Who ya gonna call? Little addition to my arcade

gorfchampion

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I wanted an old phone in my arcade just for show. Something a little bit different, though.

I bought this 1930's/40's bakelite handcrank wall mounted telephone at a rummage sale. The desktop ones are a little more common, but I wanted a wallmount, so I ended up with this.

I believe phones like these were used in hotels(and other applications) BITD; you would turn the crank to get the operator, then request a room #. I made up my own phone card with my own interpretation of what you might request from the operator if you picked this phone up in my arcade.

This phone does not have just mechanical innards that ring the bells when you turn the crank. It actually has a magneto inside that produces electricity when you crank it, sending the voltage thru wires to a small, flat bar that moves up and down, alternating the ringing of 2 bells that have different tones.

I didn't know this when I took it apart. I was holding the magneto and turned the crank and got 110 volts right up my arm! Dammit that hurt like hell. Live and learn....

I mounted it to the stud in the wall with a small "L" bracket I made that is hidden by the wall mount of the phone itself. I put one bolt thru that mounting bracket.

The phone cord is braided cloth, kinda cool. Inside looks complete, there's even a small circuit board in there. When you turn the crank you can hear static thru the receiver. I'm waiting for someone to say something to me so I can get good and creeped out...
 

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I thought this was going to be a thread about a Ghostbusters arcade game. That's ok. Phones are alright too. When I have a bigger arcade and more money, I really want a phone booth with a working pay phone. I like the aluminum and blue ones or the Bill and Ted style red one. There is one of those in a small town nearby but even in the fairly bigger towns around here, you hardly ever see pay phones anymore.
 
I thought this was going to be a thread about a Ghostbusters arcade game. That's ok. Phones are alright too. When I have a bigger arcade and more money, I really want a phone booth with a working pay phone. I like the aluminum and blue ones or the Bill and Ted style red one. There is one of those in a small town nearby but even in the fairly bigger towns around here, you hardly ever see pay phones anymore.


Yeah, phone booths are rare, and spendy if you CAN find one. But they are really cool....
 
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