News:

"The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

Main Menu

What does your shop look like?

Started by Greg G., October 07, 2012, 11:51:31 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Russ Kirk

#15
I'm taking the piles of phones posted below as a joke to another member.  

But seriously, if someone did have this many ones,  they could go thorough them and pick out the few good or exceptional items, and sell the rest at a phone show.  

Even at $5 to $10 a piece they could realize a great deal of cash. Enough cash to buy some very rare pieces for their own collection.  Gee,  they can even load up a truck and do a "Pic-a-Phone" sale,  they don't even have to display or set them up on a table.

Quite a while back I once visited a fellow collector (whose name will go unmentioned),  he has a superb collection,  it contains some of the rarest and best pieces I have ever seen. But in his "back rooms" there are  thousands of old sets from all ages just in piles. Some piles as high as a person.  So many phones it make me wonder why people keep thousands of extra phones sitting around collecting dust and not being able to enjoy them or have others enjoy them.

No offence meant to others (or the hoarders), but I am just flabbergasted at some of the hoarding I have seen in some "collections".  I am not griping that others have so many phones,  I am happy for them, for they are the ones that save the rare items for the rest of us.   I just think of the hours we all spend cleaning, restoring and getting our sets in in the best possible condition and how long it takes me to even find and get a few phones. Only to see other some people waste their "collections" and let them sit in piles waiting for the elements and age to devalue them.  Such lost potential......

Again, no offence meant to anyone that has piles of phones................  

I'm off my soap box......



- Russ Kirk
ATCA & TCI

Greg G.

Quote from: AE_collector on October 17, 2012, 12:00:29 AM
Quote from: Brinybay on October 16, 2012, 11:56:35 AM
That's ok, I was looking for ideas on being organized anyway.  Mine used to look like this:

I got some pictures of Briny's Shop more recent than the ones he posted above.

Terry

Yeah, I wish!  Here's an easy way to clean that pile up:  Just invite several collectors over and tell them there's a 49'r in the pile somewhere!
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

twocvbloke

Quote from: Brinybay on October 18, 2012, 02:31:06 AMYeah, I wish!  Here's an easy way to clean that pile up:  Just invite several collectors over and tell them there's a 49'r in the pile somewhere!

Just invite collectors to clear it out and it'll be done in no time... :D

Heck, the red phones would sell well over here in the UK, for some reason they're a popular colour, regardless of make or model... :D

DavePEI

#18
Quote from: twocvbloke on October 18, 2012, 10:33:23 AM
Just invite collectors to clear it out and it'll be done in no time... :D

Funny thing is if I remember correctly, it took a very long time to clear out Turtle Lake, WI - if I remember correctly, some wound up getting scrapped at the end. The photos Terry posted are only a small portion of what was up for grabs. It was some years ago that it happened, and I forget all the details. Sets were selling at a very low price, and there were some very fine phones came out of there.

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

twocvbloke

It'd have been nice to go there and just load up a shipping container with phones to bring back to the UK, some of the prices basic $1 phones from over there can go for here is insane, I bid on a faded, yellowed blue AT&T 2554 and it shot up to about £30+ I think, my max was £20 as I didn't think that it would go for more.... :o

Still, I'm sure they're out there being resold, so that others can enjoy them for years to come... :D

kleenax

Quote from: AE_collector on October 17, 2012, 04:59:17 PM
Pictures from the Turtle Lake, Wisconsin "Hoard-O-Phones". This is just one small portion of them.

Hehe;

Terry, it's a GOOD THING you didn't show them the piles in the BIG BUILDINGS! ;-)
Ray Kotke
Recumbent Casting, LLC

cello973

#21
Nothing special but this is where I do my tinkering radio repair and telephone refurbing since get tending back in to the hobby after a decade +.
Vince

Phonesrfun

can't tell if that's an HF ham radio in the back or an oscilliscope.

Nice shop.
-Bill G

cello973

It's a Motorola service monitor and an HP signal generator... Still working on building my shack in the room next door... Thanks
Vince

DavePEI

#24
Quote from: cello973 on December 29, 2012, 01:10:56 PM
It's a Motorola service monitor and an HP signal generator... Still working on building my shack in the room next door... Thanks
I took your photos, turned them so you wouldn't fall off the stool, and sharpened them as much as I could... :)

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

cello973

Vince

AE_Collector

1A2 system on the wall. What are those "modular" 1A2 systems called again?

Terry

Phonesrfun

-Bill G

DavePEI

Some slightly stale photos of my workshop. Since these were taken additional shelves have been set up and filled... I need to take new photos - these were taken just following the workshop being rebuilt. Still as neat, though, but right now, the British Strowger switch is set up on the main workbench.

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

cello973

Terry, The 8 line KSUs are Western Electric 620-A2 I am set up for 16 lines but only have 4 wired to a few key sets.

Below the 1A2 is an Avaya Definity G3 which I have set up for 92 Analog (for 1A2 and single line phones + lots of future expansion) and 24 digital ports (for daily use phones). It is connected to the outside world via 2 POTS lines and a PRI to My company packet switch in Easton, PA (I work for a telecom contracting co/CLEC). The definity is great because I can easily use old rotary phones on the analog ports and plan to connect a few as a working displays in the very near future...
Vince