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Restoring Bakelite - Hard rubber

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Z

zahnej

Senior Member
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I am restoring an MG TD that has bakelite knobs and other bakelite dodads. I was looking through an old TSO (the magazine of the New England MG T Register and found an article on restoring bakelite.

I ordered a bottle of the stuff from the company in the article. This stuff really works!! Made everything look like new - use as directed - I highly recommend.

Go to the below web site for info

https://www.pensburymanor.com/PMBHRPPNo9.html
 
That looks like good stuff, cheep enough to try in any case.
 
Yes cool. I bookmarked it fot future reference.
 
Gentlemen,

This looks great for refinishing the bakelite...

Does anyone have a suggestion what to use for repairing the cracked and split bakelite.. as on the steering wheel???

Thanks
 
Once it's cracked and split about the best you can do is use a good epoxy to fill and repair and then paint it. I doubt the steering wheels were bakelite though. Usually they were a molded plastic that continues to shrink over time and with the solid metal core the plastic will crack. I have repaired them with West System Epoxy (avail at boat supply stores) using the systems fillers to thicken the epoxy where needed. Then just sand, prime and paint as required. I use a hard clear coat to keep the paint from getting scratched (POR 15 makes a very hard clear called Glisten).

Cheers,
John
 
John,

Thanks for the note. I, too, suspect that the steering wheels are not bakelite. I have two wheels for my '57 A and both are in need of repair as they have the ubiquitous cracks at the spoke junction.

I have been on and around boats for most of my life and was considering the epoxy repair that you have suggested but, with all of the other things yet to do on the A, I opted out.

I may just put a laced leather wheel cover over the better of the two and buy a new wheel when the urge and spare funds find me... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif

Thanks again /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif
 
Steve,

Thanks, I'll take a look... Although I have been lustfully eyeing the Brooklands steering wheel from Moss....

I think that I will buy one-o-those when everything else is finished on the car...and a few extra dollars find their way into my ol' checkbook.. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif
 
Who in Co.? I need to have my wheel restored?
 
HiVping, don't know about Colorado but you can check the Internet there are several restoration sites there. OTOH, depending on what the damage is on the wheel it can usually be repaired using JB Weld by the owner. It will last about 3 years before you may have to repair it again.--Fwiw---Keoke
 
Aloha Ron,

I have used the Eastwood kit. It is basically a hard epoxy paste, PC-7 (I suspect you could also use PC-11). It will fill in those splits and caps in the steering wheel and stay in place. I have also tried regular body fill but it was not satisfactory for the steering wheel. A hard paint coating like an epoxy enamel or POR 15 will make it look like new. I used a leather steering wheel cover over my restored wheel because I prefer the feel of the leather.

I would recommend you fill in the cracks and splits so the leather cover will fit good.
 
Dave,

Aloha and Mahalo.

Good suggestion. I will take your advice.... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif
 
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