Mushroom Project: Part 2

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Since my last build-from-nothing Mushroom project didn't go very well, here's my new tedious (yet fun) project: a possible 500P converted to a D. The reason I believe it was a P is because the mounting holes for the on/off switch (for a U) aren't worn, or don't have 'rings' where the screws would have rubbed against the paint.

If this one was refurbed with the same treatment Jonathan Sowers' 500H got, it's possible the light mount (mounted to the hookswitch frame) may still be in place. If it isn't, I would have to resort to either making one or using one from a message-waiting 500 of the same vintage (they shared the same mounting equipment and even bayonet mounts for light covers). Because WE message-waiting phones are very hard to find (Paul F even says they're rarer than Mushrooms) I could use an ITT version for parts, if the internal equipment is the same. Does anyone know if it is?

Otherwise, parts shouldn't be too hard to obtain. I have a light bulb socket that is a perfect fit for the light mount, so there's no issue if that's missing. Finding a handset, cords, modify-able housing, repro light hood, and dial won't be a problem.

Not a bad deal for $20 plus shipping!

www.ebay.com/itm/361680501401

[jsowers]

My 500H may have been redone by a telco central office rather than a refurbishing house since it looks like it was just made into a 500D display set by taking out the lamp socket, replacing the housing and leaving all the rest intact. It still has a logo card on it and they never changed out the fingerwheel with a metal one and there's still tape residue where the handset was affixed to the base. Also the switchhook buttons are stuck down. I've never done anything to it. I have no space to display it and nobody who visits cares about how rare it is.    And I already have a black 500U made the month and year I was born, and I don't want to put that one away.

I hope you still have the terminal strip intact. Your phone could very well have been a 500P converted to 500D duty in 1965. Good luck and let us know what it turns out to be.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Yours is obviously far more intact than mine, mine had the handset, cord, and housing all replaced (the handset badge is even post-1965, so it may have been refurbed twice), so the important 'stuff' may very well have been removed.

P.S, your H was probably used as a display model at some point, there are 3 or 4 extra holes in the base, maybe for mounting to a shelf?

[WesternElectricBen]

I am curious why, in 1965, they replaced a plastic finger wheel that would have originally been on the phone with a metal one?

Ben

[paul-f]

...I could use an ITT version for parts, if the internal equipment is the same. Does anyone know if it is?

The lamp bracket from either an ITT or SC 500Y should work fine.

The lamp caps used a different mounting method.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Okay, thanks for that, Paul. That makes the search a little easier!

It's possible that the dial may have had a sticky mech, and someone simply replaced the dial. Another possibility, since every black part appears to be later than 1959, is it may not have been black from the factory. The color dial may have been replaced with whatever black dial was on hand, in this case, a slightly older dial from a parts stash at a refurb center.

If the dial itself appears to be original with another color stamp, I may try to rebuild it based on that color (unless it's Gray, that may prove difficult... ) I'll have to wait until it arrives to see what I should do.

[Jim Stettler]

Since my last build-from-nothing Mushroom project didn't go very well, here's my new tedious (yet fun) project: a possible 500P converted to a D. The reason I believe it was a P is because the mounting holes for the on/off switch (for a U) aren't worn, or don't have 'rings' where the screws would have rubbed against the paint.

Because WE message-waiting phones are very hard to find (Paul F even says they're rarer than Mushrooms)
Not a bad deal for $20 plus shipping!

Back in the day ( the 2nd Denver show mid 1990's?) I bought 2 Clear 500's from John Infurna. One is a NOS SC 500 with box. The other was a Soft plastic (very Yellowed) WE message waiting set. It did not have a lamp installed and the housing was standard (no lamp provision). I sold it when I needed  cash and because it was so yellowed. Over the years I have sometimes  had sellers remorse for selling the phone ( It was the 1st* clear 500 I ever sold).
You just re-kindled my sellers remorse.
Oh well , Can't keep them all.

JMO,
Jim S.
* Over the years I have sold at least 3 clear WE 500's, That is the only one that gave me seller's remorse.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

The phone arrived in the mail today, and here's the bad news:

-Lamp mount has been removed, along with the terminal inside.

-rub marks on the base where the switch would have gone. Definitely was a U...

Good news:

-Dial, base, network, and ringer are all 10-59, and the color stamp is -58 (White)

-Very little rust on the base, and the feet are still rubbery


I will have to find an ITT or SC hotel phone to part out, along with White WE plastics. The beauty of a phone this late in 1959 is I don't need to drill holes in a Tenite housing, I can find any housing before the oval housing badge was introduced in 1966. I also spent hours trying to find the light hood bayonet fitting on the internet, and found nothing. I may need to replicate it.

[ESalter]

Are the switch and terminal board the same as whats used in a 510?  If so, I have those parts laying around.

--Eric

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Are the switch and terminal board the same as whats used in a 510?  If so, I have those parts laying around.

--Eric

Yes, they are.

I just found the correct terminal strip on a parts phone, but still need the switch.

[WesternElectricBen]

Christian,

I actually did something very similar to you in the past. I purchased a 500 P/U with all of the components; however, I did have to replace the casings. I used, like you said, a hotel phone as a replacement. It worked perfectly, but I did have to insert the metal bracket that hold the mushroom cap on. It is different than the one used on a hotel phone. To be quite honest, I think that the hardest thing for you will be to find the little bracket. Furthermore, you can purchase a reproduced mushroom cap here: http://www.oldphoneshop.com/products/500-set-mushroom-light-cover.html.

Ben

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I may have to use a brass washer to replace the fitting, and I could solder pieces of brass wire to the inside rim. I've checked dozens of websites, no one makes a bayonet fitting even remotely similar.

I'm already aware of the repro caps, I bought one for my Pink U. The White ones are too translucent, so I might try painting a black one, with a layer of primer first. Does anyone know if there's a way to eliminate light shining through the White plastic repro caps? Primer?

[ESalter]

I'll dig around for a switch for you tomorrow.  I know I have some.  We got a plethora of old WE 510s that were USAF surplus quite a few years ago.

As for keeping the light from shining through, make a reflector out of some aluminum foil.  Or, metallic paint.  Lots of model builders paint the inside of their plastic model shells with bronze or silver paint to keep light from shining through, it works very well.

--Eric

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I'll dig around for a switch for you tomorrow.  I know I have some.  We got a plethora of old WE 510s that were USAF surplus quite a few years ago.

As for keeping the light from shining through, make a reflector out of some aluminum foil.  Or, metallic paint.  Lots of model builders paint the inside of their plastic model shells with bronze or silver paint to keep light from shining through, it works very well.

--Eric

Okay, thanks!

I tried doing that when I made my pink cap, but it didn't seem to make a difference. My guess is that the light gets in from the base of the cap, where the housing and cap touch. I may end up buying a black cap and painting it White, assuming the black repros are opaque enough.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

First update:

I found a White dial bezel that I was going to use on my former mushroom project, finished sanding it, polished it, and put it in peroxide in the UV box for a day and a half. It looks very white now, but compared to a perfect white, it looks slightly yellowed. I'll end up painting a repro light hood, so the rest of the plastic should look perfect. I'll see how much of a difference there is between the eventual paint color and current bezel color.

I installed the correct terminal strip on a 1971 parts phone, and crimped a new fork terminal on one of the original conductors from the hookswitch. The other one needs to be soldered. I cleaned the terminal strip and dusted the chassis, it looks brand new!