Table of Contents
- 1Introduction
- 2The size of the thing
- 3About the measurements used
- 4A visual index
- 5Overview of the head
- 6Step 1.1. The head side-frames.
- 7Step 1.2. The head inner support structure.
- 8Step 1.3. The form (mold) for the hypertufa.
- 9Step 1.4. Hypertufa
- 10Placing the hypertufa
- 11Hypertufa - The curing process
- 12Step 1.5. Slurry
- 13Off with the formwork
- 14Step 1.6. The head side-covers and the crown
- 15The crown
- 16Fixing the trim to the side-covers
- 17Step 1.7. Fiberglass
- 18Step 1.8. Paint - undercoating the head
- 19Overview of the body frame
- 20Step 2.1. Shaping the frame members
- 21Step 2.2. Cutting the frame members to length
- 22Step 2.3. Making the wall frames
- 23Step 2.4. The body frame
- 24Step 2.5. The shackles
- 25Overview of the Neck
- 26Step 3.1. The neck - making the box unit
- 27Step 3.2. The aluminum angle for the sign
- 28Step 3.3. Internal perimeter pieces
- 29Step 3.4. Fitting the neck
- 30Step 3.5. The telephone sign
- 31Step 4.1. The trim around the door and window openings
- 32Door and window overview and plan
- 33Step 4.2. Wood for the door and windows
- 34Step 4.3. Joining the stiles and rails
- 35Step 4.4. Notching the muntin bars
- 36Step 4.5. Fixing the muntin bars
- 37Step 4.6. Painting the door and windows
- 38Step 4.7. The acrylic sheet
- 39Step 5.1. Making the base
- 40Step 5.2. Some painting
- 41Step 6.1. Putting it all together
- 42Some strengthening and the door closer
- 43The desired effect
- 44Step 7.1. The rose and ceiling
- 45Making the rose pattern
- 46Marking, drilling, and cutting the rose
- 47Tapering the rose
- 48Painting and fitting the ceiling and rose
- 49The light goes on
- 50The plans
Step 3.1. continued
The corner infill pieces
Next I cut two infill pieces for each corner (to make the corners flush), approximately 5¾” x 2½” (145mm x 62mm) and 5¾” x 3¼” (145mm x 81mm) respectively.
I fixed them in place so that all the corners were solid and flush.
Step 3.2. The aluminum angle for the sign
I fixed aluminum angle around the openings.I used ¾” x 1″ (18mm x 25mm) angle along the top, and ½” x ¾” (12mm x 18mm) angle along the bottom and down the sides.
I pre-drilled screw holes in the longer sides of the angle and screwed them to the sides of the openings.
I made the galvanized angle proud (stick out) from the face of the neck about ¼” (6mm).
Note: It is the narrower side of the galvanized angle that shows, the wider side is fixed to the sides of the opening.
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Hi,
thought I’d send you a picture of my attempt at your plans for the K2 Telephone Box.
I’m not quite finished – still got the ceiling, light fitting etc.
Regards, Dave McKay
G’day Les
Its great to have friends working at the right places. Saved me many hours of work.
Really enjoying the challenge of building the phone box.
The cost of cedar in NZ is really expensive
Kind regards
Doug Taylor
Thanks for your plans which are great. I am making good progress. Roof next! Cheers
Derek Forbes
l have built a k2 phone box following buildeazy plans. With a few minor changes to the way of doing things. I am very pleased with the results , and everyone who sees it ,or sees my pics are really impressed. Thank you so much for your inspiration !
The only real problem is , that it has not stopped raining since I finished and I am getting leaks which I believe are somewhere on the neck.
I recycled materials as far as possible ,to save money.
These are the changes I made to either save money or make easier.
I cast the roof in a mix of sharp sand , polystyrene balls ( beanbag fill ) and cement.
I made the brass lamp holder out of an old wall light.
The door handle was bought from Wilkinsons for less than £2 and I added a stainless plate to the back of it.
I tried to route out the crowns but kept messing up. So I finished up making stencils to paint them on.
I printed the signs and sandwiched them between glass.
I enclose pics for your approval.
Tom Wright
I ordered your plans for the Red English K2 Telephone Box.
After reviewing them I decided to go off on my own and downsize the project for the purpose of making a novelty lamp.
I encorporated some elements of your design and some from the various models of the K series boxes.
Enclosed is a picture of the final product.
It stands just under 5′ tall, 21″ wide and 18″ deep.
Hi. Here is a couple of photos of the k2 telephone box I made from you plans.
The only change I made was to use mesh and fibreglass only for the dome and to put a concrete slab within the base to give it some stability outside.
This just made it easier for me to complete it on my own.
It is the very first project I have tried with wood and your plans were easy to follow (although with no joinery knowledge it took quite a long time to complete) and I have now bought the tardis plans for my next project.
Thanks
Andy from Carlisle in Cumbria, UK
Hello Les,
Thanks for all the inspiring stuff on your website – too many projects for the future!
I’m a brit who’s been in Melbourne a couple of years and has now married an Aussie. To add a touch of Britishness to a very Aussie, country wedding… my friend Mark – a fellow Pom – and I took on the challenge of the K2 Phone Box, with the intention of making it a photo booth at the wedding.
Plenty of challenges on the way, often as a result of only being able to purchase wood in standard aussie metric dimensions, and then adjust everything accordingly. Others caused by our complete lack of wood-working experience.
We made a few minor adjustments:
– Reduced the amount of curved decoration on the head, due to lack of skill and patience on our part!
– Slightly reduced decoration of top corners of frames, again due to lack of time.
– Added a door latch, carpet on the floor, corner brace brackets to the base/frames, included a handle inside and out.
– Added full height internal supports on the inside of each corner to better hold the head up. This was just because we were incredibly nervous about the very heavy head being held by such little contact, and we were going to be opening our doors to drunk people so wanted to avoid the possibility of disaster!
– There were other things we had to do because we had to build it in such a way that it was easily packed down, transported and re-constructed, and would continue to be after the wedding.
(We also went for a plain ceiling due to lack of time, and patience.)
Anyway, we thought you’d like to see the end result. It went down very well on the day, and helped stop me being completely upstaged by my wife making her own (amazing) wedding dress.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153532545255099.1073741827.822940098&type=1&l=234e883bae
Best,
Tim Pyke
More k2 photos as promised from
Pete steers. Kereru road. Hastings. Hawkes bay. New Zealand.
I would like to comment on this quality content. I can see you have done a lot of homework and given this topic much thought.
It’s incredible, is so beauty! With patient y will do it, thanks for all, without this pages I can’t think to do it, thank you again. Leo.
Excellent! A fabulous project, well executed and very well explained here. I particularly liked the use of hypertufa in the roof construction. The attention to details is inspirational. I’ve really enjoyed reading how you made this. Thanks!
New Zealand. Hawkes bay. May 2013 and finally finished the K4 phone box. Sprayed all surfaces and obtained a 1950s Bakelite phone, working, and had a phone box party. Came out well in the end.
Yvonne Steers
It would be awesome if you would build the Dr. Who Tardis! It would probably be similar to your red telephone box. If you could do the plans to build one step by step, that would be so cool. The Tardis would be a popular DIY plan to build.
I hope you would consider it!
Thank you for your inspiration
John R
I have completed my phone box project. Well not really, I am enhancing the interior with some 40’s- 50’s period signs, an AB box, and a phone.
I truly enjoyed this project, it pushed my skills at times and that was a good thing as I learned a lot.
I have attached some photo’s for you to look at. Thanks Again
John R
Nice! I want one.
Albert, Kentucky
I would like to give you much praise. Y did a beautiful job and created a masterpiece.
I am building one also. Mine is more like the k6 and will be only 7 feet tall. It will be inside my home and will serve as a elevator car traveling only one story.
I cannot find a paint dealer that can provide the color BS 539. Any ideas of where to get it? Again– Congrats on a great example of a Telephone kiosk.
Billie Sims
I looked over the web site but was not able to find an answer to this question. I would like to know what the final, approximate, total weight is using your plans and suggested materials. Thanks in advance All the best,
Reply from Les
Hi Ron Actually, I have no idea. Two of us could lift the head up and on and that was the heaviest part so if I had to make a rough guess I would say all up around 200kg (440lb). At the time of writing this I am out of the country but when I get back in a few weeks I will try and weigh it.
Ron – Oregon, USA
Hope a Tardis project gets under way Les. Could be much the same as the red phone box I guess.
Pete Steers
Hi, i see you have used cedar in the doors. wondering what type of timber you used in the rest of the phone booth. regards alan7.
Alan
A very good likeness, very well done.
The only thing that I could say is that as far as I can remember, the glass was held in the frames by I think brass rivets. The door closure was a pressure one and not a chain. Apart from that well done.
Ralph
Congratulations! A beautiful job.
I’d like you to create plans for a T.A.R.D.I.S. lol
What a great challenge. Just got started. One section at a time makes the wallet and wife happier. Based in New Zealand wood is SO!dear to buy. Got my dome complete and the neck. Onto the frame now while the dome finishes drying. I wonder what the average amount of hours these take to build?
Reply from Les
It does take a long time to make and it will keep your wallet empty, but it will be well worth it. Everyone who has seen the one I made has commented on it and wanted one for themselves, more so than any other project I have done.
Pete Steers
I am sending recent pic’s of my phone box project.
I needed to make some adjustments due to the fact that mine will be indoors and I must do the building in my workshop and assembly in the room where my bar is.
All is going fairly well no major issues. The head is as you planned except I made the dome from 1/8 bendable plywood and am working the seams with Bondo.
I have made the frame, back panel and floor piece but will do the painting in the shop.
I do not have a “death wish” for paint spillage on the carpet.
John
Nice work and documentation. Thanks! Now I build a micro-flash-drive with the use of your ideas.
And what about your next step? What about TARDIS?
This is my micro TARDIS
Wouldn’t it be easier and lighter to carve the dome out of a block of styrofoam? Make a block the height and width of the dome, draw the arcs on each side and start from the top working in all directions to the arc remove foam until you have the final shape. Sand to final shape fill and “oopsies” as need with a plaster filler, prime and paint. If it going to be outdoors you could cover the dome with a fiberglass cloth and resin and then apply the finish color. It may require some sanding of the fiber glass before painting but the finished product would be lighter than the concrete one and easier to work with.
This is my humble opinion and it is just that….an opinion! Thanks for coming back to a newsletter form, not everyone likes or wants to be on F.B. or Twitter.
Gosh that looks good. I’ve seen old phone boxes for sale and they cost hundreds and wouldn’t pay that. I quite fancy one but not sure whereabouts in the garden I’d put it, or what I’d put in it.
I’ve just found your site by accident so will bookmark it and follow your build with interest.
Bill (Liverpool UK)
I can’t wait to see the next post. Thinking ahead to the sides and door. Looks like to foam is the way to go. My booth will be indoors near my English bar .
John R
I started building a K6 model about six years ago but never finished it. I agree with you, I like the k2 model better. You have rekindled my desire to build another and this time maybe finish it. I will follow your progress with interest, and when you have the final plans online, I will more than likely have another go.
Tony, Buffalo NY (ex England)
I shaped one of the decorative frame pieces (as shown on page 8) out of 2×4 using a bench saw and a sander. I achieved the desired look and found it easy enough to do. It was just a practice run to see the outcome. I will make a K2 when your plans are out and my wife has already picked a spot to place it. AS far as I know I will have the only one in Texas.
A. T. Ryan, Austin, TX
Hi.
This is my RED TELEPHONE BOX. Material = cca (approximately) 100Ł. Working hours = cca (approximately) 30. Head and neck is from polystyrene, body is from thin wood.
Hi there, first of all, congratulations for that amazing work. How are you coming along with the documentation? Would you be so kind to send me a copy of the PDF you made for the crown drawing? Looking forward to it 🙂
When we returned from a year living in England a few years ago, my husband decided we should have a phone booth in our garden in Australia. I searched and searched for plans online, but to no avail. We are finally landscaping out there, and I’m so amazed and pleased you have done all the hard work already! I’m eagerly awaiting the plans!!Thanks!
Sandra, Australia
I’m proud to present you a phone box made in Romania after your great plans maybe you want to use the images on your website.
thank you very much.
Cosmin Radulescu, Romania
I have read and re-read your wonderful plans for the English Phone Booth, Les, and thanked you a thousand times for handing me the dimensions and build ideas.
The attached pictures of my Little Free Library shows it’s approx half scale. I took liberties, many indecent, with your plans, but the Phone Booth DNA is unmistakable.
It was built out of epoxied White Oak, and nary a fastener used until the base. You’re the guy I thank for helping me do it.
BTW – I build outdoors, year long, under a deck, with a table saw I can carry in one hand. It is amazing what you can do with a table saw slide table. I very much appreciated your simple approach to building!
http://westseattleblog.com/2014/10/west-seattles-newest-little-free-library-is-fit-for-a-doctor/
Thanks,
John T. Monahan
My name is Andrea. I like to build things out of wood and I found your website with great projects.
One that stroke me best was the K2 kiosk, that was about a year ago and since I couldn’t stop thinking of when I’ll start doing it. Well, now I’m almost done and looking forward to finish it.
While doing the K2 I was recording all of the steps showing how I made the pieces.
Since I live in Mexico (in a small town) it’s hard to come by things to build, such as exact color BS 539, hardware, epoxy, fiberglass, etc.
So I used many different approaches and techniques to build parts, as they say ”make do”.
Andrea Arzensek
Hi Les and viewers
My phonebox is now taking up pride of place in our back yard..
Rather than build a timber base I have used small plastic 12 mm high blocks to keep the box above the concrete pad and away from water
These are currently used in the house building industry)
The box is strapped to the concrete base (300kgs) using galvanised L brackets
I also made up the exterior corner shakels by bending aluminium to provide added strength.
I did take some artistic licence by routing the exterior muntin bars with a decorative bevel and also tiling the floor.
The tiles form a sill that prevents water from migrating under the sides of the box
On my visit to the UK last year I bought a coin box as I couldn’t locate one anywhere in NZ (Half my baggage allowance)
I copied the internal shelving from pictures
I didn’t router the crowns but used transfers instead. (Done to lessen any water ingression plus the top of mine was fibreglass over solid polystyrene)
To save on the cost of an electrician I have used a 12v system with a 60w bulb
I changed the old phone from pulse to tone using a “Dialgizmo” and it works fine.
I am very pleased with my result and have just downloaded the plans for the Police Box
Thanks for the excellent plans Les. I have enjoyed every minute of the challenge
Regards
Doug Pukekohe
Hello Les,
Thanks for all the inspiring stuff on your website – too many projects for the future!
I’m a brit who’s been in Melbourne a couple of years and has now married an Aussie. To add a touch of Britishness to a very Aussie, country wedding… my friend Mark – a fellow Pom – and I took on the challenge of the K2 Phone Box, with the intention of making it a photo booth at the wedding.
Plenty of challenges on the way, often as a result of only being able to purchase wood in standard aussie metric dimensions, and then adjust everything accordingly. Others caused by our complete lack of wood-working experience.
We made a few minor adjustments:
– Reduced the amount of curved decoration on the head, due to lack of skill and patience on our part!
– Slightly reduced decoration of top corners of frames, again due to lack of time.
– Added a door latch, carpet on the floor, corner brace brackets to the base/frames, included a handle inside and out.
– Added full height internal supports on the inside of each corner to better hold the head up. This was just because we were incredibly nervous about the very heavy head being held by such little contact, and we were going to be opening our doors to drunk people so wanted to avoid the possibility of disaster!
– There were other things we had to do because we had to build it in such a way that it was easily packed down, transported and re-constructed, and would continue to be after the wedding.
(We also went for a plain ceiling due to lack of time, and patience.)
Anyway, we thought you’d like to see the end result. It went down very well on the day, and helped stop me being completely upstaged by my wife making her own (amazing) wedding dress.
Best,
Tim Pyke
Hello!
My name is Evgeny Kochergin. I am from russia. Of your plans, I made several phone booths of the K2 model. The plan is excellent. Everything converges without problems. For me it was difficult to make a frame around the door and I did not find a handle of this shape like yours. In general, I liked everything very much. Thanks for your work!
Just curious what the average cost has been for the telephone box build? Thank you.