I decided to tackle this '31 aluminum D1 by myself by giving it a paint job. I would normally have my dad powdercoat it, but I want to preserve the date on the inside; I wouldn't want to risk melting it off or covering it over with powder. Besides, I want to get some painting practice in!
This is what I basically started with (1st picture): the base was badly corroded around the whole bottom, and the paint was chipping off virtually everywhere else.
I sandblasted it almost entirely down to bare metal (2nd-3rd picture). Fortunately, the corrosion didn't get very far through the metal! I find it interesting that the cord grommet is made of Brass!
I primed it with an anti-rust Primer that also fills in small surface imperfections (4th picture), so any little nicks in the aluminum were filled in. The finish looks almost flawless right now!
I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to get the 1st coat of paint on, but so far it looks like it's going well without issues.
Great job, Christian! Give us a primer how to do it right, lotsa details.
Thanks, best of luck, and best regards, as always!
When did they start marking those with 'USA' under 'D1'? I see yours is not so marked.
Thanks, Bones! There really isn't much of a technique to priming; just make sure to use broad strokes instead of spraying spots, and keep the can at least a foot away from the surface. The primer pretty much does the work by itself! :o
NE, I would guess they started doing that around 1932 or so; mine is an early version from the year after production started. I would guess it's when they switched over to Zinc bodies from Aluminum; it gave WE a chance to alter the lettering when they switched casting methods.
NE phones don't have the USA either, so check the bottom for who manufactured it.
Quote from: NorthernElectric on April 08, 2015, 11:45:30 PM
When did they start marking those with 'USA' under 'D1'? I see yours is not so marked.
I 35 (first quarter of 1935); these were still aluminum.
Zinc was not used until I 36 (or possibly late 1935?).
Handset mountings marked "USA" next to the D-x do not have "Western Electric" or patent numbers on the bottom rim..
TA-DA!!!
I feel like I used too much paint for this, but it doesn't seem to be dripping or covering the patent dates. This is what it looks like right now, freshly after painting (excuse the messy bathroom it's in)! I'll have to wait another two days before I can clear coat it. The finish is much glossier in person than it looks in the picture, especially in the cradle area.
EDIT: Added a better picture from my iPad.
Quote from: tallguy58 on April 09, 2015, 07:52:54 AM
NE phones don't have the USA either, so check the bottom for who manufactured it.
It definitely says "Western Electric" in the patent dates section around the back of the base.
When you start the clear coat, give it a LIGHT tack coat first. If you apply the clear too heavy on the coats, you may soften the balck, and cause it to crinkle. Trust me, I've got a lot of experience ruining a good paint job with a too heavy finish coat. Just a couple light spray coats let dry between coats then you can go a little heavier, but never spray to heavy of a coat.
If you each completely stripped the housing you can also place the phone in your oven at about 160 Degrees for about 45 minutes or so, that will really improve the hardness of the paint.
I'm assuming you are using standard spray paint. If you are using automotive type paint then it shouldn't be a problem. But you can still bake it.
Dan
Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 09, 2015, 12:07:03 PM
When you start the clear coat, give it a LIGHT tack coat first. If you apply the clear too heavy on the coats, you may soften the balck, and cause it to crinkle. Trust me, I've got a lot of experience ruining a good paint job with a too heavy finish coat. Just a couple light spray coats let dry between coats then you can go a little heavier, but never spray to heavy of a coat.
If you each completely stripped the housing you can also place the phone in your oven at about 160 Degrees for about 45 minutes or so, that will really improve the hardness of the paint.
I'm assuming you are using standard spray paint. If you are using automotive type paint then it shouldn't be a problem. But you can still bake it.
Dan
All three coatings that I'm using (Primer, Paint, and Clear Coat) are all the same brand, are Enamel, and are all automotive-type. In fact, each coating is highly recommended to be used with eachother (The primer's can recommends to be used with the black paint I'm using, the black paint's can recommends the same primer, and the clear coat's can recommends that I use the same black paint). The fact that the clear coat is enamel (slower drying) instead of laquer (faster drying) should prevent the black paint from bubbling up and distorting.
Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on April 09, 2015, 11:30:55 AM
Quote from: tallguy58 on April 09, 2015, 07:52:54 AM
NE phones don't have the USA either, so check the bottom for who manufactured it.
It definitely says "Western Electric" in the patent dates section around the back of the base.
1st thing I did was zoom in on your photo and I was able to read the markings around the base, so I knew it was WE. Just that that's the 1st time I noticed a WE D1 without the USA mark. I'm still learning. :o
Looks much better, BTW.
Here's a better picture of the finish against the light, as the paint is almost completely dry to the touch. It's sort of a semigloss finish, but that will probably change when I get a couple coats of clear on it.
I think I'll give it a 2nd coat tomorrow, because I missed a little underneath the cradle, and I think a 2nd coat will give it more gloss.
Did you use an air sprayer?
Ben
I used an off-the-shelf paint by Rust-Oleum. It comes in a typical aerosol can.
I think it looks flat because I didn't use enough paint. The part of the box that got hit with a little more paint than the phone is really glossy.
This is what I used:
I gave the base a 2nd coat of paint last night, after letting it sit in the oven for about 3 hours at 150 degrees. I let it sit there until I didn't smell any more solvents. After letting it sit in the bathroom with the fan on overnight, I put it in the oven again early this morning. The 2nd coat of paint is almost hardened now! I will probably get a clear coat on it this afternoon.
You ROCK, Christian! Keep us posted, please!
Best regards!
Here's how she looks now!
Everything came out great; good shine, good texture, let's just hope it stands the Test of Time!
I still have to sandblast the dial blank and paint it, and I'm only halfway done with the plunger, but after that I get to assemble it!
It looks quite a bit glossier than the pictures show!
Nice job Christian....looks wonderful....Doug
Good job! :D
Christain;
I was referring to the auto paint that you mix, and add catalyst to.
The paint you used can still be hardened slightly in the oven. Baking also smooths out the finish a lot. But it needs to be baked while still wet.
Your paint job look great, you don't need to do anything to it, except send the phone to me. :o
D/P
Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 11, 2015, 03:36:26 PM
Christain;
I was referring to the auto paint that you mix, and add catalyst to.
D/P
I realized that yesterday. By 'Automotive', I figured you meant rattlecan-type automotive paint, not the actual professional auto paint.
The baking method still worked well when the paint was already hardened, but it just sped the drying process up a lot. Instead of taking two days for the clear coat to be totally hardened, it only took a couple hours in the oven.