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Beautiful AE34 - smashed in Shipping :(

Started by Dave F, October 22, 2010, 11:05:25 PM

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Dave F

I bought a lot of six phones, and they were all piled helter-skelter into a single shipping box with virtually no packing material.  Here's the AE34.  Lovely, I'm sure you all will agree.  Now, if I can just find a suitable place of honor to display it.....

Dennis Markham

Unbelievable.  What a shame.

bingster

That's a heartbreaking sight.  :(
= DARRIN =



AE_Collector

Even worse...the 34 was the very rare type with the handhold built into the back of the case. I have only seen one of these before. Criminal.....

Terry

baldopeacock

was this an eBay buy?   Seller's response?

Dave F

Quote from: baldopeacock on October 23, 2010, 11:02:49 AM
was this an eBay buy?   Seller's response?

It was an eBay buy but, at that time, I just wasn't in the mood to go through a big hassle with the seller.  So, I never even said anything about it.  Interestingly, my WE ivory 305 also came from this lot (the real reason for the purchase), and it somehow miraculously arrived undamaged.  Still, a nice (and apparently rare) AE34 would have been a welcome addition as well.

See the ivory 305 here:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3452.msg45798#msg45798

JorgeAmely

I have never seen an AE34 with a built-in lift. This phone survived 60-70 years and a careless seller did it under. Too bad.  >:(
Jorge

Dave F

Speaking of AE34s, I'm not very knowledgeable.  How does this handset come apart?  These caps don't seem to unscrew.  Is there some trick to it?

Adam

#8
Picture it. 6 vintage phones knocking around in a dark, scary box.  They all knew who was the best of them all, the ivory 305.  All of a sudden, a big bump!  and without thinking, the AE34 jumps in the way of the damaging object and saves the ivory 305, damaging himself in the process.

The pictures of your broken AE34 are not sad.  Your AE34 is a HERO!

;D
Adam Forrest
Los Angeles Telephone - A proud part of the global C*Net System
C*Net 1-383-4820

AE_Collector

#9
Quote from: Dave F on October 23, 2010, 01:43:35 PM
Speaking of AE34s, I'm not very knowledgeable.  How does this handset come apart?  These caps don't seem to unscrew.  Is there some trick to it?

The receiver bakelite cap including the metal band portion unscews from the handset much like a modern receiver cap. The metal pice in the centre of the cap with the hole through it actaually is a threaded insert that screws into the matal backing clamping the bakelite cap into place. The hole in it is hex shaped to allow a hex tool (made specifically for this purpose) to be inserted to loosen and reposition the wedge shaped cap in the optimal position to fit against your ear. This would vary depending if you hold the handset to your left or right side. None of this matters when trying to remove the cap from the handset though. Remove it as one piece.

The transmitter end is just the metal ring that unscrews off of the handset. Once it is off that releases the spit cup and transmitter element.

That said, both transmitter ring and the receiver are usually a bear to remove.  The threads are very fine on these. Sometimes a strap wrench will do it, otherwise the usual hot / cold treatment. The threads run in the normal direction. (clockwise to tighten, counter clockwise to loosen)

Terry

Dave F

Quote from: masstel on October 23, 2010, 02:02:04 PM
Picture it. 6 vintage phones knocking around in a dark, scary box.  They all knew who was the best of them all, the ivory 305.  All of a sudden, a big bump!  and without thinking, the AE34 jumps in the way of the damaging object and saves the ivory 305, damaging himself in the process.

The pictures of your broken AE34 are not sad.  Your AE34 is a HERO!

;D


Well, that's certainly taking lemons and making lemonade.  In a similar vein, a few years ago, my wife got into a pretty serious car accident.  Our classic 1983 Olds Cutlass Supreme was totalled when some 17 year old bimbo driving mommy's Lexus blew through a stop sign in West L.A.  Liz spent weeks going to rehab for back and neck problems.  She was pretty p**sed-off that our car got ruined, but I told her that the car gave up its life to save hers.  I guess you could look at this AE34 event in that same way.

Dave F

#11
Thanks Terry.  Being mostly a WE collector, I have been lax at learning the ins and outs of the AE products.

Dave

AE_Collector

#12
Quote from: Dave F on October 23, 2010, 02:24:55 PM
Thanks Terry.  Being mostly a WE collector, I have been lax at learning the ins and outs of the AE products.

Dave


Dave:

I continued to add to the handset disassembly instructions above after you read and replied to my original statement so check back again for more info.

I'm looking at ther pieces of the 34 wondering if they could be glued back together into a somewhat reasonable example of this fairly rare AE 34 with built in lift.

I have two AE 34's. One has a crack running down one side from front to back and the other has a couple of small holes drilled in the back of it.

If you were parting it out, people are always looking for the ringer with the (unique to the AE 34) mounting bracket. Check with "wallphone" Doug Pav....I think he was looking for one awhile back.

Terry

Dave F

#13
It might be possible to put the large pieces back together, but some sort of epoxy would be needed to fill in the misc gaps and cracks.  If so, then the case could be painted, and at least there would be some sort of evidence for this rare variety.  Don't worry, I'm not going to throw it into the trash!  I didn't realize that 34s were that uncommon. If you only have two, they can't be very easy to find.  Packed away somewhere I have one more AE34.  I haven't seen it in years but, as I recall, it is a non-dial set and is in pretty good condition.  Maybe I should try to dig it out and take some pictures.

gpo706

Again, sad that it lasted all those years and smashed in a stupidly packed box.

However, is it beyond redemption, would a glue and polish job make it whole again?
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"