OMT microscope

Hi All. My restoration project of the OMT microscope is progressing but I have just seen that another one has come up for sale on an industrial auction site. If it happens to be anyone on here who's bidding for it, and you are also planning to carry out a restoration, I would just like to give you some advice.

DONT remove all the paint by grit (bead) blasting. This unfortunately removes the tons of filler that has been applied by the bucket load to the castings. Just make isolated repairs to the paint where its chipped or flaking, otherwise look forward to a lifetime of filling sanding and painting, filling sanding painting etc

DONT use Halfrauds spongy grit pads. They constantly shed grit which keeps reappearing from nowhere when you are on to the fine stuff. It creates big scratches just as you thought you were making progress.

DONT use Halfrauds knifing filler. It starts hardening very quickly so you only get a chance to spread the stuff once or twice before it becomes unworkable. However, even in that short space of time, it will soften up the undercoat that you applied earlier in the day.

DONT bother with Halfrauds 'filler and undercoat'. Its about as much use as cotton buds to an amputee due roughness of the castings.

'Body work' has never been my thing really and I probably don't have the dedication that many others would have to achieve a pristine paint finish. But at least when Im done the paint wont be chipped, flaking and be badly discoloured in places. The final reassembly will be a total pleasure though and I am sure of that.

Back in the 70's I worked for a small firm reconditioning test stands for aircraft oxygen regulators for pilots breathing masks. These were owned by the RAF. They contained a vacuum chamber with a fold down glazed door about 12 x 10 inches with tempered glass in it. I made the mistake of fully stripping one of the cast iron doors and it was the roughest casting imaginable, with up to 1/8" thick filler in it to make it look good.

As a microscope service technician I used cotton swabs by the carton. As an amputee I guess was wrong.