S.H. Couch walnut two box

[Thomas]

Hello, First time on this Forum since 2015 when you guys helped me restore a nice 1950's desk phone. My wife and I just picked up a S.H. Couch two box walnut wall phone. I have been looking for a nice long project and I think I've got one now! I'm going to restore all the wood parts first because that's what I'm good at. I'm a retired carpenter/cabinetmaker and a restorer of all kinds of things. Getting this thing working is going to be a bit of a challenge but I really want to get it to work, maybe not to call out but would love it to work as an extension to our other land line phones. Not sure that is possible. There were some parts with it but I know there is stuff missing. I've never done this kind of a restoration before, as far as re-wiring this and getting new parts and connecting them correctly. I ordered Old-time telephones! : design, history, and restoration / Ralph O. Meyer from the library thinking it might help. I'm not sure what parts will cost either, that may affect how long it takes to finish this project. Would love to know more about S.H. Couch as well and anything about the phone you may know such as model # or name etc. Thanks to all, Tom

< edit 11-17-21 : image removed, rotated, reinserted >

[Thomas]

Here are more pictures to add to my first post

[Key2871]

Glad to hear you want to restore the wood, I bet that comes out looking great.
Good luck with that, and I look forward to seeing the finished piece.

[Doug Rose]

Thomas... S.H. Couch was made in North Quincy MA, just outside of  Boston. Good luck on your restoration, old wood is joy to work on. Making this work as an extension is ambitious. Keep us up to date on your progress...
Doug

[FABphones]

Put together this info and manufacturing plant photo for you.

[Thomas]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, I'll probably need all that I can get. I was hoping someone would know the Model or Type of this phone. When I read about all the Westinghouse and others they always have numbers referring to  the type or model, does that apply to Couch phones as well? Would really like to know specifics if possible. Thanks again

[Doug Rose]

I picked up a Whitman Couch this summer with the intention to clean it up and hang it on a wall.

The integrity of your wonderful phone would be lost if you tried to make it work.

Clean up the wood and make a wonderful display phone.

Just my humble opinion. It is your phone, so do what you want.

Good luck with your project ....Doug

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=25516.msg250776#msg250776

[Thomas]

Doug, Thanks for the advice, I understand what you are saying regarding leaving it alone, sometimes it's best to leave them as they are. Our original hope was to get it to ring as an extension to our other old phones but we are still undeciced. We have collected antique striking clocks for years and we always leave them as we found them unless the case is broken or falling apart. We do get the movement to work though. I would love to at least get parts for it that show, like the crank and cup for the transmitter. I could always jury rig the receiver holder so it can be hung up. I think this phone was left outside because some of the wood is really cupped and warped and there is literally no shellac left on it. I've taken apart the lower battery box and have gotten two bad pieces flat again, heat and water. Gotta love hide glue for it's reversible properties too. Do you think I can get parts I want from guys on this forum or should I try someone like Oldphoneworks? Thanks again for your help. Tom

[Doug Rose]

Getting Couch parts for your phone will be tough.

Finding another Couch woodie for parts might be your only option. When you decide what you need, ask the Forum. Good luck with your search...Doug

[Thomas]

From all the things I've heard so far from members here it seems like it's going to be tough to get parts to make this phone work. We  are now not so concerned with doing that. I'm restoring the box and cleaning up all parts on the outside so it looks complete. My question is this. Can we get the the bells to ring when it's cranked if I have a working Magneto and working bell assembly? Am I wrong in thinking that if the magneto is wired to the bells coils when it is cranked the bells will ring? Again we are not trying to use the phone to make or receive calls, just as a display and be able to crank the bells once in a while. I'm  also wondering if I bought a "working" magneto and wired it to the original bell coils I have they may work! Any thoughts on this? Thanks.

[RB]

You can wire the magneto directly to the bell, and it will ring when cranked.
Magnetos have a few different switch combinations to watch for.
It is not hard to figure it out.
The bell coils you already have will work if they are not damaged/burned out.
Take an ohm meter and connect to the leads. use around the 1 to 2k setting, maybe lower depending on the coils.
After that, you may still want it to ring on a newer land line.
add a 2 to 2uf cap in line with the bell, and wire it like normal, it should ring.
There are many wiring diagrams that will be similar to what you have on this sight.
Good luck.

[Thomas]

RB, Thanks for that info. I should make it perfectly clear here that I have never done this kind of wiring before. I don't have an ohm meter and have never used one. I have no idea what you mean when you say, "add a 2 to 2uf cap in line with the bell...". I'm going to venture a guess that the "cap" you refer to is something on the line between the magnito and bell that would enable me to bring a wire from our land line to the old phone and it would ring when a call came in on that line??  I did rewire our 1953 desk phone years ago with help from someone through email but I don't understand all the lingo. It does sound like it isn't really complicated to figure out so I'm going to just forge ahead and ask questions when I come to a roadblock. I do have a book coming from the library and hopefully it will help me out. At least now I know that what I want to do will work. I need to do some studying! Thanks again for the help. Tom

[Key2871]

I have a WE 317, and it rings it's bells just fine connected to the magneto. So you might not need a cap at all to ring your bells.

[poplar1]

I have a WE 317, and it rings it's bells just fine connected to the magneto. So you might not need a cap at all to ring your bells.

No capacitor needed unless connected to a common battery line.

[Thomas]

Now I know what a "cap" is!! A capacitor! I just read a post about Common Battery and Local Battery too, now it makes sense. I'm getting there slow but sure!