>I just stripped my Series II dash down to bare bakelite. If I sand a
>spot with 600 grit the undersurface appears grey. Whatever coats the
>bakelite to make it black (actually more of a very dark brown) is not
>paint, or at least a type that resists a methyl hydrate stripper (Circa
>1850 in my case). Unfortunately there are just enough surface marks
>that I'll have to paint it. Tips are welcome.
I am pretty sure that the brown stuff is some form of an oxide, and not a finish per-se.
Deep inside, it should be quite black.
I have seen it on old dashes just laying around, but not on some that have been just stripped after many years of wearing paint.
>Could anyone recommend a good thin filler for the dents and scratches
>(mostly around the cigarette lighter)?
For reconstruction, (cracks/deep nicks/holes that dont belong) I used a mix of bondo and polyester resin/catalist.
The stuff is very easy to make, fills well with little shrinkage, and with the bondo in the mix, its not too tough to work with and smooth.
For scratches and minor nicks, I used spot (glazing) putty, then allow the putty to dry for 2 days prior to level sanding.
The use of popcycle sticks is recommended for the flat sanding to gaurantee a wave free smooth surface.
Jarrid