Phone Nook Project

[tallguy58]

Well after many months of on and off work, the hallway phone nook is finished.

All the houses on my street were built in 1929 and featured a phone nook. When I bought the place I had a NE 233 payphone that I figure would look great in there.

I removed the middle shelf and bottom panel so it would fit. Of course I put them in a safe place for future use. So safe in fact, I have no idea where they ended up.

I never took a photo of my nook before I modified it but my neighbour has the identical one. His as well as mine still have the witness mark from a 293 style wooden phone. Screw holes line up and even a trace of the old line cord that goes up the middle.





Here's mine with the 233 installed. You can still see the outline of the old 293/393 above the coin slots.




I never found the old shelf and panel so I had to make new ones. I used my neighbour's as a template. (sorry no pics)
My old nook still had the original line cord attached with a wooden wire clamp but it was thrown out so I made one of those as well.

Drill, cut, fit




Stained it and I found a period screw that would work. I never threw out any hardware when I renovated this place.

[tallguy58]

I found a 393 locally on eBay that I picked up which is what led me to doing this project. I wanted to put the nook back to the way it was back in the day.

I stripped, sanded and re-stained and varnished the wood.

Now it was time to reinstall the phone as it was all those years ago.

I found some neat looking hardware in my bucket. Used the original 70 year old holes.




Got a new line cord from OPW and installed it.



Drilled a hole in the shelf before I installed it to route the cord.



From underneath the shelf



Ran it down the same path as the original. Those holes are from the payphone.



Clamp in place

[tallguy58]

Installed the bottom panel which I figure was for the phone book or mail.



Phone and shelf in place




Complete nook as it is now




As nice as it turned out it still needed something. I found this at a service station memorabilia auction.



Looks like an authentic one, not a repro.



It's just the right size for above the nook.



NOW it's complete.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Ver, very nice! I was a little dissapointed when you first removed the shelf and 'mail' area, but then you re-installed the shelf and put a beautiful phone in place!

Once again, nice job!

[tallguy58]

Thanks. Knowing how long it took me to strip and refinish the nook I probably have another 10 years worth of work doing the rest of the wood in here. Doors, trim, railings. etc. 

[WesternElectricBen]

I would love to have a nook like that somewhere in our house, or even in my bedroom. I have even considered making one, but I think the idea would be objected from my parents.

The phone looks very natural inside, I especially like that cord retainer that you stained nicely to match the cabinet and the pristine cloth cord running down. It looks brand new!

Ben

[AE_Collector]

Very nice job Bill. That looks great.

Now I know what you were wanting help with posting on the forum so that you could write text at each picture.

Terry