My latest project.

[Dan/Panther]

McHeath;
It would send as signal, and maybe with practice, A LOT of practice, you may even be able to simulate a dial. If you could slow down the speed of the ringer, so you could count the cycles, you could dial a number. As you turn the crank, you can hear clicks matching the cycle of the ringer in the receiver. So in theory, yes it would work. It would probably be the equivalent of using a dial phone on a touchtone circuit. If there were a way to make one turn of the crank produce one signal, then you'd be in.
D/P

[Dan/Panther]

I contacted Mike Neale, he told me that in actuality I have a Western Electric 317-E, one of the early models with the cathedral top.
Mine has the incorrect magneto, and transmitter.
Now my dilema, do I leave it alone or look for the proper parts to make it all original.

Maybe Dennis would sell me his ?

D/P

[Dennis Markham]

Dan,

I'm afraid I'm not much help on this one.  I know very very little about wood sets.  I have a Western Electric 317 that was given to me.  It's in surprisingly good shape with all the pieces in place.  I cleaned up the wood only by applying a coat of Old English to brighten up and preserve the wood.  I did learn that the small star in the center of the transmitter cup indicates an original W.E. part.  

I do see parts for sale from time to time and I supposed you could always be on the look-out for what you need and replace the improper parts when you find them.  Meanwhile it looks good the way it is but the purists out there would say to eventually bring it up to original status.  There are a lot of guys in the phone clubs that restore wooden phones that would be glad to help---from what I've read on the list serves.  Often collectors will ask for needed parts and someone will have them.

Dennis

[Dan/Panther]

Would anyone have a link to a wood phone forum ?
D/P

[BDM]

Dennis, watch out for re-pop mouth pieces with the star. They're known to exist. There are ways to tell up close, as they are formed from injection molding, besides the fact they're hard plastic.

[bingster]

Dennis, as far as I've been able to find, our happy little place here is the one and only actual forum for old phones.  I've never seen another of any kind.

The list serves are part of the phone clubs, as Dennis mentioned.  I joined TCI a few months ago, but I haven't checked out their list serve yet.   I'm assuming ATCA has something similar? 

[Dennis Markham]

Yes, the ATCA's is similar.  Although from what I understand the TCI will allow non-members to be part of the List Serve.  The ATCA does not.  In order to be part of it one must be a member.   Membership in the ATCA is $35.  A spouse may be added for an additional $10.  Membership runs from Jan.01 thru December 31st.  I believe the TCI's has the same dates, but this year they prorated the membership fee if one joined in like September...I think.  I belong to both.  There is some redundancy.  The TCI is a favorite among switchers (those that enjoy collecting switch board apparatus). 

[HobieSport]

Dennis, as far as I've been able to find, our happy little place here is the one and only actual forum for old phones.  I've never seen another of any kind.

[mienaichizu]

nice restoration, I like it!

[bingster]

Just realized I called Dan "Dennis."  Sorry, guys.

[HobieSport]

Don't worry about it.  I sometimes confuse Bing and Heath and Dan/Panther.  Nice phone whatever the case.

[McHeath]

I sometimes confuse Bing and Heath and Dan/Panther

Easy to remember the differences, I'm the one with the old phones.  Oh, wait, uh, I'm the one with the old rotary phones.  Oh, uh, I'm the one with the old black rotary phones.  No wait, that won't work either, uh, I'm the one with, uh, old black Western Electric rotary phones.  Oh, uh, well....   

[HobieSport]

Thanks for clearing that up, Heath.  I also like the old black metal dial phones and I don't know anything about radios.

[McHeath]

Hey wait, I thought I was the one who didn't know anything about radios!

[HobieSport]

Hey Heath, I don't know if you've read in our radio threads in the off topic section but I'm taking the plunge into learning more about radios with a defunct Zenith Trans Oceanic.  I want to fix it up so I can listen to short wave while refurbishing phones.  BDM et. al. are encouraging about how to go about fixing it, and I'm slowly learning the terminology:

Word for today: (Correct me if I'm wrong, BDM et. al.)  "RECAP".  To replace original (wax paper) capacitors with more durable new ones, often to get rid of any hum and increases performance.
This does not decrease the radios' value and is a standard procedure with a soldering gun.

Didn't you say that you brought a phone to class for your students to learn about?  Seems like a vintage radio would be a cool thing to bring into class too.  I forget what grade you teach but I know as kid I would have enjoyed something in class like an old radio.  My dad built a radio but I was too young to be involved.  I do remember testing the tubes with him at the local Safeway.