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Old 21st May 2008, 12:42 am   #1
Geoff 555
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Default Front panel staining.

Hi everyone. Reading the thread on a smelly Bush reminded me to ask on the cure for the front panel on the McMichael dimic it looks like bakelite but I dont think it is because its slightly flexible ( I havnt tried too hard.) It's about 3mm thick. The problem is very heavy staining which seems to be nickotine and dust/dirt. It has eaten into the surface and has left it a dirty yellow, I have tried alcohol, white spirit,foam cleaner and a all purpose cleaner degreaser and it does not touch it. Any ideas how to clean it, if possible, before deciding how to make it all one colour. Stain and dye wont touch it.
I would rub it down and polish it as an attempt but it has a lot of printing on it that would be destroyed.
Thank you.
Cheers and all the best.
Geoff.
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Old 21st May 2008, 8:23 am   #2
chipp1968
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

Have you tried T CUT car paint cutting fluid , bit like brasso , but seams to bite better, It might do it. you will need to be able to press quite hard on it though .
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Old 21st May 2008, 8:46 am   #3
Ian B
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

I agree that T-cut can be very effective, but it's abrasive and also contains ammonia (judging by the smell!). I feel it would be liable to remove the printing unless you're very careful or lucky.

Ian Blackbourn
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Old 21st May 2008, 9:32 am   #4
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

Good old fashioned sugar soap is excellent and effortless at removing nicotine from painted walls, prior to re-painting.

However I don't know what it's made from or how it will react with your front panel so, please, be very cautious
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Old 21st May 2008, 12:10 pm   #5
Geoff 555
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

Thank you all, I had forgotten to list the brasso, autosol etc. Sugar soap it will be. I will go and get some and give it a try.
Cheers.
Geoff.
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Old 21st May 2008, 1:03 pm   #6
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

Sounds to me as though the panel may be ebonite, which is a vulcanised rubber product that gradually turns a dull yellowy brown on exposure to light because of its own high sulphur content - it's quite rare to find in its initial black except in crystal sets and suchlike where a cabinet lid has protected it from light (and of course on the backs of panels). If there's a treatment that's much help toward restoring blackness without covering over any lettering etc., I haven't found it.

Paul
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Old 21st May 2008, 1:38 pm   #7
chipp1968
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

I still recon t cut , brasso isnt up it. Is the lettering printed or etched ?
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Old 21st May 2008, 4:44 pm   #8
Mike Phelan
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio_Dave View Post
Good old fashioned sugar soap is excellent and effortless at removing nicotine from painted walls, prior to re-painting.

However I don't know what it's made from or how it will react with your front panel so, please, be very cautious
Sugar soap mainly contains sodium carbonate (washing soda). One result of that is that exposure to the air and damp changes some of it to sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). This is a very strong alkali, and will remove skin, as well as bakelite or ebonite, eventually.
A wash with a weak acid - vinegar or lemon juice might neutralise it, but I wouldn't risk it.

Mer Bumper Gel is quite good for blackening sunlight fading on some black plastics; it is a pale green jelly and available from motor accessory shops.

T-Cut and Brasso are both abrasive to some extent.
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Old 21st May 2008, 8:35 pm   #9
Geoff 555
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

Hi well what ever it was and what ever it has been attacked with, then I think that is that. Ebonite it may well have been, having cleaned off the dirt and dust then the surface has 'gone', there is a difference of something like 7 to 10 thou. in thickness and the surface resembles the surface of the moon.The printing was etched.
I am going to get a sheet of polycarbonate and use that and by the time the rest is done then I may have had some ideas on some printing.
Thank you and all the best.
Geoff.
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Old 28th May 2008, 10:53 pm   #10
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

I had quite a few of these ebonite front panels which had faded just as Paul describes, and I never found a solution. All I could do was to carefully rout out the engraving with a pin then polish with Brasso, and finally refill with white engraving filler.

David
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Old 28th May 2008, 11:33 pm   #11
Geoff 555
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Default Re: Front panel staining.

Thank you David,yes I would have liked to picked out the printing but there is so much of the surface destroyed that the printing is all but invisible. That at the moment is the least of the problems, with out any information I cant get any further.
Thank you and cheers.
Geoff.
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