[Boatanchors] Fixing cracks in clear plastic?

[Philip Atchley]

Hi,

Just this past week I overhauled a National NC-60 (5 tubes) 
"Communications" Receiver.

Anyway, this set has a nice copper plated steel chassis AND a copper 
plated "sub-panel" behind the front panel.  The entire front panel is 
what appears to be molded of a single piece of clear plastic, over which 
the factory painted the Escutcheon, Logo, control labels, slide rule 
dial etc (dial and control labels appear to be engraved on the backside 
and "filled" with white paint).

The problem is this.  The bottom section of the plastic (clear part) has 
a number of cracks radiating from the two mounting screws that reside 
behind the tuning knobs, as well as from the headphone jack. NO pieces 
are missing, or broken out.  I suspect these cracks are due to somebody 
tightening the screws/nut down too tightly. Behind  this clear section 
the sub-panel is painted black.

The Question:  Is there a way to fill these cracks in and then "polish 
them out" so that at least they aren't so noticeable?  I've repaired 
cracks in plastic with Superglue before, but if it gets on other parts 
of the plastic I'm afraid it may turn it milky.

Incidently, I LIKE the two little red "CD" markings on the dial.  It's 
been more years than I can remember since I've had a radio with such 
nice "CD" marks (My Heathkit Mohican just has a triangle in a circle 
there).  And I'll bet there are "young squirts" on this list who doesn't 
even know what "CD" stands for (NO, it's not a silver disk full of Rap 
music!).


73 de Phil  KO6BB
My DXing tools (RECEIVERS), all fully overhauled:
    Hammarlund SP-600 R-274C/FRR, 18 tubes (Circa 1952)
    National NC-60 Special, 5 tubes (Circa 1960)
    Heathkit Mohican  (Circa 1962)
    Icom IC-751 Digital Transceiver  (Circa 1986)
    Grundig S350 Digital Portable (Circa 2004)

THE BEACONEER'S LAIR:  http://www.geocities.com/ko6bb/
QSL GALLERY: http://photobucket.com/albums/y123/KO6BB/
Merced, Central California,    37.3N  120.48W  CM97sh

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