I'm building a big 4x8 cnc router. But it is very expensive. So, I have mostly been buying used or surplus items to construct it.
One such item was a Cutler-Hammer on/off switch. It is just a box with two switches mounted in it. It is a big beastly looking thing with a steel case and molded aluminum front. Rated at 600v, both switches can be used as normally-open or normally-closed. I was very glad to get it and was very happy with the purchase. But then I noticed how ugly it was. It looked like it had been hand painted with white house paint, and they had got paint all over the buttons as well.
So, off came the case so I could clean it all up. I used paint stripper to remove the nasty whitewash. I then sanded everything smooth. Using 80, then 120, then 250 grit sandpaper. I painted the steel box gray, first with primer then with a good brand of enamel. Then I took a Dremal with polishing compound to shine the aluminum front which I hadn't painted. It is so shiney you can see your reflection in it. The buttons cleaned up well and came out perfect.
So now I'm looking at this beautiful switch and thinking...it took two whole days to restore that thing. Two days I could have used much more productively. I mean, I spent two days so I could have a shiney switch! LOL.
I think "obsession" doesn't even begin to explain my madness at this point. I'm beginning to think my I.Q. is dwindling at about the same rate as my bank account!
Oh well, now if I could just figure out how to restore the tiny little plaque with the painted Cutler-Hammer logo that was attached to the switch. It's about 1/3 missing because of the paint stripper. I didn't even know it was there till the white paint was removed....
P.S. Anyone else restore old parts for their machine? Or is it just me? It's just me isn't it....hahaha.