How to repair chipped bakelite
- , clean and polish. Before we can start applying the resin the bakelite needs to be washed. ...
- , making the mold. I use tape to keep the liquid resin in place until it has hardened. ...
- , mix the resin with the color. As I am repairing black bakelite, I use Norit tablets. ...
- apply the resin. ...
- waiting and removing excess resin. ...
What should I use to clean Bakelite?
Things You'll Need
- Latex or rubber gloves
- Bakelite
- Ammonia
- Dish soap
- Soft scrub brush or toothbrush
- Clean, dry rags
- Rubber bands
- Wooden toothpicks
- Paper or cardboard mixing surface
- Araldite 90-minute AB epoxy adhesive
How to clean things made of Bakelite?
Step 2: Clean the Bakelite
- Clean with either some soapy water or a non acidic product. I used a foaming window cleaning as I find it removed the dirt well.
- Spray with the cleaner and let sit for a couple of minutes.
- Clean with a rag and wipe off all excess cleaner.
How to Polish Bakelite plastic?
Steps to Clean the Bakelite:
- First, use a clean cloth to wipe away any loose dirt or debris.
- Apply a small amount of liquid metal polish onto a second clean cloth.
- Wipe the bakelite down, using the cloth to apply the polish with a scrubbing motion. ...
- Allow the polish to sit and dry to a film.
- Buff away the film to remove dirt and residue and reveal the shine.
- Repeat as needed. ...
How to repair chipped Bakelite?
What are we going to do?
- epoxy resin, in the form of 2 component glue
- toothpicks
- a piece of paper to mix the glue and the color Active charcoal tablet, ground to a powder
- coloring powder, in this case Norit, ground to a fine powder
- clear tape. Do not use the cheap thin tape, but the strong thicker kind
What's the best glue for Bakelite?
5 Minute Araldite EpoxyIf the plastic is definitely bakerlite then Selleys 5 Minute Araldite Epoxy will work quite well. If you think you might need a bit more working time than 5 Minute Araldite will allow you can use Araldite Super Strength which will give a working time of up to 2 hours.
Can Bakelite be repaired?
Many popular collectibles, such as antique radios and telephones, are made from Bakelite. Because Bakelite objects are so often collectible, it is often necessary to perform minor repairs when restoring Bakelite to its original condition. Follow these steps to securely glue Bakelite pieces back together.
How do you fix cracks in Bakelite?
0:0011:22Bakelite Repair - Part 2 of... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRepair this first section right here again is just where I put some of the the filler in and thenMoreRepair this first section right here again is just where I put some of the the filler in and then laid a bead of superglue. Over the top of it.
Can you drill Bakelite?
There is a tendency for Bakelite to splinter, but the use of a specific type of saw blade or drill bit will greatly improve the chances of a clean cut.
What is the difference between Bakelite and plastic?
Bakelite is different from other plastics due to its unique properties. The key difference between Bakelite and plastic is, Bakelite is the first synthetically produced thermosetting plastic with heat resistant and non-conductivity of electricity.
How can you tell real Bakelite?
Using Formula 409 Cleaner To use, dampen a cotton swab with 409 and rub it gently on the inside of the item being tested. If it is Bakelite, the swab will turn yellow. If a piece is lacquered, it may test negative with 409. Black Bakelite pieces often fail this test as well.
What is Bakelite made out of?
phenol-formaldehyde resinA hard, infusible, and chemically resistant plastic, Bakelite was based on a chemical combination of phenol and formaldehyde (phenol-formaldehyde resin), two compounds that were derived from coal tar and wood alcohol (methanol), respectively, at that time.
Can Bakelite chips?
It is not uncommon for older Bakelite pieces to have a small chip. In fact, a chip may help you to reveal the identity of the plastic. If the piece has a chip or scratch, the color of the plastic revealed from the damage will be the same as the surface color.
How do you make Bakelite?
0:2518:23Making bakelite plastic (Part 1) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd it's one of the first synthetic plastics ever made it's made from reacting phenol withMoreAnd it's one of the first synthetic plastics ever made it's made from reacting phenol with formaldehyde. And it's a thermosetting polymer. This means that polymerization is induced by heat.
How to clean bakelite?
Step 1, clean and polish. Before we can start applying the resin the bakelite needs to be washed. If there is dirt on it, the resin will adhere to the dirt and not the bakelite thus forming a weak bond. I wash the bakelite in warm water with washing up liquid.
How to remove air bubbles from bakelite?
All the resin has been applied. Rub the toothpick over the inner surface of the tape, where it is covered with the liquid resin. This will remove air bubbles from the surface.
What is bakelite made of?
They are made of activated charcoal. I grind them to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar. If the bakelite is stil nicely black and shiny this will make a good color match. If the bakelite is somewhat faded, you’ll need to mix in some grey. Mixing the resin and charcoal powder.
How long does it take to apply resin?
When applying the resin you have to work quickly, otherwise the resin becomes too thick. You have about 20 min, which is quite enough time. Please mind that the tape is peeled back, before applying the resin. With a toothpick I cover the edges in a good layer of resin.
What is epoxy resin?
epoxy resin, in the form of 2 component glue. toothpicks. a piece of paper to mix the glue and the color. Active charcoal tablet, ground to a powder. coloring powder, in this case Norit, ground to a fine powder. clear tape. Do not use the cheap thin tape, but the strong thicker kind.
Can curved surfaces be repaired?
Even simple curved surfaces can be repaired in this way. More complex curves cannot be repaired in this manner. Please make sure there are no folds, creases or fingerprints on the tape, where the chip is missing. These will make an imprint in the resin.
Can you polish bakelite before repairing?
Also polish the bakelite before repairing it. Polishing afterwards may damage the resin cast, because it needs time (days!) to harden. Also you can match the color of the resin better if the telephone is polished. After polishing, clean the fracture surface again.
What is Bakelite plastic?
Bakelite is an early plastic, developed at the start of the 20th century. It was one of the first synthetic plastics ever to be produced.
How to polish Bakelite?
Steps:#N#1. Grab some Brasso and work it into the Bakelite. You will need to use some elbow grease and it can take some time to remove all of the oxidisation.#N#2. Use another cloth to wipe off any excess Brasso and polish it well.#N#3. If you notice a couple of spots not quite shining, then repeat the process until you have the desired finish. Just remember to give the switch a good polish with a clean rag after you have done with the brasso.
Why does bakelite oxidize?
Over time Bakelite starts to oxidise due to sunlight and over time will become dull. The surface has a thin layer of oxidised material which can be removed with some careful cleaning. So if you have some plastic that is Bakelite and need to clean - read on.
How to remove rust from a cowling?
1. The first step is to remove all of the screws holding the cowling on. 2. If the screws are rusty put them into some rust remover and let them soak for 30 minutes. *Safety*. Please make sure that you always were a face mask when dealing with Bakelite. It can be dangerous to breath in the dust when polishing.
Why is bakelite used in electrical appliances?
The reason why it worked so well was it's high resistance - not only to electricity, but to heat and chemical action. Ok - enough of the history lesson.
How to buff a wheel with elbow grease?
If you don''t have one don't worry, you can also do the same with with elbow grease! Steps: 1. Add some buffing agent to the wheel. I used a car polisher to do the job. 2. Start to press the cowling against the wheel.
Clean, clean, clean!
First, wash the object and make sure the crack is clean and there is no dirt on it. Also make sure there is no dirt in the crack itself. Brush along the crack with a brush and soapy water. Make sure it is dry for the next phase.
Wiggle it!
When we put on the glue later on in the process, we are going to wiggle the edges of the crack. This moving the edges of the crack will cause the glue to permeate fully through the crack. That is also the reason why we need slow setting superglue. Otherwise it will harden before the glue has fully penetrated the whole crack.
Put it to the grind stone
Sometimes I grind out the crack on the inside of the piece I am repairing. There are a number of reasons why this may be advisable to do so. Firstly, we are going to put the glue on the inside of the housing, squeezing a small line over the crack. Grinding it out makes gluing a lot easier. The glue can be put in the ground out trench easily.
Glue and wiggle and glue again
So, no we are ready to glue. We are going to start on the inside of the housing. In this case I have put an steady line of glue along the ground out trench. If you have not ground out the crack, just put a nice bead of glue over the crack itself.
Sand, sand, sand
Now we are going to carefully sand away the excess glue with coarse sandpaper. I take a little piece of 800 grit sandpaper and bend it U-shaped. With this bent piece of sandpaper I take care to sand just over the glued part and try to avoid sanding the surrounding area as much as possible.
Polish, polish, polish
First I polish the sanded area with Valma scratch remover a couple of times, using a felt polishing wheel on my dremel. Afterwards I polish it by hand with an agent called displex. Displex is a compound for removing scratches from telephone touch screens. It works really well on plastics too.
Show it off to your friends
If all goes well, the crack will be invisible. And you end up with this result, see last picture. Please mind that when the bakelite has faded a bit, the crack will show up black. But in this case I am very happy with the result.
How to clean Bakelite?
Step 1. Wear latex or rubber gloves to protect your skin. Clean the Bakelite pieces carefully in a solution of 10 percent ammonia and clean, warm water with a few drops of dish soap added. Use a soft scrub brush or toothbrush to clean any debris out of the cracks. Rinse each piece under cold running water.
What is Bakelite adhesive?
Araldite 90-minute AB epoxy adhesive. Acetone. Collectibles like antique radios are often made of Bakelite. Bakelite is a type of plastic that became popular during the first half of the 20th century. While at first Bakelite was used for industrial applications because of its electrical insulating properties, it was soon used in manufacturing ...
What are some collectibles made of bakelite?
Many popular collectibles, such as antique radios and telephones, are made from Bakelite. Because Bakelite objects are so often collectible, it is often necessary to perform minor repairs when restoring Bakelite to its original condition. Follow these steps to securely glue Bakelite pieces back together. Advertisement.
What to do if you are not 100% sure of Bakelite?
If you are not 100% certain the material is Bakelite, use the methods in the identification section to confirm it before continuing. If you have a strong nose, you might notice a diagnostic smell while rubbing the plastic. ...
What is Bakelite resin?
Learn more... Bakelite is a synthetic plastic resin first produced over a century ago, and used in thousands of applications. Nowadays, Bakelite has been replaced by more modern plastics, and may be the first plastic to achieve vintage status.
How to get rid of plastic smell?
Run the item under hot tap water for 15–30 seconds. This will cause many early plastics to release a distinct smell. This step is not recommended for broken items, or items with delicate non-plastic attachments. If the item is dirty, rub it with a cloth first to remove the dirt. If you have a sensitive nose, you may notice the smell simply from rubbing.
Why does bakelite change color?
The surface of Bakelite can change color as it is exposed to sun or heat. Don't be alarmed if your polishing reveals a different color underneath, as long as the material still has the same smooth, hard plastic feel.
How to clean lucite?
Clean Lucite. First, rinse or scrub off dirt on the lucite surface. Use plastic polish to buff or repair scratches in this clear, acrylic plastic. To repair severe damage, you may need to use a polishing wheel.
What is the color of Bakelite?
If the cotton swab comes away yellow or yellow-brown, the material is probably Bakelite.
Can you dry celluloid after a water test?
Dry and clean celluloid. Celluloid is the only common early plastic that can be damaged by water, but if you dry it immediately after the water test, it will likely be unharmed. Use a soft cotton cloth or swab to dry the plastic, since celluloid can be easily scratched.
Do I Really Need to Repair this? Beware!
What Do We Need?
- Superglue, the slow drying kind. It will need to stay liquid for a few minutes. Some products dry really quick. Test it first.
- Sandpaper, 800, 1500 and 2000 grit.
- Toothpicks
- Scratch remover, polishing agent, Brasso, displex etc
Clean, Clean, Clean!
- First, wash the object and make sure the crack is clean and there is no dirt on it. Also make sure there is no dirt in the crack itself. Brush along the crack with a brush and soapy water. Make sure it is dry for the next phase. Does it fit? We are going to put glue in the crack later, so it is important to see if the crack closes properly. Both si...
Wiggle It!
- When we put on the glue later on in the process, we are going to wiggle the edges of the crack. This moving the edges of the crack will cause the glue to permeate fully through the crack. That is also the reason why we need slow setting superglue. Otherwise it will harden before the glue has fully penetrated the whole crack. Do mind that you do not put too much force on the crack, other…
Put It to The Grind Stone
- Sometimes I grind out the crack on the inside of the piece I am repairing. There are a number of reasons why this may be advisable to do so. Firstly, we are going to put the glue on the inside of the housing, squeezing a small line over the crack. Grinding it out makes gluing a lot easier. The glue can be put in the ground out trench easily. In this case the crack was longer on the inside th…
Glue and Wiggle and Glue Again
- So, no we are ready to glue. We are going to start on the inside of the housing. In this case I have put an steady line of glue along the ground out trench. If you have not ground out the crack, just put a nice bead of glue over the crack itself. After applying the glue, start wiggling the edges of the crack. By the motion of the sides of the crack, the glue will permeate through the hole crack. Aft…
Sand, Sand, Sand
- Now we are going to carefully sand away the excess glue with coarse sandpaper. I take a little piece of 800 grit sandpaper and bend it U-shaped. With this bent piece of sandpaper I take care to sand just over the glued part and try to avoid sanding the surrounding area as much as possible. Sand it down until all the excess glue is gone and the surface totally smooth. Then sand it again …
Polish, Polish, Polish
- First I polish the sanded area with Valma scratch remover a couple of times, using a felt polishing wheel on my dremel. Afterwards I polish it by hand with an agent called displex. Displex is a compound for removing scratches from telephone touch screens. It works really well on plastics too.
Show It Off to Your Friends
- If all goes well, the crack will be invisible. And you end up with this result, see last picture. Please mind that when the bakelite has faded a bit, the crack will show up black. But in this case I am very happy with the result. For more on bakelite repair, see also my aricle on repairing chipped bakelite: How to repair chipped bakelite