sakodak Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 I figured you guys would appreciate this:http://retr0bright.wikispaces.com/These guys came up with a home-brew way to completely eliminate the yellowing in old plastic. Make your 64 cases look as good as new.I know I'm gonna try this on my old stuff as soon as I can get a hold of some xantham gum.Edit: this only works with fire-retardant ABS, not PET, and could damage PET type plastics. ONLY USE THIS METHOD ON ABS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasha Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 This is just amazing tip! And I thought I`m getting good results with oven cleaner. :PI really like this example. Reminds me on those fake TV advertisements, except I believe in this one.Thank you sakodak for sharing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flemming Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Please be carefull with hydrogen peroxide (called Brintoverilte in danish) I played quite a bit with this trick (hydrogen peroxide att 45% + a dash of OxyVanish) and it develops extreme heat... actually, i threw keys from a white keyboard in solution one evening which did not help that much. i decided to leave it in solution over night.. and when i woke up the next day the 'spacebar' was warped to the extreme (looked like a molten lego-brick) .... also the buttons got kind of a camouflage pattern (their original color mixed with VERY white spots - kinda like a caries-attacked tooth) which means that peroxide is strong enough to not only remove the yellowing but also to remove the original color of objects!!!!The heat can be overwhealming - my first potion i threw away because it started smoking and foam was building in an extremely alarming rate... i´m not saying this is dangerous or bad, but caution is strongly advised and a few testruns will definately result in a better result...Also, hydrogen peroxide is caustic... not so much on your hands, but do not get it in your eyes - it alters the proteins of matter, an irreversible process, kinda like frying an egg. The proteins have been altered and the egg will never be able to reach it´s original state! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sakodak Posted March 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Yeah, these guys don't recommend going above 15% H2O2 for exactly those reasons. Even at that concentration you need to exercise caution -- wear eye protection, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryd_one Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Hehehe NEWFLASH!!! BLEACH TURNS STUFF WHITE! MIRACLE CHEMISTRY!:DSorry I couldn't help it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sakodak Posted March 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Hehehe NEWFLASH!!! BLEACH TURNS STUFF WHITE! MIRACLE CHEMISTRY!I know you're joking, but it's not quite as simple as that. The yellowing process is due to oxidation of the bromine that's added to ABS as a fire retardant. This process actually reverses the chemical reaction that causes the yellowing. It's a restorative process, not a cleaning process. Also, H202 isn't bleach. :pThe ability to restore ABS is kind of a big deal -- for years and years the commonly held wisdom is that there was no solution to the problem and you either had to 1) paint over it carefully or 2) live with it. This process is the holy grail of old computer collectors that want to restore their collections to their out-of-the-box state. Granted, not everyone will want to, but at least now it's a viable option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryd_one Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Hydrogen peroxide is bleach. Look it up (I confirmed it before I made that wisecrack to avoid saying something stupid) ;)Maybe I'm unique in this, but my Mum taught me this trick when I was a young fella over 15 years ago...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philetaylor Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 I suppose more accurately, H2O2 is 'a' bleach, as in a chemical that removes colour, it isn't chlorine bleach (like you would use to clean your toilet) but it definately bleaches things :)PhilEDIT: I have just been reading about 'Oxy' bleach though which S1 is quite right, does contain H2O2 together with a catalyst but as a method of cleaning old computer equipment this looks really good!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sakodak Posted March 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Ok, yeah, hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent, but (at least in my experience) the word "bleach" is reserved for chlorine bleach. And now the word "bleach" has ceased to look right to me because I'm typing it so much.Regardless, this is pretty good news to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philetaylor Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 This reminds me of an argument that I had with a friend once where they said "God I really hate your pedanticness" "I think you mean pendantry" I replied. Needless to say they didn't speak to me for a while after that :)Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryd_one Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 This reminds me of an argument that I had with a friend once where they said "God I really hate your pedanticness" "I think you mean pendantry" I replied. Needless to say they didn't speak to me for a while after that :)Halfsteppers always do that shit when pedants make them look like the halfsteppers they are ;)(at least in my experience) the word "bleach" is reserved for chlorine bleachTry bleaching your hair with chlorine bleach....Or you can try chlorine bleach on your whites... and watch them wear out real fast!You've probably heard of peroxide bleach as simply "bleach" more times than you realise :)And now the word "bleach" has ceased to look right to me because I'm typing it so much.LMFAO :Dbut as a method of cleaning old computer equipment this looks really good!!! Regardless, this is pretty good news to me.Yes let's not get too distracted by the validity or otherwise, of claims of chemwizardry in finding out something that babyboomer parents have known for decades... This does the trick on ye olde c64's like crazy. We like that. Moving on! (fuck i wish I'd never made the joke... note to self: stop talking to people) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhoopJohn Posted May 1, 2010 Report Share Posted May 1, 2010 Hydrogen peroxide is bleach. Look it up (I confirmed it before I made that wisecrack to avoid saying something stupid) ;) Maybe I'm unique in this, but my Mum taught me this trick when I was a young fella over 15 years ago...... OK, maybe your mum did, but nowhere in this thread do I see a mention that you need to expose the solution and your material under UV light, otherwise you can end up with brittle material with a white bloom and micro-pits in it. What particular UV source did your mum teach you to use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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