Mediterranean Blue 500 Painted Aqua Blue Purchased on eBay

[allnumbedup]

I have received the aqua painted Mediterranean blue 500. As predicted, no bubble wrap but also no breakage either.  The case, handset, and caps are all dated 3/56 and 4/57.  The 7C dial is color -57 dated 12/56. As expected the dial face and cords are all aqua. The element dates are older than the case and other plastics. The finish is about the same in color as the dial and not too green.  The open finger wheel is missing a chunk. There are a few flecks of dark blue showing through here and there. I know for sure I plan to use the dial to restore my 1957 Mediterranean blue 500 that has a -03 replacement dial.  Not sure of my next step so all advice is welcomed and I started a poll.   If I chemically treat I would use the underside of the hookswitch because this is not ink stamped.  I would cover the inside with petroleum jelly and start with a bleach soak to test for alkaline paint, then brake fluid, easy off or any other clever suggestions provided.  I know not to ruin the plastic with acetone, MEK, or lacquer thinner so I won't even try these.  Here is the previous discussion started by magicbrain:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=25456.

[Doug Rose]

Here is a Pink 500 set that Janet found at Brimfield a few years ago. Someone painted it red, Janet soaked it in brake fluid...it came out great. Vaseline the dates!!...Doug


http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=16676.msg172547#msg172547

[HarrySmith]

Great catch. I voted in the poll to sell the Med Blue parts to members. You got a dial to complete the one you have. I am sure someone needs a handset and someone else needs a case to complete their phone. That is unless you want to go through all that work for a phone you don't need.

[Key2871]

Wow you got lucky in the case didn't crack.
And the handset is med blue as well just painted.
Yea it's going to be a bear to remove the paint, but your doing good so far. Next is the dial bezel, that's where your really going need luck. It's going to be a hard to find item.
Good luck!

[Jim Stettler]

I bought a green 500 from ebay  because the price was low.
When I received it , it was med blue painted green with polane paint.
My impression was that all that was done to it was a dial swap, and paint all the parts green.
I no longer have the phone.
Jim

[TelePlay]

I bought a green 500 from ebay  because the price was low.
When I received it , it was med blue painted green with polane paint.

Historically, there are topics on the forum about removing Polane paint. It does not come off with brake fluid or any other solvents most of which would also dissolve the plastic from the unpainted side.

IIRC, someone tried to sand the Polane off of the plastic and found that was an impossible waste of time and effort, never finished sanding the paint off of every piece.

Here is one such topic from 2015

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14384.msg149861#msg149861

Search the forum for "polane removal" to see more.

If it is merely rattle can paint, chemical paint removers will work but if the housing is left in the wrong remover for two long, it will warp and/or melt (did that once with over cleaner).

Polane is a 2 part resin paint which when cured on and into the plastic surface produces a hard, resistant finish that does not change color over time (fade, darken or change tint)

One of our best members got a med blue painted aqua with Polane and seemed to have some luck using "LA's Totally Awesome," here's a link to that 2014 ground breaking paint removal topic.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11216.msg120147#msg120147





If you try something, post how it worked out for you and pictures, even if a total failure.

[allnumbedup]

I found Teleplay's reposting of WEBellSystemChristian's experience in 2014 with a similarly painted phone a good enough reason to spend  $4.75 at Family Dollar.

[allnumbedup]

As promised I am reporting back on my attempts to remove the Polane from this Med Blue 500 using the hook lift as a test. Good news is that as reported previously, LA Awesome definitely doses something to Polane to make it easier to get off.  I have attached pictures of soaking from one hour to 5 days.  I used a plastic flat edge ice cream spoon and then resorted to a steel flat edge.  Best I can tell the LA Awesome makes the Polane more brittle and may raise off the bond with the soft plastic. You can see a little gray cloud of something dissolved in the LA awesome whenever new Med Blue is exposed and the Polane does flake off not melt off. It does not appear to dissolve the plastic and at no time was any Med blue color dissolved or peeled off.  The underlying Med Blue looks to have been fairly minty when painted and will now need sanding as shown. This is probably as a result of me scratching it more than the LA awesome disssolving it. The Brake Fluid is another story. It outright dissolved the Polane as shown. It also made the Med Blue soft plastic scary soft--too soft to sand or buff the way you can with fresh MEK, lacquer, or acetone treatment.  But once dried, the plastic it is back to normal. 

So as a result of this experiment, I would say in my hands the LA Awesome may save some sanding time, but I don't think I could make it work on the logo areas. Brake fluid would probably destroy the lettering here too.  I am going to buff up and touch up the Aqua Polane, add a ABS aqua finger lift. I won't get to this for a while so if any member wants to take his project  off my hands by purchasing this phone please feel free to message me.

[JorgeAmely]

It can be done. Just be patient. The results will surprise you. The colors are very similar. After a while, no one will notice it.

[allnumbedup]

I have  just finished restoring this phone in aqua.  The polane paint polished up nicely, the cords cleaned up brightly, and after stripping the hookswitch lift, I replaced it with an ABS aqua one.  Because I have a soft plastic Aqua 500 and a soft plastic Mediterranean 500 on my 'to do' table already, I have decided to pass this one on to another collector. I will be posting this phone on ebay starting Sunday night (tomorrow) at 8pm eastern time with a 9.99 starting bid and a BIN.  I will post the link when it posts but it will be titled "Vintage 1956-58 Western Electric 500 SOFT PLASTIC MEDITERRANEAN BLUE Polane AQUA"

[allnumbedup]

The dial card is a reproduction I made based on  a less common Automatic Electric design.  Here's the link:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284671902548

[allnumbedup]

My brief but rewarding ownership of this phone ended as it sold last night on ebay: $58.77

[Doug Rose]

I wanted to make it into a two tone, but I got outbid. The new owner can decide what direction they will take....Doug