atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Antique Telephones My latest 500 resto

Hi again!

This is about my latest phone restoration that I completed last night. It is a red C/D 500, date 2/72. The dates match, and it is not a "franken phone". The shell was a real PIA to bring back to life. I have never had such trouble polishing a phone. I suspect that the color might have something to do with it, but am not sure. It took forever to pop a shine on it. About twenty hours of polishing was required. I must say that it was in horrid shape when I got it. (It was an e-pay phone.)

I 'reverse wound' the handset cord, which tightened it up completely, however after many times in the dish washer and paitent hand cleaning, the cord still has a slight musty odor, but it is not noticible unless you take a big dog like sniff. The handset, on the other hand, was in excellent shape, and only took an hour or so with plastic polish and a terry cloth rag. Looks good as new. The last step was two applications of Turtle wax and hand polishing. A wheel never touched this shell, and I took great care with protecting the Western Electric / Bell System Property embossments.

Here are some photos:



This is the completed phone. I love the shade of red! (The Kotobuki phone cat was sitting on the back of the sofa as I photographed these. She wanted the attention on the phone... well, I guess the real reason that she did not feel like posing was she told me that she was having a "bad fur day"!)

Here is another shot:



And another...:





This last photo shows the cord that someone had thoughtfully cut the end off of. Shame, really...



I would love some suggestions as to what type of end would be appropriate for this cord!

Speaking of cords, this phone came with a four conductor, "fat" cord, so I am excited about the possiblity of incorporating it into my 1A2 system, someday.

Best,

Joe

Beautiful job as always, Joe.
I think you can just use a 4 prong plug with screw terminals for each wire. I have some in my dreaded basement but do not know the part number. You would then use a 4 prong to modular adapter.
I'll gladly send you one, they probably need cleaned though.

Hi Jeff,

That sounds cool.

My next project is a green WE 500. Then I have a beige 3A speaker in possesion that needs the 'works'. After than, I will be looking for an auqua 500, then a black one with a clear dial.

Ah, the joys of being a phone addict.

Joe

PM me and ill send out the plug and adapter.

Be easier to crimp on a modular plug! 'just sayin' Obviously, the cord was replaced at some point. And connecting those wires in that flat cable to screw terminals.... good luck. That's that cotton/40ga copper wire superflex cable.

I've done this many times and it is quite simple: Strip the wires neatly so as to not disturb the copper ribbon, but trim any outer threads of fabric. Leave the internal thread in place. Hit the whole exposed stripped area with a drop of Crazy Glue and allow it to harden. You can then gently form the ends of the wires into loops around screw terminals. A dab of white silicone grease will prevent the tightening of the screw from tugging too hard on the copper strand.

Of course, a pair of flat washers under the screw with the wire trapped in between is even safer.

He can crimp lugs on the wire and put then under the screws.

Hi Lightning horse,

I figured that the cord was replaced at sometime, but I thougt that the "fat" cords were used with the soft plastic shell. Would insulating piercing crimp lugs work? I have never seen a modular plug that would take such a large diameter cord.

Best,

Joe

That was my thought...which is why I suggested the crimp lugs.

Joe, I'm fairly confident that John made his comment 'tongue-in-cheek'. Finding the original WE spade lugs and appropriate tooling (I don't think that the hand tools for them stayed around very long) will be quite a task for such a minor operation.

Radio Shack used to sell crimps that were very small, but not quite as small. You could force them to do the job. I don't know if they are still available, except in perhaps a multi-pack. The key is the tangs inside the crimp barrel. Typical crimp terminals don't have these.

How about checking with Old Phone Co. in Galesville, WI? They've been around forever. They might have the complete replacement cord:

CHECK THEM OUT

I have the crimps here, bought a bag of 100 from Sandman...and the crimper!

I asked about the tiny lugs and crimper on here sometime back. And someone put up a link to one of the restoration suppliers that has both! So, in your spare time, 'search and ye shall succeed'.

I got the crimper from Jameco Electronics, if that helps!
Joe, I did find one 4 prong plug in my 'inventory', it's all yours...just PM me your address.

The proper way to wire that phone would be to crimp on spade terminals and a strain relief, then connect it to a 42A (?) terminal block (4 screw). Actually at that vintage it might have been a 4 prong plug, but the fact that it was cut implies that it was hard-wired at the wall and the remover didn't have a screwdriver handy so they just clipped it off.

Either that, or someone decided to sell the plug seperately on epay.

Joe

Joe-I will send the plug out tomorrow!

joe, if ever you need NOS parts or stuff painted my supplier up here in MTL is pretty good, PM me for info. Ive used him a few times building bat phones for friends and the like. I like my phones authentic but in a pinch these parts are good. Joe, i know the feeling of finding a "matching date" phone, i got 2 554's last year with metal dials from a general foods plant up here in montreal that was shutting down, the phone system was installed by ma bell in 1963 and many of the phones never needed repair or replacing since then (quite the compliment to the engineers at WE/NE)

Joe, did you get the plug yet?

Hi Jeff,

Sorry it took so long for my reply!

Yes, I did receive the plug safe and sound. It is awaiting deployment once I get my phone display built!

Thanks again!

Best,

Joe

That phone is a beauty! There's just something about a red 500 set that I just love! I have one in similar shape that has all matching dates, except the network which was dated a month PRIOR to the rest.
Apart from my wooden Kellogg magneto phone, it's one of my favorite phones!
Although a colored 300 set would definitely be a find!