iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Old wooden telephones - what type wood were they made from?

Started by scsmith42, July 16, 2013, 11:01:55 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

scsmith42

I have a customer that wants to build a project that utilizes the type of oak and finish used on old Western Union telephones.  Presumably it is quartersawn, but I don't have a phone handy to look at and determine if it was quartersawn red or quartersawn white oak.

Timeframe would be in the 20's, which by then I recall that most of the standard wall phones were made from oak.

Does anybody know for sure if the old Western Electric phones were made from red or white oak?

Thx.

Scott

Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Leigh Family Farm

Couple of the ones on eBay are saying oak but thats just a quick bing search...
There are no problems; only solutions we haven't found yet.

DanG

I don't know for sure, Scott, but I'll bet on white oak.  Magicman was a telephone man in that era, so he would probably know. ;D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

okmulch

The one on my wall is white oak. Got it from wife's father. He retired from the phone company. Worked for them for many years.


 
Rotochopper b66 track, #2 Rotochopper b66 track, woodmizer lt40, CAT 277b, CAT 268b, CAT 287c, CAT 277c, CAT299d2, CAT299d3, CAT 299d3, Volvo 70e,volvo70f, volvo90f

Den Socling

Scott, Did you mean Western Electric instead of Western Union? I Googled pictures and some were quarter sawn WO but some were Red Oak, also.

Magicman

Quote from: DanG on July 16, 2013, 01:14:01 PMMagicman was a telephone man in that era, so he would probably know. ;D 
DanG, Dang, I ain't that DanG old,   whiteflag_smiley  hurt_smiley  wheeliechair   but it should be White Oak.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ron Wenrich

From that time period, mission furniture was the type that was in vogue.  Mission furniture was predominantly quartersawn white oak.  My hand crank phone is also white oak.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

scsmith42

Thanks guys.

Den - good catch - I meant Western Electric!
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

WDH

You should have plenty of quartersawn white oak  :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

scsmith42

Quote from: WDH on July 17, 2013, 10:49:01 PM
You should have plenty of quartersawn white oak  :D.

Maybe just a board or two......  <grin>
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Thank You Sponsors!