It’s been a while since I posted. Here is the latest restoration project, a 19th century motor regulator. The ebonite panel was badly damaged, a few pieces of it were missing and some of the brass switch pads had pulled through. Using measurements from the original, I designed a new front panel in illustrator & cut it in cardboard on the GF. Much to my surprise it was a perfect fit on the first try.
I cut & engraved the final panel in 1/4" Acetal. Filled the engraving with beige acrylic paint & sanded the panel when it was dry. The brass was all cleaned using a dilute acid solution, then aged back with liver of sulfur solution. There is more aging to do, the panel still looks a little too “new”.
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Impressive!
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Wow, great job!
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It looks perfect to me, such minor bits as use might create, but clean as if it had been very well cared for. 
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Yes, A little too perfect though. Even well cared for, Ebonite oxidizes a light brown. Here is the final restoration, complete with aging, compared to before aging. I added a light wash of diluted brown wood dye over the panel. The brass is still a little too light, but time will take care of that!
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Very interesting work. Looks good!
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I love to see your restorations. Another great job!
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Wow!!
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The one on the right is really showing its age now. 
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Complete transformation from where you started, really great!
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I like these posts of yours, please keep posting
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Very cool, as usual!
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Wow, impressive!
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Beautiful work! What kind of motor does that regulate exactly?
Lovely work, as always - but is that a regulator, or a variac?
One day I shall visit your museum. Wish I’d known about it back when I travelled there often.
At the time the common term for them was regulator, but technically it is an autotransformer (or variac). To be more precise, to be called a regulator it ought to have some kind of mechanical feedback mechanism from the motor shaft. The latter type was used on early power Systems to regulate the speed of the motor to compensate for voltage drop along extended lines.
If you do make it out this way again, let me know!
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Outstanding work John! Much to be proud of here.
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