VEF Transistor 10 dial cleaning. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

wireful3 · 11th Aug 2007, 9:39 am

Can anyone give advice on cleaning the dial on a Russian VEF Transistor Ten?

It has a blemish that looks like a wrinkled patch of lacquer on the surface. If it was perspex, as all the printing is on the back I would be fairly happy to try and polish it away but the material looks a bit odd and I am concerned that it might be affected by solvents or other liquids in the polish.
I can't guess what caused it and it is not easy to see if it is on the surface or whether something has splashed on the dial and reacted with it.

As it is not very obvious I don't want to do anything to make it worse. Any advice will be appreciated.

howard · 11th Aug 2007, 12:02 pm

Hello wireful,

The VEF Transistor dial is thin perspex - I'd be inclined not to use anything stronger than white spirit on it though to remove the blemish. Also try polishing it out with car polish and finish off with Pledge or Mr. Sheen.

Howard

wireful3 · 11th Aug 2007, 12:27 pm

Thanks for the information Howard.
I feel much more confident now to have a go at it . It is such a thin looking blemish that I will have try polishing first before trying any solvent but if this fails I will see what white spirit does.
Regards

wireful3 · 12th Aug 2007, 8:13 am

I treated the dial as perspex. White spirit as a solvent for the blemish had no effect, so I polished it away with Brasso. This was quite effective and as expected had no odd effects on the surface.

My problem is solved so many thanks Howard and the Mods can now close the thread.

11th Aug 2007, 9:39 am	#1
wireful3 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 808	VEF Transistor 10 dial cleaning. Can anyone give advice on cleaning the dial on a Russian VEF Transistor Ten? It has a blemish that looks like a wrinkled patch of lacquer on the surface. If it was perspex, as all the printing is on the back I would be fairly happy to try and polish it away but the material looks a bit odd and I am concerned that it might be affected by solvents or other liquids in the polish. I can't guess what caused it and it is not easy to see if it is on the surface or whether something has splashed on the dial and reacted with it. As it is not very obvious I don't want to do anything to make it worse. Any advice will be appreciated.

11th Aug 2007, 12:02 pm	#2
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: VEF Dial material Hello wireful, The VEF Transistor dial is thin perspex - I'd be inclined not to use anything stronger than white spirit on it though to remove the blemish. Also try polishing it out with car polish and finish off with Pledge or Mr. Sheen. Howard

11th Aug 2007, 12:27 pm	#3
wireful3 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 808	Re: VEF Dial material Thanks for the information Howard. I feel much more confident now to have a go at it . It is such a thin looking blemish that I will have try polishing first before trying any solvent but if this fails I will see what white spirit does. Regards

12th Aug 2007, 8:13 am	#4
wireful3 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 808	Re: VEF Dial material I treated the dial as perspex. White spirit as a solvent for the blemish had no effect, so I polished it away with Brasso. This was quite effective and as expected had no odd effects on the surface. My problem is solved so many thanks Howard and the Mods can now close the thread.