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Dial Gasket Question For Metal 302

Started by DiaLen, November 28, 2014, 06:45:01 PM

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DiaLen

I'm new at this rotary phone hobby/addiction and am tackling a metal 302.
I'd like to completely disassemble the shell so I can refinish it. However, I'm finding the dial gasket, which is normally rubber on the plastic phones I've taken apart, is a very brittle dried out caulk or leather on this phone.
Questions:
What is the old gasket on my phone? (It's so brittle I can't touch it without chipping it)
What should I use when reassembling it?
Thank you for any help you can give me.
Here's what I'm looking at:
Be faithful to the commitments of your life.


DiaLen

Thank you John, I appreciate it.
I'll go ahead with the disassembly and plan on getting a rubber gasket from ericofon.com.
The old gasket will just crumble when I remove the dial but hopefully there will be enough left to give me idea how the hardware goes together. I'm still a little confused about the grommets, screws, washers, escutcheons and so on that I read about but I'll figure it out.
-Len 
Be faithful to the commitments of your life.

unbeldi

I have been disappointed with those types of "gaskets". They are just flat and thin rubber sheets cut to dimension, and do not have a grommet for the mounting screw holes. The grommet is necessary to be able to reuse the brass inserts. Without the grommet and insert, one has to use a washer to provide a surface to secure the screws and keep the dial in place.  One might as well simply cut a home-made gasket from card board. The effect is pretty much the same, not visible, but not an original looking refurbishment either, because of the washers.

Phonesrfun

-Bill G

dencins

#5
I use rubber grommets without the gasket.  I put a grommet in each hole then push the brass insert into the grommet.  I got the grommets at a local hardware store.  I have not bought any recently but these are made by Western Rubber & Supply (part number M200-0077).  The size is ID 1/4" OD 11/32" Groove Width 1/16" Hole 1/8".

Dennis Hallworth

TelePlay

Here's a link to photos of the original and preferred gasket. However, hard to find and pricey. You can see the rubber grommets that are part of the rubber gasket that go into the shell mounting holes and center the brass inserts, which you should be able to save from your phones brittle gasket.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11915.msg126687#msg126687

Which of the other suggestions for how to do it without an original gasket are up to to you.

DiaLen

Thank you all. That's a big help. I know what's ahead of me now.
-Len
Be faithful to the commitments of your life.

Lewes2

I contacted Western Rubber to follow up on Dennis' recommendation for the grommet (MR200-0077).  Indeed they have them in stock but their minimum order is $100 - or approximately 800 grommets at 13 cents each. 

Let's see, 3 per phone or enough for 266 phones.  This should be enough for two or three months, at least.  ;D

chuck

dencins

I would certainly look around elsewhere.  Lowes and Home Depot do not carry this size but many smaller hardware stores have a section with screws, nuts, washers, etc. that you can buy in small quantities.

McMaster-Carr sells a 9600-K11 with  the same dimensions - 100 for $4.01 plus shipping.

Dennis Hallworth

Lewes2

Thanks, Dennis

I keep forgetting about McMaster.  That's a good deal.

Chuck

Lewes2

While in Lowes this weekend, thought I'd have a look at their grommets.

Found one that's perfect for the 302 dial.  Expensive as all get out but in a pinch, these work great. $3.08 for a package of . . . . . . TWO!  But they fit!


Phonesrfun

Wow, that is expensive. 

Ace Hardware usually has a lot of individually priced items like that in plastic drawers where you pick out the item you need and write the inventory number on a bag.  Those are usually much, much cheaper than buying things pre-packaged.  .... If they carry what you are looking for in the first place.  But, if Ace or someone else doesn't have what you are looking for, you did all you can, and even though you may need 2 bags to get three grommets, $6.16 isn't the end of the world.

-Bill G

Lewes2

That's exactly what happened, Bill.  Finishing up rehabbing  a 304 for a Christmas gift and I didn't want the dial sitting on metal.  Took a chance on Lowes. 

After picking my jaw up off the floor, I bought two packs, grumbling the whole time! 

Chuck