Restoration Progress On My 1986 Gray

[mickyd]

I just used a 220 grit pad on a 5" random orbit sander. For the majority of the work, I clamped the handle to my work surface. For some of it, I needed to hold the handle in one hand and the sander in the other. The small areas actually aren't too bad on this handle. The sanding pad had a very slight overhang (maybe 1/16") around the edge of the sander. I was able to get that overhang to conform to some of the tighter curves.

For a majority of my sanding, I performed it either with my sander clamped into a bench vise as shown here, with sander upside down on lap holding with one hand, or for tight spots, I did it by hand with sandpaper on glass.

[heathicus]

Mike, what will the buffer wheels and compound do to paint? I was thinking about painting some of the recessed areas of the lock handles (such as the "Feed Stop" and "Quill Lock" labels, but not the grid pattern - that might be a little much). Sanding would leave the paint in the recessed areas, but would the buffer wheels and compound be too abrasive for the paint?

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I forsee a complete restoration in Heath's future:)

[heathicus]

I forsee a complete restoration in Heath's future:)

I'm so close, yet so far away...

[heathicus]

This may be a stupid question. MickyD, you might can answer this one. I've happened upon some scrap iron that might be good anode material in an electrolysis bath. But, it is covered with paint. Will the paint on the anode interfere with the process? Should I remove the paint (or at least a good bit of it to expose plenty of bare iron) first?

[mikelst]

The paint will need to be removed. It will act as an insulator greatly reducing or preventing the electron transfer required for the operation.

[robinson46176]

I did some big tractor brake assemblies in a 55 gallon plastic drum and I used a chrome plated rod (maybe 5/8" and 3' long). It worked great. great connection but it stayed clean. The process took a lot of the paint off of the assemblies.
I was using a 6 amp charger and baking soda. The assemblies were suspended from a stick across the top of the barrel with good old baling wire.

[heathicus]

My little battery charger has been unreliable for electrolysis, so I'm converting a PC power supply into a "lab" power supply and plan to use it. I have quite a few of those PC power supplies laying around that will never be used for anything. Might as well give it a shot and see what happens.

[mickyd]

Mike, what will the buffer wheels and compound do to paint? I was thinking about painting some of the recessed areas of the lock handles (such as the "Feed Stop" and "Quill Lock" labels, but not the grid pattern - that might be a little much). Sanding would leave the paint in the recessed areas, but would the buffer wheels and compound be too abrasive for the paint?

I think it would be OK. It will make the paint in the recess filthy but soap and water bath will clean it up. Worse case is it boogers it up and you have to strip and repaint after final polish.

This may be a stupid question. MickyD, you might can answer this one. I've happened upon some scrap iron that might be good anode material in an electrolysis bath. But, it is covered with paint. Will the paint on the anode interfere with the process? Should I remove the paint (or at least a good bit of it to expose plenty of bare iron) first?

Remove the paint first. Use the electrolysis bath to do it. Hook up the negative to the scrap metal and leave overnight. Lazy man's paint remover.

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Hey,
How many amps do one of those power supplies's put out?