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Dial repair opinions and advice:

KarlvonKoln
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AndyHull Distinguished Member

AndyHull

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Posted (edited)

I suspect if the white filler (nail polish or whatever) is inclined to sit proud of the surface, and need to be polished flat, then you need to thin the material first. In the case of nail polish, the most likely thinner is acetone.

One other trick, when cleaning a porcelain dial initially, use a little bleach to clean the cracks. Some people use denture tablets (which I believe contain bleach). The dirt in the cracks should become far less obvious this way. Clean off any excess with water as it may react with the copper in the dial plate over time, and form blue copper salts.

Do not attempt to use bleach on any metal surface, as it will almost certainly react badly. For these, you could try a little white vinegar.

I have cleaned a few dials, but so far I've not had much success filling the larger damaged areas on porcelain. The whiteness it the major problem. If I find something that works well, I'll let you know. I have a bunch of test pieces to experiment on.

Edited by AndyHull
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