Telephone Jack

[Matt]

Q1: They make a specialty spade bit with a small hole in the spade. Drill the hole, run the wires through the bit, pull the bit back out. You can also do this with a regular bit and a small amount of electrical tape.

Q2: I hate plaster. If it were me, I'd find some way to route the wire in the stud space, or mount a wireless phone instead.

Q3: Use these instead:

Q4: See Q3. Or use: Q5: You already answered your question. It's just a matter of how much you want to fight the tool you are using for any particular job.

[Charlie S.]

Thanks Tony, that might be a good idea. He has a cordless answering machine with a speaker phone mode. It makes sense to put it where he sits most of the day. That way, in case he misses any calls he won't have to get up to check for his messages. I don't know how he will like using speaker-phone mode. I am going to have him test it out.

[Charlie S.]

He can't hear very well. And, would probably frustrate these callers so much they'd take him off the list themselves.

To be honest, I wish of his friends and family would call him. He's getting more depressed with his walking and having lost his wife (my mom) a few months ago.

[Charlie S.]

Thanks for the offer. He's on the Do Not Call list. I don't think he gets very many solicitors.

An answering machine to screen calls? I hate when people do that to me. It makes me feel as though, if I'm worth your time,you'll answer. I like caller Id better. Everyone is entitled to their own style.

[Charlie S.]

Thanks for the idea. I'm all finished the project with the exception of securing the line along the ceiling edge. Will try out your idea.

Murphy met up with me here. Had to drill another hole and move the wire a bit as the two ends of the freshly cut wire just barely met.

I'm not sure if I had any solder. So, I did use the wire nuts. Didn't feel like looking around for the solder.

[Charlie S.]

Snip

I am going to try some sort of stick on. The u-channel may be the way to go. My biggest concern is whether they will hold. It's slightly damp in the cellar.

Sorry not familiar with repair lingo. 'jack leg' means? (I presume... not the best way.)

I wish I had paid more careful attention to your post. I already made the splice without using a jack. But, I have extra jacks and since I moved the wire I have extra wire length. I wouldn't need two jacks at this juncture. If the nuts come off easily. This wouldn't be more than a 10 minute job as the wires are already trimmed back.

Thanks!

[Charlie S.]

I'd like to have him have a phone with him at all times in case of an emergency. Never really thought of getting him a cell phone. Tried to convince him to get the AlertResponse unit that hangs from your neck (I think) and dials 911 automatically if he had a problem. He didn't like the idea. Maybe a cell phone would appeal to him. I could get a unit from where I work for about $15/month. So, it wouldn't be too much of an expense.

A cell phone has to be able to connect to 911 even if you don't have service. Years ago, I would carry one around with me when I went hiking for this reason. One day I did need it and the phone service gave me a bunch of crap before putting me through. So, I would definitely have the phone hooked to a service.

The cordless set he uses never goes dead. I think the charge last 4-5 days. And, he recharges it regularly. The problem is that it's a bit bulky (compared to a cell phone) and he doesn't carry it with him everywhere.

I wrote in another post about moving the cordless/answering machine/speaker phone to where he rests most of the day. But, I like your suggestion and may put a regular phone there as well. In case he doesn't want to use the speaker phone or the cordless phone is in another room. Thanks Again!

[Charlie S.]

Just checked out the base of the long bit I used. It's tapered. I could have taped the wire to the end and pulled it through.

Also, checked out the spade you talked about on the Intenet. I've seen them before. Never knew why that hole was there.

At first reading your suggestion, I thought it was a bit whacked as I thought you were suggesting running the wire over the plastered ceiling. Then, I thought, maybe you have something there. So, I took a look down cellar again and realized I could have routed the wire, avoiding the plaster all together, if I went through the stud space to the left. I would have had to use an extra 7 or 8 feet of wire, but could have avoided this plaster altogether.

These are ideal If it weren't for the price. $13+ I'd buy them in a heartbeat.

If it didn't look so tacky, I'd use duct tape.