That's the question in the title. Where do you guys find all this old switching equipment?
I'd someday at least like to get just enough SxS equipment to make a 2 phone demo thing like that 50s instructional video. A line finder, 3 selectors, and a connector, for a 5 digit number.
I guess if I had been around 30-40 years ago when this stuff was being taken out of service I could have "caught" something...
However I did almost get the remains of a SxS PBX that was installed in a high school, but they threw it out before I could go get parts from it because the recycling company had already come and somebody did not know. Oh well...
You have to know a guy, who knows a guy who knows a guy.....
Join the telephone collectors clubs. watch the classifieds. go to shows. watch ebay, estate sales etc.
Try to make it to the TCI Show in Lancaster, PA in June.
One ongoing feature is a Switchers' Corner that features working switches hooked to each other. You'll also have the opportunity to meet lots of switchers - many are more than willing to help each other with documentation, support and parts. There are several well known caches of equipment and parts.
Show info is posted here or in Singing Wires:
http://www.telephonecollectors.org/shows/index.htm (http://www.telephonecollectors.org/shows/index.htm)
Photos of past shows are available here:
http://www.telephonecollectors.org/shows/galleries.htm (http://www.telephonecollectors.org/shows/galleries.htm)
Also, don't forget that some of it is just pure dumb luck! Some of them were just in the right place at the right time!