Hacking a Rotary Phone

When [Yaymukund] stumbled upon an old rotary phone, they noticed something fascinating about its design. The phones were built to last and serve a purpose - not for the owner's convenience, but for the phone company's needs. Since there was no financial incentive for repairs or replacements, these vintage devices have withstood the test of time.

One such old rotary phone, the GPO 746, has been hanging around like a relic from the past. But what can you do with an old rotary phone? In [Yaymukund]'s case, they decided to breathe new life into it by turning it into a random music player whenever someone picked up the handset.

To achieve this, [Yaymukund] didn't need much of the original phone. They focused on two key components: the handset receiver and the switch hook. These were connected to a D92732 circuit board, which served as the brain of the operation.

The challenge was finding the right wires to connect to the Teensy microcontroller, battery pack, and audio breakout board. Although this process was a bit tricky, [Yaymukund] eventually got it sorted out.

What's remarkable about this project is that [Yaymukund]'s initial investment of £300 included over half of those costs as tools that most Hackaday readers would already have in their workshops. The phone itself cost a mere £65, making it an affordable starting point for various projects.

The possibilities with old rotary phones are endless. If you're feeling adventurous and want to take your DIY projects to the next level, consider repurposing one of these vintage devices. Who knows what kind of innovative creations you'll come up with?