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

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

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Dennis Markham

Nto I washed a D1 once that I thought was original paint.  The paint peeled off like peeling an apple.  The original paint was underneath and in very bad shape.  Hopefully that is NOT the case with yours.

The first photo shows what it looked like after I washed it.  The second shows the original paint after I polished.  I did not reassemble the phone onto this body.  I still have it waiting for a paint job.  It was badly corroded. 

bingster

The one  I stripped a while back had that same problem.   The zinc bubbled up under the paint, and if I scraped it, there were powdery bubbles of corrosion under it.  I don't know what that powder is, though, because after stripping and smoothing with steel wool, the surface is perfectly smooth, rather than pitted. 
= DARRIN =



ntophones

Thanks--I will be sending my dial in.
I had already taken it and the cords out (I didn't label them, just took pictures, so may need some help in reassembly.)
Anyway the paint dosen't look that great. =(.
But the dial is 149B 1937 4H with a celluloid dialplate (which you already knew), so, no way do I want to screw that up.
It looks like the only non-original part to this phone is the spitcup and the F1 transmitter in the spit cup. Every thing else seems to match. I think it even has a brass fingerwheel. Unfortunately, the replacement spitcup is a seamed one with a chip out of it. So, that's the way that is.
But, when I took the dial card out, low and behold, the old dial card number was just turned over--what a treat!
Here are some pictures.
--nto

Phonesrfun

nto:

The off-center spitcup on the transmitter can be easily re-aligned if the transmitter assembly can be twisted off.  Sometimes they are on there really good and you can't budge them.  If it is "twistable", note that the aluminum transmitter body has an outer bakelite ring that is used to turn to a proper point to where the spitcup points in the right direction when everything is tightened (but not too tight).

The attached photo shows how the transmitter body looks when removed from the handset handle, with the outer adjusting ring in the center.

-Bill G

Phonesrfun

You are doing very well!!

Looks like we have a real phone enthusiast on our hands!

That was a great find for the dial center.
-Bill G

bingster

Definitely a brass fingerwheel, and the dial card is a nice find!  It's very difficult to find a fully seamless handset, so don't feel bad about that, most of the seamless handles have at least one grooved caps on them.  No need to worry about wiring the dial, as there's a color coded diagram in the technical stuff forum that shows what goes where inside the phone.
= DARRIN =



ntophones

Oh, man--if that is my fate, it looks like it'll be a while before I'm using my little phone! But, on the other post I have, I posted some pictures of it after being washed: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1728.msg23043#msg23043
Does it look like yours? I'm thinking maybe....
I'm going to polish it with Novus 2 tomorrow and see. If I need to paint, I'll ask for some advice on stripping, although, foots, it looks like you just sanded--what did you use, and what paint are you liking on your Stromberg?
--nto

Phonesrfun

Also, if you want to at least try cleaning the dial number plate, it is as easy as taking the round snap-ring off and the dial plate will just lift out in your hand.

-Bill G

ntophones

Oh great! I was wondering how to straighten that spitcup!
I finally got mine apart this morning--I was very excited, because those cords needed washing. But, I can't get the receiver cap off. But, that's not that bad, I don't think.
--nto

ntophones

Oh, but what about the celluloid? I'm so scared of causing it to disintegrate--do you worry about that with the celluloid?
--nto

Phonesrfun

If the receiver is working (Which you probably don't know yet) and if it is not a problem, I would leave well enough alone.  The receiver has the same outer ring thing, but since it is not really directional, it doesn't much matter.  They make a strap wrench for getting jar lids off that people have used for tight receiver and transmitter caps.

Seems like this all has evolved into two separate threads.
-Bill G

Phonesrfun

I don't know.  If it is fragile enough that just by looking at it, you think it might flake off, then you should leave it alone.  It might be that any cleaning of any kind would be invasive.

There is a guy on one of the list serves who is selling a number plate dated in the 50's that is like the one on mine (See attached photo).  It is the rural numbers only version.  I think his price was $12.

You can also get these at Oldphoneworks, but from time to time they also come up on e-bay.
-Bill G

Phonesrfun

PS the dial number plate on the phone I just showed is a porcelan plate.
-Bill G

ntophones

It really looks good, just very, very dirty (like, greasy dirt).
I may try to clean it and if it ruins it, I'll have to replace it. It is very gross, and I wouldn't use it as is, actually.
Yours if very pretty.
--nto

Phonesrfun

Steve may also have a replacement, and his prices are always good.
-Bill G