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I've made my mind up I need this booth!

Started by Sigmaz, February 05, 2018, 08:32:38 PM

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Sigmaz

Ok so I've been poking around CL and all of the other sell your stuff apps looking for a booth for my lab/man cave.

I flip flopped on a type 11, then I thought Id prefer an airlight...
I think I just need to find myself a nice decent KS-19206 Curved door unit and be done with it.
Finding one that I can bring home is going to be a challenge and I'll enjoy the hunt.

My original plan was to have only 1 phone (My 1C1) in a nice booth..
Turns out I have 4 Phones now, and a L31a cluttering my space.

I love this kind of clutter but I need to settle on the booth before I wind up bringing home something other than what I "really" want.

So the call is out there now. If anyone knows of a curved door booth kicking around the NY/NJ/PA and maybe CT area I'd appreciate the tip.

As a twisted as fate may be, I have found 2 banks of type 11 Oak booths in a hotel lobby, a KS19206 in the theater lobby a red panel Airlight
all in one place only a mere 25 miles from me.
Everything anyone could possibly want.. There has to be a dozen type 11's in the banks lining both sides of the hallway.
Unfortunately the catch is that its on the private property of a decaying abandoned resort. and everything has fallen a little victim to the abandonment.

(Unity House Resort, in Bushkill PA) they also have an old 555 switchboard there.
But it's all been left idle since 1989 and the buildings are dangerously unstable.
You can see the place and the pieces if you search YouTube for "Unity House"


Payphone installer

The curve booths are heavy, they also had a ton of trouble with the door coming off the tracks and jamming. The booth walk up I always liked was the wood corner bothe or the pedestal units in the front of Woolworth. I have a couple of those setting around here.

Jim Stettler

Quote from: Payphone installer on February 05, 2018, 09:07:17 PM
The curve booths are heavy, they also had a ton of trouble with the door coming off the tracks and jamming. The booth walk up I always liked was the wood corner bothe or the pedestal units in the front of Woolworth. I have a couple of those setting around here.
The curved booths really look cool tho.
JMO,
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Sigmaz

#3
I would imagine that the door could be a problem, especially with the meathead public banging on it all day for years .. but the action it would see in my environment would be pretty much like not being used at all.

I just really like the looks of it. It's kind of worlds fair, sci-fi contemporary.

Those pedestals you're referring to, are those the fancy art-deco wooden ones?

Do please share photos, I'm open to suggestions ..
Lol

Sigmaz

Happy to report that one was located for sure with a fellow member and another somewhat locally.
I'm waiting for a confirmation email to recover it from a retro honeymoon resort.

So it's kind of a toss up right now, if I get my funds together before the email arrives (if it even does) I'm going to Ohio to pick one up.

I'm not naming names because I don't want anyone sniping it out from under me.
Lol

TelePlay

If you go, be sure to take photos of it in place, where it was found or last used, before extricating it from the location.

Payphone installer

They are heavy. and remember to measure your ceiling to make sure it fits It is also taller when you tip it from corner to corner unless you can slide in in flat. I used to put them in. It sucked. and like any booth tape the door in the open position or it will slam shut and smash your fingers. Duct tape.

Sigmaz

#7
Quote from: Payphone installer on February 10, 2018, 12:55:25 PM
They are heavy. and remember to measure your ceiling to make sure it fits It is also taller when you tip it from corner to corner unless you can slide in in flat. I used to put them in. It sucked. and like any booth tape the door in the open position or it will slam shut and smash your fingers. Duct tape.

Lol.. I certainly don't want to lose any fingers.
I was reading that they weigh in at over 500# so yeah it could certainly be a challenge.
I'm guessing the best bet would be some low profile casters for moving heavy furniture in each corner..

I'm not sure if those plastic glider pads would be helpful or not.
Because of the limited height of the ceiling a piano dolly set or maybe vending machine dolly wil work best.. idk..
What did you guys use Jim?

The location of the resort unit is in a hallway .. actually this is the actual one I'm waiting to hear about..
https://youtu.be/9-NGrAxHtRE

But if the stars align I'll be picking up our fellow members booth.
I like it better anyway as it has the bell medallion and the corner wedge panel phone.. such a nice setup..





Payphone installer

We used a two wheeler like you rent from uhaul that has the strap and the addition two wheel stabilizer. I have also used a 4 wheel dolly,we made our own. I started as a phone booth cleaner as my first job,then was promoted to payphone installer. One of my first gigs was on the booth truck. That was in 1980. There were lots of booths in 1980. We installed the aluminum booths on the street from the slab up. We did booths in factories, schools, on sidewalks everywhere. Even the walk ups of that period were big and heavy they were called wedges. The bottom plate alone weighted two hundred pounds. I was also one of the guys who was called out at night when they got hit by a car. Back then all booths had electric to them so we had to go secure the location and make sure nothing was HOT. I also moved, installed and removed wooden booths. I even removed a booth once where a guy was executed by the mob. When I put a booth in my first house the fastest way to get it in was through the a big window. So I laid down straw bales and slid it on top. Wood booths slide easy on straw bales. You just keep putting one in front of the other.
  We got very good at moving heavy stuff. The phone company usually gave you two guys at most many times you were by yourself. It is amazing how you learn to work with weight.
One of my jobs later in my career was Greater Cincinnati airport. Airport enclosures were heavy. We would have to mount 40 or so down a wall. The phones were the stainless 2C2 panel phones. They weighed 67 pounds each. Everything was heavy even collection of the money. We often had to carry phones,shelves and tool boxes from the Tarmac up into the terminal. Often up steps. When we did sit downs it was the worst. They were all connected together,you built long rows of them maybe 20 long. Each end piece weighted 500 pounds and the glass in between was a inch thick. It took two guys to set it. We also did all the AT&T stuff like 30A and 60A units. We did from CO to drop to bolting to the slab to mounting the phone. It was a good job I loved it. Till I got into jails but that's another story.

Sigmaz

#9
Oh man.. Jim consider yourself fortunate to live so far from me.
I would be over all the time to listen to your stories and experiences.

The 2 wheel dolly you mentioned. Is that like the vending machine dolly? Like a refrigerator dolly but with the rear tilt back support wheels?

RotarDad

Thanks, Jim, for the bit of history regarding your career.  Amazing to realize how much has changed so rapidly in last 15-20 years.....
Paul