[patmat2350]

Welp... I started with a radio that I could turn on and hear voices (from the speaker, not just inside my head)... but I knew that it wasn't all well.

Opened it up, saw the dripping e-cap, and decided to replace ALL the e-caps and paper caps, and all but one resistor. 

I think I got it all back together right... turned it on, there was no smoke/flames/popping... but also no voices. Just BZZZZZZZZZ.

I know now that I committed at least one sin: I ripped everything out to rebuild all at once instead of replacing one cap at a time... and I THOUGHT I had recorded all the connections well enough. So while I'm reasonably sure I got it back as it was supposed to be, I could be wrong... or I could have knocked something else out of whack without realizing it... or it needs to be completely realigned...

All I can say for sure is that now I need to learn how to be a radio tech!
Starting with Elements of Radio Servicing (1947 ed.), and wondering how many tools I get to buy beyond my reasonably good VOM. We'll see!