Repair to surface question

[oldhouseman]

I have a vintage telephone that I bought about 20 years ago that works just fine, however, the paint is flaking off. Should I leave it alone or repaint it? I don't like the appearance of the paint coming off. Is there any sort of special paint that should be used if I do paint it? Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[oldhouseman]

Another picture

This shot shows the paint problen a bit better.

 

[oldhouseman]

Another shot.

One more picture.

 

[rp2813]

Greg, I don't see why you couldn't apply a new coat (a few coats?) of paint to it. Who is the manufacturer? There are web sites for old phones, their restorers and collectors. You can probably find some good advice on what type of paint to use if you visit such a site. Most sites have information on or offer products from several different makers so I suspect you can find someone who can advise on your phone. I can check with a guy who I have been in contact with who may be able to recommend someone who you can consult with.

Ralph

 

[oldhouseman]

The seller

told me the telephone is Dutch, from the late 1920's. I should have thought to get a shot of the bottom which has some info. but not in english. When I go home this coming weekend I will have a look at it. I guess the paint is just dead with age. I have always kept it dusted and on occassion wiped it with a mildly damp cloth, no soaps involved. I have never worked on painting metal objects before with the one exception of restoring the carpenter locks for the house but they were iron, not steel. I'm not sure of the surface preperation and the guys at the paint store really didn't seem to know either but then again they were hourly clerks working part time while in school.

 

[cadman]

Results are in the preparation. Start be removing everything from the case that you don't want to paint, don't just mask or you'll have problems later. Next you'll want to sand the case down to bare steel starting with a medium grit paper. Work your way up to a fine or extra fine sandpaper to remove any scratch or swirl marks. Finally wipe it down with cheesecloth.

You'll want to use a good quality aerosol paint for metal, such as Rustoleum. Their black is very good but you'll want to match the luster of the phone to the paint before you start sanding away. Light, even coats, allowing dry time between, will prevent runs and sags. Do this over and over until it looks just right. If you want that "laquer look" sprinkle water on the case after it's fully cured a day or so and sand with wet/dry extra fine paper to knock down the smallest imperfections.

Wipe it down, reassemble and you're set!

 

[panthera]

Greg,

If you go with Rustoleum - a good choice in my experience,too, you might want to consider the technique used to paint cars with it.
(Sounds crazy, but it works and looks really good)

I have also restored similiar old metal cases and "baked" the paint in a 100°C oven for 15 minutes. Made an enormous difference in the durability.

I'd love to see a shot of the bottom and of the innards. Greedy, I know.
Thanks!

http://www.rickwrench.com/index79master.htm?www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html

 

[oldhouseman]

Good advise

Cory, Thanks for the information. This is just the type of thing I needed to know.

Keven, I will get a shot of the bottom and inside but it will be the coming tuesday next before I can post it. I work in Atlanta and home is a two hour drive each way so I have a small rental place for work during the week. I hope to find something closer to home soon. The phone is the only one in the house right now. I mostly use the mobile because I am very selective about what goes in the house since it is a federal period structure. This telephone feels right at home in the place.

I think, based on the advise of Cory, I will start work on it if time allows this weekend so I will take shots of the work in progress also. I will email those direct to you unless anyone else here wants to see them also. In that case I will post them on this thread.

Sorry for the delay time in being able to post the pics. Beleieve it or not this coming weekend is a State holiday -Confederate Memorial Day. The Union commander in charge of Georgia as provincial Governor started the "holiday" to mend fences after the war in 1866 and it is still observed. The locals in middle georgia where I live refer to Memorial Day in May as "dead yankee day". So much for mended fences. At any rate the point is I have a three day weekend and since I don't have internet service in Sparta yet I will post the pics when I get back to Atlanta. This will be a "first" for me to repaint the steel case. I look forward to putting it back in shape. I will spend part of the "holiday" giving an address to the local chapter of "Sons of the American Revolution" on Georgia's roll in the American Revolution.

 

[maytagbear]

Please DO!

Please do post the photos of the work in progress.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[oldhouseman]

Glad to

post the "work in progress" as well as finished results. I think I may bring it back with me to Atlanta to do the work during the week. Events of the weekend will determine that. "This Old House" magazine came out to see the house and took pictures for an article for the June edition but they need some additional pictures and will be showing up sometime this weekend. I am anxious to start the work since getting Cory's good advise (and Keven)so I will see how things play out. Thanks for your interest Lawrence. I was hoping for a quiet weekend other than the speaking engagement but between the TOH folks and local SCV (sons of confederate veterans) that want attention regarding the state "holiday" I will play it by ear. I went to one of the big box stores and got my sandpaper and paint after work. I am all set to go to work so now it's just a matter of time and getting past this week.

 

[oldhouseman]

By the way

I know from some past threads we have some really sharp telephone people in the group. Does anybody recognize this telephone and perhaps could add some information to it's origin?

 

[phillygrl]

Handy tool for spray painting

Give your index finger a break and buy yourself a trigger that snaps on to the top of the can of spray paint. Mine is called "Can-Gun" and it only cost a few bucks. Makes spray painting lots easier. Should be available where spray paint is sold.

 

[oldhouseman]

Weekend Distraction

Well folks, I was going going to work on the telephone this weekend but it was so nice outside I worked in my kitchen garden instead. I brought the telephone back with me to Atlanta and will get started on it tonight after work. Here are a few shots of the garden, Enjoy!

Greg

 

[oldhouseman]

another

view

 

[oldhouseman]

And...

The rose garden is starting to take shape and come along.

 

[oldhouseman]

Who could

have possibly stayed inside on such a beautiful weekend? Now that I am stuck in Atlanta for the next few days I look forward to getting started on the telephone later today.

Greg

 

[rp2813]

Greg, your pride of ownership is truly impressive. What a beautiful place. I hope that someday I get the chance to see it in person. As another guy who loves working and being in my yard, I can't blame you for putting the phone "on hold" over the weekend!

Ralph

 

[petek]

Another big gardening fanatic here as well. You're well ahead of us but I'd have thought further even. Is that big pink bush a Weigela of some sort?

 

[oldhouseman]

It's a

Native Azalea. I have a tea-olive that blooms orange and a cabbage daffodil that comes up in Feburary that lasts about 5 weeks. Many old varieties of beautiful plants. I have a Camelia that is directly from Middleton Plantation in S.C. that was planted there in 1765. The last owner of the house managed to get a cutting from it about 15 years ago. Since I have been restoring the house neighbors have started bringing me heirloom variety plants they say grew in on the grounds at one time so I am also putting the correct varieties of plants back in place. Here is a little kitty that has taken up with us. I call her "Deladis", an old appalachian name. I am going to move the parking area and restore the gardens that used to be there. That will be a "next year" project as I still have quiet a bit to do inside and many windows yet to reglaze. I didn't realize we had lots of gardening fans here also, -very glad to hear it.

 

[petek]

Here's my back garden today, just gave it the first mowing of the spring. That pink tree is a Redbud just about to open in the next day or two. They Hyacinths and daffodils are almost finished. On the bottom right corner is a Bleeding Heart already getting huge, two weeks ago it wasn't even out of the ground, by the time it's grown it'll be about 8 ft circumferance. Lilacs still haven't bloomed

 

[petek]

And in the front yard my Magnolia just opening.

 

[petek]

Here's next door neighbors big Magnolia, it's a different variety because it's been blooming now for 2 weeks and just starting to drop its flowers.

 

[oldhouseman]

Is that the Japanese

variety blooming in your yard? What area of the country are you in? We normally have warmer weather by now but this year the freezeing point stayed around three and a half extra weeks. The high here today is 62 and going down to 38 tonight. We should be staying in the high 70's to low 80's by now and not below 55 at night. Here are some shots of one of my neighbors, he has a reaaly large garden behind his house. I tease him that his house is to late for my taste, I call it early Victorian, circa 1840.

 

[oldhouseman]

one more

of his garden

 

[petek]

You are well ahead seeing those iris'. Mine are only about 8-10 inches out of the ground so far. I'm in Ontario right on the very bottom tip of Lake Huron where the lake flows into the St.Clair River, 60 mi N of Detroit. This very narrow strip from here downriver is a little more temperate than even 30 miles east or west on either the Michigan or Ontario sides, same with the area around Niagara Falls you can grow some plants that just won't do as well a scant few miles away out of the mini zone.

 

[phillygrl]

Wow

What a beautiful garden!

 

[oldhouseman]

Getting started

Finally, I got started on the project. I will have to do some adjusting with my pictures before I can post them -they won't load, something to do with byte size. I had a bit of trouble getting the top off. The screws were stuck and I had to use WD40 to get them loose. Upon removing the top I found a date of manufacture to be 20 March 1944 stamped on one corner. I didn't have a bit of trouble removing the paint that was left. I ran some soapy water over it and 99% of it washed right off! A little rubbing with a cloth and the rest was gone. I dusted the telephone and dried the top cover.

Since I will retake the photo's I'm glad I stopped last night at the clean up stage. I polished all the chrome parts and dusted out the inside with canned air.

The dealer I bough the phone from was wrong about the date, he said late 1920's but I can see why he thought so. I would not have imagined it could have been as late as 1944.

Sorry for the picture delay, I will retake them when I get home this evening. And continue with the next stage.

 

[rp2813]

Greg, as I mentioned in my e-mail to you, it's very possible that it was 1944 by the time a phone line was installed in your home. Not to worry about your phone's vintage. By 1944 transmission and reception quality was much improved over phones manufactured in the 20's.

Ralph

 

[oldhouseman]

Finally...

The cover off, I'm not sure what the counter is for.

 

[oldhouseman]

And

another view.