Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => General Discussion => Topic started by: McHeath on April 11, 2009, 03:31:52 PM

Title: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on April 11, 2009, 03:31:52 PM
Went over to the beach for a couple of days this week, Cambria Calif, and found this manhole cover in town.

Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on April 11, 2009, 03:32:59 PM
The hotel we stayed in also has a phone booth:
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on April 11, 2009, 03:34:28 PM
And for you Mid Century Modern folks, here is the lobby of the hotel:  (wife reading in chair)
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on April 11, 2009, 03:53:42 PM
Thanks for the pics, Heath.  Funny how when we get interested in a subject, (i. e. telephones, or anything else, I guess) that we suddenly start noticing it everywhere, whereas before, we never would have given it a second thought.

I like that Bell System hole cover.  It would look nice as a front door step/ welcome mat. ;) ;D
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Ellen on April 11, 2009, 06:36:55 PM
Quote from: HobieSport on April 11, 2009, 03:53:42 PM
It would look nice as a front door step/ welcome mat. ;) ;D
Yeah, I'm surprised it is still there   ...?  And look at all the bolts holding that thing together.  I have a niece who was known in her youth as being able to "take apart an anvil and lose the pieces".  Just saying.




ps Anvils don't come apart.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: rp2813 on April 11, 2009, 11:35:51 PM
Lots of those types of covers still in use in my area.  I guess this is the same kind that they say one needs a special tool to remove, as we have been hearing locally due to a saboteur cutting a fiber optic cable and interrupting service to many thousands of homes and businesses back on Thursday.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on April 11, 2009, 11:57:18 PM
Back in the 80's I worked for my father's underground utilities company and we installed a lot of telecom cables in conduits and central manholes for junctions.  It would be very easy to do what happened over in San Jose this last week, that lid can be pulled open with a simple steel bar, and good old lock cutters will slice the cables.  It's really very surprising that this sort of thing does not happen all the time, the power grid and telecomm network are easy to damage.  A couple of years ago a car hit a power pole outside of town and blacked out the whole town for most of the night. 

I've not seen a Bell System manhole in my area, most of ours are generic and were either made locally at a now defunct foundry, or in India.  I really like the design on the Bell Manhole Cover, very clever with the gears and bolt heads. 
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on April 12, 2009, 12:16:51 AM
What I don't get is who would cut the cables in the SF Bay area last week and why ???  Sure I can understand an accidental cutting of cables during construction, or a car or a tree hitting electrical or communications equipment, but why do it deliberately?  Kind of scary all the harm it did.  I don't really want to speculate what the motives were. :P

Anyway, it is indeed a beautiful Bell manhole cover!  Makes me want to take a mold and cast a big concrete porch tile or something...

I've heard that in some areas of the country that there is a problem with manhole covers being stolen just to sell for cheap scrap.  Pretty sad.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on April 12, 2009, 01:01:59 AM
We are having a lot of metal thefts in our area.  Any loose metal, and not so loose, is being pulled out or off or up and sold as scrap for money.  Even street light wiring is being yanked out, for the copper.  A buddy of mine had his catalytic convertor sawed off his truck in a parking lot last year.  Last couple of days we have turned away 4 different guys at the door looking for work, wanting to mow our lawn, roof the house, prune the bushes, etc.  That's more than ever, and it's pretty much a daily happening now, someone at the door looking to do work.  Our trash is gone through every single week, we put it out on Thursday morning and there are people stopping in all morning to dig through it before the trash truck comes and gets it.  People selling stuff in traffic is also common now, flowers, candy, fruits, when you are stopped at a light they will start walking up and down the lanes looking for buyers.  We get panhandled a lot as well when out and about, especially at gas stations, but even at stores in parking lots.  A few weeks ago a woman even walked into my classroom one morning and tried to sell me Avon products! 
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: AET on April 12, 2009, 02:26:27 AM
Definately like the manhole cover!  All the ones around here just say Neenah Foundry on them.  Also, like the lobby, the ceiling lamp and some of the furniture tickles my fancy.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: rp2813 on April 12, 2009, 01:06:49 PM
I think that cover design is 60's vintage.  I kinda sorta remember them showing up in areas that had new construction back then.  Don't know if Pacific Telephone was allowed to come up with their own design or what, but don't think I've seen this type of cover anywhere outside of their territory in California.

As for why someone would intentionally cut a fiber optic cable, being a former AT&T employee I've been involved with work stoppage preparations over the past several months as the contract for certain union positions expired recently and the company is anticipating a strike, possibly as soon as the week of 4/13.  Cutting a cable is a federal offense so it seems strange that anyone would resort to that before a strike is even sanctioned, but it's the first thing that came to my mind.

Interesting that the cable that was cut actually serves mainly Verizon customers, so whomever did the cutting missed their target entirely.

Ralph
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on April 12, 2009, 06:25:21 PM
Hmm, sabotage as a result of the contract stalemate.  Wonder if it was that?  AT and T sure has a hefty reward out, guess they are hoping that will shake something out of the trees.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bingster on April 12, 2009, 07:39:54 PM
I think that manhole cover design might have been universal, as we have them here, too.  I've always thought they were pretty neat.

Quote from: McHeath on April 11, 2009, 11:57:18 PMI've not seen a Bell System manhole in my area, most of ours are generic and were either made locally at a now defunct foundry, or in India. 
I really don't understand this.  We have Indian manhole covers showing up here, too.  I can't imagine how it's possible that they're cheaper, given what it must cost to ship such heavy things halfway around the world.  If we can't even make a clumsy thing like a manhole cover, maybe we should just pack it in and send everybody back to Europe.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on April 12, 2009, 08:01:10 PM
Yeah funny eh, even manhole covers are being imported.  AT and T shuffled all phone production overseas in the late 80's, yet weirdly enough Cortelco still makes 2500s in the Deep South. 
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dennis Markham on April 12, 2009, 09:24:00 PM
Hey, you guys are not being politically correct.  They're "person hole covers".
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Steve on April 12, 2009, 10:02:32 PM

I remember those manhole covers. they all seemed to get replaced as chicago went through the era of fiber optic-azation back in the early 90's. I remember looking at them as a kid and wondering about the bolt pattern on them. thanks for bringing back that memory :)

that lobby looks cool, do you have any move photos of the hotel?
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on April 12, 2009, 10:49:55 PM
The hotel is pretty cool.  It's main structure is a late 19th century two story, that had an uber modern, for it's time, hotel built up around it in the 50's.  They have pretty much left everything as is, so it's like a time capsule, even the bathrooms still have all pink tile with red trim, and there are chrome bottle openers installed in each bathroom to boot.  There is a hilarious kitchy door chime that plays when you open the door, it's a little round box made in Austria with a string on it that the door pulls, and it plays "There's no place like home".  My house had the same device installed on the front door when I bought it, guess they were the rage back in the day.

A room rents for 60 bucks in the off season, winter, and goes up from there.  We usually stay there when we go to that area as we really like the style of the place.  They play jazz in the lobby from the old days, and light the fire at night, and once some hip cats gathered around the piano and did a little impromtu concert.  The bed side clocks are all ancient Westclocks from the early 60's, and the rooms don't have phones, you have to use the phone booth for that.  (Cell reception is pretty spotty there)

Glad you liked that manhole cover pattern, hope it stays in use there for many more years.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Greg G. on April 13, 2009, 05:20:09 AM
Quote from: McHeath on April 11, 2009, 03:31:52 PM
Went over to the beach for a couple of days this week, Cambria Calif, and found this manhole cover in town.

I wonder how much shipping would cost on ebay.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bingster on April 19, 2009, 05:17:56 PM
Found this outside my building yesterday.  I can't tell you how many times I've walked over it without noticing it.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan on April 19, 2009, 06:05:30 PM
Bingster, I'm an honest man, but that would look great above the fireplace ;)

I believe yours is the newer version, while McHeath is the original. I wonder if they could flip them over and count the support clips on the underside, whther there are six or seven of them? You could see if it is soft or hard iron and look for a little date on the underside.... :o
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on April 19, 2009, 06:30:54 PM
If I put on my old orange city worker shirt, had a job for public works once upon a time, I could probably pull the cover and no one would care.  They are pretty cool designs eh?  Cool to see the one from Bingster. 
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: mienaichizu on June 17, 2009, 11:32:52 PM
and look what the Japanese did in their manholes

http://angted.multiply.com/photos/album/55/JAPANESE_MANHOLES?replies_read=7
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan/Panther on June 18, 2009, 02:43:43 AM
I wonder if you could get permission to make a plaster cast. Then pour resin into the plaster and make a wall hanger out of it.
D/P
If anyone can pull it off, I'd gladly pay a good fee for a resin cast of the plaster mold.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: mienaichizu on June 18, 2009, 10:24:14 AM
I was also thinking of that! :D
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on June 18, 2009, 12:51:47 PM
Ramil those Japanese manhole covers are awesome!

There is a kind of hardening foam that is used in the movie set industry for making casts that are very manageable.  I forget the name of it, but it is used for example to make casts of natural rocks.

If I had a cast (foam or plaster of paris) for a manhole cover I would cast a 3" thick wire reinforced concrete pad for my door step.  A bit heavy to market on Ebay though. ;)
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: mienaichizu on June 20, 2009, 02:21:23 AM
I was also amazed when I see those manhole covers posted on my friend's blogsite
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bwanna on June 23, 2009, 08:26:10 PM
i know she's a little rusty, but i salvaged this prize from the scrap heap recently. i plan to clean her up a bit & incorporate into my garden area somehow. forgot to check for date underneath, tho. i'd be willing to  try that resin cast for anyone interested.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan/Panther on June 23, 2009, 08:46:02 PM
Bwanna;
If you clean it up real nice with a wire wheel, and get the proper casting material for the job, I'm sure someone here would have the proper names of products for this purpose. I would gladly pay you a very good fee for a cast in resin of the manhole cover. Unpainted as I would like to paint it myself. I would gladly pay all shipping and insurance also.
I'm very serious here, and you have the perfect example for a wall hanger or garden stepping stones out of concrete
Please fgollow through and let me know.
Can you imagine have a hardwood floor with this right in the middle. Have it so you can lift it up, and a sign under the cover would say "you wish....!!!", or "Dream On !!!"
D/P
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dennis Markham on June 23, 2009, 08:48:14 PM
That was a good find indeed!  And Dan all of your suggestions sounds like good ones.  I like the hardwood floor one the best!
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bwanna on June 23, 2009, 09:23:16 PM
dan/panther

i seriously will follow thru! but you will have to be patient with me. the cover is located at my "week-end"home, so may take me the summer to accomplish the project. i have an idea for the casting material, but if anyone has suggestions, please post them. \
wire wheel cleanup is the plan. i will use it as a stepping stone.  initially, we were hoping to acquire the ring that this fits in,  to use as a fire pit & cover when not in use. but haven't gotten ahold of the ring yet.
like your floor idea, too.  huuuummm???? maybe could use as the hatch over the crawl space opening. would be a little heavy to lift off, tho. ;)
will keep you updated.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bingster on June 23, 2009, 10:14:58 PM
These would make awesome firebacks in a fireplace, too. 
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: odiedogg on July 17, 2009, 05:11:34 PM
Muddying the water here.  I took this picture in West Lafayette this morning.  Several of these in town, but many have been paved over.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on July 18, 2009, 12:27:21 AM
Bwanna and Dan/Panther, making castings really intrigues me too. What are your various ideas for casting materials?  

Since my only meager casting experience is mostly with various recipes of concrete, my mind tends to lean towards concrete front doorsteps and garden walkways and such.

For a lighter weight concrete product, one could use "tufa", using sand, cement, perlite and/or small grained red lava gravel. It would need wire or plastic mesh reinforcing, or loose fiberglass strand reinforcing, but that would be fairly easy.

Thinking about what material would be best suited to make the master "negative" form, I'm thinking of the standard super lightweight yet quite durable expanding polyurethane foam in an aerosol can. There is a readily available Dow product called "Great Stuff", and I'm guessing only a can or two for about 20 bucks would make a very durable mold of the whole personhole cover.

Expanding polyurethane is the same stuff they use to insulate buildings, fill cracks, is a roofing material, as well as the same stuff they use in the movie-set and theater industry to make inexpensive molds for complicated castings like natural rocks, architectural details, fake marble statues or pretty much anything else. You just spray it on and it expands like the Blob and fills in all the details and dries very hard very fast. I assume you know the stuff I'm writing about.

Of course one would need to coat the cleaned up "personhole cover" first with a "release", so that the polyurethane wouldn't stick to the metal at all so that it can be easily removed once the foam is dry. I'm no chemist but I'd personally do small tests first with water and oils and soaps and the like.

The neat thing is if a direct negative casting were made of of the "personhole cover" using polyurethane foam, it would be very durable and very lightweight and quite ship-able, and you could make as many as you wanted pretty fast, once you had a good method.

But I do warn anyone about the importance of finding a good "release" through testing, because if one just sprayed this stuff on, it would stick forever and the only way to clean it out beside infinite scraping and cursing would probably be by fire, and it's nasty stuff when burned. So we don't want that.

I don't have any ideas about making a finished product resin positive cast from a polyurethane negative mold, because resin gets so hot while curing, and I wouldn't know what to use to keep the materials from melting together and bonding.

Okay, I'm thinking too much about this and I'd love to hear Dan's ideas before I ramble on like an idiot any further. Sorry. I just get a little exited sometimes.

Bwanna, it is so very cool that you have one of the Bell System covers. Will you be our mother?  Hee hee just kidding.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on July 18, 2009, 01:32:44 AM
There must have been about a bazillion of these covers at one time since we are all finding them all over the USA.  I've also seen a couple here in my hometown since I first noticed that one over at a costal town.  Even GTE got into the act it seems, using the same basic design.  We had a foundry in my town back in the day, and many of the old covers list the name of that foundry and date.  The new covers are all made in India, which is an interesting economic puzzle to be able to make an item that heavy and ship it halfway around the world and still beat the local guys out on price. 

Just a house down from me the phone junction box covers still have the Bell System logo on them, and I know that were installed in 1998 as a guy was planting a tree with a backhoe and ripped the trunk cable up and apart, the covers were placed to shield the splices.  I recall that there were 4 PacBell trucks there for most of a day repairing the damage, and they billed the unfortunate backhoe operator about 2500 dollars for the work. 

To top it all off the transplanted tree died a year or so later. 
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Phonesrfun on July 18, 2009, 03:09:26 AM
Those manhole covers are all over my town.  I live in what is now Qwest territory; formerly US West; formerly pacific NW Bell.  We have a combination of the covers, most with the more modern Bell system logo and some with the older looking bell.  I don't think I have seen any covers with either US West or Qwest, and I see a lot of them because in the summer I ride a motorcycle around this town of 40,000 (pretty small).

Maybe one reason for not seeing the more recent names on the covers is that the downtown area is where I see most of them, which was cabled underground massively in the 50's and 60's.

The neighborhoods were all overhead cables, and have been upgraded more recently with cables that are placed along side the road with green pedestals, rather than in vaults under the streets.

-Bill
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bwanna on September 18, 2009, 09:31:39 PM
thought i'd show a progress pic of the manhole cover clean up. in my spare time i have been using a torch to heat the ashphalt that is caked into the crevices. when i get done with that i will sandblast to remove the black from the heat & also rust.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dennis Markham on September 19, 2009, 12:27:38 PM
Pretty cool Donna.  That looks like a big job.  I heard on the news locally that the authorities were searching for responsible(s) in recent cases of missing manhole covers!
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 19, 2009, 12:40:57 PM
Quote from: bwanna on September 18, 2009, 09:31:39 PM
thought i'd show a progress pic of the manhole cover clean up. in my spare time i have been using a torch to heat the ashphalt that is caked into the crevices. when i get done with that i will sandblast to remove the black from the heat & also rust.

Donna;
You are doing all of this work yourself, Sandblasting etc. My kinda woman.
Looking forward to the molding process.
Keep us posted.
D/P
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on September 19, 2009, 12:43:15 PM
A lot of work but the results should be worth it.  Wish I had one of these covers, they are pretty artsy. 
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 19, 2009, 12:59:14 PM
McHeath;
As soon as Donna finishes the work, she plans to make a mold of the cover.
We hope it can then be cast is Resin.
D/P
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bwanna on September 19, 2009, 05:52:24 PM
LOL, dennis, you have been taking lessons from mc heath ???

just for the record. MY cover was bound for the scrap yard. i got it out of a salvage heap.

also, i must be honest & tell you all that the SO has done alot of the scraping. tedious work & he has more patience than me :o sandblasting will be a piece of cake. just gotta wear long pants ;D

d/p desires a resin cast. so once this is cleaned up i will try my hand at making a mold for him. if the mold turns out all right, i know dan has the talent to make the cast. :)
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan on September 19, 2009, 11:12:42 PM
I could pour dental alginate  in a garbage can lid and put the cover in it. Then you could pour plaster or paris or dental stone into it and make a perfect duplicate (the stone would be lighter too, than the cast iron).

This is similar to how I duplicated a mushroom cap for a WE P/U 500.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bwanna on September 19, 2009, 11:23:25 PM
well, dan, we did not consider that process, since we didn't know where to get such a large quantity of dental alginate.

i found some type of material for the mold, that will be flexible when dry. since the cover is so heavy, it will have to lay flat in a form while the material is poured over it. there is a releasing agent used before hand, that will allow the cured mold to be peeled off the cover.

maybe dan will want some of that dental stone when he does the casting ;)
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on September 20, 2009, 12:50:23 AM
I may be an idiot, but once you have burned and cleaned and sandblasted the manhole cover, please test a small area with any kind of thick oil as a release and then test some Polyurethane expanding foam, such as the product "Good Stuff" avilable in any hardware store in a small inexpensive can.

I don't intend to sound smarter that Dan/Panther (impossible) or Dan the dentist but I have molded human faces and I want to know what really works. What I love about "Good Stuff" (Polyurethane expanding foam in a can) is that it's cheap, fast, very strong, lightweight, and shippable as a starter mold.

Never use it on faces of course!

Just a suggestion but I hope you test it at least.

Alginate is the right stuff for every pore and detail, but not needed for a manhole cover.

By the way, I found the same cast of manhole cover in our small town here.

So if nobody listens to me, I'll probably get arrested for doing weird evil street experiments on it. I might send you a sample "test bit".

I'm not trying to prove a point; as if "my idea is better" or something like that.








Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bingster on September 20, 2009, 01:22:38 AM
Quote from: HobieSport on September 20, 2009, 12:50:23 AM
Never use it on faces of course!
Why not?  Slather Granny down with some Pennsylvania Crude, and shoot the expanding foam at her.  She won't know what hit her!
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 20, 2009, 01:22:56 AM
Matt;
Don't think for one minute you are stepping on any toes here.
I did not think about your ideas, they may be easier to work with. The only problem is that the molding would have to be done by Donna, and the shipping would then become a factor. The rubber based mold could be shipped cheaply, and I could resin cast the cover here.
D/P

Now would you kindly get off my back.... ;D
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on September 20, 2009, 02:08:19 AM
Thank you Dan/Panther;

It's just an idea that makes some sense to me from my own meager experience.

I have nothing against a floppy rubber accurate mold of the manhole cover at all.

By the way you never met me in Sicily. Hee hee. I am kidding!

My interest is only in actual hardware store available materials or to give you an accurate mold of the manhole cover that is most shippable and ready to use.

We want a good mold at the the most accurate and least shippable expense; correct?








Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 20, 2009, 02:47:03 AM
Yes, with as little burden to Donna as is possible.
D/P
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on September 20, 2009, 02:56:38 AM
Hey; If I am ever a "burden on Bwanna" or if I am ever "on the back of D/P" or if I ever "slather Granny with Pennsylvania crude" may I be hereby by be kicked off the board. Go ahead and make fun. ;D However; none of that was ever my evil initial intention.  ;)

I still think that my idea of a shippable manhole cover mold made of expandable polyurethane foam from a can MAY not be entirely without merit or at least worth a try.

I suppose that I may now have to test it. Please at least give me some credit for trying at some personal risk. If I end up in jail I won't beg for forgiveness.

Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bwanna on September 20, 2009, 09:46:11 AM
hobie, all suggestions welcome. i am a total novice in mold making. you mentioned the great stuff product earlier in this thread. that cover is apprx. 3' in diameter. i'm thinking it would take more than a couple of cans. this stuff would not be brittle & breakable when dry?

d/p, do you still have the link to that molding product that i sent you? i had it book marked on my PC, which crashed recently, so i lost it. if you do, post it here.

bingster, don't you like hobie's granny? or were you referring to your own granny? :o :o
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on September 20, 2009, 09:58:46 AM
Bwanna; I'll do a test. I had some really amazing grandmothers, no-matter what they say. It's an incredibly strong and light product, but now I feel rather stupid if it doesn't work. I do think that one seven dollar can might do a whole three foot diameter manhole cover, because it expands. I could be wrong but it is amazing stuff.

Please keep in mind that this is only an educated guess.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bwanna on September 20, 2009, 10:33:10 AM
hobie

all theories are just educated guesses, until proven. the way that "stuff" expands, i'm thinking the cover would have to be enclosed on all sides in the form in order to control the expansion.

maybe d/p post the link to the product i wanted to use. or i will look it up again. i wish i could remember the name of it.

QUIT FEELING STUPID! >:(  nothing ventured, nothing gained.

i had good grandmas, also. i think bingster has some issues, tho :o
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on September 20, 2009, 11:30:11 AM
Bwanna;

There are no problems with the expandable foam called "Great Stuff" about having to build a mold or anything to contain it. Just start in the middle of the manhole cover (be sure to do a small test first with an oily release; All jokes aside.) and if any of it ends up over the edge, just trim it off after it dries, with a bread knife or other sharp knife implement or even a Swiss Army knife saw. First make sure that it is all dry inside is all. But do a small test first.

-Hobie

Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bingster on September 20, 2009, 01:50:14 PM
Quote from: bwanna on September 20, 2009, 09:46:11 AMbingster, don't you like hobie's granny? or were you referring to your own granny? :o :o
Grannies in general.  They're so sweet and cuddly, that they need to be taken to the dunking booth once in a while to bring them back down to earth.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 20, 2009, 01:58:55 PM
Bwanna;
Here is the link you gave me.

http://www.smooth-on.com/Sculpture-and-Art-/c1239/index.html

D/P

Matt;
I haven't offended you have I. I put a smiley after my remark, strictly a joke on my part, I hope not a bad one.
D/P
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on September 20, 2009, 04:02:10 PM
Dan/Panther

No you haven't offended me. You may scare scare me sometimes; but generally you are sort of a hero to me actually. But only in the the "Panther" part of Dan/Panther.  ;)

I like the discussion of the manhole cover casting (all humor aside) and I just want to contribute what little I might know.

Grannies are fine.

Bingster really scares me sometimes however, being only 42 or so and so knowledgeable. That somehow seems so wrong.  ;D

Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Dan/Panther on September 21, 2009, 01:11:50 AM
Matt;
Thank you, that is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.
All I really want to do is help, by sharing some of what I've learned over the past 100 years.
D/P
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HobieSport on September 21, 2009, 01:25:59 AM
Thank You D/P,

Actually I was a little worried if I had offended you in any way, but I'll stop worrying and start enjoying. Frankly I have tons of respect for your experience and abilities, and it's fun to bounce ideas.

Sometimes I can be sort of an idiot, and humor on the internet is so easy to misinterpret. For example, I didn't know that you were 100 years old. ;) ;D ;D ;D

This whole manhole casting idea just awakens some of my inner innovating thoughts and inventiveness, including some of my silly ideas that may not always prove to be the best.  Whatever ideas we may bounce about I certainly enjoy the discussion.

Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bingster on September 19, 2010, 04:50:53 PM
Quote from: bwanna on September 18, 2009, 09:31:39 PM
thought i'd show a progress pic of the manhole cover clean up. in my spare time i have been using a torch to heat the ashphalt that is caked into the crevices. when i get done with that i will sandblast to remove the black from the heat & also rust.

Donna, did you do anything further with your cover?

(Can you tell I'm looking through old posts? lol)
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Adam on September 19, 2010, 06:02:13 PM
My neighborhood, Canoga Park, CA., is full of these things in every sidewalk.

Last year, I took a picture of one, it was my cellphone's wallpaper for a time.

Even though the Bell System no longer exists, I think these things will out live all of us and even out live our kids.

-Dave Haber
Massapequa Telephone
C*NET 1-798-7619
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: JorgeAmely on September 19, 2010, 07:20:31 PM
Dave:

Small world: I used to live there 30 yrs ago!
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: bwanna on September 19, 2010, 08:16:43 PM
darrin...sadly the project has been table for the time being. a long while actually. the asphalt removal proved to be a bigger project than i thought.   :-\

plan b is to swap this one out with a cleaner one...one that hasn't been in the street for 50 years. we know where one is...just gotta get some help loading & unloading.. those suckers are heavy!  :o :o
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Kenny C on September 19, 2010, 08:18:19 PM
i could see that  :D it would be like that episode of I Love Lucy where they take John Wanes foot prints.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Sargeguy on October 09, 2010, 11:08:15 AM
Here's one that I pass by all the time, about a block from my house:

(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_26I3Nyjgm7Q/TLCAWFKJYBI/AAAAAAAASSQ/c7K98rWKIDc/s800/DSC_5360.JPG)

It is on a residential street in Providence lined with mansions built in the 1890s.  There are 5-6 manholes along the street.  I can't find much information on the Providence Telephone Company but the 1893 headquarters is still standing in downtown Providence:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Telephone_Building_Providence.jpg)

It appears that it was originally an independent entity begun in 1879 operating in RI and MA that was absorbed into the Bell System and eventually disappeared as an independent entity.  The last mention of it I can find is a court case from 1926.  My grandmother worked for "The Phone Company" in the 30s and 40s, but it was the Bell System by then..
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: dsk on October 02, 2015, 02:35:24 AM
The manhole cover threads inspired me to shoot these in Tallinn:

dsk
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HarrySmith on October 22, 2015, 11:37:20 AM
I don't know if it was someone here or someone inspired by this thread but I found this on eBay this morning:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Man-Hole-Cover-Bell-Telephone-of-Buffalo-New-York-Reproduction-13Lbs/191718799733
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Sargeguy on October 22, 2015, 10:26:14 PM
A reproduction of a design that never existed?
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on October 23, 2015, 09:58:24 AM
Here is the description, for future reference;

"Manhole Covers are traditionally made of cast iron and weigh between 250-300 Lbs. They are not considered collectable because of there weight. Most designs are generic and have very little esthetic appeal while others are considered works of art or designed as commemorative works of art. These in the past could only be seen on the streets. Obsolete manhole covers are melted down as scrap and lost forever. My manhole covers are made as standard size, 23-1/2" in diameter and weigh only 12lbs. These are made to be displayed as wall decorations. These are hand painted and are to be used indoors only. This is my first offering of what is going to be my collection of manhole cover designs in the future. The Bell Telephone Buffalo New York 1960."

The way he describes it sounds like he just made a cast of a real one, although I suspect it was never a real design, given the elaborated shapes and lettering.

It looks more like a giant dial card than anything else! ;D
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: andre_janew on October 23, 2015, 10:40:09 AM
You maybe right about it being a giant dial card.  It is even notched like a dial card!
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: G-Man on October 23, 2015, 01:15:16 PM
The Bell Telephone Company of Buffalo ceased to be in existence once it was consolidated with the New York Telephone Company in about 1910, fifty-years prior to the date shown on the "manhole." Also, the Bell logo had changed several times during in those intervening years.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: AE_Collector on October 23, 2015, 10:23:32 PM
Quote from: dsk on October 02, 2015, 02:35:24 AM
The manhole cover threads inspired me to shoot these in Tallinn:

dsk

When were you in Tallinn Estonia dsk? We were there on a cruise in June 2014. I am pretty certain I have a picture of that same cover with Eesti Telefon on it (presumably the correct way to spell Estonia).

Here are a couple from Lima Peru from this March. Love the "finger wheel" look to the first one (maybe both of them) and it even has a "dated" finger stop. And while it looks ancient, it is dated 2013!

The second one was really welded into place at one point in time or it may still be looking at the metal plate at about 3 o'clock.

Terry
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: RotarDad on October 23, 2015, 10:30:30 PM
G-Man's info about the Buffalo date makes me wonder if the original this was based on was dated 1909.  The "60" flipped over would read "09".
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Fabius on October 23, 2015, 11:17:32 PM
Quote from: RotarDad on October 23, 2015, 10:30:30 PM
G-Man's info about the Buffalo date makes me wonder if the original this was based on was dated 1909.  The "60" flipped over would read "09".

Could be but even if it's suppose to be 1909 the Bell logo is wrong. It would be a 1908 Bell, not the early LD Bell..
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HarrySmith on October 24, 2015, 08:38:44 PM
The covers being welded is not a surprise, during VIP visits they are welded shut in preparation for the visit. I saw a documentary one time and recall them picking up all the mailboxes and welding the manholes.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Jim Stettler on October 25, 2015, 11:28:11 AM
Quote from: HarrySmith on October 24, 2015, 08:38:44 PM
The covers being welded is not a surprise, during VIP visits they are welded shut in preparation for the visit. I saw a documentary one time and recall them picking up all the mailboxes and welding the manholes.

Denver had a Grand Prix thru downtown years ago and they welded the manhole covers  shut for the race. They were afraid the draft from the cars would dislodge the covers during the race.
Jim S.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Sargeguy on November 06, 2015, 11:00:06 AM
You can make your own

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221933228672? (http://www.ebay.com/itm/221933228672?)
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: HarrySmith on November 06, 2015, 08:30:20 PM
Maybe a "Kidhole" cover? Only 11 3/4 inches across!
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Greg G. on November 07, 2015, 01:17:43 PM
Quote from: HarrySmith on November 06, 2015, 08:30:20 PM
Maybe a "Kidhole" cover? Only 11 3/4 inches across!

I noticed that too, sent a message to seller asking him to verify the diameter.  Even at that, the condition doesn't look like it could be used as a form anymore, cracks and rough spots in the surface.  Maybe that's why it was only used to hang on a wall in a garage.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Jim Stettler on November 07, 2015, 01:28:26 PM
It may be to make access covers like the ones used for water and gas valves. I would call i hand-hole cover.
JMO,
Jim s.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Sargeguy on November 07, 2015, 09:44:59 PM
I think it was a center that was interchangeable depending on who ordered the manhole cover
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Jim Stettler on November 07, 2015, 10:59:43 PM
Quote from: Sargeguy on November 07, 2015, 09:44:59 PM
I think it was a center that was interchangeable depending on who ordered the manhole cover
That does make a lot of sense.
Jim
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Fabius on November 09, 2015, 10:44:27 AM
If it's a wood pattern for the center then why isn't the lettering reversed (mirror image)?
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Jim Stettler on November 09, 2015, 12:07:37 PM
You made me think about this one.
Since it is a casting, the pattern  would create a reverse image in the foundry sand. The cast item  would look like the pattern.
Printing blocks are reversed because they print directly onto the paper.
Jim
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Fabius on November 09, 2015, 12:14:06 PM
Quote from: Jim S. on November 09, 2015, 12:07:37 PM
You made me think about this one.
Since it is a casting, the pattern  would create a reverse image in the foundry sand. The cast item would look like the pattern.
Printing blocks are reversed because they print directly onto the paper.
Jim

Makes sense.
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Doug Rose on March 28, 2021, 08:51:04 AM
Manhole covers are very heavy. I found the Manhole Cover Lifter that I have. Looks to be NOS.....Doug
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: McHeath on August 04, 2021, 12:26:02 AM
That's an impressive hook you got there Doug! 

We were recently back in Cambria and that manhole cover from my initial post is still there. 
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: FABphones on August 04, 2021, 01:50:29 AM
Quote from: McHeath on August 04, 2021, 12:26:02 AM
...We were recently back in Cambria and that manhole cover from my initial post is still there.

Has the quaint hotel changed at all since 2009? And is the phone booth still there?

:)
Title: Re: Manhole cover
Post by: Doug Rose on August 04, 2021, 09:59:17 AM
Quote from: McHeath on August 04, 2021, 12:26:02 AM
That's an impressive hook you got there Doug! 

We were recently back in Cambria and that manhole cover from my initial post is still there. 
Thanks my friend, very heavy and I don't think it was ever used.....Doug