News:

"The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

Main Menu

I'm getting a new old phone and wonder what you think

Started by ntophones, November 06, 2009, 11:47:34 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

ntophones

Thank you--how would you clean a celluloid dial plate?
--nto

ntophones

Now I realize what you are saying--duh--I looked at the other end of my mounting cord and see 4 wires--I just couldn't tell looking inside the phone--So, I think it is anti-sidetone.
--nto

Jester

Nto,

Your phone is set up for an anti sidetone subset.
Stephen

bingster

Yep, four wires are for anti-sidetone.   It all depends on the subset, though.  Technically, a phone isn't sidetone or anti-sidetone, rather it's capable of sidetone or antisidetone service.  Whichever it is, is determined by the subset's innards.  

Incidentally, the phone is wired correctly, so you don't have to worry about anything being wrong on it.  Once you get a subset, you'll be able to connect it and have a working phone with no fuss at all.
= DARRIN =



ntophones

Thanks--
The dial feels a little stiff--I'm thinking of cleaning it with the unlubricating contact cleaner.
Also, would you take everything off and wash the metal parts of the phone (i.e., the case and the hook, etc.), or just polish it?
--nto

Phonesrfun

NTO:

I have been out all day, and I am catching up on my reading.  I can also confirm that it is antisidetone and that it is wired correctly.

You may need to partially disassemble the dial if it is stiff and you want to use some spray lubricant.  All the gears are inside the dial and not visible from outside, either in front of in back.  Only the contacts are accessible from the outside and behind.

Looks like you have a great phone there. 

There are ways to use a network out of another phone as a substitute for a subset, but an actual subset kind of rounds it out as a complete unit.

If you want to get into the dial to spray it, let us know.  There is also a guy in Arizona, Steve Hilsz that has a side business of cleaning, lubing, and repairing dials.  He is very reasonable.  $5 or $6 bucks, I seem to remember.  However, I think he is out on a salvage job in California for a couple weeks at the moment.

-Bill Geurts
-Bill G

foots

  Phonesrfun, I am painting my 1243's because on my good one, there is paint missing along the entire front edge, which doesn't look too great. As for my other 1243, well its not in very good condition. You can see it in the picture. The 202 however, I don't want to paint as its in very nice condition. My Connecticut TA-166 is badly in need of a complete restoration, despite being refurbed by Bendix in the early '60s.
"Ain't Worryin' 'Bout Nothin"

Dennis Markham

Very nice phone.  If that is a celluloid I was told once by a long-time collector to NEVER, NEVER touch water to it. 

ntophones

That's what I was thinking.
I wonder about alcohol on celluloid? I'm wondering if some of you radio guys have ever figured out a good way to clean celluloid? I know it is very fragile and will disintegrate without the proper care--too bad--many movies lost because of it.

Foots, please let us know how your painting comes out! I'm thinking of just polishing my 202, also--I like it the way it is.
--nto

ntophones

I'm thinking about the dial--doing it myself, but, I'd hate to ruin that great 4H.
Also, I'm scared about the dial face--does he clean the celluloid, too?
I wonder when Steve will return....

--nto

foots

ntophones, will do. Yesterday I very lightly sanded my "bad" 1243 to remove some of the small oxidation "bumps" . I then washed it in very hot water with Ivory Liquid dish soap. I rinsed with very hot water and thoroughly dried it. I then set it out in the sun along with the can of paint (to help warm the paint). I then applied 4 or so light coats, allowing 10 -15 min in between coats. Afterwards I applied 3 heavy coats with the same 10-15 min in between. I left the phone sitting in the sun all afternoon. This paint is very glossy but has a very light amount of orange peel to it. I'm going to leave the phone inside to finish curing for the rest of the week and then I'll apply a very light compound to it to see if that helps smooth it out. This paint has really impressed me thus far. I am hoping to be able to post pictures of it this coming weekend.
"Ain't Worryin' 'Bout Nothin"

Phonesrfun

Steve's last post in the ATCA listserve was that he would be returning around November 11th.  Do you have his contact information?

-Bill
-Bill G

ntophones

I just washed my phone, and several chips came off, as well as some paint. I don't know if it has been painted before, I don't think so, but, there are many bubbles and some chipping. Maybe it has been painted. I'll try some Novus on it and see if it takes off too much. I may end up painting it, though I don't want to.
--nto

ntophones

I emailed him just now from his home page, to find out if the info is still correct, as well as his pricing.
If I don't hear back from him after the 11th, I may try again, or see if I can do it on my own--don't know about that, though.
--nto

Phonesrfun

nto:

Well, you can officially call your D1 mount a 202 since it is wired for antisidetone.

When you do get a chance to remove the dial to send to Steve, that would also be a good time to paint, since it will be a few days before you get the dial back.

Removing the dial is just a matter of removing the three screws that hold it in place (See the arrows on the photo I took of mine).  Also, take pieces of masking tape and wrap a chunk around the end of each of the wires you pull off the dial to show which terminals the wires came off of.  I.E. W, Y, BK, R, BB.  This will help when it is time to reassemble.  Even if you forget to do that, someone here, including myself can talk you through the process of hooking it back up.

If you do decide to paint, I would advise to remove the hookswitch plunger and remove the handset cord and the line cord.  We can help you with this too.  It really is not all that difficult, but one of us should probably talk you through that too.  If rebuilding the dial would be rated as a 10 in complexity, removing the hookswitch plunger is probably a 2. 

I really agree that sending the dial to Steve is a good thing.  All this talk of redoing a #4 got me motivated to do one of mine yesterday and today, and it is not something that should be tackled by someone who has not done it before.  I have done several, and even then, I found myself having to go back and re-doing some steps.

So, the few bucks spent and the time that the dial is away will be well worth it in the long run!

Anyway, here is a photo showing the dial mounting screws.

-Bill G