atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems 1A2 and Comkey Telephones & Systems Some new tools

A retired Bell tech gave me some old telecom tools today. He gave me a Harris TS-21 buttset, some BIX breakout adapters, an original Northern Electric 66 tool and the following items:


He told me he used to do alot of 1A2 work. The 25pair breakout box is kind of cool. The other two items are strippers of some sort. I just wonder about their use?

They are used for stripping wire before you wrap it.

Did he give you a manual or electric wire wrap gun?

Yes, he gave me a manual wrap tool. Did you have to do wire wrapping on these systems?

Yes

Mike, stop lying. There was no wire wrapping required on 1A2 (shhhhh....Mike isn't old enough to even know).

I am just kidding. Yes, wire wrapping was occasionally required to provide some "newer" options, like music on hold. Today, this is kind of like software upgrades. There were a few pins on the line card slots left vacant that allowed more advanced features, like MOH.

Wire wrap tools were used more for central office (and large commercial building) distribution frames. There are plenty of these frames still around, but 3M has connector (I think) that eliminates the need for wire wrapping on distribution frames.

This either saves time, or reduces the risk of technician error. Both important items to telcos.

They cut the wire to length and stripped at the same time. You'd try them a couple times, throw them away and break out the frame pliers. The purpose was to get the wire the exact length for the correct number of wraps, which I believe was 8.

Edit: I was in a Qwest CO just yesterday and they still wire wrap on the frame.

The curved tool was also made in a "combo" version, without the cutter. One slot would perfectly strip the jacket from quad, and the other slot came either 22 or 24 gauge, for the conductors. Really handy when wiring up 42-A blocks.

For a long time, Lucent provided Partner Connecting Cords, 10-foot double ended modular solid copper cables. Run from a station port on a control unit to a block, cut off one end and punch down. The quad stripper was great for that as well.

when I worked for WECO doing 1ESS installs the minimum bare wire length was 2 inches and you could strip 4pr at a time with practice . That amounted to at least 5 wraps with no overlays . The CO'S had rolling ladders with these metal ladder seats you could attach for working on the top bays. What a hemoroid causing devise those were if you did not pad them .

OBTW:

1ESS? As in the late 1960's / early 1970's? Didn't it go 1AESS in the mid 1970's?

And they said I was old!

I still have a wire wrap and a wire unwrapper tool in my tool bag . I also still carry a 51a lamp puller tool and I am ashamed to say a cord board lamp lens pulling tool .

Now I've got a lamp puller, but not the lens puller, had one long since lost. Think I still have the unwrapper too, but no wire gun. OK so any one have a lacer? Were getting close to being able to start our own museum.

Yes I do have a waxed twine lacer tool . I am just one of those aholes that kept track of his tools . I also still have the first wooden spudger I was issued . I also have a 555 cord board stored in my parents tool shed since 1971 . My Dad is 80 and still goes horseback riding everyday . Keeps him out of my Mom's hair . Just thought I would add a little personal info .

EV , You are right on with the late 60's early 70's time frame . So next time someone post's a remark about you being old you can say I am not old OBTW is old !

Now that I look closer at those two strippers, I see what you mean. They both have the cutter at the same distance from the stripper. I knew they were strippers but didn't realize they had a special purpose for the wrapping industry.

How about the breakout box? Looks like that may have come in pretty handy. We don't use the amphenol connector near as much now as they did back then. Was it a standard test device the tecks carried?

Not to leave the

We had a couple of the Amp test boxes, I don't remember ever using one. I thought OBTW meant oh by the way, guess it means older burned out telephone worker.

That's a GOOD ONE , justbill . I though it meant "oh by the way" also .

Twisted pair, you got to watch that one they call ev607797.

He is so old that when he got into the communication business the latest thing out was the telegraph system.

:rofl: :rofl:

Hey that brings up a new idea! :idea:

Maybe they could have a telegraph forum and Ed could be the mod of it also!


:toothy: :toothy:

mdaniel remember the initials AT&T stand for American Telephone & Telegraph . Anyone out there still carry around a contact burnishing tool ?

:rofl:

mdaniel if you keep ribbing EV he might whack you with his pole step hammer !

Yea, I proably have it comming to me.

Ed's a good guy. I just like giving him a hard time.

:thumb:

Yeah , I know what you mean . You only give a good ribbing to the people you like . But watch out for that pole step hammer it can hurt ya !

But he is so old, do you really think he could swing it that hard or fast?

I mean I'am sure his vision isn't what it was say 60 years ago either!

:toast:

I saw in your profile (gold paning)?
Is there still gold in the streams of CA?

Well if Ed's an old guy, he's still pretty quick. He sent me a PM before this 1A2 topic started telling me not to listen to anything that Mike, Bill, and Ken said without checking with him first!! :thumb:

:rofl:

But one thing we don't let out to everyone is that HOME he is in is...............it is the ones where his room is padded and he is in one of those armless jackets.

He replys to post by speech to text software.

:toothy: :toothy:

Okay, t p , you woke me up.

Got all the above, with both handgun and power wrap tool. Also got all the "stick" wraps to include power wire.

Yeah, I've got the metal burnisher ---- But it impresses the customer more when you whip out a fresh crisp Ben Franklin to burnish with. That is why service calls cost so much !

KLD

I think Ev still has one or two good hammer swings left in him before he has to increase the output of his oxygen tank ! Believe me those pole step hammers hurt like "billy b jibbers" if you get whacked in the shin by one. :scratch:

Yea, I am bracing myself for when he gets around to reading all this B.S.

And I have to go to my undisclosed location for a week or two!

mdaniel you asked if there still was gold in our California streams and rivers . Yes there is , my gold sniffing Rottweiler Roxie and I go often during the summer . We average about 11 ounces of gold per summer . It is just harder to get to . All the big stuff is lying on bedrock . Biggest nugget Roxie ever sniffed out 1.25 ounces , bout the size of a 50 cent piece . :thumb:

how much for Roxie?

Mike, you are killin' me. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Thanks for keeping things funny around here! I was just chuckling until I got to the morse code post and then I lost it!

No, I won't hit you with a pole step hammer, but I might crack you in the side of the head with my aluminum walker. Hmmmm.....Walker, sounds eerily similar to someone I know.

The "home" I am living in is pretty nice. They tell me that the padding on the walls is to soften the sound so it's more pleasant in my room. It also helps the speech-to-text program work more efficiently.

Oh, and Simon, thanks for attempting to defend me against this nut! It is appreciated, but Mike will always get the last laugh. He's one of a kind and I honestly think he could make us laugh at a funeral. That takes talent!

mdaniel ,Roxie is not for sale at any price , she is the only female that I have ever known that would trade Gold for a Milkbone .

You got a point there!!

Q - If Roxie and your wife are at the door whining to get in, which one do you let in?

A - Roxie, she'll stop whining once she's in!

:toast:

And sounds like she brings money in the the home not throw it at anything that catchs her eye.

:thumb:

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by twisted pair:
<strong> Well if Ed's an old guy, he's still pretty quick. He sent me a PM before this 1A2 topic started telling me not to listen to anything that Mike, Bill, and Ken said without checking with him first!! :toast:

:rofl: :rofl:

mdaniel, You are right ! Roxie definitey does not have the shiny object syndrome . My latest home improvement project is teaching her to sniff out and destroy hidden department store credit cards ! :rofl:

Name your price!!!!!!

Roxie is still not for sale . By the way , she does not mind the taste of plastic but she spits out that little piece of magnetic tape !

2 cents worth. Lets not be belittling telegraph. I worked in the switching aisles at the Kansas City, Mo. Western Union office in the late 60's. You know, about the time the 'Carter decision' happened. (Boy, did that date me!)