G.E.C. electric bells - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

richard.cs · 20th Jul 2015, 11:23 am

I have a pair of G.E.C. bells (see attached photo) which behave electrically but are in need of some serious TLC. I've just spent rather longer than I'd hoped this morning removing 4 rusty woodscrews to detach them from the wooden backplate. They've had a hard life with lots of rust and coats of paint, my grandfather removed them from a house about 30 years ago and kept them in a shed which may not have helped either.

I'm fairly sure I can sort most of it but I am unsure about the bells themselves - even when removed and dangled from a string they don't "ring" properly when tapped. I am not sure if they were always this bad from new or if it's a result of the heavy pitting on their surfaces. If the latter are they just dead or would a gentle go with the gritblaster help? As it is there's so little sound from the bells themselves compared to the buzzing of the mechanism that the two sound almost the same. A hunt on google images shows these bells chromed though I can't see the tiniest flake left anywhere so I suspect they were originally painted.

Any idea of age, '30s maybe? Or any other advice on restoration would be appreciated. I'd like to get these cleaned up and useable as front/back doorbells.

Alan Stepney · 20th Jul 2015, 11:42 am

A good clean-up for a start would make a lot of difference.
A wire brush on the actual bell, and it should sound OK.

That type of bell was quite load, and should be an easy (?) restoration.

60 oldjohn · 20th Jul 2015, 1:19 pm

As well as Alan's comments, rotating the Bell may improve the sound as many bells have the fixing hole very slightly off centre.

John.

high_vacuum_house · 20th Jul 2015, 4:03 pm

good afternoon,
As previously said the old paint and rust will cause the bell to be damped and probably put the bell off resonance and give more of a thud than a ring. Cleaning all the old rust and paint off and a couple of thin coats of spray paint would improve its performance.
Christopher Capener

Nickthedentist · 20th Jul 2015, 6:21 pm

Do keep the wooden baseboard too.

Even if you just mount a single bell centrally on it, it would look very smart if it were painted nicely to suit your decor.

N.

richard.cs · 24th Jul 2015, 10:58 am

I'll be keeping both bells on that backboard. They cleaned up nicely, I used a soft wire wheel on them which took all the loose rust off and they came up a kind of shiney brown/black that looks quite nice, they do sound better too. Took a while to get all the white paint off the bakelite housings, the "black paint" actually turned out to be a thick layer of soot!

I'm off on holiday today and the new paint on the backboard isn't fully dry but next week I'll reassemble everything and post some photos. Thanks for the advice everyone who posted.

20th Jul 2015, 11:23 am	#1
richard.cs Triode Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 46	G.E.C. electric bells I have a pair of G.E.C. bells (see attached photo) which behave electrically but are in need of some serious TLC. I've just spent rather longer than I'd hoped this morning removing 4 rusty woodscrews to detach them from the wooden backplate. They've had a hard life with lots of rust and coats of paint, my grandfather removed them from a house about 30 years ago and kept them in a shed which may not have helped either. I'm fairly sure I can sort most of it but I am unsure about the bells themselves - even when removed and dangled from a string they don't "ring" properly when tapped. I am not sure if they were always this bad from new or if it's a result of the heavy pitting on their surfaces. If the latter are they just dead or would a gentle go with the gritblaster help? As it is there's so little sound from the bells themselves compared to the buzzing of the mechanism that the two sound almost the same. A hunt on google images shows these bells chromed though I can't see the tiniest flake left anywhere so I suspect they were originally painted. Any idea of age, '30s maybe? Or any other advice on restoration would be appreciated. I'd like to get these cleaned up and useable as front/back doorbells. Attached Thumbnails

20th Jul 2015, 11:42 am	#2
Alan Stepney Rest in Peace Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Dorset, UK. Posts: 947	Re: G.E.C. electric bell A good clean-up for a start would make a lot of difference. A wire brush on the actual bell, and it should sound OK. That type of bell was quite load, and should be an easy (?) restoration.

20th Jul 2015, 1:19 pm	#3
60 oldjohn Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 3,988	Re: G.E.C. electric bells As well as Alan's comments, rotating the Bell may improve the sound as many bells have the fixing hole very slightly off centre. John.

20th Jul 2015, 4:03 pm	#4
high_vacuum_house Octode Join Date: May 2003 Location: Belper Derbyshire Posts: 1,936	Re: G.E.C. electric bells good afternoon, As previously said the old paint and rust will cause the bell to be damped and probably put the bell off resonance and give more of a thud than a ring. Cleaning all the old rust and paint off and a couple of thin coats of spray paint would improve its performance. Christopher Capener __________________ Interests in the collection and restoration of Tefifon players and 405 line television

20th Jul 2015, 6:21 pm	#5
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,861	Re: G.E.C. electric bells Do keep the wooden baseboard too. Even if you just mount a single bell centrally on it, it would look very smart if it were painted nicely to suit your decor. N.

24th Jul 2015, 10:58 am	#6
richard.cs Triode Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 46	Re: G.E.C. electric bells I'll be keeping both bells on that backboard. They cleaned up nicely, I used a soft wire wheel on them which took all the loose rust off and they came up a kind of shiney brown/black that looks quite nice, they do sound better too. Took a while to get all the white paint off the bakelite housings, the "black paint" actually turned out to be a thick layer of soot! I'm off on holiday today and the new paint on the backboard isn't fully dry but next week I'll reassemble everything and post some photos. Thanks for the advice everyone who posted.