Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Pay Station Telephones => Pay Phones - General Discussion => Topic started by: trainman on September 15, 2017, 04:31:33 PM

Title: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: trainman on September 15, 2017, 04:31:33 PM
Is there a way to shorten a payphone srmored cord without having to remove the wires? And how was that furrule at the end of the cord attached? This cord does not have the lanyard inside.

This is a western electric g3 payphone handset. But it has a 4 foot cord. Where was a 4 foot cord used? All the three slots, and single slots with original handsets i have are all 24 inches long.

New manufactured handsets have 32in cords as standard.
Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: TelePlay on September 15, 2017, 04:39:19 PM
Quote from: trainman on September 15, 2017, 04:31:33 PM
This is a western electric g3 payphone handset. But it has a 4 foot cord. Where was a 4 foot cord used?

Drive up, dial/call from car through the driver's window usually at roadside pull offs or parks and gas stations. Even in a rain, you could roll up the window once the connection was made.
Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: Pourme on September 15, 2017, 06:16:36 PM
When I spent a lot of time on the road in the pre cell phone days, I used "phone from car" phones a lot!
Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: RB on October 27, 2017, 12:40:27 PM
I would assume, if it is a goose neck cable, you would need the cutting/retermination tools to do that.
I would look for a shorter cord of correct length/config. a lot less work imho
Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: Ktownphoneco on October 27, 2017, 05:53:12 PM
Trainman  ....     I have a number of new old stock armored handset cords for either A.E., Western or Northern coin collectors.     The dimensions are shown below along with some pictures.     Armored cord = $5.00 Canadian dollars plus shipping.     If you, or anyone else for that matter, is interested, send me a personal message (PM) and I'll let you know what shipping would cost.
Keep in mind that I'm in Kingston, Ontario, and cross border shipping is a bit more than domestic. 

Armored sheathing = 30 inches including the terminator caps or collars at both ends. Material = Stainless steel.
Handset End = 2 conductors for transmitter - 5 inches from terminator cap to base of spade connectors (red & black)
                      = 2 conductors for receiver - 7-1/2 inches from terminator cap to base of spade connectors (yellow & green)
Coin Collector End = 11-3/4 inches - all 4 conductors ( yellow & green & black & red).   Has black plastic inner sheathing 9 inches from from terminator cap with strain relief hook 7 inches from                 
                                  terminator cap.
Once installed, there will be a loss of approximately 1 inch at the handset end, and somewhere around 2 inches where the armored cord enters the frame of the coin collector.

Click on pictures twice for enlargements.

Jeff Lamb

Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: tallrick on December 26, 2017, 10:52:54 PM
Interesting as I always like a 5 or 6 foot cord on my pay phones. Probably because I like the freedom of movement and even answer calls while in my Bobcat.
Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: Jim Stettler on December 27, 2017, 09:46:32 AM
Quote from: TelePlay on September 15, 2017, 04:39:19 PM
Drive up, dial/call from car through the driver's window usually at roadside pull offs or parks and gas stations. Even in a rain, you could roll up the window once the connection was made.
Southwestern Bell also had "Phone from Horse","Phone from Bike","Phone from Boat ","Phone from Golf Cart".. Phones for awhile. They all used long handset cords.

Here is a pdf of the signs.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=16255.msg168468#msg168468

Jim S.
Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: HarrySmith on December 27, 2017, 12:06:12 PM
Quote from: tallrick on December 26, 2017, 10:52:54 PM
Interesting as I always like a 5 or 6 foot cord on my pay phones. Probably because I like the freedom of movement and even answer calls while in my Bobcat.

There is a phone sign I have never seen: "Phone From Bobcat"
Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: andre_janew on December 27, 2017, 05:14:29 PM
I think Mercury made a car called the Bobcat.  It was the companion car to the Ford Pinto.
Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: HarrySmith on December 27, 2017, 06:08:56 PM
Yes, that is correct. I worked on a few of them. It was the "Luxury" version of the Pinto!
Title: Re: Shorten payphone armored cord
Post by: tallrick on December 28, 2017, 02:12:18 PM
You have to remove the attachment to make a call from a Bobcat but it is doable. Also handy if that phone steals your quarters.