Bell system

[Private Lugnutz]

Gotcha.

 

[Outlawmws]

One more off topic comment just to say:

If we know anything from being GJ members, it's that everyone has a type of tool that is special for them and it doesn't matter if they have a hundred of them or that no one else understands the allure.

(ears were ringing!)

 

[southalabama]

In the day AT&T routinely replaced tools, ladders etc.

Last time an AT&T man came to the office he had to stop and buy his own screwdriver. He bought the cheapest Stanley he could find. I loaned him a Klein. Didn’t seem right

 

[bmwrd0]

In the day AT&T routinely replaced tools, ladders etc.

Last time an AT&T man came to the office he had to stop and buy his own screwdriver. He bought the cheapest Stanley he could find. I loaned him a Klein. Didn’t seem right

When I still worked for ATT, less than four years ago, they supplied everything. It was part of the union contract. CWA. If someone brought there own tools they would get a serious *** chewing from the shop steward. Not to mention that there were spare tools everywhere as they didn't track them. If a tech needed a driver so bad they had to go buy it themselves, they were a grade a screwup and on the way out.

 

[kctyphoon]

When I still worked for ATT, less than four years ago, they supplied everything. It was part of the union contract. CWA. If someone brought there own tools they would get a serious *** chewing from the shop steward. Not to mention that there were spare tools everywhere as they didn't track them. If a tech needed a driver so bad they had to go buy it themselves, they were a grade a screwup and on the way out.

There isn’t one company supplied tool on my belt.

 

[bmwrd0]

Are you with ATT or Verizon?

 

[Catfishdan]

Here’s a pair of bell system/Klein needlenose I picked up today.

 

[kctyphoon]

Are you with ATT or Verizon?

Verizon

 

[bmwrd0]

Must be a different contract then. Still CWA?

 

[r_olson_06]

Truer than dirt. Easily the most common tool in the wild, second only to monkey or pipe wrenches. Not a single visit to the flea market goes by without me seeing a vintage ratcheting brace or a vintage monkey or pipe wrench. I see so many I don't even bother to look for markings any more. It would cost me 15 minutes every trip just looking. Next on the list is double deep offset double box wrenches. If I was crazy enough to take them home, I could fill a dump truck with them, and the brands I easily see the most of are Indestro Select Steel, Lectrolite, Barcalo, and Craftsman CI or =V=, probably in that order. No thank you! The amount of old steel out there is staggering.

EDIT: Sorry off topic.

I swear lectrolite had the market cornered with those deep offset DBEs. They must have been pretty decent since there is still alot of them around yet.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrench 3061

 

[kctyphoon]

Must be a different contract then. Still CWA?

IBEW.. things have changed. Some tools you really need, like 8” diagonals they don’t even supply. They have small like 5” or 6” (copper/installer type) cutters. Lineman pliers i just prefer different (better models). Their “good” hand tools are all Jonard - mostly pliers. Screwdrivers are all rock river fastenal brand. The work has changed too. Cooper cables are almost never installed anymore. Company wasn’t NOTHING to do with it. For years they’ve been working on removing all the rotted poles in the field.. power company cant even keep up with us. So its ALOT of transferring cables from old pole to new, remove old pole.. everyday, for YEARS now, with a some fiber work here and there.. they are preparing for a huge 5G rollout.

Actually - i lied. I have ONE tool, they used to provide. A large flathead USA Stanley screwdriver that I’ve had for ever.. That’s it. My lineman & diagonals are NWS, i have Knipex alligators & mini bolt cutters, some WISS (i think) bullnose or bulldog (whatever you call them) tin snips, and a Jonard line knife - that i bought myself. My “job” - as far as I’m concerned, is to make my “work” as easy on myself as possible. I have no patience for rusty junk some guys keep on their trucks as they struggle to do simple things, or trucks overflowing with 3 chainsaws, 7 chain hoists (nobody EVER wants to give up stuff they have) - but yet put no effort into having BASIC hand tools, or replacing ****** rusted ones with new stuff that we have vending machines full of.

Most of the plant out here is old, congested. Most cooper lines (even lead is still up) barely have anything running thought them anymore. All the old timers are gone, the trade went downhill when the company hired all these people off the street to do Fios 12/13 yrs ago, all in one wave. Some people don’t give a ****, they’ll go a career without knowing how to set a pole, or even drive a trailer with a pole ON IT. Those that do (care) are retirement age, or battle chronic pain (like me) bad backs, back shoulders.. most everything running on fiber now, it doesn’t take the skill and planning it use to.. where we used to have 1 guy in 20 that was a real do nothing - now we have like 5 out of 25, maybe another 1 or 2 that are career ‘workmans comp’ or getting some ****** surgery on their ****** and going out for 6 months every other year. I’m honestly at the point I don’t care nearly as much as I used to. Between battling the nonsense and personal issues I’ve had at the company - they don’t get the “extras” i use to be willing to give - but at the very least i know my job and have more time in this craft than almost everyone I work with - aside from 2 or 3 other people.

20 yrs ago - yea - that was a thing. (Only use co provided tools) . today - nobody really gives a ****. At least not by me. The reasoning was always “what if you get hurt”.. i think people have finally realized no forensic team is showing up to investigating what pliers were being used. And that whole “we only use USA tools” has NEVER been a thing here. Maybe at one time thats what the company supplied, but people are just using what they are given. Most prob don’t even know what brand they have.

Funny story - we just had a splicer retire that had over 40 yrs in the company (42 i think, not sure) He was the last guy they had (in our area anyway) that knew how to work in lead splice cases. The company sent 7 guys. Let me say that again - SEVEN GUYS - for training, to try to replace this one guy that just retired.

The technology has changed so much, so fast - that they are caught between tech from 2 different centuries now. Most everything is running on fiber or bring swapped over - which is a good thing. Better in ‘ALMOST’ every way, the work is easier obviously, but there’s still ALOT of old stuff out there. Cables with lead sheath, paper insulation.. alarms for infrastructure, backup copper phones lines for places (that will still work if the power goes out) might be running on cable were some pieces may be 100 years old. And right next to it is info being transmitted over light, one level up on the same pole.

 

[Leviton]

Here’s a pair of bell system/Klein needlenose I picked up today.

I see you found the rare camouflage pattern version! Nice!

 

[bmwrd0]

Differnt ends of the job. I was I&R, everything from POTS to Uverse, so no bucket truck. If I needed to be up a pole, it ment putting on climbers and a Bucksqueeze. I wouldn't need any tool heavyer that a linemans wrench, which were Klien. Mostly can wrenches, dikes and DeWalt drills.

And if you used your own equipment, shop steward would rain down on you, pass it up to managment as a safety violation. So why bother? At least they didn't make us use that Kleenpex ****.

 

[southalabama]

Dad retired from AT&T. At that time they were the phone company. In the last few years before his retirement they began breaking up by court order. He was in the Long Lines Division. Microwave towers and later fiber optic. They didn’t want for anything. Everything done first class money wasn’t an object. Their supply room would make you drool.

 

[kctyphoon]

Differnt ends of the job. I was I&R, everything from POTS to Uverse, so no bucket truck. If I needed to be up a pole, it ment putting on climbers and a Bucksqueeze. I wouldn't need any tool heavyer that a linemans wrench, which were Klien. Mostly can wrenches, dikes and DeWalt drills.

And if you used your own equipment, shop steward would rain down on you, pass it up to managment as a safety violation. So why bother? At least they didn't make us use that Kleenpex ****.

The Union delegate would pass it up to management? Lol
Know what - as messed up as that is, at least it kept people in line. I could use some of that in my place. The level of self entitlement has gone off the rails.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

White I do have a small collection of WWII jeeps, I am not a big toy car or truck collector - mainly because it might be an even more expensive hobby than collecting tools!

But I couldn't resist this classic diecast zinc alloy Hubley truck this morning at the flea market. Looks like 1:20 scale. I am guessing 30's, maybe 40's. Anyone recognize the era by the truck?

When I have the Lugzsonian reorganized, this will be classing up a shelf in a display case with the Bell System tools.

 

[319]

White I do have a small collection of WWII jeeps, I am not a big toy car or truck collector - mainly because it might be an even more expensive hobby than collecting tools!

But I couldn't resist this classic diecast zinc alloy Hubley truck this morning at the flea market. Looks like 1:20 scale. I am guessing 30's, maybe 40's. Anyone recognize the era by the truck?

When I have the Lugzsonian reorganized, this will be classing up a shelf in a display case with the Bell System tools.

Google: Hubley 504. Web says it's 1950's.
Now you need to find the rest of the parts.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Google: Hubley 504. Web says it's 1950's.
Now you need to find the rest of the parts.

Google coming back about fifty-fifty between 40's and 50's at antique stores, piclic, fleaBay, etc for me. Did you find a more definitive source? If so, please post it. As far as the accessories go, I think it's only missing the hoist, as most of them are. I did some replacements offered. But no, I probably won't get that deep into it. You know you're in an expensive part of the hobby when toy trucks have a bigger reproduction manufacturing market than the real things!

 

[shawhite]

Scrolling thru this thread is like taking a stroll thru our equipment shed in every yard. You guys would have a field day with all the old stuff sitting on shelf’s collecting dust. Most of the new guys don’t even know what it is or what it was used for.

The guy that could not get a screwdriver was probably a screw up that lost a lot of tools and didn’t want to go to the boss and tell him he lost another one. We are supplied every tool you need to do your job even though they may not all be the best quality you can do your work with what they supply.

Brace and bits are still used regularly in fact I have several on my line truck to this day. Mostly used as a back out for smaller square drive lags.

Union: do we even still have a union, doesn’t seem like it until your see those dues taken out of your check.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Scrolling thru this thread is like taking a stroll thru our equipment shed in every yard. You guys would have a field day with all the old stuff sitting on shelf’s collecting dust.

What's the address?

I have picked a few dilapidated sheds, storage lockers, warehouses, and turn-in buildings on Army bases that way. Then some idiot started selling stuff on eBay with govt property numbers engraved on it with electric pencils and most of the old surplus lots are sadly now scrapped.

 

[shawhite]

If you are ever in Jacksonville,Florida look me up I’ll take you shopping

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If you are ever in Jacksonville,Florida look me up I’ll take you shopping

Haha. I may take you up on that the next time my family (they are all grownups!) drags me to Disneyversalstudioworld!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

As first reported in the Garage Sale thread, I found this BELL SYSTEM Light-Stick at the flea market today. Based on the mfgr's address (see Pic 4, pre-Zip postal code) it has to be earlier than 1963.

 

[319]

Google coming back about fifty-fifty between 40's and 50's at antique stores, piclic, fleaBay, etc for me. Did you find a more definitive source? If so, please post it. As far as the accessories go, I think it's only missing the hoist, as most of them are. I did some replacements offered. But no, I probably won't get that deep into it. You know you're in an expensive part of the hobby when toy trucks have a bigger reproduction manufacturing market than the real things!

I found a few, all referred to 1950's, but here's one, take it for what it's worth: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/hubley-bell-telephone-truck-pole-504184045. Not much of a toy collector but if priced right, I'd pick that up. It's a pretty cool truck.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks. I saw that one. Worthpoint just collects public sales and auctions for price history purposes. They include the descriptions the seller's used verbatim. They don't verify the information. The problem is there are dozens of No. 504's for sale. Some of the sellers identify them as 40's, some as 50's, and not all of them look exactly the same, either. A Hubley collectors' site, if one exists, is what I need. But it's not urgent, and if I don't get the answer it's not going to bother me, either.

 

[Old Radar]

I posted this a couple of weeks ago and got no response. I'm interested enough to see if anyone knows anything about them to give it another try:



I found these Bell System items in a 1958 Craftsman Crown tool stack I just bought. Can anyone identify the uses?

I understand the file--but it's also got a chisel end and has obviously been use for one because the other end has been hammered upon.

The little thing on the right looks like some kind of tap and it has a threaded cover.

No idea what the two tapered pipe things are.

 

[Outlawmws]

I suspect the file was modified by someone for use as a scraper/chisel? sort of a home brew multi tool?

No clue on the pipes.

The tap is probably for chasing threads? does the "cover" have any teeth?

 

[jeffmoss26]

while not marked Bell System, got these Scotchlok crimpers recently

 

[Catfishdan]

Spotted this lantern at a house I’m working on.

 

[jeffmoss26]

ooooh

 

[bmwrd0]

Picked that up over the weekend, and it now holds one pair of Bell System (Klein) climbers and belt.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Sweeeeet!

 

[littleviking]

I had no idea there was a following for this stuff.

I have two of these from the early 80s

Most of the tools went to my cousins. My Uncle went to work for "ma Bell" in NY/CT after Korea and retired in the early 90s only to go to work for the Bridge and Tunnel group in the city.

 

[PelicanPines]

Got this payphone a while back (long story)... but since this thread is on Bell Schtuff... I got that Bell metal sign about 20 years ago... had it hanging in my garage before incorporating it in my "kitchen" phone wall... and yes the phone works. Keys and all. It even has an official "Out of order" sign that sits on the 3 coin slots...

 

[jeffmoss26]

wow!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I got that Bell metal sign about 20 years ago... had it hanging in my garage before incorporating it in my "kitchen" phone wall...

I love that sign! That logo (the bell with 'BELL SYSTEM' on it) is what's on the tie clasp I found at a flea market and posted a couple years ago. Linked here.

 

[PelicanPines]

wow!

I love that sign! That logo (the bell with 'BELL SYSTEM' on it) is what's on the tie clasp I found at a flea market and posted a couple years ago. Linked here.

For the record... that red Telephone sign... is legit... glass from the telephone booth that phone was in.

 

[Outlawmws]

Very cool PP!

My oldest daughter went on a "pics of Phone Booths & Remnants" binge a few years ago after deciding if she didn't do so then, they would soon be gone. Quite a few she has pics of are no longer there! Its getting harder and harder to find any...

She has a Pay phone received as a gift, Can't say how thrilled she was to get it1

 

[NYBODYMAN]

Found this in my tool box yesterday. Must have gotten it from my father. I asked him what it was used for and he said "Wire brush, used to clean cable and clean lead sleeves which we used for wiping. " Alrighty then.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Looks like they dual-purposed a file cleaner.