Author Topic: "Ivory" Princess Phone (& others) (Read 3290 times)

compubit · « **on:** February 08, 2015, 08:29:16 PM »

Here's my current project - an ivory Princess phone working its way back to white... Will be glad when we get some direct sun and warmer weather... It's been through 2 3-hour treatments with Salon Creme 40; hopefully we'll get a sunny day next week to finish it off.

The white 2500 is one I just finished refurbishing - replaced the Touch Tone pad (first column and row are being finicky - will clean in the future...) with a NOS 72H3A pad (appropriate for the 86 plastics from the 91 refurb), cleaned off a couple of stickers, but had nice white plastics.

To me, nothing beats the crispness of a clean white Western Electric phone, be it a 2500 desk set or a 554 wall phone, Trimline, or Princess. Now to find a white 500 for the next project!

Jim
Pics 1&2 are before
Pic 3 is mid process

HarrySmith · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2015, 10:07:09 PM »

Nice! The peroxide cream does a great job on white. I recently used it on a light gray 500 that came out nice also.

compubit · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2015, 10:55:33 PM »

I tried it on the handset caps of a yellow 2554 with ok results, except for a little bit of "swirling" -i.e., uneven color. Still trying to get the best feel for colors before I try it on a pink Trimline. I'm still going to have to sand my light blue Trimline (the first I started with...).

I have a light gray 2503 in the wings, also...

Also have the Sculptura all apart and ready to go, but that's going to need lots of sun!

Jim

HarrySmith · « **Reply #3 on:** February 09, 2015, 05:58:25 AM »

Jim, the "swirling" is why I use the cream formula. It is caused by uneven application or uneven sun exposure. I apply with an old cheap paint brush and keep spreading it around about once an hour. I get good even results that way.

WEBellSystemChristian · « **Reply #4 on:** February 09, 2015, 01:04:27 PM »

Very good results so far! I till look great when it's fully white again!

I also agree that a white WE phone doesn't look good unless it's a perfect white. 1500s and 2500s especially look good in perfect white, and a dark grey faceplate really makes the white stand out!

compubit · « **Reply #5 on:** March 08, 2015, 06:05:47 PM »

Working a recently acquired "yellow/ivory" 1500 - knew it was white based on the cradle, and especially the light grey faceplate. Here's the before and after one Sunday afternoon (2 sessions) using Salon Care 40 (first nice day in a while) - the before photo doesn't do the "yellowing" justice - it gets washed out in the picture. The reference handset is the new plastic 2500 referenced in a previous post.

Hard part is the coiled cord. I've used OxyClean to clean it, then a Salon care 40 session for about 30 minutes with minimal effect. Guess Bleach is the next option.

I'll probably put it out tomorrow (but not able to rotate it, as I'll be at work - May have to come home for lunch...

Jim

jkpenrod · « **Reply #6 on:** March 11, 2015, 08:45:03 AM »

Has anyone tried this using cornstarch or has everyone just bit the bullet and gotten arrowroot?

HarrySmith · « **Reply #7 on:** March 11, 2015, 09:19:11 PM »

Jim, the Salon Care peroxide method needs a lot more than 30 minutes exposure. I leave my stuff out in the strong Florida sun for a full day, around 8 hours.

compubit · « **Reply #8 on:** March 12, 2015, 08:00:45 AM »

Harry -

I wasn't sure about the vinyl coiled cord (how long to leave that out). If they can be out all day in Salon Care, then great.

The other plastics are spending any sunny days outside until back to as white as possible. I'm close, and hoping one more day does (plus another day for the back - May put up a reflector today...).

Jim

HarrySmith · « **Reply #9 on:** March 12, 2015, 05:15:41 PM »

I have always left tube cords as long as the plastics. Some cords I have had to leave out longer. A few needed to be turned inside out and done again.

compubit · « **Reply #10 on:** March 16, 2015, 10:51:01 PM »

Been working on the phones when we've had some sun.

In my opinion, the "ivory" 1500 is done (save for polishing). Sculptura is no even halfway there after 2 half days outside (and partly cloudy today. It has the mottled look, meaning not enough goop - plus I'm near the end of the bottle. Time to break out the second bottle!

I'm working on the coiled cord also, but it's taking a little while - should I finish with a NOS cord, or wait out the sunny days with the original cord?

Any suggestions for an "olive green" 1500 with moss green cords???

Jim

compubit · « **Reply #11 on:** May 16, 2015, 01:27:42 PM »

It's a sunny Saturday (though a chance of rain later), so it's time to "clean some white phones..."

Today's work:

AE90 (started about a month ago, still needs a couple more sessions - I thought it was faded ivory...)
701 Princess (came with the ringer box and power supply!)
2 702 Princess (1 was another "faded ivory" until I received it)
500 from 1963
515 from the 80s - thought it really was ivory (evenly faded - probably from a smoker) until I took the cover off (some fading inside)

1 of the handsets is painted, so I'll see how the process is working. The first round this morning was Sally peroxide 40; second is 20 (ran out of 40).

I'll probably run them again tomorrow morning - need to revisit Sally Beauty Supply...

Jim

compubit · « **Reply #12 on:** May 16, 2015, 04:50:14 PM »

Came back from Sally with the 1 gallon jug of 40 Creme... Have my routine down:

- Wash and dry the phones
- Put a little Peroxide Creme on a phone and use a toothbrush to get a thin layer on the plastic
- Pour the Peroxide Creme on the phones in a slow, steady stream; I probably use more than necessary, but want to get the thing completely covered...
- Put the phones out to "cook" for a couple of hours; keep an eye on them, "basting" with the "juices in the pan" to keep the phone moist
- After a few hours, bring it, rinse off, dry and start over again - remember to rotate the phones to get all sides.

Jim

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