A wound

[Kenny C]

The sadest thing happened this morning. I was making my bed and I have my AE 40 on my night stand. While I was making my bed my foot got caught in the line cord and "BOOM" the AE 40 hit the floor. I didn't think nothing of it I just sat it back on the night stand and went on with my day. I picked up the phone a few minutes ago and noticed a 3" crack from the dial down to the side. I took the phone of of the night stand and put it on my shelf. this is my first time damaging a phone.

[Just4Phones]

Kenny I feel your pain.  My first AE40 was on a shelf that fell over.  My heart dropped when I heard the bang but was relieved to see no damage.  I was amazed it didn't break until I stepped on a chunk of the back in my bare feet the next morning.  Ouch twice 

[stub]

Kenny,
           Sorry to hear about the AE- 40. I don't have any more shells for these phones. Break out the super glue and sand paper.     stub

[Kenny C]

Thats what I was thinking about doing. I just cant belive I did it

[AE_Collector]

Talk to Ray Kotke. He frequently sells AE bakelite shells on ebaY that he removed all the parts from to make his creations.

Terry

[LarryInMichigan]

Kenny,

You have my sympathies.  AE40 shells crack very easily.  It's a wonder that so many survived all of these years.

Is the crack very noticeable when you hold the two sides together?  If you can make the two sides rejoin easily without a gap, apply a very small amount of super glue along the crack from the inside of the shell and hold the two sides together until the glue sets.  That should keep the crack from growing.  If there are chips missing from the cracked area, you can try to fill them very carefully with drops of super glue.  After the glue completely hardens, you can sand any rough surface areas gently.  Do not sand to agressively, or you will wear the black finish off of the bakelite.

Larry

[Kenny C]

Bad news!!!!! I went to take this photo and it has spread down to the vent for the ringer!!!! It was not cracked this badly earlier it wasnt even al the way to the edge

[Dennis Markham]

Kenny, sorry to hear about your mishap.  I feel your pain.

Be careful out there everyone...bad things happen in 3's.  First Tom, now Kenny....

[LarryInMichigan]

Kenney,

From your picture, it does not look like a total loss.  Try the super glue from the inside and then you might be able to hide the crack with a black marker or maybe a tiny amount of black paint.


Larry

[Kenny C]

Kenny, sorry to hear about your mishap.  I feel your pain.

Be careful out there everyone...bad things happen in 3's.  First Tom, now Kenny....

Who's next 

[LarryInMichigan]

Kenny, sorry to hear about your mishap.  I feel your pain.

Be careful out there everyone...bad things happen in 3's.  First Tom, now Kenny....

Who's next 

It wasn't a phone, so it may not count, but I was cleaning an early 1930s electric clock early this week, and when I rinsed the dirty dial, the numbers and markings rinsed away with the dirt .


Larry

[Dan]

sorry about your ae40 kenny!

[Kenny C]

I hope It doesnt get worse 

[AE_Collector]

I hope It doesnt get worse 

That is probably it unless it hits the floor again. That is a pretty common area for them to break.

Terry

[Adam]

was cleaning an early 1930s electric clock early this week, and when I rinsed the dirty dial, the numbers and markings rinsed away with the dirt

Ouch.  I did this to a Princess phone dial once.  One must be very careful with those dials.  The dial face is two layers, a translucent layer with the markings and a transparent plastic cover above.  I suppose this construction makes the dial light transmit better.  But if you get any moisture on the lower layer or between the two layers, it's real easy to ruin the whole dial face.

Thank the phone Gods that these dials come up on eBay occasionally. (I believe there are a couple of NOS ones up right now...)