# Restore Logan Brass Data Plate



## CPL_Guimonster (Feb 5, 2016)

Does anyone know how to shine up this data plate?


View attachment 121253
View attachment 121254


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## pebbleworm (Feb 5, 2016)

To get it clean and tarnish free, strip off the paint with paint stripper and clean it up well. Then get the plate very hot- just about red hot- and quench it in a tank of methanol.  Problem is with a plate that size it may very well catch fire.  And might splash flaming methanol, so that is probably not the best method.  I use it for small pieces all the time, but I have been glad I had a fire blanket handy...  There are other "bright dips" for brass- usually acids from weak (ketchup) to strong.  These can dissolve some of the zinc and leave the plate looking reddish.  An abrasive polish will get it back to yellow.  As long as the black filler paint you use will stick to the tarnished surface, paint the background and after it is cured polish the high spot with some super fine emery paper on a block.  That step I have not done myself.


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## pebbleworm (Feb 5, 2016)

Here is a pretty benign bright dip- just takes a little more work and DO NOT skimp on the washing, cleaning and drying steps at the end:




I don't use this for the parts I need to clean- it is kind of a pain to clean up- but for something the size of your plate it looks pretty good.


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