Renovating my AE34 telephone

[RetroToday]

Back in 2007 I bought a 1934 Automatic Electric AE34 "Monophone" telephone, in rough shape, but very cheap.
The main body of the phone was damaged, but repaired in a somewhat sloppy way by the previous owner.
He told me that his mother worked as a nurse many years ago in a Toronto hospital and that she was given the phone by the hospital when they upgraded to new ones.

Now, 2013, six years (woah, time flies) after the initial "buy", I've decided to try to restore / renovate it, in hopes of making it operate and appear as it did originally.

This is a Canadian produced version of the AE Monophone. The following is printed on the base plate:

Monophone
Manufactured by
Phillips Electrical Works Limited
Brockville, Ontario, Canada

My Monophone in 2007, the day I bought it.

Getting ready to open the phone and see what's inside, I took a few shots of the rough spots.

At some point the previous owner of the phone painted it, with way too much paint, drips everywhere.

Quite a few big cracks and breaks were visible on the exterior of the bakelite case. The rubber gasket dried out and broke.

The cracks were previously glued, sloppy, but stable.

Opened up the case, not too bad on the inside, just dust and a few ancient bug carcases.

The yellow and black wire on the line cord were already disconnected when I opened it. Why? You can also see the interior fiberglass patch on the inside front of the case.

Took off the dial once I was able to force off the dial card cover, very tricky.
I then unscrewed and numbered all the interior wires, that is until I got to posts that were soldered. Wasn't expecting that, so I took a break.

De-soldered the remaining wires and was able to pull all the inside components apart for cleaning.

Gave the case a quick sanding and a shot of automotive primer so I can see the flaws clearer. Also polished the bells and re-taped a few of the components.

 

[RetroToday]

More...

With the primer coat, the big flaws became even more apparent. Time for bondo, I think.

Can't believe how bad the front was smashed. At least that old fiberglass repair is sturdy, even though it isn't pretty.

Yesterday I found a Canadian vintage telephone parts seller / manufacturer, selling the cords and rubber base surround for the monophone and I ordered them. Should be here in a little over a week, can't wait.

I just hope the weather co-operates so I can work on this outside.

 

[DNO]

Interesting stuff, Retro! I just had my AE34A3B apart as well. In my case, it receives a call fine and rings fine but dialling out is unpredictable. The dial seems to run faster that my 302s so I suspect that is the cause. (There is a trick to getting that dial card holder off.)

Those bakelite cases sure were fragile. Mine has a nasty crack in the back. I need a new gasket for the base as well...can I get the name or site of the Canadian parts dealer? (Unless it was "Oldphoneworks"...I know about that one but i didn't think he had a gasket for an AE34.)

These old phones have a real sense of charm. Have you got your candlestick up and running?

 

[RetroToday]

Interesting stuff, Retro! I just had my AE34A3B apart as well.

I need a new gasket for the base as well...can I get the name or site of the Canadian parts dealer? (Unless it was "Oldphoneworks"...I know about that one but i didn't think he had a gasket for an AE34.)

These old phones have a real sense of charm. Have you got your candlestick up and running?

Yep, it was oldphoneworks! He has a gasket that works for both the AE34 and AE40. Here's the link:

http://www.oldphoneworks.com/_search.php?page=1&q=20425

I haven't gotten the candlestick working yet, that will be my next project.

 

[DNO]

Did you give him a call? I got the impression that gasket was for the dial, not the base. I could well be wrong, though!

 

[DNO]

You might have a look at this site...he breaks down his AE34 and photographs the whole thing!

https://picasaweb.google.com/Amelyenator/AutomaticElectricModelAE34A3Telephone

I notice that there are some minor differences between the US produced phone and the one produced by Phillips in Canada. Mine has the same stamp on the base, btw.

 

[RetroToday]

You might have a look at this site...he breaks down his AE34 and photographs the whole thing!

https://picasaweb.google.com/Amelyenator/AutomaticElectricModelAE34A3Telephone

I notice that there are some minor differences between the US produced phone and the one produced by Phillips in Canada. Mine has the same stamp on the base, btw.

Thanks David, yes, you're right, there are some strange little differences between the US and Canadian models. Will have to look much closer at these pics.

I'm pretty sure the repro gasket is for the base, not the dial. There is no rubber gasket on the dial... geez, I hope I'm right! :-0

 

[DNO]

And here's how to get that number card cover off: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=5833.0

You're probably right with the gasket...seems a bit pricey just for a small dial gasket so it probably is the one for the base.

Now that I've done some homework and am more conversant with these period phones I really wish I could revisit that apartment sale and poke around some more! Unfortunately I had slipped on the ice three days before and badly twisted my ankle so I wasn't the most patient shopper at the time! (I'm still limping from that one...what a pain!)

 

[DNO]

By the way, I've also had my 302s and the 202 apart to check out dates. The 302s are dated 1941 and 1946 while the 202 is from 1939. i'm trying hard not to drift into becoming a phone collector!

 

[RetroToday]

By the way, I've also had my 302s and the 202 apart to check out dates. The 302s are dated 1941 and 1946 while the 202 is from 1939. i'm trying hard not to drift into becoming a phone collector!

Sorry to hear about the ankle injury DNO, that's probably the only reason I got to the AE40 before you did.

Thank you for the dial cover instructions, but I think mine was tricky to remove because somebody bent it out of shape years ago. I need to hammer out the old dents.

Great, taking a telephone apart (most times) is the only way you'll find out the true history of the phone.
I'm trying hard to not drift that way too, but I can so completely see why it happens! That real bell sound is so completely addictive.

 

[DNO]

Love the bell...and that AE34 has a terrific sound. Right now I'm using a 302 on my home line. I tried hooking up the AE34 and the 202 as well but I found the volume on the line really fell off. So, just the one for now.

 

[RetroToday]

Love the bell...and that AE34 has a terrific sound. Right now I'm using a 302 on my home line. I tried hooking up the AE34 and the 202 as well but I found the volume on the line really fell off. So, just the one for now.

Hmmm, I'm also having a few strange occurrences with my AE40 of volume drop off. I wonder if AEs don't "like" to be installed on Bell Telephone Co. lines.

Look at what arrived in the mail today!

New rubber gasket and line cords I ordered from oldphoneworks.

So happy to discover this is the base gasket I wanted to order! Whew! The new one is now installed.

(mouth piece area) I'm hoping I rewired this the correct way. The colour code on the old cloth covered wires is tough to make out.

The rubber gasket and new wiring installed partially.

Just need to finish off the case and then I can go ahead with the complete re-assembly. I may ask my friend if I can use the spray booth at his work to complete it as the weather here isn't cooperating, I was hoping to work on it outside this afternoon.

 

[1930artdeco]

I think it was discussed here somewhere, but how well do these phones work with the new digital lines? Any mods/special equipment needed?

Mike

 

[DNO]

That was fast, RT! Nice looking gasket, as well. The cords look great too. Not sure I can help with the wiring. My handset is a Type 41 and seems to be wired differently than your Type 38. I think I may have to give that company some of my business as well! That phone is going to look great when you've finished. Did you have a lot of trouble getting the caps off the transmitter and receiver. Mine were pretty nasty but 10 or 15 seconds with a hair dryer loosened them up.

As far as the volume drop off, I suspect I just had too many phones on the line. At least that's what I hope...I really would like to have the AE34 hooked up sometime.

And as far as working on the new lines, 1930artdeco, all I know is that these beauties work just fine on the system here in Toronto. I do understand, though, that newer systems no longer accept pulse signals from dial telephones. There are various pulse to tone adapters that are available to overcome this problem.

 

[RetroToday]

- Hi 1930artdeco, you can use a pulse-to-tone converter for some systems like the one here.

There is also another product, a "mini-network" that allows you to connect to a more modern system. This link is for one to convert a candlestick phone. Other than these two, there are more options depending on the situation and the phone you want to install.

- Hi DNO, yeah, it was very fast! Ordered it Sunday and it got to me by Wednesday, and I chose the cheaper mailing option which should have taken much longer. They really do make a very nice product!
Thankfully, the caps came off easy. I haven't been able to open them further to buff the parts separately, but I hope to do so with help from that great gallery you told me about that lists all the steps.

Yeah, I do have a few too many phones connected now after that estate sale - like you say, maybe that's why the volume problem is happening.

 

[LizzieMaine]

If you're using a true *digital* phone line -- not just a touch-tone analog line, but a line where the signal exists solely in the digital domain, you need a digital-to-analog converter to use any analog phone, whether it was built in 1930 or 2003.

The effective limit for the number of phones that can be connected to a standard phone line is usually five. More than that and there won't be enough voltage across the line to ring all the phones. Non-phone company phone services may be able to handle even less of a load.

 

[DNO]

I had seven phones hooked up and the receiver volume definitely suffered. Now I've cut back to 5 (sounds like an addiction) and the volume is fine.

I hooked my AE34 up last night to try it out. Quite the volume from the receiver I must say! However, it also cut off all the other phones in the house. I don't think it plays well with the other devices! So it's back to sitting and looking pretty for the AE34A3B and the good old reliable Northern Electric 302 goes back to work. It really is such a pleasure to use these old phones.

I have my 1946 302 hooked up now but I think I'll take your approach with my 1941 302, Retro. New line and handset cords are due, I think. The phone has it's original brown cloth covered cords and it looks to me like Oldphoneworks has some nice replacements. You've inspired me!

 

[RetroToday]

I had seven phones hooked up and the receiver volume definitely suffered. Now I've cut back to 5 (sounds like an addiction) and the volume is fine.

I hooked my AE34 up last night to try it out. Quite the volume from the receiver I must say! However, it also cut off all the other phones in the house. I don't think it plays well with the other devices! So it's back to sitting and looking pretty for the AE34A3B and the good old reliable Northern Electric 302 goes back to work. It really is such a pleasure to use these old phones.

I have my 1946 302 hooked up now but I think I'll take your approach with my 1941 302, Retro. New line and handset cords are due, I think. The phone has it's original brown cloth covered cords and it looks to me like Oldphoneworks has some nice replacements. You've inspired me!

DNO - Happy I could motivate you to get some parts for your phone from them, I don't think you'll be displeased. They actually produce their own cloth wire, there's a video of the machine that makes it on their youtube channel.

Is it possible your AE was formerly used as part of some type of internal relay system like the PAX system and so it was wired differently? I don't actually know if you have to wire a phone differently to operate on a PAX system, I just found out about it yesterday. It makes me wonder if that's why my AE34 had two disconnected wires when I opened it up.

[video=youtube_share;yAb-QVXk3ko]http://youtu.be/yAb-QVXk3ko[/video]

LizzieMaine - Thanks for the tip on the telephone overcrowding, I didn't have seven on the line like DNO, but I suspect that the way I've been adding extension cords and a couple of splitters couldn't have helped.

A little more progress on my AE34's body - I sanded away the primer on the cracked areas which I need to smooth out, and added bondo to them. This type of bondo is the stronger two-part procedure. You mix a red hardening agent into the light coloured putty to activate it, and spread it over with a plastic spreader.

I left the bondo fairly thick in areas so that I can first sculpt it with x-acto blades. Once I have the angles roughed-in I'll sand it down into the final shape with fine sandpaper taped to a small wood block.

 

[DNO]

Interesting video about the PAX. Considering the dial card on mine, I suspect it was used in some kind of internal phone system (the number is simply 209). This is all quite new to me...I'm not a terribly techie guy! (I'm delighted today because I just found 2 Stetson milans, a Biltmore milan and one Lee fedora, all in my size, at the Sally Ann. Just not much of a technical guy!)

Lizzie had posted some instructions about wiring the 302. They were so straightforward even a techno-idiot like me could follow them but fortunately the two 302s I picked up were already set up and ready to go. I do believe she is much more technically capable than I am!

Keep posting the photos of your repairs. It's quite interesting.

 

[RetroToday]

Interesting video about the PAX. Considering the dial card on mine, I suspect it was used in some kind of internal phone system (the number is simply 209). This is all quite new to me...I'm not a terribly techie guy! (I'm delighted today because I just found 2 Stetson milans, a Biltmore milan and one Lee fedora, all in my size, at the Sally Ann. Just not much of a technical guy!)

Lizzie had posted some instructions about wiring the 302. They were so straightforward even a techno-idiot like me could follow them but fortunately the two 302s I picked up were already set up and ready to go. I do believe she is much more technically capable than I am!

Keep posting the photos of your repairs. It's quite interesting.

Damn, I've been looking for vintage hats that will actually fit my big head and have not found a single one yet! You're very fortunate!

I can easily find nice items that were in a vintage house, but to clothe myself vintage... that's a much larger problem that I've been trying to solve, with little success.

About the phone - Don't worry, I'll take as many progress shots as I can and post them here.
I have a sinking feeling the earpiece speaker may be bad... the diaphragm inside doesn't look very tight at all.