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IV-37 684A Subset Cover Coats of Colors

Started by TelePlay, July 17, 2018, 10:29:36 AM

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TelePlay

An interesting find today. This 684A subset dating to 1931 must have been in use in the same place for many years, if not all of its life.

The cover is WE black plastic the looked to be painted an of white. The first stripping showed this cover to have been the following colors.

1)  Black plastic
2)  Dark Grayish Green
3)  Salmon Pink
4)  Light Blue
5)  Off White

Will take more than one step to get all that paint off. Anyone ever had more layers on a phone item?

RB

Man, thats a bunch!
It prob was in service in same location for a very long time

FABphones

Snap! Am just finishing a GPO Bakelite bellset where the paint was so thick it almost looked like it had been Artexed. Either that or a previous owner liked icing cakes.   :D  ;)

Not more layers than you but am currently at four applications of goo trying to remove it. Colours are:

Black Bakelite
Magnolia...
Magnolia...
Magnolia...
And... Magnolia!

;D
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

TelePlay

Quote from: FabPhones on July 17, 2018, 11:49:58 AM
Snap! Am just finishing a GPO Bakelite bellset where the paint was so thick it almost looked like it had been Artexed. Either that or a previous owner liked icing cakes.   :D  ;)

Not more layers than you but am currently at four applications of goo trying to remove it. Colours are:

Were they all the same paint type?

I just discovered the off white and light blue were latex paint, the salmon and dark gray to green are oil based paint (and still on). That makes sense with the change over to latex in the late 60s, IIRC.

Removing the paint is complicated by the 1/16" to 1/8" thick runs/drips on the bottom side as it hung on the wall. They just slobbered it on and let it run at will.

More time with remover in place is needed.

FABphones

Quote from: TelePlay on July 17, 2018, 12:04:40 PM
Were they all the same paint type?

It seemed to be a mixture of matt, gloss and plastic paint layers (the water based matt was the top layer  :o ), no doubt a bit of lead was chucked in there for good measure too. This bellset was found hanging off the wall by a wire. Probably was the thick paint on the wire keeping it up there.  ;D

It's having a bit of air now for the first time in years. Then my 3 day oil binge followed by my first attempt to do one of those over the top glossy Bakelite finishes that seem to be the best kept secret to obtain - just to see if I can (bet I can't  :( )

:)
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

RB


Desert Phone Guy

Is it really a plastic cover, or is it bakelite?

Doug Rose

Steve is right...these are Bakelite. Stripper will remove the laters back to a nicely  preserved by paint Bakelite shine. Post a pic of the inside. Some have a wire gong like Desert Phone Guys pic....Doug
Kidphone

TelePlay

Quote from: Doug Rose on July 17, 2018, 01:50:07 PM
Steve is right...these are Bakelite. Stripper will remove the laters back to a nicely  preserved by paint Bakelite shine. Post a pic of the inside. Some have a wire gong like Desert Phone Guys pic....Doug

No, just two brass gongs, the normal kind.

While the subset is IV 37, the cover is date stamped in yellow 10-2-50, and, yes, unfortunately it is plastic (hot pin test).

I had to stop using the stripper when I got into the salmon color. The salmon and green under it were oil based paints and attached to the plastic quite well. Will have to sand the last layer of paint flat and then repaint the cover.

The paint left an alligatored plastic so don't know if it can be saved. The paint was so thick that the side vents were 50% filled.

If it can't be saved to my expectations, I might have to get a replacement cover. The paint was so thick, there is no way it could have been left as is so this goes into my official and growing list of project money holes.

Doug Rose

John...I got lost on thread, I did't know it was you.  I have never seen a plastic cover, all have been Bakelite. Ray has decent covers that are fairly cheap...good luck with it....Doug
Kidphone

Desert Phone Guy

The plastic covers were made in the 50's.  They did not have the crack and breakage issues that the bakelite covers endured.  The plastic was used with the modified subsets that were converted to B1 ringers.  Most likely explanation of a plastic cover on a '37 subset is the bakelite damage and cracking issues, and the company replaced the broken one with a plastic one.

I have received more than one of these bakelite subsets shipped to me broken and destroyed due to insufficient packing, even after telling the seller how fragile they are.

Mark Treutelaar sells the replacement covers fore these sets,  in ivory, black, and clear, and he ships his products very  quickly.

poplar1

The plastic covers have a circle on the inside cover. Most are black, but some are gray (moulded, not painted.)

Ray Kotke also makes replacement covers.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

TelePlay

Quote from: poplar1 on July 17, 2018, 05:24:50 PM
The plastic covers have a circle on the inside cover.

I noticed that. Bakelite covers are just crossed ribs inside at the center and the plastic covers have a large ring in the center and inside the ring are 3 crossed ridges (like a star).

The cover is ready for paint.  No way to get the paint out of the corners and vents so paint is the only option.

Turned out fairly well, sanded smooth at 400 grit in these images.

Won't know how well it will look until after being painted. Will post after painted images in about 10 days. Doesn't have to be perfect, just a nice, even black.

TelePlay

This Bakelite 684A cover just sold on eBay for $66. Plastic repro covers are selling in the $40 to $50 range.

This shows the internal crossed ribs of a Bakelite cover, no circle rib in the center as found in plastic covers.

poplar1

That sale was for a complete 684-BA subset with Bakelite cover.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.