1. Home
  2. General Telecommunications Forum
  3. Restoring a 302-type telephone [Telecom]

Restoring a 302-type telephone [Telecom]

I'm restoring an old Western Electric 302-type telephone for a woman who is retiring from a former Bell System company. She's like it as a working conversation piece. I've got a couple questions.

What should I use to clean the bakelite case and restore some of the luster Western Electric built into it several decades ago? AmorAll? 409? Or some home-made mixture?

I want to make a dial card (the paper thingus that goes behind the plastic window in the middle of the dial) but don't know what fonts to use. I've seen photos of such cards that are black with a white window where the telephone number was typed. Above the window was the text "Wait" (in white characters on a black background) and below the window was the text "For Dial Tone" also white on black. The font used for the text was a sort of script and the telephone number was typed in a fairly block-ish font. Anyone have an idea how to replicate these fonts in a Windows font?

And any other cool restoration ideas are welcome!

Thanks!

Al

Reply to
Al Gillis
Loading thread data ...

Bakelite®, a polymer of phenol and formaldehyde, is quite resistant to most solvents, thus most household cleaners will work quite well. When restoring the knobs and other Bakelite parts of old radios, I have found that Scrubbing Bubbles®, formerly known as Dow Foaming Bathroom Cleaner®, works well. This cleaner contains glycol ethers which do a good job of cleaning. People who collect Bakelite costume jewelry claim this cleaner harms the plastic. However, this is not true. Expect the foam to turn quite brown and do not be alarmed if you smell phenol. After all, the Bakelite case is just one big molecule (cross linking of the polymer) with some filler material trapped inside. Wipe the dirty foam away with a damp cloth. Repeat if necessary until the plastic no longer stains the foam. You will be left with a very clean but dull surface. You should then apply a paste wax. I prefer Carnuba wax because it can be easily removed, but silicone-based automotive waxes can be used too. Polish with a soft cottom cloth and the Bakelite will look years younger. If you have scratches to be polished out, ordinary Brasso® metal polish works well.

If you are interested in the unique chemistry of Bakelite, look up Phenol Formaldehyde Resin on Wiki. They also have several pages on the history of this plastic and it inventor.

I am sorry I cannot help here. I remember the old dial cards but in not enough detail to help.

Dr. Barry L. Ornitz WA4VZQ

Reply to
NoSPAM

Telephone polish! It's still being made although it doesn't come in those Western Electric metal cans any more. I am pretty sure Phoneco in Wisconsin will sell you some.

Phoneco will also sell you a whole variety of different dial cards from the Bell System and from a bunch of independants. The last I looked, their xeroxed sheets were a buck each and looked pretty decent.

If it's not broke, don't fix it.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Dunno about this stuff, but do not use Formula 409, which will etch the surface and dull it considerably. After being dulled, it can still be polished with a fine grit abrasive like WE Telephone Polish, though.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

I'd bet that Mike Sandman (a long-time supporter of Telecom Digest) has it, I know that his catalog as a bunch of different telephone cleaning product.

formatting link
Dave

Reply to
Dave Garland

The "Listen" or "Wait" text on the top part of the card is in Brush Script. My reproduction of the exchange name would be in Copperplate Gothic.

I have a black WE 302 I want to get restored as well. My set was made around 1937 and has a die-cast zinc alloy base.

Reply to
Curtis R Anderson

Find your number cards here:

formatting link

Reply to
TouchToneTommy

Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.