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Kids and the Hobby of Telephone Collecting

Started by savageje, June 07, 2010, 02:30:22 AM

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Jim Stettler

I once met a lady who collected plastic grocery bags.
was doing some work in her house and the topic of collecting came up.

She opened up a kitchen drawer and started showing me the bags she had neatly stored away.
These were the early plastic bags, some were really thick by todays standard, she had one that was the "new" biodegradable bag ect. You could see design "improvements" on the newer bags. She pointed out the subtle differences and progression of the plastic bag technology.

{Pretty much the same things we point out about phones}

She said, "I know people think it is crazy, but I like them".

At that point I realized that there is probably a collector for everything.
Jim

BTW She was very pleased to be able to show her collection to a polite audience. I did learn a bit about plastic bag technology that day.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

AET

I know what you mean D/P.  I have a good friend who is really heavy into archery and has bows, arrows, etc up the wazoo.  I couldn't care less about archery, but I am polite and show interest when he's showing me his stuff.

Quote from: Dan/Panther on June 08, 2010, 02:02:29 AM
Tom;
Most people "Don't Get it".
Whether I'm into someone Else's hobby or not, I try to show interest when someone takes the time to show me something they take pride in.
D/P
- Tom

Dan/Panther

Tom;
Collecting for the most part, BEFORE the internet Forums, was a self fulfilling adventure. It was hard to get people to look at your collection, let alone show interest, or even harder to recruit a new collector.

Jim;
You can just imagine someone will come through and clean out all of her bags and call her an eccentric old miser, that didn't even throw away her grocery bags.

BTW, California's legislature pulled another fiasco. They have actually made plastic grocery bags illegal. After January 1, 2011, you can not use plastic grocery bags. Plastic shopping bags have to be the greatest improvement to shopping since the Mall.See how stupid they are, they come up with Plastic bags to save the trees, then turn around and ban the bags to save the landfills. Now what, back to paper ??? What about the trees?


D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dennis Markham

Dan, here in Michigan, and probably elsewhere, they sell you a reusable bag.  That way no paper and no plastic.  You just remember to bring your bag with you each time you shop.  They even give you a credit, I think it's a dime for every bag you bring with you and fill with groceries.

bellsystemproperty

It's the same here too, except they don't give you any kind of credit for using one. We have some of the reusables but almost always forget to bring them.
C*NET # 794-5953 (KYLE)

gpo706

Interesting, children are all different, my mates 10 year ol boy, was fascinated with all my dial phones, and my test sets which I had 2 wired up to speak on, even my field magneto phone and its ringing generator.

This lad has been into electrics since a toddler, if he takes it up he'll make a great electrician or electrical engineer.

Was funny the first time he tried the phones and pushed the digits on the dial before his dad "tought" him, was brilliant the look on his face when he figured out how to "move" the dial!

Now I have the PBX, I'm scared his dad is gonna kill me when he potters about with it and asks him for one for his room.

Moral of the story - not all kids are into the same stuff!

"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

Jim Stettler

plastic bags:
Here in Colorado they sell the reusable ones different sizes and quality for .50- $4.00.
My mom buys the .50 walmart cheapies and uses them as gift bags for birthdays ect.
She used to use the $1 store gift bags for gifts, but decided the reusable shopping bags were cheaper, and also a bonus gift that helps cut down on landfill waste.  My wife is pretty good about using re-usable bags, but I am not in the habit .

Over the last couple of years they started single stream* recycling and I do use it. I save about $1.00 a month , and recycle about 200-300 gallons of material a month.

Jim
* Single stream recycling is 1 container for all recyclables (no sorting). 
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

paul-f

We keep several heavy duty cotton tote bags in each car -- actually about 8 in the van, as we usually take it for grocery shopping.  That way, when we forget to take them in, it's just a short walk to the parking lot.

We got most of the bags at yard sales (while looking for phones, of course).  Many were in the "free" box, so are also repurposed.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

.

savageje

A lot of interesting responses here.  I think that it will always be difficult to sell the hobby to kids that don't have a parent, relative, or friend that is into it.  However, it seems like a worthwhile venture to encourage kids that show an interest.  For me, collecting isn't just about the phones, it is about preserving history.  For kids that do have an interest, it can also be a vehicle for learning basic electronics skills, research, bargaining skills, conservation and restoration, and a lot of other important life skills along the way.  

I am interested enough in this topic to think about ways that we could encourage young collectors in the hobby and further fuel their interest.  One of the challenges of the collector societies is that they are not necessarily "local" organizations, so they don't meet and get personal interaction with the membership that often.  I have gone to a couple of shows now and plan to go up to the ATCA national show in August, so maybe that will give me a better feel for what might work.

AET

I'm not saying I want to even recruit people, frankly.  More phones for us!  I am slightly offended when I don't at least get that obligatory glance.  You can't turn anywhere in my place without seeing antiques, a compliment shouldn't be that hard to get.

And the real thing is that I have a HUGE hatred for people who insult your hobby and what you do.  It's bologna!  I would never insult someone else's hobby, give me the same respect.

Quote from: Dan/Panther on June 08, 2010, 01:26:51 PM
Tom;
Collecting for the most part, BEFORE the internet Forums, was a self fulfilling adventure. It was hard to get people to look at your collection, let alone show interest, or even harder to recruit a new collector.

D/P
- Tom

AE_Collector

Quote from: bellsystemproperty on June 08, 2010, 03:55:02 PM
We have some of the reusables but almost always forget to bring them.

Just jamb a big bag full of previously used plastic shopping bags under the seat of each car and then when you forget to bring your reusable bags along you can get out the plastic bags and reuse them.

We have lots of reusable bags but since they go into the house full of the items you bought, sooner or later you are going to wind up out shopping without them. Thats when you REUSE the plastic bags which is virtually as environmentally responsible. The goal is to not use any more NEW plastic bags.

I see people hauling their groceries home in 10 or 20 shiny new plastic bags and wonder why they can't just bring them back with them next time and use them again if they don't want to buy reusables. No big deal...

Jim Stettler

Jim,

I think the best way to get kids interested in the hobby is to get teachers interested about old telephone technology.

The best way to get teachers interested would be a web site with some ready made curriculum and  Kid related telephone projects.

If someone created and educator/student telephone site, it would be good to have curriclum guides for several age groups.  Included should be a condensed telephone history and some good photos.
Their should be some kid related telephone projects, Links to some good telephone sites, museum sites and Fun phone videos.

I know there are some collectors who do talks at their local schools about telephones, you may be able to get some input on what seems to interest kids the most.
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I somtimes donate rotary phones to kindergarten and preschool classrooms. I also give away mod 500 sets to kids who like them.

An electrical box with batteries and a double jack for  plugging in a rotary and a TT phone w/ talk battery between them. This is a fun "toy" for young kids and since it is interactive, they would probably remember it.

Just some thoughts,
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Dan/Panther

Jim;
Could you draw up a quick diagram for the circuit using a wall wart for power.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Jim Stettler

D/P,
I can't draw on the computer and my scanner must be mad at the computer because they aren't currently talking.

It was long ago and I would like to construct and test the circuit before I post it.  Using a wall wart should work, battery is nice due to clean DC . a transformer may cause noise. also it requires the use of a bit of "handiness" {drilling, soldering ect.}, a quality that many folks don't have (present company excepted)
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Ralph meyers book shows 9 volt DC in series with 2 phones for a simple intercom. Simply put the power between 1 tip and the other ring. Jumper the other tip and ring together.

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I guess the question is: do you want a collector/hobby circuit or a simple circuit that a teacher could rig up?
For a teacher set up I would say to try not to modify the phones, just set-up the battery in a dual jack box. I am thinking I went parallel and the talk path worked and you got side-tone and TT with 1 phone off hook. I think I had to reverse the feed to 1 jack.
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It has been close to 15 years since I played around with "telephone based toys".
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Ralph Meyers book has a lot of simple circuits for private intercom lines.
The simplest is a  battery in series with the phones. Ralph shows a 9 volt battery between them. I think I was  using "c" cells. I was only using 2-6' mod cords between the jacks.
With series you only get talk battery when both phones are off hook.
Ralph 's circuits are mainly using 6vdc lantern batteries.

There are a lot of ways you can convert telephones into interactive toys:

I rigged up 1 stand alone  500 with a pair  of D cells in place of the ringer and installed a 3vdc buzzer inside. The buzzer was hooked to the battery and pulsing contacts from the dial, when you dialled the buzzer would pulse buzz.

on a 2500 (stand alone) I put the batteries in place of the ringer (stand alone) so that the TT would work.
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In Ralph's book he shows a test set made with a 2500 that uses batteries and is the power supply for an intercom, just plug your other phone into the back of the test set.. Keep in mind that this doesn't have signaling.
His set uses 4 AA cells. For connecting the fine wires of the isolation transformer I crimped a mod end on the transformer wires and used a 4 cond. mod jack. I had to convert a 3 cond mod jack by stealing a wire from a broken jack and adding it.

It did occur to me to add a buzzer to each phone and using the spare pair for signaling purposes, but I never tried to do it. With this case you would need some sort of signalling button or the pulsing contacts to signal the other phone. You may need to up the talk battery voltage to get good results.

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I did try to dope out a 2 phone 4 wire local battery circuit.(back in the day) Each phone had it's own battery that was additive for the talk circuit and the signalling used the spare pair. Each buzzer was powered by it's local battery, I had to switch one pos. and the other neg. I never tried it, but it appeared doable on paper.
Signal voltage was 1/2 of talk voltage.
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I think I pointed out enough things to get some forum folks playing around on creating "Interactive play phones".
Why don't folks play out some circuits and post them for everyone.


For experimental purposes you only need a toner or a battery holder for talk battery.

Jim


You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

mmd

I'm not a kid anymore, I'm 23.  Sure, still young, but I've matured more sense I was younger.  Though, my friends, of which are usually older than me, always tell me how mature I am for my age.

But anyways, I LOVE old things.  Without these things we wouldn't be where we are today.  But I also love newer tech too, as some things I "have" to upgrade.

My old tech:
WE 302
WE 500
Atari 2600
NES, SNES, N64
Sega Genesis (almost all models of the system and it's hardware varients), Sega CD, Sega 32X
Commodore 64
IBM PS/2 Model 25 - An all-in-one XT system with a monochrome LCD, Intel 8086 CPU (replaced with an NEC V30) and 8087 co-CPU, and hacked with VGA graphics for 256 shades of grey and 16 shades of grey in 640x480
Betamax!
Old VHS deck (top loader style)
PlayStation (the original)
Fisher 800c Tube receiver
Pioneer LaserDisc Player and slightly large collection of discs
I'm sure I have a few more old things, but the oldest is the WE 302 phone, of which I LOVE..

Newer things that I have:
Samsung 40" 1080p LCD
Mac Pro 8x core, 32GB RAM
PS3 (Mainly for bluray and DVDs and networked media, not for games)
5.1 DTS/Dolby Digital receiver Sony
iPod Touch 2nd gen
Motorola Razr V3xx - European model (for it's 2 cameras) - not used usually, only for emergencies or texting friends because they don't believe in calling my home phone for some reason..

So yea, I'm not like others, but I do love collecting..  My biggest thing in collecting however is LaserDiscs, I collect the discs like the plaque.  Even if I see a box, I buy the box.
Brandon
Western Electric 302, 500