighter color for the background. As inviting as that pool looks, it could be affecting the color balance in the camera and making the phone appear bluer than it really is. But it does make a terrific background.

The keypad looks better too. It may eventually go back to the ashy look because WD-40 is known to evaporate quickly. I remember John (Teleplay) working on that problem with his Rockford phone, but not exactly what ended up fixing the ashy key problem (my name for it) where some keys are lighter than others.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 07, 2015, 07:23:30 PM
Quote from: jsowers on September 07, 2015, 06:41:34 PM
Christian, you made a tremendous improvement in that 1500! Your splurge was well worth it. The color is very even now and that faceplate looks great too.

The aqua blue/turquoise problem with digital photography is hard to overcome. You might try a lighter color for the background. As inviting as that pool looks, it could be affecting the color balance in the camera and making the phone appear bluer than it really is. But it does make a terrific background.

The keypad looks better too. It may eventually go back to the ashy look because WD-40 is known to evaporate quickly. I remember John (Teleplay) working on that problem with his Rockford phone, but not exactly what ended up fixing the ashy key problem (my name for it) where some keys are lighter than others.
I actually spent most of my afternoon running around the house with my iPad trying to find a spot where the color matched on the screen as it did on the phone; everywhere I took it, the color looked identical to Aqua!! :/

I know the WD40 isn't permanent,  but it looked nice for the photos! I probably won't go very far into trying to treat the buttons, though.

Do you think I should add it to 'Bringing Phones back from the Dead' topic?
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: Phonesrfun on September 07, 2015, 07:49:34 PM
Maybe either Armor-all or a dab of tire cleaner would also un-gray the keys.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: jsowers on September 07, 2015, 10:48:15 PM
Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on September 07, 2015, 07:23:30 PM
Do you think I should add it to 'Bringing Phones back from the Dead' topic?

Sure, add it to that topic with a before and after pic and outline what you did to bring it back to life.

Also, trying a digital camera might be another way to get the right color balance. I'm not much of a fan of smartphone or tablet cameras. They're convenient but they have limitations. My old, and I mean OLD Sony CyberShot camera has no trouble with turquoise.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: david@london on September 08, 2015, 08:18:14 AM
christian -

that's a real transformation......a nice even-coloured finish after the peroxide treatment.

it would be good to read a step-by-step guide on your procedure as some have had patchy results on light blue.
do you use the salon creme - what volume %? do you place the parts in a container while bleaching ? sunlight or UV ?

....... + the phone looks great next to the swimming pool.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: Doug Rose on September 08, 2015, 07:29:04 PM
Christian ....it doesn't get any better than this.....perfect....Doug
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: HarrySmith on September 08, 2015, 08:08:15 PM
Quote from: david@london on September 08, 2015, 08:18:14 AM
christian -

that's a real transformation......a nice even-coloured finish after the peroxide treatment.

it would be good to read a step-by-step guide on your procedure as some have had patchy results on light blue.
do you use the salon creme - what volume %? do you place the parts in a container while bleaching ? sunlight or UV ?

....... + the phone looks great next to the swimming pool.

I second that! I have a Light Blue 500 I am working on right now that keeps coming out blotchy. I tried 3 times and get the same result. I have not has this issue in the past. Thanks!
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 08, 2015, 09:17:29 PM
Awww, thanks guys! It ain't perfect... :) :)

I'll try to get step-by-step pictures soon--I have to finish up peroxiding a multiline housing soon.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: McHeath on September 09, 2015, 09:41:31 AM
Really really nice!  It's amazing what the peroxide methods can do, you saved the plastics this way.  The dial buttons on my phone has some discoloration as well, so I've occasionally rubbed a little light oil on to even them out.  Probably a better way but I don't know what it would be. 
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: david@london on September 09, 2015, 02:11:32 PM
McHeath -
i don't know if this will be of any help to you but i used an electric toothbrush and a small amount of novus 2 to remove stains like these.... (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=8210.msg120591#msg120591)
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: McHeath on September 11, 2015, 10:08:51 AM
QuoteMcHeath -
i don't know if this will be of any help to you but i used an electric toothbrush and a small amount of novus 2 to remove stains like these....

Wow!  That looks great, I'll have to give that a try.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: david@london on September 24, 2015, 04:33:33 PM
Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on September 07, 2015, 01:51:10 PM
The peroxide method worked beautifully, this is probably my best peroxide treatment I've ever done!

it certainly looks very good, and a very evenly-coloured end result.
could you divulge what % strength peroxide you used ? and is it a hair creme as opposed to a homemade mix with cornstarch, oxy etc ?

i have a turquoise 2500 which is in need of this treatment. i'm thinking of 20% as being suitable, from having read posts on the technique.

thanks.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on September 25, 2015, 05:00:32 PM
Quote from: david@london on September 24, 2015, 04:33:33 PM
Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on September 07, 2015, 01:51:10 PM
The peroxide method worked beautifully, this is probably my best peroxide treatment I've ever done!

it certainly looks very good, and a very evenly-coloured end result.
could you divulge what % strength peroxide you used ? and is it a hair creme as opposed to a homemade mix with cornstarch, oxy etc ?

i have a turquoise 2500 which is in need of this treatment. i'm thinking of 20% as being suitable, from having read posts on the technique.

thanks.

I used 40, but had to constantly mix the peroxide and plastics around inside the bag. The 40 works a lot faster if you don't let it sit with the plastics for too long without stirring it up every half hour or so. I'll poet detailed instructions in Restoration Tips one of these days.
Title: Re: My latest shameless eBay splurge! Turquoise 1500
Post by: david@london on September 26, 2015, 09:02:27 AM
christian -
thanks for that info......have now ordered a bottle of 20% 20 Volume revlon hair product. i'm a bit wary of using a higher strength, having never tried this procedure.