New dust cover template for 4 series and 5 series dials

[Bartonpipes]

It seems like every time I open up a 4 or 5 series dial the paper dust cover just disintegrates into nothing. So I came up with my personal solution, I scanned a mostly intact dust cover and marked all of the various cuts and tabs in black and then made the background white.

While I didn't spend a whole lot of time cleaning up the edges I have successfully used this to print out several new dust guards. It's not very pretty and you may want to cut it slightly large and then adjust until it fits well,  but it works!

You have to go into your printing options and print it to 2 7/8" by 2 7/8", or in my print dialog it would be 2.875 by 2.875. Print it out on you choice of paper (I use card stock because it's stiffer), cut it out with scissor and cut the black lines with a razor blade or exacto knife and Viola!

I hope this helps someone out.

[unbeldi]

It seems like every time I open up a 4 or 5 series dial the paper dust cover just disintegrates into nothing.

Really?  I have found them to be rather durable, sometimes stained a little from moisture, but that didn't seem to harm them.

But thanks for the scan, might come in handy some time. There are special impregnated papers available that might also provide a moisture barrier.

[Bartonpipes]

I think there were at least two types, one that's some sort of an impregnated fabric and just the plain old paper ones.

[unbeldi]

I think there were at least two types, one that's some sort of an impregnated fabric and just the plain old paper ones.

Yes, I do think the substrate became more sophisticated during the 30s.

[TelePlay]

The above dust cover diagram has an error in it. In the last image, that of the image attached to the first post, if the lines within the red box are cut, that part of the dust cover will fall out. The black center is a hole, nothing there.

The first image below was created from a scanned dust cover.

It can be saved and printed using MS Paint as is as long as the printer settings are as shown in the second image (Scaling: Adjust to 100% of normal size.

The image attached is 2.875" in diameter.

The third image is annotated to show the use of the cuts in the dust cover.

I printed on on standard 20# plain white printer paper and cut it out using a curved Metzenbaum scissors and used an Exacto knife to cut the slots (if you do not have a 132 type number place with position posts, no need to cut the 3 "X" slots).

The 4th image shows that dust cover in place, the left image in place and the right image with the number ring retainer in place (the number ring has been left off for display purposes).

The only tricky part about working with these dust covers is that the dial stop ear has to be moved a bit to the left of the dial stop post to get the center post and ear through the center hole.

Once the  dust cover clears the stop ear, it can be rotated until the dial stop post slot is over the post (the finger stop would then also mate with the cut made for it on the edge of the dust cover.

The 5th image is the original image showing the error in the red circle.

If making one of these, the image can be printed on a high linen content or card stock paper, a darker color, brown or grey would be closer to the original material used).

After cutting it out and cutting the slots, I highly suggest the dust cover be soaked in melted Bee's wax and after cooled, removing excess wax by placing the waxed dust cover between a few sheets of paper tower and heating it with an iron set on high. This improves the sturdiness of the paper and prevents it from deteriorating after place in the dial. Bee's wax is a very good, known preservative used in many applications.

(NOTE: Copy the first image Right Clicking on the image and then click on Copy Image. Paste that image on your clip board directly into MS Paint. Use the settings shown in Image 2 to print the dust cover image with a 2.875" diameter. If you left click on the image to "blow it up" before copying it, the image pasted into Paint will be very large.. Do not enlarge the image before copying it into Paint).

[MMikeJBenN27]

The fabric-based one is very durable, but the later paper one, not so much.

Mike

[TelePlay]

Just trying to offer alternatives for anyone who has the desire or need to make a new dust cover today.

As I said, starting with a high quality, high rag content paper or card stock completely soaked with melted Bee's wax will create a new, reproduction dust cover that will last decades, will not decompose even if subjected to the worst possible situation, being under water for years.

Another material that could be used would be varnish baked muslin cloth but the process to create that starting material is complex, long and relatively expensive to set up.

[poplar1]

The fabric-based one is very durable, but the later paper one, not so much.

Mike

The brown paper ones are older. Some have slots for the pins on the 1930-1934 notched number plates.
The green muslin ones are newer.

[TelePlay]

The brown paper ones are older. Some have slots for the pins on the 1930-1934 notched number plates.
The green muslin ones are newer.

Wouldn't the green muslin dust covers have greater durability than the brown paper covers?

Also, the green muslin covers also appear to be either varnished or waxed (they have a smooth shiny surface) which would give the muslin fabric long term protection against humidity.

My guess would be baked varnish which would give the muslin cloth stiffness. Wax would leave the cloth flexible.

[FABphones]

Does anyone have any images of these various dust covers they could add to this thread.
Thanks.

[poplar1]

Does anyone have any images of these various dust covers they could add to this thread.
Thanks.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/195570139890

[TelePlay]

This is the "muslin" dust cover, it's 2.875" (2 7/8) in diameter.

[poplar1]

The  X cutouts in the dust cover are for the 1930-1933 porcelain number plates with pins on the back. The pins were a holdover from the  notchless 132-type number plates used on 2-type dials.

https://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=7201.msg81229#msg81229

[poplar1]

From BSP Section C34.103 i1, August, 1954 (TCI Library)

[TelePlay]

"vincellatate" muslin dust cover.

That would be a cellulose acetate (type of plastic) compound applied to muslin fabric making the muslin stiff but flexible. That would be the newer type of dust cover (muslin) and the brown "kraft" paper type older. The more durable material would have replaced the fragile material.

This is supported a Bell System Technical Journal paper on relays where the waxed kraft paper relay was shown as the "former insulation" and the cellulose acetate paper was shown as the "present insulation."

"vincellatate" may be a trademark or patent name for the "paper" product developed at Bell Labs same as Tenite was a trademark for another acetate compound.