using mobile phone batteries

If you only have one battery you only have araound 3,6V, most if not all mobil phones run on a single cell.

Maybe it would be better to buy new Lipo's they can be quite cheap, and remember to use a charger special designet for LiPo's. I wouldn't dare to mess around with an old cell, I have seen a lipo fire and I don't want to be part of one.