News:

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

Main Menu

Payphone Display

Started by Payphone installer, February 04, 2016, 07:09:50 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Payphone installer

I have been collecting payphones for years and have wanted to be able to place them all at one place as one large display. I decided the best way was to build a building to house them all. Since I have property I had the space. The building has been built by the Amish I also had the building be off grid it is powered by solar cells. I have spent the last few months finishing the inside,i am now readdy to start mounting the phones. So here we go. This is the inside of the building.

Payphone installer

All lighting is solar power, heat is propane and kerosene. I have spent a lot of time acquiring 148A backboards to mount the later telephones on. I also decided to mount strips of poplar attached to studs to support the weight and mange the amount of holes drilled.

Payphone installer

A sign collection will also be added to this project as public telephone signs were where payphones were. Here you see the start of mounting the backboards.

Payphone installer

Lots of things to think about and consider, I mounted the backboards then realized they were to close together and that there was no room for switch hooks and handsets. So I took them down and moved them over.

Payphone installer

Now it was time to start to mount payphones, so what do I mount first, how do I categorize them,how to proceed? Sounds simple but it's not. You mount the backboards and strips, then what about phones with top signs? Did I build a big enough building? I am thinking I did not. So now I am mounting phones.

Doug Rose

Its a good start Jim....I can't wait to see the finished room....Doug
Kidphone

Payphone installer

Complete wall of 190 series payphones, I have discovered more since I finished this,but its a good start. Note the two 198G's at the end. Rare phones.

Mr. Bones

Incredible display, Jim!!! 8)

Please, keep us updated as you progress. I am already stupefied... Looking forward to more!

Best regards!
Sláinte!
   Mr. Bones
      Rubricollis Ferus

19and41

I hope the spacing is the limit of any problems.  Nice display so far
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

Payphone installer

The outside back of the cabin where the solar panels are located. This will also be the place where I put some outdoor phone booths at some point. I have already poured a slab and installed one.

Payphone installer

I have been collecting payphones since 1987 and have them stored all over the place, in sheds and in a barn. It has been a adventure digging them out and remembering what I have. I was a payphone installer and installed and removed a lot of payphones,they are heavey and moving them wears you out. but at this point I have it down to a art. here are pictures of the ones I have dug out.

Payphone installer

more phones

unbeldi

Do you have a switch or channel bank or something to operate them too?

Payphone installer

I do not, as a installer I spent years making them work which involved everything from climbing the pole and hanging the drop,doing slabs, to CO card replacement. I also worked on all types such as prepay,postpay, dial tone first, coin first, smart phones all the AT&T public payphone products and payphone controllers. Today I own a company called Combined Public Communications which is mostly corrections public phones. Some payphones still, but mostly jail phones in ten states. I don't really have that much desire to make them work at this point but at some time in the future that may change. I spend all day now making phones work and have for 38 years. But that said one of the reasons that I am mounting the phones on the strips of wood out from the wall is I can easily install wire if I wish to in the future.   

Payphone installer

The phone on the left with the top sign is a 166G only one known to exist. I will show in dept pictures on some of these at a later date as this project progresses.