Bell system

[Macduf]

never seem this color green grips

 

[JjKk40]

never seem this color green grips

I have 2 sets of that color from my Dad and Grandpa!

 

[JjKk40]

Just came out of the Evaporust bath!!!

 

[southalabama]

Dad retired from AT&T with 33 years. He had been in the process of moving a lot of stuff to my 40x60 shop and downsizing his shop. Unfortunately he passed away suddenly this week at age 76. We’ve got to clean it to allow mom to be able to park inside. That means I’ve got to expedite my shop interior completion and move stuff to mine. His garage is full of bell system storage lockers and other stuff. He didn’t collect tools. He used them. As we move the stuff I’ll segregate the bell system stuff and try and take pics. There is a lot to do before we get to that point taking care of mom is first.

 

[gtsgarage]

Dad retired from AT&T with 33 years. He had been in the process of moving a lot of stuff to my 40x60 shop and downsizing his shop. Unfortunately he passed away suddenly this week at age 76. We’ve got to clean it to allow mom to be able to park inside. That means I’ve got to expedite my shop interior completion and move stuff to mine. His garage is full of bell system storage lockers and other stuff. He didn’t collect tools. He used them. As we move the stuff I’ll segregate the bell system stuff and try and take pics. There is a lot to do before we get to that point taking care of mom is first.

Sorry for your loss!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I feel like "Dad" has been a part of this thread from the beginning, 'Bama. My sincere condolences.

 

[Outlawmws]

S.AL, Condolences to you, your Mom, and family on the loss of your dad.

 

[bmwrd0]

Dad retired from AT&T with 33 years. He had been in the process of moving a lot of stuff to my 40x60 shop and downsizing his shop. Unfortunately he passed away suddenly this week at age 76. We’ve got to clean it to allow mom to be able to park inside. That means I’ve got to expedite my shop interior completion and move stuff to mine. His garage is full of bell system storage lockers and other stuff. He didn’t collect tools. He used them. As we move the stuff I’ll segregate the bell system stuff and try and take pics. There is a lot to do before we get to that point taking care of mom is first.

Sorry to hear of your loss.

 

[jeffmoss26]

My deepest condolences.

 

[Shelbylex]

Southalabama, please accept my condolences.

 

[JjKk40]

'Bama, my condolences to you and your family! I lost my dad this past Dec. He was a telephone man as well.

 

[PSCo1867]

"Bell System B" channellocks 8420 slipjoint pliers with wire-cutter.

 

[smalltown]

southalabama Sorry to read about you dad. Hope your Mom is coping ok.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I snagged a handful of American Mercury magazines this morning at the flea, mostly from 1940 and 1941, as we were were preparing for war, mainly for some of the articles. But the ads are also tremendous, including these (see Pics 3 & 4) from Bell System.

 

[Old Radar]

Found these two 5" Wire Cutters at a sale on Friday.
Left one is by Pexto, Right one by Klein & Sons
Pexto is marked with a "B"
Klein has some interesting groves on the sides and I hope someone can explain their function. I'm sure they have to do with stripping wire but can't figure how they work. There is also a single grove running all the way through one jaw. I think this must be used to grasp the wire insulator/sheath to pull it away from the wire.

 

[bmwrd0]

The wiring used by the phone company for residential work and general phone lines is either 22 or 24 gauge. Very easy to strip, and one just puts the wire into the notches and pulls. I knew guys who could do it with their thumbs when I worked for them, but alas, I don't have nails that long. Electricians snips also have a notch for this and that is what I always used.

 

[Old Radar]

Do you mean the notches on either jaw? Just hold the wire down on the notch with your thumb and pull? That would be quick!

 

[bmwrd0]

That is pretty much how it works!

 

[toolmiser]

Sorry to hear about your Father. Honor him by using and respecting his tools.

 

[jeffmoss26]

got these at a garage sale last week, cleaned them up and discovered they are marked Bell System!

 

[bbbarracuda]

Saw this posted on facebook marketplace (not mine) and thought some of you collectors might be interested. I don't know if this link will work. Hope so.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

 

[JjKk40]

Forgot that I had this! Lol! It was either my Dad or my Grandpops! Cleaned up the dirty old grease and oiled it up with CLP and she works great!

 

[Two Sheds]

Those are really good braces. I have the smaller 2101-8". Mine is a bit older, and not as shiny, marked "North Bros" instead of Stanley.

 

[southalabama]

A long way to go sorting and cleaning Dad’s shop. It’s an emotional journey cleaning the layers of projects and tools.

Thought I’d share this first aid kit.

 

[LesserSon]

Billings-manufactured bitbrace square socket. I don’t know what 3/8 D.S. means; the broach is closer to 9/16” across flats

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

SouthAlabama. Sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Drill Size, LS? I dunno, I need another cup of coffee. But I can tell you that I have several BELL SYSTEM brace bits all Billings or A.W. MACK in Poughkeepsie scattered on this thread and the size marked on the tapered bit stud (all 1/4 or 5/16) is the A/F diam. size of the square opening.

 

[LesserSon]

SA - condolences. I’m not looking forward to that day. I’ve witnessed the impact of that loss and the reopening-the-wound of property sorting and dispersal, second-hand on MrsLS, my life-long buddy, and my own father (all of whose fathers passed within a couple years).

Lugz - That would make more sense than this.

 

[454ragtop]

Picked up this hatchet at a sale this AM. Made by Stanley.

 

[Outlawmws]

Second one of those in just a short while to surface! who will it be for number Three?

 

[southalabama]

Got this at an estate sale a couple years ago. The guy must have brought all the trash home. Used in ground data boxes. Used galvanized eye bolts. There were hundreds and hundreds. I’m set for life.

Tools must have been picked over before I got there. Grabbed a few things I knew were telco including this.

Magnet for door.

 

[KnurledNut]

@snapmom @jeffmoss26
Snap-on TQ-50 Torqometer Bell System torque wrench

 

[Outlawmws]

Picked up this hatchet at a sale this AM. Made by Stanley.

Second one of those in just a short while to surface! who will it be for number Three?

Thst was nearly me a few weeks ago, but the second day I went the prices suddenly were Eprey based...



These I picked up last weekend: @jeffmoss26 - What are these compound crimpers used on? I'm hoping I can use them on battery cables...

 

[Robertel1]

The tool shown is a crimping tool used manly for crimping sleeves when splicing drop wire. The wire from the pole to the house. They made different inside diameter sleeves depending on what type of wire you were splicing. The greater majority of the time it was used for splicing drop wire exclusively. Was only used occasionally. When you crimped the sleeve on the wire it was never, ever going to come apart. I have the tool and a few sleeves.

 

[KnurledNut]

These are General Telephone, but thought they would fit in this discussion.
(I made the grips. They are not original.)

H-16290-7 Spring Adjusting Pliers by Klein for GT&E:

 

[Milton Shaw]

Down in Tellico Plaines Tn. is a museum of Bell and AT&T equipment and tools. The owner of the museum owned the local phone exchange and even has a Model T Bell truck in the museum. Lots of switchboard styles and even some of the old rotary phone switch gear. Lots of fun, He also collected guns and has a lot of them (hundreds) and also collected the old style glass insulators. Just about an hour southeast of Knoxville TN.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

These I picked up last weekend

Are they H.K Porter? I found a pair a few years ago. Bell System B, though, so older. See page 2. Post #77.

Down in Tellico Plaines Tn. is a museum of Bell and AT&T equipment and tools.

Good to know! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Outlawmws]

Are they H.K Porter? I found a pair a few years ago. Bell System B, though, so older. See page 2. Post #77.

Yep!

 

[JjKk40]

Picked this pair of dykes up rescently. I have a few older NY Tel Co tools from either my Dad or Grandpops! I figured they would fit here in this thread?

 

[consti2tion]

I have a couple of flat blade screwdrivers made by Stanley marked Bell System that were in some Jensen Tool Pallet kits. I bought them from a garage sale of a friend of mine's mother in law, her husband worked as a phone technician in the 70's or 80's I believe.