How do you take apart a soft centered dial?

Sargeguy · February 17, 2009, 07:34:45 PM

I have a 500 and a 302 and I need to take them both apart.

Dennis Markham · February 17, 2009, 07:49:05 PM

Do you want to remove the finger wheels? The clear Lucite soft center finger wheels come off exactly as the later hard center wheels. Take a look at this page from the Bell Memorial page. It will explain how to remove the finger wheels---both plastic and metal.

http://www.porticus.org/bell/telephones-technical_dials-rotary.html

bingster · February 17, 2009, 07:51:08 PM

If you have a 302 with a clear fingerwheel, it may attach in a different way. Let us know if the 302 dial doesn't have the tiny hole between 9 and 0.

Sargeguy · February 17, 2009, 08:21:19 PM

Now that I dug up my glasses I can see the hole on the 7A. On the 5I dial the fingerwheel is attached differently. I have yet to figure it out.

Dennis Markham · February 17, 2009, 08:27:38 PM

Greg, I wasn't sure which finger wheel you're talking about. Is there a clear finger wheel on your 302? Let me get you a link to another soft center finger wheel. It has a little tab UNDER the finger wheel. It's a little more complicated. I broke the retainer clip the first time I removed one. I have a couple 5J dials from the colored 202's with that wheel. I'll report back.

Dennis Markham · February 17, 2009, 08:36:04 PM

Look here:

http://tinyurl.com/3kb9eqa

Are you talking about a white dial with the Lucite finger wheel, soft center that DOES NOT have the small hole for the paper clip? If so this is the diagram that will help you remove it. If this is similar to yours, let me know. I'll take a couple shots of mine and show you the clip that is underneath so you understand how it works. It took me 6 months to find a replacement for the one I broke. They're not that common.

Sargeguy · February 17, 2009, 08:40:51 PM

Yes, sorry I was unclear, its a clear plastic fingerwheel for a 5I dial on a 302 color set. Thanks

Dennis Markham · February 17, 2009, 08:44:39 PM

Gotcha...give me a couple and I'll get some close-up photos.

Dennis Markham · February 17, 2009, 09:21:13 PM

Ok Greg and all....I took some quick shots and hopefully this will help. I have a couple of these dials that are not installed in a phone. Both are 5J but I'm sure they're the same as your 5I.

Look at the edge of your dial between the finger wheel and the dial plate. Look at the #6 position. You will see a tab hanging down. I used a heavy paper clip and straightened it. Then I put a hook on the end and used this. It's difficult to grip but a pair of pliers will help you to get a grip if it slips from your hands. You have to pull this tab just a short distance, toward the 7 to remove. Don't pull too hard but just hard enough to move it so that the top of the three flange clip is perfectly atop the bottom three flange clip. They pivot in the center. Look at all my photos. I show the clip spread apart as it would appear if the finger wheel were on and you couldn't see it...like it is now. Then I show the clips aligned for removal.

I forced mine the first time I did it and broke the little tab off. As I mentioned they are very hard to find. I posted a photo on both the ATCA and TCI looking for a replacement and no one had one, but others were looking for one. I happened to see a pile of parts on eBay and spotted one in the pile. It was a Buy It Now and I bought it now! But I digress.........

Let me know if you have questions.

Sargeguy · February 18, 2009, 12:10:18 AM

Thanks. I managed to take it apart and clean it. Lining up the original dial card is the most difficult part.

Dennis Markham · February 18, 2009, 12:11:33 AM

I hope my efforts helped. It is a bear to remove that finger wheel. The others are sure easier.

bingster · February 18, 2009, 12:22:58 AM

You're right about that, Dennis. I only have one, on a 354, and it's been off a grand total of one time. I'm too worried about breaking the finger wheel or scratching the white dial case.

Dennis Markham · February 18, 2009, 07:59:33 AM

I bought those two dials, dated '49 on speculation that I'd need them some day. I broke that tab off with a half hour of unpacking them. I even consulted the TCI diagram before I broke it and I still broke it. That design was not one of Western's better ideas.

deedubya3800 · August 21, 2011, 03:31:16 AM

Quote from: Dennis Markham on February 17, 2009, 08:36:04 PM
Look here:

http://telephonecollectors.org/library/weco/5jremove.pdf

Are you talking about a white dial with the Lucite finger wheel, soft center that DOES NOT have the small hole for the paper clip? If so this is the diagram that will help you remove it. If this is similar to yours, let me know. I'll take a couple shots of mine and show you the clip that is underneath so you understand how it works. It took me 6 months to find a replacement for the one I broke. They're not that common.

That document has been moved. I found it here:

http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_details&gid=2109&Itemid=27

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How do you take apart a soft centered dial?