Win some, lose some.

[Sargeguy]

What I usually do when I buy a beaten up 302/5302 is stick it in a box and rediscover it a few years later when searching for something else.  By that time the urge to restore it has passed and I have a perfectly good parts phone.

[Sargeguy]

You can always pitch the housing, replace it with Kleenax's subset cover, sell the dial, put the handset in the parts box  and send me the bezel in gratitude for my good advice.

[AE_Collector]

Who's that on the phone in your new Avatar Sarge?

Terry

[twocvbloke]

We own the place, nice big yard, but alas, I don't have the skills necessary, or I would build one.  We priced them, they cost a fortune for a good one, but it's on our wish list.  Other priorities come first.

I've never built a shed in my life prior to my getting my shed, just a simple 8x6' shed, all that was required to build it was a screwdriver and two people, quite an unskilled task really, I just wish I remembered the "measure twice, cut once" rule when cutting the roofing felt...

Cost me £220, not the best quality, but over across the pond I'm betting something of a similar size built to a better standard would cost a lot less than it does here...

[poplar1]

At first view, this phone is completely salvageable . I mean it can be restored easily If you are an artist of repair. 

Well, maybe.  There's so much rust on those feet that I can't tell if they're riveted or screwed on.  It would be a challenge, but I don't have the space to work in like I did with the other 5302.  Anita wouldn't tolerate me turning the bathroom counter into a workbench like I did in my bachelor's pad.  First thing I would do is replace the neoprene feet with leather feet.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3039.0

I believe these feet are direct replacements for the original suede-covered feet; therefore, they are not riveted but are held on by screws and threaded washers.

[George Knighton]

...the most disgustingly filthy phone I've come across.

I'd post some pictures but you'd probably pass out!

:-)

[Greg G.]

...the most disgustingly filthy phone I've come across.

I'd post some pictures but you'd probably pass out!

:-)

You can see the rodent hairs embedded in the third picture (bottom view). 

[Greg G.]

I believe these feet are direct replacements for the original suede-covered feet; therefore, they are not riveted but are held on by screws and threaded washers.

By golly, you're right!  I couldn't tell from looking at all the rust on the underside, but taking the cover off I can see they are clearly screwed on.  It'll still take a stripping down and probably a soak in CLR to loosen them though.

[HarrySmith]

You can see the rodent hairs embedded in the third picture (bottom view).  

Are you sure they are imbedded in the picture??
Looks like they are imbedded in the feet to me

[Bill]

Brinybay -

Instead of building an entire shed or building for a workshop, have you considered a folding workbench in your garage? Just Google that term - lots of plans on the 'net, from very simple to very elaborate. You choose. Here is one to get you thinking.

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-make-a-fold-down-workbench/index.html

Wish I lived closer - I would come and work with you. A few summers ago, I whomped up an 8' x 16' shed for my wife's glass bead lampworking studio. Wired, lighted, exhaust fan, suspended ceiling, couple windows, one with an air conditioner. Site prep (levelling and cement block placement) took one weekend. Buying and transporting materials took another. But the actual build took only one weekend.

I say this not to brag, but to point out that it isn't as hard as you might think if you can find someone with even a little carpentry experience. Any knowledgable friends that might come and swing a hammer and drink a couple beers with you?

Bill

[AE_Collector]

Any knowledgable friends that might come and swing a hammer and drink a couple beers with you?

Bill

Just don't make the mistake of leaving your friends and beer alone together while you go get more supplies. The beer will be gone when you get back and your friends may as well be too!

Terry

[Greg G.]

Brinybay -

Instead of building an entire shed or building for a workshop, have you considered a folding workbench in your garage? Just Google that term - lots of plans on the 'net, from very simple to very elaborate. You choose. Here is one to get you thinking.

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-make-a-fold-down-workbench/index.html

Wish I lived closer - I would come and work with you. A few summers ago, I whomped up an 8' x 16' shed for my wife's glass bead lampworking studio. Wired, lighted, exhaust fan, suspended ceiling, couple windows, one with an air conditioner. Site prep (levelling and cement block placement) took one weekend. Buying and transporting materials took another. But the actual build took only one weekend.

I say this not to brag, but to point out that it isn't as hard as you might think if you can find someone with even a little carpentry experience. Any knowledgable friends that might come and swing a hammer and drink a couple beers with you?

Bill

I wish we had a garage.  Only friend I know with the skills needed is too far and has too many other irons in the fire right now to take time out for something like that.   

We'll figure something out.  Reorganizing the office where Anita and I both have our computers (and my phone work bench) would at least provide some temporary relief. 

[Greg G.]

Any knowledgable friends that might come and swing a hammer and drink a couple beers with you?

Bill

Just don't make the mistake of leaving your friends and beer alone together while you go get more supplies. The beer will be gone when you get back and your friends may as well be too!

Terry

Ha!  Any friends I have who would be able to help are middle-aged (like me).  They would still be there, but sound asleep after a couple of beers (like me), or having to stop work every 10 minutes to drain the beer (like me).  It would be far more productive to bribe them with food instead.

[twocvbloke]

just put up a shed and use the "don't ask, don't tell" approach with the city, but try to put it in an inconspicuous place, not too tall and same color as the house.  When we go for walks, I've been noticing that many neighbors have sheds that are out of terms with the city rules.

I don't know what the regs are like over there, but here in the UK, a shed is considered to be a "Temporary structure", meaning it's not permanently fixed in place, and so long as it's not offensive to the eye and overly large, you can throw any ol' shed up here without having to get planning permission...

All you really need to do is build a nice, level patio out of concrete slabs and slap a wooden shed on top, electrical wiring, plumbing and any other addons are up to you, just make them easy to disconnect incase a government busybody wants to have a poke around and tries to flag up stuff that's not up to code in something that's "temporary"...

[Sargeguy]

Who's that on the phone in your new Avatar Sarge?

Terry

I am not sure who the actor is but it is from a Keystone Cops movie from the 1910s.  The phone looks like a 20-B