Welcome To My Garage Build

[The Cobbler]

Nice .
My Mother worked for bell as an operator. She was going to quit when she got married to my Dad, which was common in her generation .
They asked her to stay because they were switching over to direct dial rather than switchboard . She stayed on about 6 months but then quit because she was preggo with my brother

 

[The Cobbler]

I just ask.. what is an old candlestick phone?

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I just ask.. what is an old candlestick phone?

Like what Elliott Ness used to talk on, only they are generally black. This one I just bought at an online auction.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

@The Cobbler. Man are you fast. I was busy looking for my photo.

 

[The Cobbler]

that's not mine, just a pic off the net . I will get a pic of mine/ one day I want to rewire it & see what it does

 

[burger]

My grandparents had something similar with the separate speaker and handheld microphone, but the case was a box, not a “candlestick”. That was in the 80’s and it was very old then. When did that style of phone get replaced with the more conventional handset?

 

[The Cobbler]

 

[The Cobbler]

When did that style of phone get replaced with the more conventional handset?

not sure , early 1900's I'd guess

 

[burger]

Yup like that. I recall it was a working phone but I was elementary school age at the time so don’t treat that as fact. It definitely rang, I’m positive of that. Im not sure that anyone actually took a call on it.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

@The Cobbler @burger
I’ve got a couple of those.

 

[The Cobbler]

I've got a hot line phone somewhere . I was going to use it for my Mother so she could call me if she needed to. never got around to that project

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

So many projects so little time.

 

[The Cobbler]

So many projects so little time

lots of ideas , not much in the way of implementing them

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

lots of ideas , not much in the way of implementing them

My problem is that most projects turn into what I call a million hour project. I really think my garage being a disaster/mess is due to having 14 items on the go at any one time.

 

[burger]

Did you both work for telephone companies? Why the interest?

 

[burger]

I really think my garage being a disaster/mess is due to having 14 items on the go at any one time.

Oh gosh that describes my garage. Right now I’m wrapping up a master bathroom/bedroom remodel, somewhere in the middle of converting an attached garage to living space, and I have a 70 Buick Skylark with a dead ignition system. It’s a mess! I spent a few hours tonight putting things away so it’s not as bad, but it’s still a mess.

 

[The Cobbler]

I didn't work for a phone company . I am not sure how I got interested ... maybe that I came across a lot of phones on my job that were left behind & I didn't want to see them get tossed out... but before that I got my grandparents old dial phone (and still have it) with their phone number in the center of the dial . I was always hoping to make an intercom out of them. Never knew how to get one set up ... now that the internet has all that info it is relatively easy ... back in the day when everyone thought Bell could tell if you disconnected the phone and added wire to lengthen it, it was a lot different .
on the organizing thing...
I am always cleaning up . I spend a week making a mess then I try to organize it in 30 minutes

 

[burger]

What do you mean by “back in the day when everyone thought Bell could tell if you disconnected the phone and added wire to lengthen it, it was a lot different”

 

[The Cobbler]

when phones were hardwired to a jack in the living room, everyone was under the illusion that Bell could tell that you were tampering with the phone or wires . like if you lengthened the wire that connected the phone to the wall they could tell. people were afraid to remove the wires from the hard wired jacks .
that changed over time , probably starting when they introduced modular jacks and you could move phones around, add extension cords etc. before jacks came in usually a house had 1 phone in the living rook or kitchen , hard wired and that was it.

 

[burger]

I don’t understand. Why would Bell care if you lengthened the wires?

 

[The Cobbler]

bell probably didn't care but they owned the lines . they had an arrogance about them . most people feared them

 

[burger]

I understand the paranoia. What era was this?

 

[The Cobbler]

it was the 60's for me

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Did you both work for telephone companies? Why the interest?

I worked for the local telco for 31 years. I got the get out of Dodge card and the carpet caught fire when I left the building. Then I started my own cabling business for about 10 years and then Covid hit and I had other projects to get a handle on.

Oh gosh that describes my garage. Right now I’m wrapping up a master bathroom/bedroom remodel, somewhere in the middle of converting an attached garage to living space, and I have a 70 Buick Skylark with a dead ignition system. It’s a mess! I spent a few hours tonight putting things away so it’s not as bad, but it’s still a mess.

Do you have a thread if you do what is it. If not why not? I totally remodeled our home except for the main bath which actually in pretty good shape. After doing the master bath i was just not overly interested. Waiting until we need a walk in tub. A Buick nice any pics? My buddy who is going through Pancreatic Cancer had a 57 Buick Roadmaster convertible all redone. Beautiful car sold it to a fellow in Sweden, shipper was out of Montreal and the guy who certified it from California. He won’t tell me what he got for it, which has become an inside joke. Him and his Brother are stopping over in the next few days for a garage visit. Probably will be his last visit. Kind of sad really. He will likely tell me then and will make a big joke out of the whole issue.

I didn't work for a phone company . I am not sure how I got interested ... maybe that I came across a lot of phones on my job that were left behind & I didn't want to see them get tossed out... but before that I got my grandparents old dial phone (and still have it) with their phone number in the center of the dial . I was always hoping to make an intercom out of them. Never knew how to get one set up ... now that the internet has all that info it is relatively easy ... back in the day when everyone thought Bell could tell if you disconnected the phone and added wire to lengthen it, it was a lot different .
on the organizing thing...
I am always cleaning up . I spend a week making a mess then I try to organize it in 30 minutes

Yes the telcos had everything pretty locked down. You weren’t supposed to add any equipment on the line that you weren’t renting. The test desk was able to do a ring test and tell if there were too many bells connected. Early in my career I did residential install and then progressed to the repair side. I remember one old couple that had this fancy dial phone and apologized that it was hooked up to the network and may have caused their problem. They said it didn’t work and only used it as an extention. I had a quick look at it and the finger stop was binding the dial. I tweaked then reconnected the set and said it would be our little secret. A few months later I was in the neighbourhood and ended up with a nice little bag of homemade cookies.

 

[burger]

Interesting to know that back then the fear was over the telephone and now it’s over
AI. The Conversation was a really creepy 70’s film.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I understand the paranoia. What era was this?

I did residential work in the later 70s. I took the first opportunity to go into the business side, it was a Union thing and seniority ruled. A number of more tenured guys turned it down and I jumped on it. Many looked at it from the standpoint as there was little difference in $$s or too much to learn. I looked at it that I wouldn’t be freezing my **** off hanging drops or digging out frozen pedestals then dealing with frozen grease filled cables or fiddle string tight aerial cable. I was barely there and they gave me a multi key phone add in one of our hospitals. Figured it out except for one wire connected at a wrong terminal. This was in the time when it took a 25 pair (50 wires) to make a 4 line phone with individual intercom useable. My boss said I could turn the more complex job down if I wanted. I looked at him and said I didn’t come to business to do construction shacks. He said good for you.
He must have forgot as one time me and another guy had to run 3/4 of a mile of 6 pair overhead cable to you guessed it a construction shack. Have to admit by the end of that day i was pretty adept on my spurs. No bucket truck and it was winter but a pretty nice day at least. It was for a major site to allow our university to add more facilities. Today that area is likely larger than our original campus which wasn’t small to begin with.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Interesting to know that back then the fear was over the telephone and now it’s over
AI. The Conversation was a really creepy 70’s film.

I just may look that up if I can locate it.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Took the 2016 Sierra into the transmission shop for a fluid/filter change. I was little concerned about potential issues, I’ve been hearing about GM transmissions. The guy said the 6 speed transmissions during that period were having issues. He said the 8 speeds were better. Mine is an 8 so that worked for me anyway. A bit shocked on the price for ****** fluid.

Finally found a used floor drill press for a reasonable price. Even had a few extra features, machinist vise, sanding spindle, oiler with a recovery and some extra parts. The guy was great, 84 years of age and in the shape I’d like to be when I hit that age. Ended up with various types of clamps. A reversible hole hog drill and a selection of sprays, greases, solvents etc. We spent awhile chatting and gave him my contact info in case he needed some help with something or simply a visit.

So I’m officially not looking for any more clamps, drills there now I’ve said it.

 

[The Cobbler]

nice find. good news on the transmission

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

@The Cobbler Yes I’ve been looking for a floor bench press for some time now. Prices on new are bordering rediculous. I remember buying my Delta bench model years ago with CDN Tire money. The guy behind me just about crapped his pants and started looking for another till when I handed over about an 1 1/2” stack of paper vouchers.

 

[burger]

Jealous of those clamps! And quit saying nonsense like you have enough clamps! You could obviously use more of a different length.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Jealous of those clamps! And quit saying nonsense like you have enough clamps! You could obviously use more of a different length.

I always used to say never say never when I was working. Sometimes I don't always take my own advice. I will have to build a rack to give my clamps some order in my otherwise unstructured surroundings.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Hung what I’m pretty sure is the last 8 vintage Bakelite wall phones. I still have a few desk phones but I’ll need some shelves first. Had to paint up some MDF and put in another mounting strip first. When I did the window/door casing I painted up extra but I have burned through all of it.

When I was putting the chuck on the wood lathe to do some sanding the spindle/spur center went flying through the air. Thought okay it should surface before I need it. Well I was wrong. After getting the phones on the wall I went into search mode. Pulling out cabinets, doing a good clean job while I was looking. Spent about 2 hours looking under things, emptying boxes, containers basically any thing without a lid. I even looked in the cable trays mounted near the ceiling, still nothing. If nothing else a good cleaning and found many screws, bolts, washers and other hardware dropped in the last couple of years that remained hidden when I did look. I’m guessing I’ll buy the lathe part and it will surface down the road. No lathe projects planned so maybe I’ll get lucky.

 

[The Cobbler]

I’m guessing I’ll buy the lathe part and it will surface down the road.

that's what would happen to me .

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

that's what would happen to me .

All I know is I really covered off the area that I considered the trajectory from ceiling to floor. It probably did the trick shot placement that if I was at the fair I’d win the biggest baddest plush toy ever.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I wasn’t even looking for it today and guess what I found on the floor. To top it off I wasn’t even looking for the damn thing.
It must have taken a hell of a bounce. Wasn’t even looking in the right area.

 

[jon72vega]

Glad you found it.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Glad you found it.

Thanks I would have bought a replacement if necessary but at least I can spend the time in the garage instead of shopping.

 

[burger]

I’m sure we can all relate to something flying off the bench or tool entering the land of never being found again.

Glad you found it.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Found a permanent home for the bar clamps. The 2 flats on both sides belonged to my Grandpa. In felt marker they were priced at $4.50 each. My guess he likely bought them used at a pawn shop probably in the mid 50’s.
I still have a few F & C clamps at the lake which I’ll add once the project there is done.
I previously used this space for storage so just pulled the shelves and Bob is your uncle. Close the door they disappear.