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AECo "Monophone Tool"

Started by AE_Collector, October 17, 2011, 01:19:27 AM

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AE_Collector

The AE Monophone Tool combines two tools in one.

One end of it has an 8 sided "Allen Key" type tool that is inserted into the AE Type 38 handset receiver to loosen the wedge shaped bakelite piece and set it to the desired position once the cap has been screwed on. This way you don't have to potentially overtighten the cap to get the ear piece ficing the correct way. It also allows the ear piece to be positioned one way if the user holds the handset to his left ear or the other way if he holds the handset to his right ear.

The other end of the tool fits over the plunger commonly seen on the AE 1, 2, 3, 7, 35 & 50 (and others) phones to tighten or loosen the the plunger assembly. This prevents scratching the shell, metal cover plate and/or the chromed plunger assembly when trying to use screw drivers or pliers to perform this task.

A hard tool to find!

Terry


GG



How much should I expect to pay for one of those?  And where would I look to find one? 

And, is there a market for having more of them produced?  Seems to me any decent machinist could make those, and I know a machinist.  The new ones would of course have some kind of maker's mark stamped into them so it's clear they're "replicas." 

(What I've done to get the Monophone switch assembly apart, has been to use a pair of needlenose pliers, and hold them apart at the correct angle to get them into the little notches in that nut that holds the metal cover on the cradle.  After getting it loose the first time, I just tighten by fingers, so it comes off with fingers after that.)

Or, someone could go to antique phone shows with one of those tools and offer to unscrew earpieces and hookswitches for a dollar each: bring all your 1As and 34 handsets in and get them all done at the same time.  I'd gladly pay someone to do that.  (Hmm!  Methinks I'm going to bring a box of those with me to the San Jose show in a couple of weeks, just in case someone brings a tool they don't want to sell!)  (And I may as well bring a couple of items for possible trade for other stuff, such as a couple of NOS green ITT Autovon 5-line sets.) 

DavePEI

Hi Fellows:

I have emailed JL to see if he has any interest in reproducing some of these...

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

DavePEI

#3
Just looked the Monophone tool up in an AE catalog. Apparently there were two very similar tools, H-50754 for use with a collapsible (telescoping) plunger, and H-43172 for solid plunger phones. I have no idea what the difference was - they look identical.

Which one was yours? Is the H number visible on it?

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

Doug Rose

Dave.....That is one cool tool. I could of used it this weekend. If JL decides to make some, count me in.....Doug
Kidphone

AE_Collector

Quote from: DavePEI on October 17, 2011, 09:03:51 AM
Just looked the Monophone tool up in an AE catalog. Apparently there were two very similar tools, H-50754 for use with a collapsible (telescoping) plunger, and H-43172 for solid plunger phones. I have no idea what the difference was - they look identical.

Which one was yours? Is the H number visible on it?

Dave

In typical AE fashion, I don't think there is anything stamped on it....but I will look again and I will try it on both types of plungers to see if I can see any need for two types. Almost for sure they made it to work on the early collapasible plungers and then the hole in the end needed a slight enlargening to suite the new non collapsible plungers. But I'll try to figure it out.

I was going to look for a tool number Dave, but once again you beat me to it (Thanks!)

It would be a real nice JL project wouldn't it. Maybe it should have Classic Rotary Telephone Forum stamped in a circle around the perimeter....our first advertising item. (Just kidding)

Terry

Wallphone

Looking at the two in catalog Bulletin 540 I do see a visual difference between the two tools. The H-50754  will have a 1/2" deep axial hole on the octagon end. On the H-43172 the hole will only be 1/4" deep.
Doug Pav

DavePEI

Quote from: Doug Rose on October 17, 2011, 10:29:42 AM
Dave.....That is one cool tool. I could of used it this weekend. If JL decides to make some, count me in.....Doug

Hi Doug:

He is considering it. Until he decides for certain, I don't want to publish his full name, but he is known to most collectors for previous projects that have turned out really well. I will keep people posted, as this would be a tool very much in demand.

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

Doug Rose

Quote from: DavePEI on October 17, 2011, 11:58:46 AM
Quote from: Doug Rose on October 17, 2011, 10:29:42 AM
Dave.....That is one cool tool. I could of used it this weekend. If JL decides to make some, count me in.....Doug

Hi Doug:

He is considering it. Until he decides for certain, I don't want to publish his full name, but he is known to most collectors for previous projects that have turned out really well. I will keep people posted, as this would be a tool very much in demand.

Dave
Dave....I know who JL is and he is the man for the job.....thanks...Doug
Kidphone

DavePEI

Quote from: Doug Rose on October 17, 2011, 12:21:41 PM
Dave....I know who JL is and he is the man for the job.....thanks...Doug

Yes, he is - he did an excellent job on a recent item which I talked him into doing, and he made many of them for other collectors.

He says that it won't be identical cosmetically to the original tool, but will be identical in function, This would be to keep the price down to a reasonable one.

Once he decides to go ahead, I will post a message to that effect here that he will be making them, so people can put their orders in. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who had approached him about this, someone else had already discussed the possibility of making them as a result of the recent items he has made.

I, too have a Taig lathe, but wouldn't even consider such a project myself - I'm not nearly good enough with the lathe to do it myself, but am preparing to make some ring buttons for 11 Digit Strowger sets. I have one hardwood made for my own phone, but have some Garolite rod ordered to make more. Garolite is a phenolic similar to bakelite.

Anyway, I will keep everyone posted on the status of this!

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

LarryInMichigan

I just removed the center part from an AE handset earpiece using the handle of a pliers.

Larry

AE_Collector

I see lots of 50 sets with scratches around the plunger from needlenose pliers.

Dave, is JL going to need a tool to copy if he decides to give it a try?

Terry

DavePEI

Quote from: AE_collector on October 17, 2011, 04:01:28 PM
Dave, is JL going to need a tool to copy if he decides to give it a try?
Terry

Hi Terry:

It doesn't appear that he will... His will appear different from the originals, but will be functionally 100% the same - a matter of keeping the cost down by reducing the amount of necessary machining on them... He has a couple of monophones of his own he will be able to use for testing to ensure a perfect fit...

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

GG



Definitely count me in for one.  100% certain of that.  I have a couple of handsets with earpieces that don't quite line up symmetrically, so being able to remove the center part to re-orient the bakelite part would be great.   Also this would enable getting the center part as well as the brass rings all powder-coated black or otherwise treated to be uniform. 

Does anyone produce those round Monophone cradle nuts with the two slots on them, as replacements for all the ones we've variously scratched with improper tools over the years? 

AE_Collector

#14
They also tend to get lost real easily. AE 50 phones removed and recovered to the telso frequently would show up without the plunger and nut since the installer didn't put much effort into replaceing it properly.

Dencins is doing chrome plate for these sort of items including the parts for AE 38 handsets at a very inexpensive price.

Terry
------------------------------------
Quote:
If anyone is looking for a nickel finish on the A1 parts, I can plate the A1 parts like the AE34 in this posting.  Same prices.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=5093.msg63400#msg63400

Dennis Hallworth