Restore Toggle And Rocker Switches.

[ceejay]

Hi Guys.
This has been mentioned before but thought I would add a different take
on the subject.

I am currently finishing off the S2 dash... strip old lacquer, sand back, and spray
three coats of polyurethane on... lots of elbow grease.

But when I put the old toggle switches in they looked crap, so what to do?
I read the prev postings about using black nail polish and other stuff... but that
may eventually peel of.

I wondered what would happen if the plastic was given a touch on 'the
hard buff wheel we use to polish aluminium and stainless?

So I gave it a go with the worst effected switch, thinking that if I stuff
it up, I 'll simply buy a set of new switches.

Well no need to worry about that, I was really surprised at the results,
they look almost like new again.

The hard buff is mounted on an ordinary bench grinder.

For the buff to it's job it needs a dab from the stick of cutting rouge
applied to the wheel as it rotates at speed, then the switch handles
are carefully buffed until the nice black colour returns.

Buffing the oxidised plastic switches has actually brought back
the original black lustre of the plastic... I was impressed.

See pictures below.

The old buff wheel I used is just about knackered, but it worked a treat.

Don't use a soft buff wheel, you need to be able to apply a bit of pressure,
you could try it, but I think the hard buff is better.

It is surprising how much work is involved in refurbishing the dash, but the
end result is worth the effort.

Good luck.
PS
A word to the S2 purists, the dash does not conform to standard S2 layout.

[ElanSeries2]

Thanks for this - not long until I start on my dash, so very handy to know!

[ceejay]

You are most welcome, sometimes a problem can be solved
by thinking outside of the box.

[SADLOTUS]

It is also possible to dismantle the rocker switches, I had mine apart when the wipers worked (unintentionally) intermittently, and when I wanted a hazard light switch.
Careful dismantling and plenty of photos - digital these days so who's counting... was nice diagrams in the past. Pretty straight forward circuitry even for me.