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Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing For help with cabinet or chassis restoration (non-electrical), please leave a message here. |
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29th Mar 2020, 8:53 pm | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK.
Posts: 465
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Cleaning Ebonite
I am using some of my enforced leisure time in finishing off various projects. On of these is restoring a late 1920s baseboard set with an ebonite front panel. Unfortunately the panel is pretty manky - I think it was stored in a damp shed before I got it - and I'm not sure what best to use to clean it. I have some "polishing paste No 5" which is meant for cleaning Bakelite - might this be OK or will it be too abrasive?
Last edited by kestrelmusic; 29th Mar 2020 at 9:12 pm. |
30th Mar 2020, 12:30 am | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 1,464
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Re: Cleaning Ebonite
I have an ebonite flute which had gone a sort of olive green ish colour and it responded well to treatment with very fine wire wool followed by Brasso. Came up nice and black again. That was years ago!
Steve.
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Those who lack imagination cannot imagine what is lacking... |
30th Mar 2020, 4:35 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
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Re: Cleaning Ebonite
Whatever you do, don't use a cleaner that is likely to leave any sort of conductive film on the surface.
In the 1920s, one manufacturer of Ebonite developed a production method involving a thin film of tinfoil applied to the side of the panel that was meant to be visible. When peeled-off the foil left a wonderfully-shiny surface which didn't need to be polished. Alas it also left an invisible semi-conductive film on the highly-polished surface..... |
30th Mar 2020, 7:09 pm | #4 | |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,701
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Re: Cleaning Ebonite
Quote:
“Set manufacturing in the 20s” Peter |
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