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Comments For Those Considering Payphone Conversions

Started by DavePEI, January 02, 2013, 08:29:20 AM

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DavePEI

Quote from: DavePEI on December 31, 2012, 10:33:06 AM

There is absolutely no reason to remove the coin relay even in a 3 slot. Often this is done simply to have a place to mount a ringer.

I just wanted to expand on this a bit. So often I have seen payphones literally stripped when converted for home use. STOP DOING THAT!

Often the coin relays are removed, the top terminal strip, yes, even the coin path from the coin slots. None of this is necessary.

Most often the reason is to mount a ringer and network inside the phone. First of all, many 3 slots never came with ringers - it a ringer was desired, an external ringer was used. So do the same. So pick up an E1A ringer, mount it below the phone, plug the phone into it, and it into the line - better yet, use the correct external ringer/network such as the 685A/B and get both the correct ringer and network. This is the way they were designed to be installed!

If you must incorporate a network in the phone, incorporate it in the coin box - don't make room for it by removing valuable parts. Just about any network can be hidden there, one off a 500 set, AE Mini ringer, what have you. Just sneak the lines to it through existing passages to where they need to go.

See Stan Schreier's article at:
http://atcaonline.com/WE200payphones.html

My QSD3A is shown in that article.

If you hide a network there, you can tie the coin relay so that all coins inserted are shunted to the coin return.

In 3 slots, needed changes can be made without the removal of the relay, simply undo the necessary wires.

By doing it this way, should you ever rid yourself of the phone, it can easily be converted back for use with a controller by re-connecting the wires. No permanent damage has been done.

It should also be noted that with single slot phones, such as AE's 120A and 120B/C series, NE's Centurions, and with Western Electric's 1C/1D single slots with their original boards, no conversions are needed at all, with the exception of tying the coin relay so that coins won't pile up in the escrow above the relay. Ones which have been converted into microprocessor controlled boards can most often be programmed for use without coins.

I shudder whenever I see a phone hacked apart on eBay, and I think of the work a prospective buyer will have to do to return the phone to normal (and the expense and difficulty of finding replacement parts)! To me, it is as bad as turning an 11 digit Strowger into a toll painted lamp.

Payphones are fast becoming a historical article, and they should be treated as such. In another generation, the only place any payphone (even a single slot) may be seen, will be in Museums, 70s Man Caves, and in our collections. A conservative restoration is always better than a hack job, and will maintain the value of the phone. Sadly, it is getting harder and harder to find a payphone which has been left original - why don't we just take a bit more care when converting them, and wind up with a phone we can be truly proud of.

</Lecture Mode> ;D

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

ESalter

I absolutely second what Dave said.  We simulate a coin line so our phones operate just like a payphone should.  It's heartbreaking to see really nice phones that are "hollowed out" inside to make room for networks and ringers.  Wiring can be changed back, when parts are missing it isn't quite so easy.

---Eric

DavePEI

Another note:

When contemplating the purchase of a 3 slot payphone, insist on seeing a photo of the interior of the phone before agreeing to buy it. If it is missing its coin relay, or has a network mounted on the chute, avoid that phone.

In my way of thinking, not only will this save you the cost of finding replacement parts, but also will serve notice to sellers that we don't want phones which have been destroyed by quick conversions for home use.

If enough people do this, eventually the guys who are converting and selling phones with parts removed will think twice, and start doing correct conversions.

The best sellers will convert them properly, with an appreciation of the value of keeping them intact.

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

Phonesrfun

Reading some of the previous posts of those who have purchased pay phones that have gotten a bit overwhelmed.  I think that people believe a payhone should just be an easy matter of plug and play.  they don't realize the need for the separate subset on 3- slots, and don't know why the electronics aren't already included within the phone (again 3- slot)

None of the pay phones are really all that simple, and then the issue of keys.

I guess what I am saying is that folks should ask about a purchase before they buy, and not after.  it would save a lot of frustration on their parts.
-Bill G

poplar1

 The 236G 3-slot does have the network and ringer inside.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

DavePEI

#5
Quote from: poplar1 on January 02, 2013, 09:44:31 PM
The 236G 3-slot does have the network and ringer inside.
Yes, it does, but the 234 and below shouldn't... 236 was the only one with network included in its original design. Below, you will find a document I did a number of years ago (2004) which lists payphones manufactured by NE, and what you will find in them.... It will also apply to most WE 3 Slots.

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

claudioggs

#6
Here is a funny stripped conversion, well, funny is not the right word...
Did you saw it before?

Claudio
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm an Argentinean collector guy, living in Philly.
I have some old mobiles - Motorola 4500X, Motorola "brick"
old phones - 1930 dial argentinean phone, WE 233G
old jukeboxes - Rowe bubbler, Rock-Ola Max
old wife - Sophie from France :-)

DavePEI

#7
Quote from: claudioggs on January 17, 2013, 11:28:08 AM
Here is a funny stripped conversion, well, funny is not the right word...
Did you saw it before?

Claudio

These were called the D-180574 Coin Decorator Telephone Set.

Actually, there are Bell BSPs covering this conversion - I have them somewhere. It was for conversions done by the phone stores for resale of old 3 slots to their customers. It was done this way to ensure that the phone could never be put back into pay service, and IMHO, it ensures that no collector would ever want it. It did function as a regular phone, though and would ding if someone dropped a coin in it.

Found 'em:

Here are 2 very similar conversion BSPs - the entire idea was to make a sell-able phone for the phone centers which could never be placed back into pay service (or into a collection)! :)

As you can see, to bring this phone back anywhere close to original for demo purposes, it would take a ton of parts!

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

poplar1

#8
The good points about a D-180574:

The paint and chrome are usually better than average.

The network and ringer are included--no subset needed.
The speech circuit  is equivalent to a 236G set on most examples.

There are different colors available other than the usual black, beige and green: red, white, chrome, and red-white-blue flag motif. (Maybe others?)

Good or bad depending on your point of view:

The D-180574 has dummy locks can be opened with a screwdriver.

Bad:

The coin relay has been removed.

The coin chute has been removed; the 5-cent gong has been changed into a toadstool.

On the nylon thingies with spurs just below the coin slots, the spurs have been cut off. So even if you put a real coin chute back, the coins will not hit the 5c gong and the 25-cent  gong.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

RotarDad

On the D-180574, after the coin relay was removed, the coin trap parts were also removed and a big screw was forced in to hold the coin vane in the "return" direction.  The whole conversion is enough to make a purist shudder.... 

Fortunately, Bell stamped them with the that "D" number on the back so you can often spot these even without seeing inside.
Paul

teka-bb

Quote from: DavePEI on January 17, 2013, 01:04:16 PM
Here are 2 very similar conversion BSPs - the entire idea was to make a sell-able phone for the phone centers which could never be placed back into pay service (or into a collection)! :)
As you can see, to bring this phone back anywhere close to original for demo purposes, it would take a ton of parts!

Dave

Hi Dave,

If it's OK with you I would like to put these in the TCI Library. They don't appear to be in there.


=============================================
Regards,

Remco, JKL Museum of Telephony Curator

JKL Museum of Telephony: http://jklmuseum.com/
=============================================
TCI Library: http://www.telephonecollectors.info/
=============================================

DavePEI

#11
Quote from: teka-bb on January 18, 2013, 08:40:40 AM
Quote from: DavePEI on January 17, 2013, 01:04:16 PM
Here are 2 very similar conversion BSPs - the entire idea was to make a sell-able phone for the phone centers which could never be placed back into pay service (or into a collection)! :)
As you can see, to bring this phone back anywhere close to original for demo purposes, it would take a ton of parts!

Dave

Hi Dave,

If it's OK with you I would like to put these in the TCI Library. They don't appear to be in there.
Hi Remco:

As far as I am concerned, sure. But, I don't remember where I got them. They are probably Steve C.'s scans, as I always saved copies of items he scanned for future reference...

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

teka-bb


Thanks Dave,

503-200-113 D-180574 Coin Decorator Set.PDF is scanned by Steve C. as can be read in the document properties. The other document isn't marked and may be from another source.
=============================================
Regards,

Remco, JKL Museum of Telephony Curator

JKL Museum of Telephony: http://jklmuseum.com/
=============================================
TCI Library: http://www.telephonecollectors.info/
=============================================

claudioggs

Thanks Dave & Poplar.
Now, I'm a little less ignorant  ;)

Here a couple of images I found in the net of a Bi Centennial D180574 model.

Claudio
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm an Argentinean collector guy, living in Philly.
I have some old mobiles - Motorola 4500X, Motorola "brick"
old phones - 1930 dial argentinean phone, WE 233G
old jukeboxes - Rowe bubbler, Rock-Ola Max
old wife - Sophie from France :-)

dennisjnunes

To late I bought one and I am trying to bring it back from vampire to real, I was o.k. untill I read your part about the nylon things with spurs just below the coin slot, are the nylon things available or am I done ? when I saw the pictures I thought it was mine. The artical about the D180574 needs to be out there for every one to see thank you for putting it together Dennis