Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Printable Version
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Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Ron Ramirez - 09-21-2008
Last week, Barry Jones told me about an Atwater Kent radio and horn speaker in a nearby antique mall...for $75.
Today I went there, and yes, the radio and horn were still there, still at the "sale" price of $75 for the pair (radio AND horn).
The AK is a Model 20 Big Box; complete save for tubes. It will require total restoration; the cabinet finish is very poor, and the front panel is covered in rust. It reminds me of a 20C I bought from a flea market many years ago, before I switched my collecting focus to Philco. The 20C was in the same condition. I was able to bring it back to a nice, presentable look, as well as make it work again.
I could not make out the model of the horn, but it, too, was made by Atwater Kent. It is in decent shape; however, the driver is missing. And I mean completely missing - it is as if someone unscrewed the driver a long time ago, took it away and left the horn behind.
Yes, I bought them, and will pick them up later. I've sort of been wanting just one three dialer with a horn in the collection for awhile now, since I gave up three dialers in favor of Philco eighteen years ago.
Did I do alright, guys?
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Ron Ramirez - 09-21-2008
After looking at horns here:
http://www.radiolaguy.com/Showcase/Gallery-HornSpkr.htm
I have concluded that my AK horn is a Model L.
Photos to follow later...
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Alan Douglas - 09-21-2008
Sounds okay to me. Ya gotta take what you can find. It's no fun playing with toys you didn't buy.
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - etech - 09-21-2008
I think you did well, Ron. Around here, you could pay that much or more for just the the horn.
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - AI2V - 09-21-2008
Some things you need to know about your AK 20 Big Box:
1. the RF stage grid resistors are open (simple 500-600 ohm resistors).
2. one or both of the audio transformers are open (replacements are available)
3. the detector grid resistor is open (common 2 meg)
4. the tuning condensers will most likely need some disassembly for contact cleaning and bending.
5 the filament rheostats will need to be removed for contact cleaning.
6. a miniature 8 or 40 ohm speaker can be used in the horn with the right transformer
7. you will need a power supply (recommend an ARBE III) to power it.
You can contact me at any time for assistance
lawnweeds100@yahoo.com ; I've serviced or restored over 50 of these Atwater Kent TRF's.
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Ron Ramirez - 09-21-2008
Pete - A lot of what you said, I remember from my experience with the 20C I used to own. Although, I seem to recall its RF grid resistors were OK. (Of course, that was probably 25 years ago.) The grid leak was bad, as were the audio interstage transformers. I expect this 20 Big Box to be the same.
Thanks very much for the offer of assistance.
Until 1990, I had some 1920s battery sets in my collection, and had designed and built my own power supply to run them. (I must have sold the power supply, as I no longer have it. I'll have to build another.) One of my favorites was a Freshman Masterpiece with built-in horn. Also an Airline with a built-in horn that I paid way too much for in an antique mall, years ago. I still remember the time someone walked into the radio station where I worked in my misspent youth, and offered me an Aeriola Sr. for $20. Of course I bought it.
And the AK 20C I mentioned - I found that in a flea market that no longer exists, as I say, probably 25 years ago. When I asked the price and the seller replied "$12," I pulled out my wallet faster than Adam Cartwright could draw his gun.
Alan, I chuckled when I read your reply. Yes indeed, it is more fun playing with toys you have purchased, eh?
Etech - yes, that's how I felt; the horns often bring the price they wanted for the horn AND radio.
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Texasrocker - 09-25-2008
Congrats on your recent AK purchase Ron! Since most the old grid-leaks are most usually bad, you can keep the originality of leaving them (orig parts) in place on the chassis, cut the wires to the grid terminals, then use modern resistors hidden under the chassis. Same goes with the orig bad audio-interstage transformers if needed by using the R/C coupling method without any loss of performance to the ear in most cases. However, if total-originality is foremost, good used orig "spare" AK parts do come avail on ebay from time to time! You may be able to find your orig-spares parts needed, missing tubes? and all from Ray Thompson at a Very, very-fair price, if he has them on any his multiple spare AK-parts sets!? Ray, ( the AK Historian) & AK tech extrodinaire, has been very kind and generous to me in the past!He could explain any orig missing or bad AK parts questions as well! He can be contacted at: AKradio at aol dot com via email if needed! Enjoy your AK Radio restoration, you will have it working again in notime at all!! I love my AKs TRFs too!!
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Ron Ramirez - 10-04-2008
Here are some photos of my AK 20 Big Box and Model L horn.
[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ak_001.jpg]
With the lid open:
[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ak_002.jpg]
Looking inside - no tubes:
[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ak_003.jpg]
Back view:
[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ak_004.jpg]
Side view of the horn:
[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ak_005.jpg]
Close-up of the tag on the horn - definitely a Model L:
[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ak_006.jpg]
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Texasrocker - 10-04-2008
Great AK setup Ron!! Got-er- workin yet? Those ol TRF sets sure sound good once fully restored indeed!! Enjoy!!
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Ron Ramirez - 10-04-2008
Hi Randal
No, I don't expect to get to the AK until next spring. I'll have to disassemble it, and then refinish the cabinet AND the metal front panel, since the front panel is covered in surface rust.
And then, I'll have to build a power supply, since I no longer have the one I used to use to power my old three dialers...and then, do something about the horn...since it has no driver...I'll probably hide a tiny speaker and audio output transformer under there.
I'll have to find the proper shade of brown to paint the front panel, and possibly the horn as well.
Like I said, next spring...I'm currently trying to refinish a few of my own Philcos in between repairing customers' radios, before cold weather really sets in.
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Texasrocker - 10-04-2008
Hi Ron!! Know whatcha mean about father "time" indeed!! Ive also been busy in my spare time restoring the customers radios first. I like those "payin-gigs" first, and see the smiles on the customers faces when they P/U their radios!
My winter-project is trying to get time to restore my Wifes 32 Philco mod 91-L. I have it working with new filter caps & a few others needed... but havent had time to fully restore it overall. You will love your AK set once restored!! If the orig AK moving-parts of the tuning-condensers copper-bands are freed-up, cleaned & polished, in "sync", your on your way with the AK!!
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Ron Ramirez - 10-04-2008
Ah, but this set does not use those brass drive belts...you must turn each of the three tuning knobs by hand to tune in stations...the old fashioned way! Not an easy task, either...but one can tune most of the AM band on a three dialer, with a little luck and a lot of patience.
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Texasrocker - 10-06-2008
Ah Yes!! I overlooked the 3 separate dial knobs! I have a "unknown" brand 3-dialer battery trf set here in the old "coffin box", think its a old "kit" radio( unmarked brand) that I will be restoring someday. It has the old small square-copper rods wiring assy, carefully soldered together, and if I remember correctly, it uses all O1A tubes in its old bakelight 4-pin (twist-style) tube sockets using short tube pins? If you need any assistance in finding good spare orig AK parts for your vintage AK setup, check with Ray Thompson! He may even have a original driver for the Horn Spkr, but then again, Im not sure. You bet, tuning in 3-dialer sets arent that hard, but I only had one other set here in the past of that "vintage" before. It was a Freed Eisemann vintage 3-dialer. I replaced the old grid-leaks, built a DC power-supply, and got it working with its orig tubes still intact. All the tube-filaments were still good!Some of the early AKs also used a couple #26 tubes also if I remember correctly? The orig audio-trans were still good in that Freed Eisemann set also. The old linear taper vol-control was in bad shape, but worked again after careful cleaning the rheostat coil, and relubing with WD-40. That radio had a crystal-type headphone jack output, if I remember correctly, that could be also used to horn spkr also. I borrowed some old vintage headphones from a local ham-operator to use to hear it to make sure it was working as I dont own any early-type headphones myself. My customer was looking for a suitable spkr to use with it last I heard. Does your AK use the short-pin "twist" type 01As. or has the tube sockets been changed to accept longer-pin types? I may have some good spares here, but not sure.
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box- PAINT - AI2V - 10-06-2008
Ron-
You painting job isn't that hard and I can send you the correct paint.
After removing all of the electronic parts from the panel, you can knock out the corner nickel decorations from the back with a nail punch (they squeeze back in easily with pliers). Also remove the diamond dial line things.
There are three paint jobs needed. Apart from the stripping (acetone and a 3M green pad), and then light sanding to remove the rust. Primer, and then light-to-medium wrinkle paint the front surface only (panel temp 120-135 degrees F). This is followed by (horrors!) semi-gloss latex paint diluted with wood alcohol and sprayed with one of those mini-sprayers from your local hobby shop. I can send you some of the paint.
There are two distinct brown AK colors; the big box uses the lighter somewhat reddish color; all AK's after that use a much darker brown with no trace of red.
The dials should be cleaned and the numbers filled in with ivory colored acrylic paint (small bottle, $1.00), and then waxed. Never use white! White stands out horribly and doesn't look good; ivory is a much more pleasant and accurate color for a radio that's over 80 years old. People looking at the radio will not realize that it's ivory and will think it's white.
Re: Atwater Kent 20 Big Box - Guest - 10-06-2008
Hi Ron,
If you are happy..then you did right.
Enjoy.
