Shop phones ?

[J. Dillon]

I hesitate rigging a phone in my shop.
I hate to be jarred by a ring, vibration or bell while doing anything delicate especially near a cutting tool. :eek:

Presently I have none preferring to see what the message machine has, but I sometimes wonder about the convenience. But then again mounting the stairs up & down is exercise, something we all need. ;)

Any body else have a way of dealing with shop phones and dangerous cutting tools?
:rolleyes:
JD

[Ken Hutchins]

Have the phone for your convenience, turn the ringer off, screen the calls with the answering machine.

[Alan D. Hyde]

I have a bunch of $15 900megahertz portables around, so as to be convenient, and I answer them when it's convenient.

Between house, shop, pool & lawn, maybe 15 total, counting a few old-fashioned phones that work if the power's out.

There are better ways to get exercise than by running to pick up a telephone...

Alan

[Dale R. Hamilton]

I have an old fashioned black dial pay phone on the shop wall. Works just fine- but would you believe there are people running around today who have never used a dial telephone? Its in a big shop- so I usually have to run to it before the answering machine picks up. BTW- don't own- never will- a cell phone. Can't imaging walking around carrying a telephone everywhere you go.

[GB-32]

One idea is to hook up a light that flashes when the phone rings, like the hearing impaired use. Think you can get them at radio shack...or get creative.

[JimConlin]

I've thought about a flasher for the shop phone, but finally decided that when i'm operating a loud machine, I'm better off not knowing there's an incoming call. I check the answering machine when I take a break.

[Miami Mike]

Finaly! A subject I can comment on. I'm a long time lurker and occaisionl question asker who just started work on a Penobscot 14'. My first boatbuiling attempt.

Here's my take on shop phones. I have a small shop at my house and I work alone. I always keep a cell phone in my pocket in case of an emergency. I try to be as careful as possible but I wouldn't want something to happen and to be an arms length away form a phone.

I know it sounds drastic but I've been in the lumber business (selling hardwoods not woodworking) for 15+ years and I've seen more than a few "drastic" shop accidents, including one right in front of me where a 4' hard maple massive bed post slipped the chock and crushed a shop workers forehead.

I like having the phone handy....just in case of an emergency or if I need to order a pizza in a hurry!

I was also going to suggest the light, as I've seen many shops that have them but I respect the desire not to be distracted at critical times. I have a portable on the wall in my shop with the ringer off and a cell in my pocket.

And thats my two cents worth! LOL

[gary porter]

JD, We have a phone in the shop but its upstairs so I can't really get to it to answer but sometime move it downstairs if I'm expecting a call. I have an intercom on one of my benches that my wife calls me on when time to come eat or when someone calls that I need to talk to. Both devices just plug into the wall and work over the power line between the house and shop. You might want to a phone and see if it really dissrupts you as much as your guessing it will. I haven't found a problem with either and they are convenient and as mentioned above are an added safety device if something does happen.
Gary

[George Roberts]

Some of you must get lots of phone calls.

We have cordless phones with an intercom. I set my phone on a bench.

I only pay attention if it rings more than 4 times indicating it is my wife on the intercom or if I am waiting for a call from my wife.

When she calls I jump.

[Alan D. Hyde]

Indiana has a strong no-solicitation law, much stronger than the Federal no-call statute. We're on that list, so if we get a call, chances are it's from someone with whom we wish to speak.

Alan

[Banjo]

A phone in the shed?!?!?!

Having the need to carry a phone with me all day at work that can ring up 20 times BEFORE lunch, then I usually can't wait to turn it off at knock off time.
When I'm out in the shop {aussie version "The Shed" } I don't want a phone any where near me.
If we get a phone call it goes something like this. SWMBO answers call first, if it's one of her girl friends I won't get pestered for hours "you beuty" but if it's for me then the call transfer goes something like this.

SWMBO sticks her head out the back door.
SWMBO "OY!
ME "Yeah?"
SWMBO "PHONE!"
ME "Who is it?"
SWMBO "SOME BLOKE"
ME "What's he want?"
SWMBO "DUNNO"
ME "Bugger $%^&#@$!... OK Coming"

Then I climb out of the boat and clean epoxy of hands and go inside only to find it's some helpfull sod that wants to make me rich by selling me a colony of blind three legged lemmings that live on the edge of a 200 foot cliff face, "Great Tourist Attraction he say's" {conditions apply}.

A phone in the shed NO WAY! I just need to train SWMBO to screen the calls better! :rolleyes:

[ 01-30-2004, 05:18 PM: Message edited by: Banjo ]

[J. Dillon]

Thanks all for the great tips but I'm now thinking " Let sleeping dogs lie" ;)

Banjo's post convinced me to let it alone. I can just imagine a scenario where you are doing some critical glueing or up to the elbow in kicking off epoxy that can't be put down even for a P. :eek: Answering the phone to find out something in the order of what Banjo related is not my cup of tea.

I'll deal with messages at MY lesiure. :cool:

JD

[N. Scheuer]

Whwen I go down to my basement shop, or out into the Garage where the big power tools are, I don't give a Damm about the phone.

Now if Gayle wants to answer it, and bring to remote to me, and if my hands aren't all smeared with some sort of gunk, I may decide to talk, or, I may just ask her to tell the person that I'll call them back later. But I won't shut off one of the saws, or the lathe, or whatever, or reach for a clean towel, and answer it.

Moby Nick

[ken c]

i had a phone in the shop, still do, but through some freak accident, the wires got cut..... :rolleyes:

[Nicholas Carey]

I say, install a phone in the shop. Wire it to some sort of strobing ringer (http://www.phonemerchants.com/tecstrobvisr.html).

And then install an inline switch, so you can turn the damn thing off when you don't want to be disturbed.

Why?

Because, in that 1 in a million time when something bad happens and you damage yourself

http://www.safteng.net/Accident%20Photos/tcer003.jpg

You need, really need, the ability to get a hold of the 9-1-1 folk. In a hurry.

The first 10 minutes following a serious trauma are critical and often mean the difference between life and death.

[Sorry about the picture. Tough love: a picture is worth a thousand words.]

Besides, it will please SWMBO. And the key to all happiness (as we know) is to make SWMBO happy.

[BTW, if you need an RJ-11 crimping/cutting tool, let me know and I'll UPS it over to you.]

[ 01-31-2004, 01:23 AM: Message edited by: Nicholas Carey ]

[Ron Williamson]

Ick.Now how's he going to dial 911?
We have enough phones in our shop,but I won't stop to answer when I'm busy.
If it's important,they'll call back.
R

[NormMessinger]

Ya all must be pretty jumpy if a phone ringing will cause you to stick something inappropriate in something sharp. Install or not as you wish and take your medicine.

If I had had a wireless phone on me when my wife called a while back I wouldn't have broken my leg trying to catch the call before she hung up. But then the phone was in the shop and I was in the boat.

[capt jake]

I have a phone and an intercom system wired to the shop. Both are on a low volume and a very non-confrontational ring. smile.gif It doesn't bother me or scare me, but let's me know somebody is calling. I let teh answering machine grab it most of the time. Hey I think it is a great thing, unles over-used.

"Hey Honey, what color should I paint.." You get my drift?? smile.gif

It's great when it is, "Hey honey, dinner is ready!!" smile.gif smile.gif )

[Mrleft8]

I can barely hear the phone in my shop if any of the power tools are turned on, so there's no chance of being "jarred" by a ringing phone. When I'm elbow deep in glue, the answering machine takes a message. When I have 2 or three friends over helping me rivet.... The one closest to the phone answers the phone.... (remember?) ;)

[daddles]

I've got a land line in the shed with a cheap phone from one of these $2 shops. The ring is pretty crappy so it's not going to scare you. Also, being cheap, I don't mind picking it up with epoxy on my hands.

But the circular saw photo (thank you for that, I was eating breakfast - note the past tense) had me thinking about it's location - it's a bugger to get to as it is, let alone if I had hurt myself. Might move it. Might think about it. Nah.

Ring 911?
Completely useless - doesn't work in this country. :D

Now, if I were to receive a phone call from one of these telemarketing gentlemen, I might just find a sudden need to fire up the table saw - sorry, but their a bloody pest here, worse'n the rabbits (making a comeback after calisi).

Cheers
Richard

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Certainly the guy in the picture above could use a hand....

badaboom tongue.gif

[Peter Page]

I used to work in a busy emrgency operating room and we had a lot of power tool injuries. Saws, routers, shapers, nailguns ect. I always asked them how did it happen. Not one ever said it was because of the phone. All said they just got slack and stoped paying attention to what they were doing. When I got my new bandsaw a few years ago I hung a bag of ice to put the fingers in.(must be kept cold so we can sow them back on) Just be aware of what you are doing and think of the bag of ice. It helps to have seen a few amputations to help you focus. be careful. :eek: :eek: