Anyone else buff out a metal 300? I've seen just a few over the years, and a few that had actually been chromed. This one means alot to me because it is one of the first major phone projects I attemped, around 15 yrs ago.
It had been painted solid safety yellow - cord, handset, dial blank, everything! Probably came from one of the many steel mills / railroads / or loading docks near the river around here. Thick paint, brushed on, many coats... probably oil based with lead.
It was ugly as sin, and after walking past it in an antique store, and grimacing, for nearly a year, I talked them down from $40 to $20, brought it home and went at it with paint stripper. I had a parts 302 with a broken plastic housing, so I robbed it for a dial and some parts.
It took some time to strip, sand, and hand buff the housing with metal polish. It's shown in the pics now with 15 yrs patina. When I first did it, it shined like chrome. I also sanded & polished a black finger wheel, added a chrome number ring (off of a WE payphone if I recall), and my all time favorite old number card. Everything functions flawlessly.
I actually stripped the handset & cord with adequate success, but later added these better ones. As I look at her now, and with football season winding down, this winter could be a good time to do a cord bake (something I've never done), and a repolish (a task I'll rate equal to polishing 2 mag wheels, or a Harley side case). If you have done one, you know what I mean.
Did I read that these housings are zinc? Or maybe zinc coated? Never knew for sure.
Please feel free to show your shiny phone pics.
Josh P
