# Two gang box. Old School.



## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

Removed this during a K&T rewire. 
We were able to fish the wire and reinstall it. 
There were no manufacturer stamps on it, so I assume it was made custom. 


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

looks like elevator button call box


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## fdew (Mar 26, 2009)

There have been switch plates on Ebay with as many as 4 switches one above the other.

I don't know why


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## Hawkrod (Mar 19, 2012)

I have seen those in old buildings in odd locations including 1950's cubicles, door and window frames/stiles and various poles (usually like a 4 X 4 steel tubing in a shop).


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## Mshea (Jan 17, 2011)

I have seen these for light fixtures, elevator buttons, local motor control like for an overhead door.
Never have seen regular plugs and switches on a box like that.


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

This is the "finished" product.

I reinstalled the cover plates as well. 

I'll let the inspector and homeowner argue about the legality. He wanted them reinstalled. 

That one in the door jam won't fit any other box that I know of. 

This had to be custom made, and probably field tapped for the devices, and nothing really lines up. The switches actually overlap once installed. 


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## Jason Harper (Nov 7, 2014)

That is an old one. I have seen many of these kinds. But have you asked the owner why he wants to re install it . Its quite obsolete now . The mini switches are ridiculous.


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## Maple_Syrup25 (Nov 20, 2012)

Jason Harper said:


> That is an old one. I have seen many of these kinds. But have you asked the owner why he wants to re install it . Its quite obsolete now . The mini switches are ridiculous.


because its cool man! old scchool


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## fdew (Mar 26, 2009)

Your pix explains a lot. I bet that house was wired after it was built. It was easier to pull of the door trim and run wire behind it then it was to make holes in the walls.

It probably has outlets in the baseboards as well.

I like it.


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

Jason Harper said:


> That is an old one. I have seen many of these kinds. But have you asked the owner why he wants to re install it . Its quite obsolete now . The mini switches are ridiculous.


The owner wants it as close to the original as possible. 

This is a 1920's house, in almost pristine condition, and the idea is to keep it that way. Moving the two switches at the front door would mean an extensive amount of custom carpentry. Its not shown, but there are also original glass panels above and to the sides of the door casing.

The owner about did a back flip when we told him we were able to refish the wire. :thumbsup:


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

fdew said:


> Your pix explains a lot. I bet that house was wired after it was built. It was easier to pull of the door trim and run wire behind it then it was to make holes in the walls.
> 
> It probably has outlets in the baseboards as well.
> 
> I like it.


It was not wired after it was built. Owner has original blueprints and specs.

It kind of follows the timeline of a lot of other old houses in the historical area of my city: Original K&T, then 2 wire cloth NM, then in the 80's, someone rewired some of the circuits with modern NM, connecting it to the previous 2 wiring methods, and now I come in and rewire the whole thing.

That front door switch box had original K&T in it.

No baseboard receptacles. All boxes, save these "2 gangs" and 2 more switches in the dining and living rooms were in wood lathe and plaster walls.

We were able to rewire most of this house with minimal damage. We didn't even need to remove baseboards. We removed the old boxes, then expanded the holes to accommodate new cut in boxes (not easy or quick by the way; get yourself a good oscillating tool and plaster blade) and used the new opening to fish the wire from above or below.


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## fdew (Mar 26, 2009)

Thanks for the update. It is great that you are willing to work to keep things close to original. I bet it takes a lot of thinking on your feet as you work through these jobs.


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