[Guest]

Thanks guys for your suggestions.

I decided to try the automotive cleaning/polishing/waxing materials I had on hand. Didn't have any Excalibur (Excaliber?) though, so used several things to experiment with.

I started off using Meguiar's Deep Crystal System products in their 3-step process.

Step 1: Cleaner - This did a pretty good job of removing the body oils, cigarette smoke and whatever that accumulated on the cabinet. But, it does take a lot of rubbing. If you use it, don't let it dry to a haze, as I did. Just rub it on with a swirling motion to one surface of the case at a time and immediately buff it off with a hand towel while it's still damp. Otherwise it is tough to get rubbed out. A possible alternative to this product would be automotive body rubbing compound (fine grit - the white stuff, probably not the coarser red stuff).

Step 2: Polish - I couldn't see any benefit of using this product as it didn't seem to add any appreciable luster to the bakelite.

Step 3: Wax (liquid) - I wasn't satisfied with my results with Meguiar's liquid wax; so I switched over to Harly automotive paste wax and got much better (and acceptable results). (Yeah, Chuck, I know I didn't listen to you very well, did I?)

I hope this is of some help to others.

Has anyone tried polishing bakelite with a motorized buffing pad? It seems to me that, if the speed isn't too high, this would be better than hand rubbing and much faster.

Jim