// The Bungee Box
//
// by Captain B
//
// http://www.oldskoolphreak.com

All credit for the name of this box goes to ic0n. The principal, and
construction of this is quite simple. You're modifying a phone
handset cord for use as a line cord. All you'll need for making this
is a wire cutter (or wire cutter/stripper) and modular crimp tool.
Radio Shack sells both, but, you can also find the modular crimp tool
at other places that sell phones and phone accessories. Radio Shack
sells 2 different modular crimp tools. The only differences are the
cheaper one ($9.99) has no wire cutter, and only crimps RJ11,14,and
25 (1,2,and 3 line) modular plugs. The more expensive one ($29.99)
has a built in wire cutter, and also crimps plugs on RJ45 (4 line)
modular plugs. As long as you have a wire cutter, you don't need to
drop $30 on the more expensive crimp tool. Anyway, let's move on. It
should be noted that some phone handset cords have 4 conductors
inside, while others have 2. But, unless you're going to use a 2 line
phone, the cord won't need to have more than 2 conductors. But
anyway, take a phone handset cord, look first at the little wires in
the plug to observe for the color scheme (Thus making note of correct
polarity) then, cut off that handset cord plug. You could do both at
once, but you might lose track of correct polarity. To simplify, do
one end of the cord at a time. Try to cut off the plug as close as
possible with where it connects to the cord. Carefully, strip off a
bit of the insulation using the modular crimp tool. Take a 2 line
(RJ14) modular line cord plug, and crimp it on the handset cord
facing the same way as the previous handset cord plug was. (In other
words, if the little spring clip on the handset cord plug was facing
down, crimp the line cord plug on facing the same way as that was).
To crimp, first push the line cord plug over the end of the handset
cord as mentioned, then insert that end of the handset cord into the
modualar crimp tool properly, and squeeze the handles together firmly
until it stops (which is quite fast). See the instuctions that came
with the modualar crimp tool if you need more help. After crimping a
line cord plug on one end of the handset cord, you have only to
repeat the same process for the other end of the handset cord, and
you're done. If you messed up on the polarity at either end, it
should still work, but keeping polarity correct is the right way. As
long as you're careful, and work patient, It's a piece of cake. I
think the bungee box is great for beige boxing purposes, because when
phreaking out in the field, you don't want a tangled mess of line
cord to have to disconnect and store away when you have to get off
the scene in a hurry. It should be mentioned that another way is to
use a retractable line cord. It comes in It's own circular case.
These can be bought either from Radio Shack for $19.99 or Home Depot
for about $15. The one from RS is 12ft. long, the one from HD is
16ft. long. (According to the packages). Anyway, that's all. Have
phun.