Mr BW writes:
It’s starting to look a bit more like a 70s payphone
I worked out how to divert the money from the coin slots, down through the hole bored with my new Big Wood Drill Bit, and into the coin return tray. I just needed a ‘catcher’ to divert the coins out through the hole to the front of the ‘phone’. I used a scrap piece of aluminium, so no cost there.
The outline phone shape is now appearing from the block and has all the essential elements. I had to take a little artistic licence and move the dial slightly down within the body compared to the real phones, as its mechanism interferes with the cradle and I definitely want the dial to work. It only notices if you put the pictures side by side.
You can probably work out the elements for yourselves, but the large horizontal slot across the top will take the cradle and handset from the old phone I cut up. The bezel and dial with its mechanism will fit into the large round hole and the catcher and coin tray will insert into the cut out about half way down the right hand side. The money of course goes into the hole just below the dial and needs a metal cover with appropriate slots.
The same version phone had many updates for the money mechanisms as we went through decimalisation and inflation. We have decided to go for the version using 2p and 10p coins as this is the one we were familiar with back in the day.
I also had a spare lock in my box of useful things (but no key, so not that useful). With a suitable surround it will make a perfect mock locking mechanism for the phone’s cash box.
There has also been a slight update to the version I am making. I had thought that all the payphones had the armoured cord but this was a later feature. The cord on the domestic phone I bought was worn and kinked but is correct for the payphone. Surprisingly you can still buy replacements in the correct ‘elephant grey’, so another £7 to the cost and a running total of £130.95.
Now, there is one thing that I can’t locate that I need to finish off The Phone Box Project. After a lot of searching, BW found the exact thing, wrapped in a paper WHS 45rpm record bag, as she knew it was, but only in white, whereas black is needed. BW asked the only other person we know who might have this thing, but he does but doesn’t.
So… this thing… Letraset in black in 16 point (or even a smidge bigger) Arial/Helvetica or similar font (which seem to be the nearest to the original GPO font used). Ideally two each of the letters to make ’10p’ and ‘2p’ (to allow for trials of the effect of lacquer on dry transfer). Very long shot but does anyone still have any of this Letraset they would part with?
Bobtail
Hello Mr BW.
That’s coming along nicely. If unable to source elsewhere, there’s a lot of Letraset on Ebay.
Blue Witch
Thanks Bobtail. eBay didn’t have what was needed when Mr originally looked, but he has today finally found it on Etsy – which also didn’t have it when he first looked.
He’s also tried printing the 2p and 10p out onto clear labels we had as samples from some stationery company at some long-ago time, but, as the labels were for laser printing and we are now using an Epsom Ecotank, it just came out blurry. Our trusty old HP OfficeJet Pro would have printed them OK, but the price of its cartridges (over £200 RRP a set now, and nearly £100 even as compatibles) meant it had to be retired.
Tim W.
Ancient Letraset may no longer stick properly. Good luck!
mr BW
That was/is our concern too Tim. However, with the printing not working and the Etsy sheet £5.50 delivered, it is worth a go. Next stop will be some specific inkjet clear labels, but then it gets more expensive as we will have to buy a pack. Some versions were engraved and I do have letter stamps so might also hold that as an option.