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and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

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New Member Here

Started by Don Cavey, April 16, 2010, 05:23:47 PM

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McHeath

Welcome!

QuotePersonally, it amazes me how many people are into phones who have never worked in the business. I guess I shouldn't find it so surprising as my phone collection was already under way before I went to work for the Telco here but it still seems to me like a hobby that would be mostly Telco employees.

I get that reaction often when I'm asking if they have any old rotary phones in the shop or yard sale.  Many is the person who asks if I worked for, or currently work for, the phone company and they often seem puzzled when I say no but that I just like old phones. 

Dan/Panther

I find myself doing exactly what I did for a living after I retired, just now I apply it to my personal interests. At first I couldn't connect the two, that former Telco employees would be more likely to collect phones, I just couldn't apply that to my Job at General Motors, we made automotive batteries, Yet I don't collect them, but what I did for GM, mechanical things, is very much a part of my life now.
So I guess indirectly it is the same.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

rp2813

D/P, I worked in the Bay Area for the duration.  I had some stints in So. Cal but they were brief.   I don't know why, but I just presumed you were in GTE/Verizon territory.  Maybe that's now and not then?

I was into old phones way before I was out of high school, and I didn't start working for Pacific Bell until I was 36.  If anything, I think the reverse of what many people think is true--telco workers are probably less likely to be collectors.
Ralph

mienaichizu


bwanna

you may be right, ralph. i know a lot of telephone, guys. other than myself & my SO, i only know of one other guy that collects. recently a co-worker told me he just threw away a bunch of old phones out of his grandpa's house :o >:( :'( :'( :'( :'(
donna

JorgeAmely

Knock, knock .... Don, are you there?  ??? ??? ???
Jorge

AE_Collector

#21
Quote from: bwanna on April 19, 2010, 08:31:05 PM
you may be right, ralph. i know a lot of telephone, guys. other than myself & my SO, i only know of one other guy that collects. recently a co-worker told me he just threw away a bunch of old phones out of his grandpa's house :o >:( :'( :'( :'( :'(

While most of the guys I work with at the Telco may not be collectors/restorers of telephones, most of the guys that have been around for 30 years or so all say "I've got a few old sets somewhere, a 40 & a 50 and a few colored 80's etc". So most of them hung onto a few old phones that they took out just in case they got interested in them down the road. A guy today said he just gave away a 40 and a 50 to another employee that was looking for some old phones.

That reminds me, I saw a guy who retired a few years ago and he told me to call him as he had a box of phones that he would never do anything with. Better get on that soon.....

Terry

JorgeAmely

#22
Terry:

If you don't call him, I will call him for you.

;D ;D ;D
Jorge

AE_Collector

Quote from: JorgeAmely on April 19, 2010, 11:39:37 PM
Terry:

If don't call him, I will call him for you.

;D ;D ;D

I better go hide my little telephone book right now.... Otherwise you'll have him on D/P's conference call!

Terry


Bill Cahill

Welcome, Don.
Don is also a valured member at ARF, Antique Radio Forums.
He collectsHH Scott amplifiers as well. He is very knowledgable.
Glad you jerned us, Don!
Bill Cahill  ;D

"My friends used to keep saying I had batts in my belfry. No. I'm just hearing bells....."

Greg G.

#25
Quote from: ae_collector on April 16, 2010, 10:49:29 PM
Personally, it amazes me how many people are into phones who have never worked in the business.

Terry (in Vancouver Canada)

I not only never worked in the business, I don't even know anything about electronics.  It's an off-shoot of my interest in vintage artifacts and antiques.  They're relatively easy to work on with a minimal amount of space, you can use commonly available cleaning supplies and equipment (like lots of "elbow grease"), there's a wealth of information easily available, a wide variety of styles, models, and prices, and they're not difficult to find, but still scarce enough to make the hunt interesting.

Oh, and welcome to the group Don!
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Chewbacca


Greg G.

Quote from: Chewbacca on April 28, 2010, 02:03:18 AM
Welcome to the group

And welcome to Chewbacca!  Question is, does he?  (Just kidding!)
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Dan/Panther

Chrewbacca;
Welcome to our forum.  Are you a collector, if can you tell us what you collect, or what you woulds like to collect.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

rdelius

Hello, my name is Robby. I have been collecting telephones since 1972. I worked for Richard Marsh at the Chicago Old telephone co for 25 years. I mostly rebuilt dials, wired telephones and repaired bakelite. Not a member of the telephone collecting clubs now