I bought this box last winter in a box of miscellaneous junk, I think I paid $12 for the whole lot. It is a large for an extension ringer. It's stamped TYPE 111 with an April 5, 1887 patent date. The top is marked "NEW ENGLAND TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY". The box has the older style bell mounts. The mounts are too far apart to fit a 2" or 2.5" gongs. It must have used the jumbo 4" gongs.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8Z3dctDd-i4/UP3l5gZzeiI/AAAAAAAAY7w/LrJ2kbxhmbk/s640/Telephone%252020130120_7706DSCN9000.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CImvF2l7-qI/UP3l5oXyvZI/AAAAAAAAY7s/zBYKt8BYPM0/s640/Telephone%252020130120_7708DSCN9002.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1lEn22ptXUY/UP3l5gxZGLI/AAAAAAAAY70/oWQIZKU01sI/s800/Telephone%252020130120_7713DSCN9007.JPG)
As you can see from this excerpt from a listing of equipment used by New England Telephone,
your ringer extension had 4-inch gongs.
Thanks! Where the heck did you find that?
Quote from: Sargeguy on January 21, 2013, 11:23:19 PM
Thanks! Where the heck did you find that?
On the TCI listserve.
Someone HAS to explain the reference to wax balls. ;) Photos?
Quote from: paul-f on January 21, 2013, 11:41:03 PM
Someone HAS to explain the reference to wax balls. ;) Photos?
Used for lighting protection. Tom Adams on the TCI list recently posted photos.
This is from my NE T&T two-boxer:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nTjPHAcm0TM/UKVpdLF1sBI/AAAAAAAAYyk/Au-3Bb4C__g/s576/DSC_0226.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aOYUQcJ7sqM/UKVpcGGk6WI/AAAAAAAAYyQ/ZYNiypAxsX4/s573/DSC_0227_01.JPG)
QuoteOn the TCI listserve.
Which document? I cannot seem to find it in the library or Member's area.
Quote from: Sargeguy on January 22, 2013, 04:16:46 PM
QuoteOn the TCI listserve.
Which document? I cannot seem to find it in the library or Member's area.
From the TCI Listserve.....http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss123/tomadams1/WEArresters_zps08baed9f.jpg
Sorry, I meant the New England Telephone list of equipment
Speaking of NE T&T ringer boxes with wax balls I just picked up this beauty on eBay:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DmqxqtNqR28/UQCgsGHT_1I/AAAAAAAAY9Y/QtCjdf7bIO0/s640/%2524%2528KGrHqN%252C%2521o8FC1ufpqsWBQ%252BJtv%2528w2g%257E%257E60_57.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Vmb26psUEVc/UQCgsMT70UI/AAAAAAAAY9c/Lu3xfWTkfbc/s640/%2524T2eC16F%252C%2521wsE9suw%2529y6CBQ%252BJt2mw5w%257E%257E60_57.JPG)
Although the wax ball is long gone it looks like the rest of the ringer is intact. Just have to wait for a box of NOS wax balls to show up on eBay
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-BJnBgMbA0bk/URBb5fcgT7I/AAAAAAAAZDg/rWGCGx9Rjvw/s512/Telephone%252020120202_8331DSC_1527.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kmA9wTHgLoc/URBb56DuGVI/AAAAAAAAZDQ/70vuyO9vnKI/s697/Telephone%252020120202_8337DSC_1533.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zdmwLGsV-fY/URBb6m8GPFI/AAAAAAAAZDc/D-hLk9mtxlU/s697/Telephone%252020120202_8332DSC_1528.JPG)
The new ringer box arrived. It is in great shape, although the coats of polyurethane may hide some flaws. Here is a good look at the mechanism for the wax ball type arrestor. Basically, the wax ball melts a little, falls out and trips the switch. The ball is missing in this instance. The switch was bent back and folder paper was shoved in as an insulator.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Idoq2AuAZE4/URBb5U1wzBI/AAAAAAAAZDI/nK-Xw5mNvLk/s512/Telephone%252020120202_8336DSC_1532.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dxZDKfw3z30/URBb6cMNcHI/AAAAAAAAZDY/NSrRx4sWMeo/s640/Telephone%252020120202_8338DSC_1534.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F2ajc5cZC9Q/URBb6ws_GUI/AAAAAAAAZDk/kimdcYk-Z0g/s640/Telephone%252020120202_8339DSC_1535.JPG)
Here is a later NET & T ringer box. If you look closely you can see perpendicular sets of screw holes where there once was a wax ball arrestor mounted next to the ringer.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Lxy-nHaZ7AU/URBb7DuSERI/AAAAAAAAZDs/lP1wS89ngi4/s697/Telephone%252020120202_8342DSC_1538.JPG)
Despite not having any of the parts I have begun the restoration of the TYPE 111 box. Stripping with citrus strip followed by sanding with 100-120-220 grit sandpaper and spot sanding over the stamps leaves room for hope. I am going to restore it to "scratch and dent" condition, since it's too far gone for "like new". There are chips at the corners, gouges and a big old crack in the side, not to mention water damage that is resistant to sanding.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8ZR1tFY2umM/URFoZvn3_KI/AAAAAAAAZFk/OlSR-oZugTg/s640/Telephone%252020120203_8350DSC_1315.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ko9J7MqZpsw/URFoZnjTmqI/AAAAAAAAZFo/XNXnDG-WdwY/s512/Telephone%252020120203_8351DSC_1316.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YEN_tsbrpUs/URFoZhofHzI/AAAAAAAAZFg/U-q9HjnkPWc/s640/Telephone%252020120203_8352DSC_1317.JPG)
(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=8589.0;attach=45759;image)
So if I count my Southern Mass T&T 43J ringer box, I have all the NET&T ringer boxes on the list except the 43N-SPECIAL. I just need a couple sets of 4" gongs, a couple green ringers, and a couple sets of wax ball arrestors. ;D
I rubbed in a coat of Walnut Restor-a-Finish and threw the metal parts in the rock tumbler overnight. The parts came out nice, no more rust or crud, and it evened the patina among the different screws so it looks like they've aged at the same rate. The wood looks better since the sanding. I plan to put a coat on it, and am weighing my options. I like the look of Tung oil but it's labor intensive.
BEFORE:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8Z3dctDd-i4/UP3l5gZzeiI/AAAAAAAAY7w/LrJ2kbxhmbk/s640/Telephone%252020130120_7706DSCN9000.JPG)
AFTER:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AhPLGaKDmN0/URMNaTbvljI/AAAAAAAAZHY/a2cVh8_anoA/s640/Telephone%252020120204_8387DSC_1321.JPG)
Probably worth about $15 now!!!
I have managed to find a wax ball type ringer from a TYPE 57 box that was damaged. I also located the correct bell mounts. I put a coat of shellac over the wood now that the Tung oil has dried. I need to swap out the binding posts for the earlier type and find a pair of 4" gongs.
Here is a size comparison with the TYPE 57 box. The TYPE 111 is the largest WE ringer box of that era that I know of.
Thanks to a tip from popular1 I was able to pick up this ringer box:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301282050993 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/301282050993)
It looks identical to the TYPE 111 except that it uses 3" gongs rather than 4"
Actually this is not the same size as a TYPE 111. It is larger. And those are not 3" gongs-they are 4". It looks as if the TYPE 111 also had larger bell mounts at some point, judging from the holes.
The brassed-out bells and nuts will need to be nickel plated, but in the meantime here is a mock-up of the TYPE 111 with all the correct parts:
Jumbo brackets: