Glue for enamel dial repair

[UncleDoc]

I have an enamel dial from a French clock that sustained damage in shipping from an eBay seller (longs story, resolved), I was able to save the majority of the chipped off pieces and can reconstruct the dial with them...for the most part. The center will be a challenge, but I'll tackle that when I figure out the best way. My question is what is the correct adhesive to use to permanently secure the chips back on to the dial face.

Back when first started this journey, my knee-jerk reaction was to find a modern dial replacement, but time has cured me of that impulse. When all these pieces are set in place, it actually doesn't look that bad. It looks original at least.

Thanks.

Duane

 

[bikerclockguy]

Some 2-part epoxy should do the trick

 

[UncleDoc]

Some 2-part epoxy should do the trick

Any ideas for the center region?

 

[bikerclockguy]

Not really. I think it’s going to be hard to make that dial look good no matter how you do it. There’s a place(I think they are listed in the resources sticky here)that will make you an exact reproduction porcelain dial for a hundred bucks, but that’s a bit pricey unless it’s a rare or valuable clock. I’ve had that happen to me several times over the years, and I‘m looking for one for an Ansonia at the moment. I have a saved search on eBay for mine, and I browse other sites from time-to-time as well. I’ve never wanted one badly enough to pay a hundred bucks, so I just wait for one to pop up somewhere.

 

[UncleDoc]

Not really. I think it’s going to be hard to make that dial look good no matter how you do it. There’s a place(I think they are listed in the resources sticky here)that will make you an exact reproduction porcelain dial for a hundred bucks, but that’s a bit pricey unless it’s a rare or valuable clock. I’ve had that happen to me several times over the years, and I‘m looking for one for an Ansonia at the moment. I have a saved search on eBay for mine, and I browse other sites from time-to-time as well. I’ve never wanted one badly enough to pay a hundred bucks, so I just wait for one to pop up somewhere.

Yeah, no. Thirty dollar clock. I’ll keep my eye out for a decent example on eBay.

 

[tracerjack]

I used a two part JB Weld white epoxy when repairing a porcelain pendulum figurine. Not invisible in the crack lines, but not readily noticeable either.

 

[UncleDoc]

I used a two part JB Weld white epoxy when repairing a porcelain pendulum figurine. Not invisible in the crack lines, but not readily noticeable either.

Hey, now that’s a good idea!

 

[shutterbug]

I've heard that milk is a good masking medium for the hairline cracks that will be left. Let us know how it goes.

 

[sharukh]

I've heard that milk is a good masking medium for the hairline cracks that will be left. Let us know how it goes.

Shutterbug,

Care to explain how that is used ?

Sharukh

 

[shutterbug]

I think it is just dabbed over the cracks and dries white. I've never tried it, but a search will bring up threads about it

 

[bikerclockguy]

I think it is just dabbed over the cracks and dries white. I've never tried it, but a search will bring up threads about it

Sounds right. I remember getting in trouble as a kid for not rinsing out my glass after I drank milk, and later in life I discovered why. Dries white and hard as a rock.

 

[D.th.munroe]

I'm still wanting to test dental composites for this.

 

[shutterbug]

You could also try this. It looks like the real thing.

 

[Karl Thies]

I have used this method on my own collection. First clean all pieces and dial in an ultrasonic bath of new solution. Dry well and I use this glue "Bob Smith Industries cyanoacrylate thick glue" It can be purchase in different drying times. For the spots where there is no pieces to glue, I use krylon Short Cuts gloss white enamel applying it with a fine brush or toothpick. If the paint sinks down too much I add more after waiting a day drying time. Lastly when everything is glued and paint covers the bare spots, I spray with clear lacquer, wait one day and then spray again. It is not a perfect fix, but it does do a pretty good job. On close observation you can tell it was repaired, but at a distance it looks fine. The dial below was shattered in twenty or more pieced when I got it from Ebay. Within a foot it is noticeable, but from a distance not readily noticeable. Also when you put it through the ultrasonic, the hairline black cracks almost disappear.