Most Postwar Lionel and American Flyer transformer cases are made from a synthetic material called Bakelite. Bakelite is one of the first synthetic plastic materials. It is durable, chemically inert, fire resistant and pretty hard to mess up. It was used to make telephones, radios, heavy electrical equipment, jewelry and a thousand other consumer devices. Besides being susceptible to cracking the only thing that can ruin mess up the surface is oxidation due to long term exposure to moisture and or sunlight.

Polish with a cotton wheel mounted to a drill or purchase a polishing machine with several polishing compounds at your local Chinese tool store.

Photo #1 - ZW after sitting in water for years

Photo #2 - ZW after sitting in water for years

•Polish with a cotton wheel mounted to a drill or purchase a polishing machine. Purchase several grades of polishing compounds at your local Chinese tool store. Work your way through the grades of polish.

Photo #3 - Buffing Machine & Polishing Compounds

Photo #4 - Buffing ZW Cover

Photo #5 - Finished Cover

•To restore the handles which are a softer vinyl plastic purchase plastic polish. If the finish isn’t too bad start with the #2 polish. If the finish is scratched up bad start with #3 polish then finish with #2 polish.

Photo #6 - ZW Plastic Handle getting ready to polish

Photo #7 - Novis Plastic Polish

Photo #8 - ZW Handle after polishing

•Same transformer all reassembled, polished and tested.

Photo #9 - ZW after polishing complete