One of my favorite articles in MAKE Volume 25′s hefty “Arduino Revolution” section shows you how to convert a classic 1930s retro telephone into a Skype phone. The project was created by frequent contributor Andrew Lewis.

In his article, Andrew explains that he is a fan of Skype but doesn’t like the way modern Skype telephones are made. He loathes their cheap plastic cases and shrill alarms. He wanted to combine the convenience and cost savings of Skype with the “sleek lines, comfortable heft, and melodic peal” of a 1930s Bakelite desk telephone. The conversion was a two part process. First, he had to make the old telephone handset work with a USB Skype phone, and second, he had to enable the Skype phone to activate the old phone’s bell. If you want to do what Andrew did, you can follow his clearly written instructions and photos in MAKE Volume 25. Here’s a link to the digital preview of the article.

Check out MAKE Volume 25:

MAKE Volume 25: Arduino Revolution
Give your gadgets a brain! Previously out of reach for the do-it-yourselfer, the tiny computers called microcontrollers are now so cheap and easy to use that anyone can make their stuff smart. With a microcontroller, your gadget can sense the environment, talk to the internet or other hardware, and make things happen in the real world by controlling motors, lights, or any electronic device.

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