Payphone

[DaOld Man]

Does anyone have a payphone in their arcade room?
I think it would be neat to have an 80's style working pay phone..
Pics of said phones would be nice.

[Hawk Daddy]

eBay Link

Better Hurry if you want it.

Hawk

[Ken Layton]

I install and repair payphones. There's lots of bargains on ebay with all the ones pulled out of service from lack of use. Get one with either an Elcotel or Protel brand circuit board in it. Don't both with an Ernest Telecom or Intellicall brand---they suck.

[Sidgoop]

Yep, I got one about 2 years ago when Bellsouth was de-commissiong a lot of their payphones.  They were letting them go for $150 - fully converted for home use.  It's in one of the corners in my gameroom/bar.  I've trying to find plans to build an old-fashioned phone booth (the old wooden ones inside restaurants and bars, not the metal/glass ones that used to be on the street.  Here's a pic -

[DaOld Man]

Thanks Hawk, but looks like I missed out on that one.

Ken, thanks for the info. How can I tell what kind of board it has, if it's not mentioned in the description on ebay?

Sidgoop: I like your payphone. Thats the kind of phone I want. I think the booth is a great idea, I was thinking maybe one of the signs you can get on ebay, hang it on the wall above the phone, but the booth would be better, if you had the room for it.

[Ken Layton]

Ask the seller for the make/model of the phone and what circuit board it has inside. Also ask if it has keys for the locks.

The old oak telephone booths are still out there. They have been reproduced and you can still find old originals out there. The metal/glass type full booths are called "Superman" booths.

The payphones themselves have 3 styles of casings that house everything:
Western Electric (sometimes called simply, Western or AT&T)
GTE/Palco
Hybrid

A Western Electric case is the easist to identify. Look where the coin return bucket is. A genuine Western Electric always has the coin return bucket on the left side of the coin vault door. The handset cord also comes out the front of the faceplate.

A GTE case is identified by the coin return bucket being on the right side of the coin vault door. The handset cord comes out the left side of the case.

A "hybrid" case is really a GTE case with faceplate dressup kit to make it look like a Western Electric case. The giveaway will be that the coin return bucket will be on the right side of the coin door vault.

All of the big "baby Bell" telephone companies use Western Electric cased phones exclusively. They are a little harder to work on, cramped inside, and parts are way more expensive.

Many independent Publicly owned telephone companies like GTE/Verizon use GTE cased phones.

Many competitive private payphone providers use the hybrid case. Parts are the cheapest and most plentiful for these. These cases are roomy and can accomodate a wide variety of circuit boards and add-ons inside.

I own 5 payphones all pulled in from a route several years ago. They are just taking up space as they all need updated circuit board to go back into route service again.

Here is an example of an Elcotel "Olympian 5501" in a genuine Western Electric case:
http://www.worldpayphones.com/units/unit-us-QuorTech.htm

Here is a place to get payphones, parts, and accessories:
http://www.payphoneproducts.com/

Here's where to get a reproduction wood booth, but you won't like the price:
http://www.payphone.com/shop/catalog/Wooden_Superman_Booth-p-16208.html

[Thenasty]

you can't get this free off the street ? 

[DaOld Man]

In my younger days I probably would have, but now Im smart (old) enough to know it aint worth that much. 

Ken thanks for that info.
I looked at one at http://www.payphoneproducts.com/product_wm_residential.shtml

139 bucks. Thats about what they go for on ebay anyway.
That Superman Booth looks cool, but man that is a high price. Have you tried to make one out of MDF? Wouldnt have to worry about the wind blowing it away!

[Thenasty]

We built our maching so we can have that " Younger day, what we use to do thing", maybe this should be in there and see if we still got the guts to do it (it sure would bring back some memories too) 

[Sidgoop]

I was thinking maybe one of the signs you can get on ebay, hang it on the wall above the phone, but the booth would be better, if you had the room for it.

If you look at the picture, that metal "sliver" above the payphone is actually a payphone sign I got off of ebay.  You're just seeing it from the side view (the sign edge and it's mount).  It's one of those blue and white 10"X10" ones you see on the poles that are mounted above the payphone.  It's surprising with the increased use of cellphones, that more payphones aren't retired and sold on ebay.  That place should be littered with them.

Here's where to get a reproduction wood booth, but you won't like the price:
http://www.payphone.com/shop/catalog/Wooden_Superman_Booth-p-16208.html

Yeah, that's what I was talking about, but that is a tad bit pricey.  Thanks for the link with the picture, though.  It might be enough for me to get started designing one.  (Add another project to the list!)

[Hoopz]

It's surprising with the increased use of cellphones, that more payphones aren't retired and sold on ebay.  That place should be littered with them.

I think most of them belong to the phone company.  I had one taken out of a camp area in January and it wasn't ours.  It's was their property.  In three years, the phone company never came out to empty the money.   

The phone companies should be listing them and selling them.  In large corporations like that it takes a long time for a decision to be made, they may be inventoried or even thrown away. 

I guess they could be found at small mom and pop places where the business actually owned them.  They may be willing to let them go for $50 or something.

[DaOld Man]

If you look at the picture, that metal "sliver" above the payphone is actually a payphone sign I got off of ebay.  You're just seeing it from the side view (the sign edge and it's mount).  It's one of those blue and white 10"X10" ones you see on the poles that are mounted above the payphone. 

Ok, I didnt know what that was at first. The angle got me...

[Ken Layton]

You want payphone signs? Here's a great company:

http://www.nform.com/

[yugffuts]

Here's where to get a reproduction wood booth, but you won't like the price:
http://www.payphone.com/shop/catalog/Wooden_Superman_Booth-p-16208.html

So, what's an original wood phone booth work?  My dad has one he's thinking of selling.  Wired for home use.

[ahofle]

I am now obsessed with having a payphone in my house thanks to this damned thread. 

[squire]

i have a payphone at the house that ime getting ride off its new still has the plastic protector wrap on it! i will post some pics when i get home. if your still interested.?
but i do not have the keys to it.

[DaOld Man]

Post pics please, and PM me the price, if you dont want to post it..

ahofle: Sorry dude...

[Thenasty]

seen this in craiglist...for $150 Bell Payphone in Fort Leee NJ

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/wan/425101185.html


I can help you out if you want me to pick it up.