Bakelite

We've recently had a query on how to clean up bakelite, so here's some information gleaned and compiled from the net:
Bakelite is a thermoset plastic. This is a plastic which starts molten as a liquid but once solidified, does not revert to its liquid state when heated. In crude terms it consists of a resin (which gives the glossy appearance) plus a bulk filler material, usually wood flour. The shiny surface you see and admire is the top layer of resin but this is often very thin. It is created during manufacture by the pressure the ingredients are under while setting. Once rubbed away through atmospheric action, over-enthusiastic polishing or by scorching in the sun's rays, it is lost and nothing will bring it back. You are then left with a pitted mixture of resin and wood flour (or sometimes asbestos powder), and wood flour, being very fine sawdust is not that glossy.

Provided that the top layer of resin is intact, bakelite is not porous; the recommended method of cleaning is a very dilute mixture of water and dishwashing liquid, with an overnight soak being best to get rid of any grease. After drying, a light buff with Polishing Paste No. 5 which also goes by the name Baykobrite. This product apparently contains a very light scourer and a waxy agent which highlights and protects the gloss finish. It was formulated by British Telecom to refurbish old bakelite phones to new condition.
A description of Polishing Paste No.5 and an ordering link is available here. It's listed here at $USD15 for a 60 gram tube. Baykobrite can be ordered from The Radiophile, Larkhill, Newport Road, Woodseaves, Stafford, ST20 0NP, (phone/fax 01785 284696), at £3.00 a tube plus postage (approx). If anybody knows of a New Zealand distributor or supplier, please let us know.

If your bakelite surface is rough, then there is a good chance the top layer of resin has worn away, and no amount of soapy water will assist. In this case, you need to cut away the discoloured layer. There are two different methods to do this:

1. Use a fine grade of wet sandpaper (180 grit) and progress up to 600 grit.
2. Use an abrasive polish, in particular the car polishes that contain dark brown paint pigment. Rub on, allow to dry and buff away the residue.

After this work, inspect the surface. Shoe polish (dark brown) can be worked into the surface to fill any remaining pits and buffed off a few hours later. Several applications may be needed to achieve a truly smooth finish. Lastly, use a clear liquid wax polish and buff to a high polish finish.
It's likely that this will need to be repeated every 12 to 24 months or so, as without the original resin surface, bakelite is porous. Remember, it's mainly a mixture of wood flour and colouring agent.

There are a number of methods to maintain the finish. Probably the most permanent is to have a good painter to spray the bakelite with a number of very light coats of clear lacquer. Other, less permanent, and perhaps less worrisome methods (after all, you'd need to have a lot of trust in your painter after all that work), are:

• Application of Meguiars Plastic Polish #10 (should be available from Repco or Super Cheap Autos stores, although they may need to order it).
• Application of Mothers Pure Carnauba Wax. This wax is completely non-abrasive, so can be used as often as you want to keep the bakelite protected without removing any of your previous hard work.

There is one report of a person smearing on a very fine layer of petroleum jelly with a clean rag, and then lightly buffing off the excess. If you apply too much, the bakelite will start to exude drips in hot weather which can be simply wiped off. Apparently the jelly gets absorbed slightly and doesn't seem to attract the amount of dust one might think.

Email us if you have any further tips.

Vice President's Rally

It was a sunny day when we met at Westgate car park. Those who arrived before Karen and myself had enough time to have a quick browse through the nearby outlet stores before we all started out down State Highway 16 toward Helensville.

Early on in the rally a few people tried to take the State Highway 18 turnoff toward Riverhead, rather than Riverhead Road – a likely trap for young players. However, there were also other obscurities to capture those of us who've been around a little longer; and I think everyone got caught by travelling up a no exit road to get a specific house number.

Further on, we had to count the number of horseshoes on a couple of gates. From memory, there were about 26, and I think the owners of the property in question probably spoke to each of us on the run, as they were out in their garden at the time.

Finally we came out of the back roads and into the village of Waimauku, where we then had a short journey to Bees Online, a cafe and honey centre where you can view a working honey factory.

We arrived a little before most others, so went and procured a large enough table. When everybody else arrived, we had coffee and some food, and discussed the finer points of the rally and who did what where. It seemed to me that everyone enjoyed themselves and it was good to see some new(er) faces amongst the regulars.

Those who attended were: John and Janice Gardner, Bev and Brian Coutts, Delia and Paul Stewart, Bud and Thelma Semadini, and Karen and family.

Parts Available

The club has available the following new items as follows:

• Front exhaust pipe: $75
• Rear exhaust pipe: $75
• Head gasket – 8hp: $60
• Head gasket -10hp: $60
• Head gasket -100E: $60
• Manifold gasket: $15
• Sideplate gasket: $15
• Sump set: $45

All prices are quoted in New Zealand dollars, packaging and shipping are extra.
All parts are subject to availablility and prices are subject to change without notice.
Parts are sold to members only.

Coming Events

10 September: Whangarei Swapmeet and Car Display, AFFCO Building, Kioreroa Rd, 8am.
10 September: Classic and Japanese Bikes and Parts Swapmeet. 7:30am, Claudelands Showgrounds, Hamilton. Gate 1, Brooklynn Road East wing fully undercover.
30 September: Manawatu VCC Manfield Swapmeet, Feilding.
21 October: National Die cast Models and old toys fair and Swapmeet, Northcote.
22 - 29 October: Dunlop Targa – Main Event.
27 - 29 October: City of Cycles Motorcycle Show, Telstra Clear Pacific Events Centre, Manakau City.
19 November: Cambridge Swapmeet.
25 - 26 November: Waiuku Flying 50 ,167 Kitchener Rd Waiuku. This includes a street race around Waiuku for European cars built between 1900 to 1975. Steam train rides. For details contact Roger Phillips (09) 235 0057 or roger@lotuscars.net.nz
20 - 21 January 2007: Classic Car and Hot Rod Show Kumeu.
11 February 2007: Car, Bike and Machinery Show. 11am on the grassed area between Railway Hotel and Otaki Railway Station. Funds raised for Scouts and Guides.

A Country Jaunt

The usual winter weather a few showers but not enough to worry anyone. The assembly place for this run was the BP Service Centre on the Southern Motorway at Drury; a lot of car clubs make this their starting point.
From there the cars proceeded to the first off ramp at Drury, and turned left to go through the industrial area at Drury, before turning into Bremner Road which took us across the motorway and to answer the second question: how old was the bridge.
Along a little way we turned sharp left, into Jesmond Rd and another trick was to find the horseshoe, apparently we were the only ones that did. After this we traveled towards Ramarama and turned down Kerns Road.
After traveling past small farms and answering more questions we eventually arrived at Tuakau and resisted the temptation of going into the big secondhand shop. Further along we crossed over the Waikato River and made our way up the hills to Onewhero Village, and beyond finding the Chateau name, and locating Anita the big pelican/stork guarding the letter boxes.
Onwards through very pleasant countryside to Pukekawa which seems to have one closed shop and a school and a church. After finding the name of the manor house we descended the hill and over the river bridge at Mercer.
There is a new bridge over the highway at Mercer which took us up into the back of Mercer Township to see areas not visible from the main road. There was the remains of a tractor on top of the hill which Bud said was the same model as one he had driven on his family farm in the 1940’s. This was a road I had not been on previously and there were great views of the surrounding countryside and the river (Waikato).
Coming down we went across the railway line, along into a tunnel under the expressway, up a hill and down the other side; there were no signs to say this was a motorway entrance road anywhere, but we eventually did meet up with the motorway and proceeded as per instructions to stay on the left and exit at the Pokeno off ramp.
From there it was a short run to the township where we parked off the road at the café. As we had been taking our time and looking at the scenery we were the last to arrive, but we were not eliminated, in fact when the sheets were marked we actually won.
As there were only three cars (two club cars) and one modern that was not difficult, every one won a prize of a box of chocolates descending in value according to the place you came. Thanks to Janice and John for these.
Those that went on this very pleasant scenic drive were Ant Kite & Karen Preston (modern), Bob & Gwen Cleland (Prefect), and ourselves Thelma & Bud Semadeni (Prefect).
Thelma.