# My cell phone in the shop



## outsider347 (Feb 16, 2018)

Back when I had the land line in my shop, I installed a external ringer that for the most part, I could hear.

Now that I am on the "new & improved cell" phone ...don't hear squat. Wife sez I'm avoiding her calls ...well maybe 

Any way to have the cell phone trigger a device?

The device part is easy

Note. Please don't call me with your suggestion


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## RJSakowski (Feb 16, 2018)

Lots of options.
https://www.google.com/search?q=wexternal+ringer+for+cell+phone&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1


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## Bill Gruby (Feb 16, 2018)

Just go back to the land line. I never left, no cell phones for me.

 "Billy G"


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## RandyM (Feb 16, 2018)

Bill Gruby said:


> Just go back to the land line. I never left, no cell phones for me.
> 
> "Billy G"





But, can you carry it in your pocket and turn it on to vibrate?


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## wawoodman (Feb 16, 2018)

I have a landline in the shop, with a flasher from Radio Shack.


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## kd4gij (Feb 16, 2018)

Sure get a blue tooth shock collar.


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## strantor (Feb 16, 2018)

Use any speaker or stereo. Bluetooth or plugin to the aux jack. You can listen to music from the internet or just wait for a call


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## Silverbullet (Feb 16, 2018)

Put it on vibrate and drop in your underwear.


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## hman (Feb 23, 2018)

... adds a whole new level of meaning to the phrase, "Give me a buzz"


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## frugalguido (Feb 24, 2018)

I use Apple wireless AirPods and leave the iPhone in the clean room (office).


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## D1005 (Feb 25, 2018)

Bill Gruby said:


> Just go back to the land line. I never left, no cell phones for me.
> 
> "Billy G"




Same here.  I guess I'm just not that important to need to be available to everyone all the time.    For the most part, they seem to be reasons to be disrespectful to others.


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## GA Gyro (Feb 25, 2018)

I second the idea of putting it on vibrate and put it somewhere you will feel it... 

I do not even have a landline anymore... who needs one... when they have a cell in their pocket all the time anyways.


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## rgray (Feb 26, 2018)

frugalguido said:


> I use Apple wireless AirPods and leave the iPhone in the clean room (office).



I have a blue tooth headset and it is handy to be able to leave the phone some where safe and still be able to here if it is ringing.
Problem is all the spamers. And my ear gets sore from wearing it. So I take it out, set it down, and I'm back to the original problem
of not hearing the phone.


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## Boswell (Feb 26, 2018)

The main reason I carry my phone in the shop is so I can call for help in an emergency. If someone wants to talk to me, well that is what voice mail is for.


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## cathead (Feb 26, 2018)

I have a  rotary phone on the wall in the shop.  If it rings while I am welding or machining, the answering machine in the house
will pick it up.  I don't have a cell phone, don't want a cell phone, not interested in carrying around a tracking device.


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## MrWhoopee (Feb 26, 2018)

+1 bluetooth speaker, headphones, earbuds. Listen to music and it announces calls.


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## middle.road (Feb 26, 2018)

"2 pound" metal coffee can resting on (3) nuts sitting on a metal file cabinet or the table saw, toss in some washers, make sure vibrate is on. Works most of the time.
There is a downside, when it's late and everything is nice and quiet outside, just the frogs, crickets, and an owl, and it goes off....


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## rock_breaker (Feb 26, 2018)

I have three wireless phones (land line extensions) one of which works well in the shop. Not really into the cell phone apps but do like the ability to communicate with out going to a phone booth.
Ray


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## RandyM (Feb 26, 2018)

rock_breaker said:


> I have three wireless phones (land line extensions) one of which works well in the shop. Not really into the cell phone apps but do like the ability to communicate with out *going to a phone booth*.
> Ray



Hey Ray, and just where are you going to find one of these, what did you call it, a phone booth?


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## T Bredehoft (Feb 26, 2018)

I must be a 1%er.  My home is not accessible by cell tower. The kids come to visit, they log on to my Wifi. If I went up to the top of the hill behind the house I could get cell service. Don't own a cell phone, don't expect to.


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## Fabrickator (Feb 26, 2018)

DO NOT DO WHAT I DO!!

Iphone 7S with Spotify and my Blue Tooth Jaybird X3 Sport ear buds.  Love my Country Playlist!  Neighbors might not like my sing-alongs.  Anyway, you hear the volume change when you get a phone call or text.

I DO NOT wear them when I am making a cut where the audible is the key to safety.  Mostly for redundant material removal while milling or turning.


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## rock_breaker (Feb 26, 2018)

RandyM 
No doubt if you don't know about telephone booths you are a young feller. They went the same way as a soda fountain in what was called at the time a drug store. Where is that thread about being "_an old timer if you remember_" when you need it.
Have a good day
Ray


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## RandyM (Feb 26, 2018)

rock_breaker said:


> RandyM
> No doubt if you don't know about telephone booths you are a young feller. They went the same way as a soda fountain in what was called at the time a drug store. *Where is that thread about being "an old timer if you remember" when you need it*.
> Have a good day
> Ray



You mean the "Old School" thread?

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/old-school.55938/


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## rock_breaker (Feb 26, 2018)

That's the one Randy. Now you know you are dealing with an "old timer". The world has sure changed with the evolution of electronics.
Ray


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## Aaron_W (Feb 26, 2018)

No experience with any of these, but this is what a search turned up. These are devices for use in noisy environments and for the hard of hearing.
Some combine flashing lights with a loud ringer.

https://www.harriscomm.com/equipment/cell-phone-accessories/loud-ringers.html

Many of these are also available at Amazon so you don't have to use this vendor. If you still have a Radio Shack near you, I bet they would have something similar.


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## agfrvf (Feb 26, 2018)

I usualy keep my phone under a cotton sheet playing pandora. By myself without music its easy to loose time at night.


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## kvt (Feb 26, 2018)

If they want something they can leave a message.   If I do not know who is calling, or do not expect a call I do not answer.  
If it is important call someone else and they can come get me.   After I leave work it has be an real emergency before they call me.


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## D1005 (Mar 2, 2018)

T Bredehoft said:


> I must be a 1%er.  My home is not accessible by cell tower. The kids come to visit, they log on to my Wifi. If I went up to the top of the hill behind the house I could get cell service. Don't own a cell phone, don't expect to.



Sometimes yes, here, sometimes no, a friend of mine who has a cell can only text from his place, signal is too weak for voice.    Cell phones are about as reliable as yelling in many areas, so I won't waste my money on one either.


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 2, 2018)

I, too, live in an area with poor/no cell service. Fortunately, at&t (formerly AT&T) has provided me with a Micro-cell, which utilizes my DSL connection to create a cellular hot-spot about 100 ft. around my house. Verizon also has such a device, they call it a Network Extender. I'm cancelling my MagicJack.


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## jocat54 (Mar 3, 2018)

I used the at&t micro cell when I lived in the Texas Hill Country--no service. It uses satellite and your internet service to create a hot spot and works well. Gave it to my sister and BIL when we moved and they are still using it.


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## dewbane (Mar 3, 2018)

rgray said:


> And my ear gets sore from wearing it.


I wear a Blue Parrot headset at work and in the shop.  I tried a lot of prettier and more comfortable looking headsets before I broke down and got one of these clunky things.  It looked outdated when I bought the first one in about 2011, and it looked even more outdated when I bought the most recent one, but I keep going out of my way to buy these things, because they WORK, and they're comfortable enough to wear for many long hours.

I mostly listen to news and music on mine.  I haven't received a phone call since January 25.  It's nice listening to "Comfortably Numb" or "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" playing softly in one ear, while having the other ear free to hear if my feed rate is too fast or what have you.


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## FOMOGO (Mar 3, 2018)

RandyM said:


> Hey Ray, and just where are you going to find one of these, what did you call it, a phone booth?


 
 Kind of makes you wonder where Superman has to go to change. Mike


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## projectnut (Mar 3, 2018)

I intentionally shut the cell phone off when I head to the shop.  The last thing I want is to be surprised by a ring or buzz in my pants when trying to hit a critical dimension.  Unfortunately there is still a land line in the shop.  The nice thing is that I can turn the ringer down to the point it barely makes a noise.

I've had a thing against a phone in the shop since the 2012 presidential election campaign cycle.   I was getting 50 or more calls a day either asking for contributions, or singing the praises of some or another candidate.


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## projectnut (Mar 3, 2018)

I just reread all the posts on this thread and only a couple posters don't have cell phones., and only one of them says they aren't interested in having one.  You may like your phone on all the time, some of us do not.  From what I can determine nearly everyone responding has a cell phone, it's just a matter of when and where they prefer to use it.

We now have a response from person who doesn't care to use a cell phone, and another from one who finds it an invaluable tool.  All the others just  use them in just a variety of different manners.


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## KBeitz (Sep 10, 2018)

While i was on a ride this spring I found a working telephone booth in Hillsgrove Pa.
I just had to stop and take a picture.  No cell service anywhere around here.


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