Cooter Brown
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- Feb 6, 2017
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- 316
Bell system
- Thread starter Shelbylex
- Start date
jeffmoss26
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Private Lugnutz
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Okay I may need all the Bell braintrust (@Cooter Brown and @NYBODYMAN and @southalabama etc etc) on these....
They are not marked Bell System or Western Electric, but I strongly suspect that they are, just from the branding. Some of you may remember I have a US Army Signal Corps Buckingham lineman's belt and Buckingham climbers and they were well-known vintage Bell/WECO suppliers. I am guessing they're quick gauges. The various slots have markings "ML ->", "MW ->", and "MT ->" pointing to the various slots, which suggest something like measure length, width and ? to me.
Hoping someone knows before I have to hunt through the catalogs.
They are not marked Bell System or Western Electric, but I strongly suspect that they are, just from the branding. Some of you may remember I have a US Army Signal Corps Buckingham lineman's belt and Buckingham climbers and they were well-known vintage Bell/WECO suppliers. I am guessing they're quick gauges. The various slots have markings "ML ->", "MW ->", and "MT ->" pointing to the various slots, which suggest something like measure length, width and ? to me.
Hoping someone knows before I have to hunt through the catalogs.
Attachments
Private Lugnutz
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I pulled those out of the same box as this at the flea market this morning, and while this is also not marked, I know for sure it's a Bell or Weco spring scale for measuring the tension in contact springs, as in old relays and similar electrical apparatuses. I am also attaching the patent, which referred to it as a Spring-Tension Gauge.
Attachments
d42jeep
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Added this Irwin screwdrivers to my Bell System tools. It was found at a recent estate sale. 
-Don
-Don
d42jeep
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Patrickm82 generously sent me a pair of Klein dykes and a pair of Crescent longnoses with Bell System markings.
-Don
-Don
Those gauges are used for ensuring climbing gaffs are dimensionally okay after sharpening. MT is maximum thickness.
Private Lugnutz
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Thanks, Brandon!
Very cool to have them as a complement to the Buckingham climbers I have.four.cycle
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^ You always come up with the best obscure info, Brandon.
Private Lugnutz
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@BrandonV
Using the Telcom Archives index now handily posted in post #1, I found a C Gaff Gauge in a 1957 BSP manual, with explicit instructions on measuring for L, W, and T, but it's different than the gauges I have here. I'm wondering if mine were earlier, later, or just different. The 1975 and 1976 BSP manuals for climbers do not include a Gaff Gauge. Interesting read. See Section 3 and 4 in the link here: https://telecomarchive.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/docs/bsp-archive/G/G80/G80.801.3_I2.pdf
Using the Telcom Archives index now handily posted in post #1, I found a C Gaff Gauge in a 1957 BSP manual, with explicit instructions on measuring for L, W, and T, but it's different than the gauges I have here. I'm wondering if mine were earlier, later, or just different. The 1975 and 1976 BSP manuals for climbers do not include a Gaff Gauge. Interesting read. See Section 3 and 4 in the link here: https://telecomarchive.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/docs/bsp-archive/G/G80/G80.801.3_I2.pdf
Private Lugnutz
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Same as my climbers.
Yeah, you nailed it. And I was just going to start Google Booksing. Thanks.
@Private Lugnutz my old man had no clue. He worked underground and in basements in Manhattan. No climbing for him.
Private Lugnutz
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Just goes to show how diverse it was! Reading just through the Telecom Archives index has the same effect. The way they organized their literature is very telling. Station installation and maintenance, Outside Plant construction and maintenance, Buildings, Motor vehicle and construction, Govt systems, etc.
Provincial
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Kind of like Boeing in its heyday, including their own fire department! It was like another government existing in parallel.
southalabama
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Dad worked in the Long Lines Division. Microwave tower and later fiber. Went to a funeral last week of one of his coworkers. There aren’t many left. Out of all the coworkers all had prior military. Not sure whether it was sign of the times or fact their facility handled military traffic.
Outlawmws
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Got a wood handled Bridgeport BELL SYSTEM driver yesterday, and seems to have a leather or other insulating washer between the shank bell and the collar.- cleaned up the tip - Why do people dig weeds with a screwdriver?
Got a wood handled Bridgeport BELL SYSTEM driver yesterday, and seems to have a leather or other insulating washer between the shank bell and the collar.- cleaned up the tip - Why do people dig weeds with a screwdriver?
Cool screwdriver. Should have had that one when I accidently poked at a T1 circuit the other day!
RTM
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Cuz too dull and/ or bent to drive screws. Dad had several when I was growing up. I’ve put a couple of wankers into weeding, soccer cleat demudding, and other gross uses. Decent ones get resharpened.
Outlawmws
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No, people dull perfectly good, like new, and good to high quality drivers digging. I had brand new Craftsman drivers and my mom took one (I was living at home, still in HS) and went out weaving the lawn. I gave her something junk to sue and she was actually offended!
No excuse for abusing tools IMO. Not stupid abuse.
No excuse for abusing tools IMO. Not stupid abuse.
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
Had this vintage Reliable Electric wood/carbon fuse protector laying around for over 40 years. I should have taken a pic before cleaning it up. Probably had at least 6 coats of paint on it and not all the same colour. The original black finish didn’t stand a chance so took it to bare metal. Not sure if I will paint it black again or just give it a good shining. 
FordMustangKingCobra
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This is the only Bell System tool I have in my possession.
d42jeep
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Judging by the many phone company tools I saw during my two visits to an Orinda, CA estate sale, the previous resident worked in that field. I found these during my first visit. The top tool’s use is explained upthread in posts 455 and 465. The same tools were posted by Out of Bounds and Mintgrun.
Yesterday I found this large wood handle screwdriver and after removing the rust I could make out the Stanley and Bell System markings.
-Don
Yesterday I found this large wood handle screwdriver and after removing the rust I could make out the Stanley and Bell System markings.
-Don
Last edited:
Posted this on the Pliers Thread last week. Took some more pictures. Did some more Bell System Practices Rabbit Hole Diving. Still know nothing about ‘em.
- Lindstrom.
- Bell System.
- 19+ inches long.
- Stamped-in “59”.
- One handle bent.
- IF modified, it would have been done at about the 4 1/2 inches point, but it’s not obvious to my untrained (and aged) eyes.
- Compared them to smaller Lindstrom we have.
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It does seem funny to call them general use pliers when they obviously are not your everyday plier commonly found in a local hardware store. I suppose general in the sense that they are not associated with any specific piece of Bell equipment. The jaws are your standard generic shape yet they are of course a specialty tool with the extended reach. The Bell tool catalog I found these in omits the more generic/non-specialty kinds of tools.
Bryan Burns
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Found these in the basement of an estate sale on the second or third day. Haven't seen them since the late 60's, early 70's when Illinois Bell staked their underground lines with them in our suburban subdivision. Are the yellow ones unique to Illinois Bell?
As been said, Bell didn't scrimp on tools, and they didn't scrimp on these stakes. They're made of oak! They don't make them like this anymore!
As been said, Bell didn't scrimp on tools, and they didn't scrimp on these stakes. They're made of oak! They don't make them like this anymore!
Bryan Burns
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Got an oddball red one with the same lot. Anyone recognize the CE... brand?
Private Lugnutz
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That's a cool find. Are those bell logos burned or ink-stamped?
southalabama
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Provincial
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Being red, I suspect this stake was for electrical. Is/was there a "C******* Electric" power company in the area?Got an oddball red one with the same lot. Anyone recognize the CE... brand?
southalabama
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Screwdriver at 7:15
d42jeep
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Found a couple of Bell System marked screwdrivers at a Gardnerville, NV garage sale yesterday morning. 
-Don
-Don
rustyzman
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Commonwealth Edison. Most likely.
Bryan Burns
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Yes. It never dawned on me because everyone call's it ComEd.
Bryan Burns
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Indeed there is. See below.
Bryan Burns
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Great question. They're burned in.
These appear to be unicorns. Can't find images on line of similar stakes.
Private Lugnutz
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Other than being a cool double ended (3/8 x 1/2) nut driver, I didn't know these were classic Telco tools until I did some research. Not branded BELL. But the "216C" marking took me to a few other related posts here.
