New method for restoring yellowed retro plastics?

[Gryzor]

This one sounds much easier, though I don't know about how permanent it is:
http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?t=31469

[Bryce]

Oh, got to try that! The Schwarzkopf products are easier to get than the Retrobrite ingredients and are safer and easier to work with too.

That said, call me mad, but a few weeks ago, I spent the entire weekend trying to make white plastic go yellow I needed to add a panel to an old computer that had yellowed quite a bit. The owner didn't want it bleached back to white, but wanted the new panel to have the same amount of yellowing so that it matched the computer

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

"Hey, here's my car, it's missing a wheel, but no biggie, I like it like that, so in fixing it please do remove the other three wheels.".


Ohhhh-kaaaay...


But yes, those are much easier to get. Must make a trip to the super market. Dunno about the "safer" part, I don't remember anything being particularly biohazardous...?

[Bryce]

No, the problem was that it was an Atari 800XL with yellowing. If you used retrobrite on it, it would end up being whiter than the original was, so he decided the yellow/cream colour was preferable.

The retrobrite mixture includes Hydrogen peroxide (12% in it's "pure" form) which may not be classed as a biohazardous chemical, but it's definitely not something you want to take lightly.


Bryce.

[Gryzor]

I thought you use peroxide for hair dye, too


Yes, you're right. Here in Greece hydrogen peroxide solutions are harmless, but I forgot this is not always the case; my dad had told me how, when studying in Switzerland he needed to apply some on his hand. Not knowing it was really dense he just used it as it was. As a result he was left with a white spot for several years afterwards...


Ah yes, I can see the point about the 800XL. As with three-wheeled cars (what was the British one called? Robin-something?)

[Bryce]

Reliant Robin.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

My GOD what a silly name. But it figures, I guess

[beaker]

Please, it was an awsome car 

Jeremy drives a Reliant Robin (series 15, episode 1) - BBC Top Gear

Going to have to give that solution a try on my brown Atari 1040Stf I bought a few weeks back, nice find Gryzor 

[EgoTrip]

I thought you use peroxide for hair dye, too

Yep, and the company who make that stuff also actually make hair dyes

[Gryzor]

@beaker: ohhh I think I've watched that. Also, wasn't it the car that was the arch-nemesis of Mr Bean?
@Egotrip: I thought those two *were* hair-dying products?

[TotO]

That said, call me mad, but a few weeks ago, I spent the entire weekend trying to make white plastic go yellow I needed to add a panel to an old computer that had yellowed quite a bit.

Using Tea? 

[beaker]

@beaker: ohhh I think I've watched that. Also, wasn't it the car that was the arch-nemesis of Mr Bean?

That's right, blimey I can't believe I forgot about it in Mr Bean, thanks for reminding me 

[Bryce]

Using Tea? 

No, I used heat (an oven) and a UV lamp. It worked a bit, but it was totally unpredictable

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

No, I used heat (an oven) and a UV lamp. It worked a bit, but it was totally unpredictable

Bryce.

As in, it melted and then set your house on fire? Or did it turn #FFB5C5?

[ced64k]

I'm not 100% sure but I think theses products content hydrogen peroxide too.

Edit: Igora Royal = hydrogen peroxide and  Igora Vario Blond = bleach

[Gryzor]

Yes, they do, that's what we're talking about!

[Devlin]

Better to be buying hair care products than "pure" chemicals which could probably get you put on $government's watch list...

[Bryce]

As in, it melted and then set your house on fire? Or did it turn #FFB5C5?

No it did actually go yellowish but not evenly, I only heated it to about 50°C so not even close to melting, then it went under the UV lamp. Some parts were more of a #dbcf9e, whereas other parts were more of a fff1b8 and some parts didn't seem to change at all. The problem seems to be getting the amount of UV light evenly spread across the entire part. You can only do this by having an array of lights or being further away from the light source, which then means that it would take months to work.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

Maybe try a sunbed?

[Bryce]

Our local Sun Studio has a sign: "No food, drinks or 8-bit computers may be taken into the cabins"

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

Drat. What if you put a 68k in there, a-la Atari Jaguar or CPC472?

[Bryce]

I thought of that. I disconnected D7 so that it's 7-bit, but I'm not sure that will work.

Bryce.