Question for Basement WWers...

[Lee Koepke]

Out of curiosity, do any of ya'll wwers that have basement shops use any kind of communication with the upstairs family members?

Currently wifey yells as loud as she can or sends the kid down ... there has to be a better way.

Just curious.

Thanks.

[Greg Just]

Pounding on the floor? Yelling is the normal method :eek:

[Ted Christiansen]

Lee,

I bought a second cordless handset (matched with the base upstairs), which has an intercom feature. It has worked well.

Regards,

Ted

[Gary Keedwell]

Out of curiosity, do any of ya'll wwers that have basement shops use any kind of communication with the upstairs family members?

Currently wifey yells as loud as she can or sends the kid down ... there has to be a better way.

Just curious.

Thanks.
Heck No!!! That's the whole point. Peace and quiet.:rolleyes::D
Gary

[Matt Crew]

I keep my cell phone set on vibrate then ring, and keep it on my belt or in my pocket. My LOML just calls my phone when she wants me.
This works if you get a signal in your shop.

[Lee Koepke]

Heck No!!! That's the whole point. Peace and quiet.:rolleyes::D
Gary
:)

this week has been AWESOME ... i spent the whole week down there, and wandered up to heat up dinner.

[Matt Meiser]

Email? :D

My shop is detached, but the solution we found would work well in the house too. We bought a good multi-headset cordless phone system that allows you to call between phones and talk like a regular coversation. Our current one is a Motorola 5.8Ghz system but is developing some line noise that is related to the jack where the phone cord plugs into the base so we'll probably end up replacing it soon. When we do, it will be a DECT 6.0 system, probably from Uniden since I'm really happy with the Uniden 5.8 system on my office line. I can walk all the way out to the road or to my shop while on a conference call with no noise. Both are well over 100' from the base.

[Jim Becker]

Matt, I recently put in the Uniden DECT 6 system (5 handsets) and am very pleased. It replaced the 5.8ghz product which I wasn't getting very good range with.

To the OP, I personally think this is one of best ways to insure that a) you can communicate with family and b) have an easily accessible phone in your shop should you have an accident. Just be sure you keep it in a location and height that you can reach even from the floor.

[Lee Koepke]

Matt, I recently put in the Uniden DECT 6 system (5 handsets) and am very pleased. It replaced the 5.8ghz product which I wasn't getting very good range with.

To the OP, I personally think this is one of best ways to insure that a) you can communicate with family and b) have an easily accessible phone in your shop should you have an accident. Just be sure you keep it in a location and height that you can reach even from the floor.
i have a phone down there. not part of our new system though.

I also considered getting an air horn so I could get someones attention ....

[Jon Knauft]

Radio Shack has a telephone flasher for the hearing impaired. It has a loud ringer as well as a flashing light. Funny, my wife and I were talking about just this issue today. My shop is sound proofed and pounding on the floor doesn't work (she tried)! :D

[Jim Becker]

You could always buy a "wireless" intercom system from Radio Shack or wherever...uses the power lines between units.

[Gary Keedwell]

If I have an accident...LOML won't need no phone to hear me.:rolleyes::)
Gary

[Jules Dominguez]

Jeez. guys, gimme a break...

[Lance Norris]

My wife just stomps on the floor with her heel, and then we pick up the phones. Just touch one of the number buttons and there you go. No expensive new phones or intercoms.

[Todd Franks]

Heck No!!! That's the whole point. Peace and quiet.:rolleyes::D
Gary

Gary is exactly right!! I have a Uniden 5.8GHz system with an intercom feature in my basement shop. I've showed the LOML how to use it a couple of times but she never remembers. It's perfect I can use it to reach her but not the opposite.:o Seriously if she needs me bad enough, she just comes downstairs. I'd never hear the intercom with DC and tools running anyway. I have reminded her numerous times about how to NEVER get my attention when I'm using a power tool and NEVER stand in direct fire of the TS while waiting. She hasn't startled me yet but she also tends to forget mundane details like this however and makes me think I should post these rules on the entrance to the shop door as a reminder. The door to the basement has one of those plastic child safety knobs so the kids cannot find me.

[Charles Wiggins]

Out of curiosity, do any of ya'll wwers that have basement shops use any kind of communication with the upstairs family members?

My wife generally leaves me alone when I'm down in the shop unless it's important. Then she generally walks downstairs and speaks to me in person (WOW! Face to face communication. What a wild concept! What will they come up with next?)

If it was really a frequent problem we do have cordless phones with an intercom feature like Ted and Todd describe.

[Wade Lippman]

Heck No!!! That's the whole point. Peace and quiet.:rolleyes::D
Gary

I'll second that. Sometimes I close the door and pretend I don't hear the knocking.

[Ken Shoemaker]

I subscribe to Gary's way of thinking as well.... I just hope SWMBO doesn't see this!!!! :eek:

[Jeff Booth]

We don't use a phone, I leave the door open to be 'connected' to what is going on, my wife closes it if a machine 'comes on' . I listen for commotions (we have boys aged 3, 5 & 7 - there are lots of commotions:eek:) But basically the family spends all of awake time on the 1st floor so the yelling down the stairs is simple and effective. Also, she sends kids and I like seeing them ...... usually.

[Christopher Stahl]

I have the same Uniden Dect 6.0 system Jim and Matt have. For safety reasons, my wife understands I don't want her or anybody coming down while I'm working. We just bought the Uniden's to replace some horrible Motorola phones.

[David G Baker]

I remember back when I was a kid, there was a number we could dial to make our own phone ring after we dialed the number and hung up the phone. Wonder if there is such a number in existence today? That could work.

[Gary Keedwell]

I remember back when I was a kid, there was a number we could dial to make our own phone ring after we dialed the number and hung up the phone. Wonder if there is such a number in existence today? That could work.
When I was a kid and when nobody was talking on our "party line", we would just ask our friendly (and nosey ;)) operator to give us " a ring".
Gary

[Randy Cohen]

I remember back when I was a kid, there was a number we could dial to make our own phone ring after we dialed the number and hung up the phone. Wonder if there is such a number in existence today? That could work.
that used to work here by dialing your own number...haven't tried it since we got cellphones.

[Bob Feeser]

I am more concerned about safety. When I am working, the door at the top of the steps is locked. The hinge pins face the upstairs, so in an emergency, I can be accessed with a little effort. While a machine is running, I don't want to be interrupted. When the machine stops running, they can shout or pound on the floor, and I will respond. I have a Panasonic phone in the next room office, plus I have a hanging wall phone right in the shop, so if need be, that is available also. There are 3 phone lines in the house total, so an open one is always available, and my incoming line is the one that is on the shop wall.
When I said I am more concerned about safety, I was reacting to the threat of someone coming up from behind me when I am operating the table saw, and startling my fingers into the moving blade. No interruptions until the saw stops moving please.

[Al Killian]

I have a intercom sytem that I made up a few years ago. It is nice because when she is trying to annoy( get my attention):p it has a flashing light on it. So I know even when the noise makers are on.

[Chris Barnett]

Before the portable phone with the intercom feature, DW would stomp on the floor to get my attention. Great little device, but we now need a second extension upstairs but cannot add to this AT&T model. AT&T has a four phone set that I am considering. If you get the phone also with a speaker, you can continued to do your amazing and great stuff in your shop while talking. Cannot do without it now.....just the intercom part:D.

[Fred Voorhees]

You could always buy a "wireless" intercom system from Radio Shack or wherever...uses the power lines between units.

That is the system that I use. It works well. One unit in the shop and another in the kitchen, where I am usually beckoned to come down for dinner.

[Brian Dormer]

I've done wireless intercoms that communicate thru the power lines. The problem is that the first major power spike they get zapped and bye-bye intercom! A surge suppressor kills the intercom signal - so that's generally not an option. MAYBE if you installed a whole-house surge suppressor.... YMMV

I've got Uniden cordless phones (8 stations + base) that also will do station-to-station intercom. We use them thru the whole house. I still have a problem that I can't hear the phone or intercom ring if I'm running any loud equipment and/or wearing earmuffs - but it's better than yelling.

[Robert Payne]

I bought a wireless doorbell that has a button in an inconspicuous spot just off the kitchen and I plug the bell unit in an outlet in the shop downstairs. I haven't missed a meal yet! I'd like to have gotten a strobe version, but they were fairly expensive and I've found that if she listens carefully to be sure my tools aren't running when she "pages" me, that I can hear the bell.

[Todd Hoppe]

my wife has been known to yell into the heating vent, which is right above my workbench. The sheet metal ducts echo...

Also, I keep the cell phone in my pocket at all times in case of an accident.