22 Sep
2005
22 Sep
'05
7:34 p.m.
Have you tried Armour All (that's what its called here) - its used for
revitalising Vinyl and other plastic type stuff
++++++++++
Kevin Parker
Web Services Consultant
WorkCover Corporation
p: 08 8233 2548
m: 0418 806 166
e: kparker at workcover.com
w: www.workcover.com
++++++++++
-----Original Message-----
From: cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org
[mailto:cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Bruce Lane
Sent: Thursday, 22 September 2005 11:06 PM
To: cctech at classiccmp.org
Subject: Restoring (and I do mean 'Restoring!') Plastic
Hi, gang,
Got a couple of 3M telecom test sets (965TD's) that need some
cosmetic help. No, they're not off-topic. First, they both use an
embedded DOS-based computer, and second they're both over ten years old.
Anyway... The outer housing is made of (I think) high-density
polyethylene, the same stuff that the outer jacket of telephone cables
is made from, molded in bright glossy yellow. At least it was bright and
glossy when new. As one might imagine would happen with field craft
instruments, these have been dinged and marred pretty badly.
My question is: What's the best way to restore them? I've tried
simple plastic cleaner/polish, and it helped a bit, but the scarring is
still there. What I'd like to do, ideally, is take enough of the outer
layer off to smooth things down, and then polish it up so that they look
new.
With that in mind: Anyone know a good way to recondition HDPE?
Thanks much.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy, Blue Feather Technologies --
http://www.bluefeathertech.com kyrrin (at) bluefeathertech do/t c=o=m
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped with
surreal ports?"
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23 Sep
23 Sep
8:58 a.m.
On Sep 22, 2005, at 7:34 PM, Parker, Kevin wrote:
Have you tried Armour All (that's what its called
here) - its used
for
revitalising Vinyl and other plastic type stuff
FWIW. I used to use Armour All, but I found that for some things
(Vinyl on seats in particular), Armour All + Sun = Dried and Cracked.
3:59 p.m.
Gavin Thomas Nicol wrote:
FWIW. I used to use Armour All, but I found that for some things
(Vinyl on seats in particular), Armour All + Sun = Dried and Cracked.
Ugg - I *never* use Armour All on a car - anywhere. It's evil.
There are many many good products for rubber and vinyl on cars. Black
again, Sonax and Meguiar products are all really good.
Read this: http://www.carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=13
Go to Car Care Specialties www.carecareonline.com and read his "howto's".
Letherique changed my life - I took old leather 911 seats and made them
new again. The Sonax saved many rubber seals for me.
I have to assume these products would also work on the same materials used
elsewhere.
[Nothing better than running your fingers over a fine automobile, covered
with carnuba wax :-)]
-brad
11:53 p.m.
...
There are many many good products for rubber and vinyl
on
cars. Black again, Sonax and Meguiar products are all really good.
Read this: http://www.carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=13
Go to Car Care Specialties www.carecareonline.com and read
his "howto's".
...
I would be a little less skeptical if this site were not selling all these
other products.
Gil
24 Sep
24 Sep
12:13 a.m.
I had friends that refinished telephones and they actually buffed the
imperfections with an abrasive wheel and then a polishing wheel. It took off
yellowing color of the plastic and then repolished them.
--
Paxton Hoag
Astoria, OR
USA
10:08 a.m.
Hi, Paxton,
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 23-Sep-05 at 21:13 Paxton Hoag wrote:
I had friends that refinished telephones and they
actually buffed the
imperfections with an abrasive wheel and then a polishing wheel. It took
off yellowing color of the plastic and then repolished them.
This is exactly the kind of technique I want to find out about. More specifically, I need
to know if polishing compounds are involved and, if so, what to use.
From your description, it already sounds like I need to start shopping for a bench
grinder.
Perhaps you can put me in contact with one of the restorers?
Thanks much.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy,
Blue Feather Technologies -- http://www.bluefeathertech.com
kyrrin (at) bluefeathertech do/t c=o=m
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped with surreal
ports?"
8:19 a.m.
"Gil Carrick" wrote:
...
That's a reasonable thought, but if you read his "how to's" you quickly
find out he's a total (and I mean *total*) fanatic who just happens
to have found a way to make a living from his obsession.
All I can say is I've used a number of things from his sight and I've
been really, really pleased. He's never steered me wrong.
-brad
There are many many good products for rubber and
vinyl on
cars. Black again, Sonax and Meguiar products are all really good.
Read this: http://www.carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=13
Go to Car Care Specialties www.carecareonline.com and read
his "howto's".
...
I would be a little less skeptical if this site were not selling all these
other products.
10:19 a.m.
Folks, I appreciate the suggestions, BUT...
Please remember -- I'm NOT working with a car here. This is a quest to restore HDPE
-- High-Density Polyethylene. I can't recall any vehicle I've driven in the last
decade or so having anything but vinyl or polystyrene in it.
So far, Paxton has had the best suggestion in the form of getting in touch with someone
who restores old telephone equipment. I'm still open for others, especially if someone
has actually done such restoration.
Thanks much.
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 23-Sep-05 at 22:53 Gil Carrick wrote:
...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy,
Blue Feather Technologies -- http://www.bluefeathertech.com
kyrrin (at) bluefeathertech do/t c=o=m
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped with surreal
ports?"
There are many many good products for rubber and
vinyl on
cars. Black again, Sonax and Meguiar products are all really good.
Read this: http://www.carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=13
Go to Car Care Specialties www.carecareonline.com and read
his "howto's".
...
I would be a little less skeptical if this site were not selling all these
other products.
Gil
25 Sep
25 Sep
1:36 a.m.
Bruce,
They did use a dual grinder set up with, I think, 8 inch wheels, one a
fabric buffer and the other felt? It was about 12 years ago and the people
went on to LA to do AT&Ts surplus.
Mechanical polishing is common with plastics.
It was a quick and dirty process for them. They were refurbing slightly
yellowed desk sets cheaply, not sure what plastic it was.
I will see if I can chase them down. I sold them lots of telephone stuff in
the 90s.
--
Paxton Hoag
Astoria, OR
USA
4:39 a.m.
On 9/24/2005 at 10:36 PM Paxton Hoag wrote:
They did use a dual grinder set up with, I think, 8
inch wheels, one a
fabric buffer and the other felt? It was about 12 years ago and the people
went on to LA to do AT&Ts surplus.
Mechanical polishing is common with plastics.
It was a quick and dirty process for them. They were refurbing slightly
yellowed desk sets cheaply, not sure what plastic it was.
When you find out how to polish HDPE, please post the method ot the list. Most telephone
desk sets are made of a very different polymer (ABS? polycarbonate? ).
For a good example of HDPE, you need go no further than your wastebasket or garbage
can--or the liner bag in a box of corn flakes. I've tried to mechanically polish the
stuff, but it's soft and any abrasive is easily embedded in the surface and it tends
to get "stringy" if it gets warm under the buffing wheel.
Cheers,
Chuck
24 Sep
24 Sep
10:11 a.m.
Hi, Kevin & Tom,
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 23-Sep-05 at 08:58 Gavin Thomas Nicol wrote:
On Sep 22, 2005, at 7:34 PM, Parker, Kevin wrote:
That's a factor for sure, but I'm also dealing with HDPE, not vinyl. The surface
is very different from anything I've seen in a car.
Also, as I mentioned: These are going to need more than just rubbing with a cleaner or
polish (I've already tried that, with some stuff made especially for high-density
plastics). I actually need to take off the surface layer, as in smoothing it down, and
then polish it. Armour All is simply not up to a task like that (I know 'cause
I've used it myself on other things).
Thanks much.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy,
Blue Feather Technologies -- http://www.bluefeathertech.com
kyrrin (at) bluefeathertech do/t c=o=m
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped with surreal
ports?"
Have you tried Armour All (that's what its
called here) - its used
for
revitalising Vinyl and other plastic type stuff
FWIW. I used to use Armour All, but I found that for some things
(Vinyl on seats in particular), Armour All + Sun = Dried and Cracked.
6871
days inactive
6874
days old
10 comments
7 participants
participants (7)
-
brad＠heeltoe.com -
cclist＠sydex.com -
gilcarrick＠comcast.net -
gtn＠mind-to-mind.com -
innfoclassics＠gmail.com -
KParker＠workcover.com -
kyrrin＠bluefeathertech.com