I've actually gotten really good results using just the 3% hydrogen peroxide sold at major grocery stores, large zip-up sandwich bags, and sunlight - it takes far longer (2-3 days in direct sunlight during the peak of summer), but that basically just meant I had plenty of time to rotate the item to ensure it'd de-yellow evenly.
I was a professional housecleaner and ive used hydrogen peroxide over time on a lot of kitchen appliances & assorted surfaces. i know its properties and uses well. Peroxide does seem to be the #1 most effective choice to reverse the yellowing of plastic. Commonplace as hydrogen peroxide is, most users dont really know that at any strength it is simply H202 which is essentially WATER (H20) with an extra oxygen molecule H202 (ozone is H203) the extra oxygen molecules easily detach to cause enzyme reactions and THAT is the activating (bleaching) factor with the residue being pure water. H202 the cleanest clean possible. The action is the same matter what the various strengths (% & volumes) for different purposes are. Drug store peroxide is 3%, hair bleach activator is 6% (20 volume) to 12% (40 volum Oxyiclean has 18% and a pure pharmaceutical grade of H2O2 is a whopping 35%) H2O2 "power water" is safe yet misused it isnt. Oxidizers can be highly corrosive. At 3% medicinal peroxide is used to explode oxygen hating bacteria clean wounds, & dissolve blood & dead tissue. BUT exposure to pure OXYGEN at even 3% will bleach hair lighten skin & whiten fingertips. Higher strengths are potentially harmful & require precautions to avoid brief but painful chemical burns) H202 may oxidize some metals but it has no ingredients that will damage plastic. Its potential bleaching action on yellowing, (how well it bleaches and how long it takes) would amount to how MUCH oxygen (enzyme) is present to interact and how deeply it penitrates the surface. Heat & or light may help it penetrate but I am guessing that oxyclean which contains baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) might be more effective than hair peroxide.abd frequent application might be as effective as soaking Im also wondering if retrobrighters have tried just keeping a brown bottle of drugstore 3% peroxde handy to daily wipe down their devices? I suspect it would both slow the yellowing & reverse it gradually over time...
The original Apple II or II Plus shouldn't need to be Retrobrighted, because its case is painted. Same thing with many TRS-80s. And Retrobright rarely turns out well on cases that were originally supposed to be beige, like the C64. Like you said, people often go too far and turn them nearly plain white, when they were never that color even when new.
I did do my C64, but it was REALLY yellow when I got it (I didn't take any "before" photos unfortunately). But I couldn't match the top and bottom, which you can sort of see in the photo at the end and I almost mentioned it. The top and bottom yellowed differently; the bottom's lighter now than the top, but still yellower. So, another example of how this doesn't really restore the original color, it just de-saturates and lightens, but at an unpredictable rate for each.
This is a none issue really because the original colour of the system is gone anyway. Weather you retro brite it or not. I'd choose white over yellow any day.
@@AndehX this I think is an underappreciated point. For every precious Apple IIe special edition, there's a hundred anonymous beige boxes that won't lose a cent in value. And a lot of computers yellowed very unevenly, depending on sunlight (and if the owner smoked). Painting it is an option, and often people don't know what paint to use on plastic, so retrobrite (or Retr0brite) I think is a better way for the average user to go.
I'd just add that after disassembling, you can usually tell what color you're trying to match by examining areas of the plastic that were never previously exposed.
I have a cure for the yellowing coming back. Put a high quality auto wax on the plastic after retro brighting. The wax will reflect the uv light and slow down the process. Also on piano black plastics the wax actually stops fingerprints.
Jesus, I usually have nothing to do with retro tech, but this was so well researched and structured I couldn't help but watch a full 20 minutes of making tech white again. Good job!
Well researched?!? BS! I watched the first 5 minutes and knew he doesn't know what he's talking about just from the comment that nobody knows for sure what original colors where! All the moron has to do is look at the INSIDE of any case where the color is still original!
I appreciate how you explained the pros and cons of retrobright. Most videos do not go over the negatives at all. I live in downtown Seattle and don't have a place to leave stuff in the sun (or any place really lol), so sadly this isn't an option for me in the slightest. However, when the day comes to finally retrobright something, I will keep all this in mind.
Can you imagine you go so far that the plastic becomes completely transparent? lol In my opinion, the yellow hue just adds to the patina of these old retro machines, I wouldn't touch for anything... the yellower the better ;) Of course to each their own.
Tips coming from experience... No plastic bags or wrap! Just a clear plastic storage bin, sunlight and patience. I will do three light/thin brush coats a day for 1-3 days with great success. My first go with plastic wrap and sun resulted in blotches where the plastic clung and where it didn't... Hosed a perfectly good IIgs case this way :( Two other points: -No retrobrite on Painted surfaces!!! (Watch out Commodore guys, maybe others) many monitor bezels can be painted though they appear plastic. Same with badges, lettering, etc... The Peroxide will deteriorate it to the point it will often wash off directly after your treating it. -I have many times done keyboard keys in a 5(water):1(peroxide) solution in a clear plastic bowl, with clear plastic cover. Keys ALL came out evenly with out all the fuss of brushing on Peroxide and trying to lay keys out oriented up. Darned nifty. Mix, dump and submerge, cover and go! AND THE FIRST RULE OF THUMB!!! Try simple rubbing alchohol and a magic eraser sponge first! You might be VERY surprized with the results. (also search for dry erase marker to get out sharpie) :) All the Best!
I tried to de-yellow my apple //e keys in the hydrogen peroxide submersion method. It worked for the most part but the space bar still had a little yellowing so my dumb ass thought it would be a good idea to use the boiling water method the 8-bit guy uses. (Apparently this only works for white keys not grey ones.) they came out with bright white splotches on them. I also ruined the grey part of the monitor and a replacement for the entire monitor is 150$ on eBay. I've replaced all the keycaps as you can buy full sets online but I am still kicking myself over the monitor!
TheSlow Norris in my experience, as long as you periodically massage and spread the creme around under the plastic wrap, you can expect some very nice results
I keep my Playstation and my Super NES in plastic bags in a cupboard in ones of my bedrooms. I've had them both for over 20 years and there's not even a hint of yellowing on either console. I don't smoke in my house either so I guess that helps too.
I found the most effective method of retro brighting is to submerge the plastic completely in a 12% hydrogen peroxide liquid, anything light can be blu tacked down in the container to prevent floating. Its a more expensive way of doing it, but it eliminates the possibility of streaking.
I'd like to add: for #3 on devils advocate about "yellowing being yours", I agree in some instances! I would like to offer the word "patina" to be used in this instance. In a high quality top grain leather product, or a carbon steel Japanese chefs knife, the term patina would be used to describe the beauty that comes along with using and aging. I think for certain things, its much more beautiful, especially knowing you created said patina.
His video on Retrobright was actually my introduction to it about 5 years ago. (I mentioned that I bought the Clairol stuff because of his video - I remembered that.) Back then, though, not as much was known about it, especially the fact that it's temporary. So I thought it was worth talking about some of those issues and also testing it a little more. I think he used a black light if I remember right.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing when I stumbled across this video. It seems that Retrobrighting can be pretty tricky. His Osborne still turned out pretty kickass (minus the leather handle), and I do like the marble look that it ended up giving the keys.
Scandinavia is great for retrobright in the summer when you can get more then 20h of sunligt. In the winter on the other hand not so good. Guess the same thing is true for northern Alaska and Canada. :)
Per Kroon Canada, along the south, has a normal day night period. Just a few hours change. But Alaska and parts of northern Canada have 24h of sunlight.
I used hair conditioner and regular hydrogen peroxide and mixed for a good while about half and half but you should keep adding peroxide carefully until its a smooth goopy consistency like paint stripper. Coat heavily with paint brush and wrap in saran wrap then put in sun for several hours. You may need to repeat the application so make enough. Try to add as much peroxide you can but do not make it watery it has to cling to surfaces.
Heat can also be a factor which isn't mentioned a lot. Similar experiments have proven that standard off the shelf 3% Hydrogen Peroxide will work when diluted in water and heated to a significantly higher temperature. (70C or 160F is sufficient, but needs to be below the plastics melting point. ex. 210F for ABS) Essentially you can use a hotplate and heat diluted peroxide to around 160F with the part in solution for a couple hours and the process works similar. No light needed and no streaking. Another fact, most people mention that the retrobright process essentially reverses the coloring, which isn't true. Most people should be smart enough to piece together that retrobright is essentially just bleaching the plastic. Peroxide, especially high concentrate, is used for bleaching hair, which is why Salon 40 cream is found in salons and other 'beauty' stores. The more you know.
Well known by now (this video is now over 4 years old), but worth posting here. One of the reasons the sun works very well is the heat it generates. So when using artificial light, either warm the solution or provide heat to the enclosure. Obviously not enough heat to melt plastic. More heat = less time necessary to brighten. Less time = less potential for bleaching damage, plastic deterioration or streaking.
Just want to point out that using only hydrogen peroxide does in fact work. I used 35% peroxide, further diluted in a bit of water to increase the volume, I'd say about half and half if I remember correctly, and I got this result: imgur.com/a/HqF9j leaving it in the sun for a few hours (in Greece, during summer).
Great video, I don't know how you do it for me but I have no retro consoles, computers, etc, and you still manage to make this not only watchable, but super interesting. Please keep the videos going. PS I know you have a huge interest in Japan, but I am currently living in South Korea and if you had some sort of interest or need for anything here, please let me know and I'll make it happen. Keep up the great videos.
Hey, thanks! I hope I can keep you and others like you interested. And thanks for the offer too - I'm not sure if there's anything from Korea I'm looking for right now, but I'll keep you in mind if I think of anything!
I am now bringing the appearance of my Hero 2000 robot back to life. imgur.com/a/sLahvr1 The plastics had turned a heavy yellow color, but as you can see, my plastic de-yellowing is coming along quit good. In the picture you can see the de-yellowed top section compared to the non-de-yellowed sonar section. WOW !
Nice video, I'm going to do my A1200 but I don't think I will ever retro bright my original A500 which is almost orange!: ) nor will I do an A1000 I have which was already yellow when I got it from a famous games developer. Living in Southern Australia I can get HUGELY powerful ozone layer free burning light for like 12 hours straight over Summer, so getting them white will be no problem.
The archivist rule of thumb is to never alter something so drastically by any chemical process. Stabilize it if you can but don't try to remove anything that takes this much effort.
In this video, you stated that retrobrite does not change the molecular structure of plastic, but some years ago, it was studied and found that it actually does leave microscopic gaps once the bromine is reduced, which in theory would make the plastic structure weaker (perhaps brittle over time). Especially with repeated use of peroxide. I wonder if this is why the yellowing returns 10 fold over a shorter period of time, as it fills in these microscopic gaps when the bromine separates and resurfaces.😵💫 It reminds me of how plasticizers in some semi-rigid plastic action figures (like vintage He-Man, TMNT, etc), would separate and surface over the figures, leaving a sticky film on top. Plasticizers are an important component of the plastic, to keep it's structure supple. Once it surfaces, the plastic has been found to be less durable (more brittle). I wonder if by removing the bromine in these harder plastics, the effects are similar. I really wish there was a perfect solution to this problem. I'm contemplating experimenting with paint to match applications, using precise airbrushing and protective lacquer coats to replicate a perfect color match and surface finish, for certain items like a yellowing Super Nintendo, original classic NES, a Dreamcast and so forth. 🤔 This is a great video. Thank you so much for sharing it. Many valid points were made.
Great food for thought not found elsewhere nor often finding Capt. Archer on board. I've got cool gray plumbing fixtures including acrylic tub which all look just fine but have a grungy yellowish 30yo toilet seat and lid that never quite matched the fixtures anyway. Have noticed the grunge for sometime but just recently had cataract surgery and can see a great difference now. Think I'll give this a try. Was wondering if the blooming/streaking might have something to do with plastic bag/film coming into contact with item surface while in process of being retrOized? Thanks for sharing.
I quite like the grungy yellow look of my Atari ST but with other systems I prefer the snowy white appearance. With my other systems, one system was almost orange and retro Brighting brought it back to its original finish and it's stayed that way for 10 years but I guess that says more about the sun in the UK! Certain machines suit a bit of yellowing but others don't plus it's very subjective I think.
Also, using the clear hydrogen peroxide and heat does the best job. You can buy stronger clear hydrogen peroxide probably at the same place you buy the cream. And so you need less peroxide you want to dilute it a bit with water
I retro bright my old keyboard for the test, is was very yellow almost brown, but I received it like that and remembered it like this . and I was filing strange like you describe , like I loose a friend of mine. when it become withe like new
In a more recent 8 bit guy video he shows off that ozone in a plastic bag with sunlight can work like retrobrite. It takes way longer but you don't have to worry about the problems that come with applying it as cream. I guess if you get a big enough bag, or like a big fishtank with a clear cover, you could put a whole monitor in there without taking it apart.
He also evidenced that fact by his peroxide fine test, which would yield the same consistent result. I like the idea of using gas, fume, or complete liquid submersion.
Sorry, can't think of another way. Ozone is even more corrosive than my "oxygen rich(-er) environment" statement indicates and that combined with the longer time required is almost certainly a problem with old electronics. If taken care disassembly should not be that difficult nor dangerous. Leave it disconnected for at least a day. Open it carefully and prevent pulling on any wires. Remember there can be multiple fragile attachments to the tube, so put it face down on a cloth. Make sure you cannot accidentally push it of the table. If you have bad luck: some wires might need to be desolderd or glue is used hindering disassembly.
i would always retrobrite when i started collecting. now, you are right - as long as the yellowing happens when its in my posession, it doesnt bother me. very odd
Once something has been retrobrited, would one of the UV protection sprays make the effect last longer?Also, strictly speaking, xanthan is a thickener - a "stabiliser" is something that prevents peroxide from degrading (eg acetanilide, phenol, tin).
Yes, but then you've just encased plastic in plastic, which isn't exactly subtle to the naked eye. Also, it's not really reliable either. A lot of clearcoats that were initially considered "UV protectant" have themselves yellowed considerably over time. I guess they protected what was underneath from UV, but it's kind of semantic when the clearcoat itself yellows and darkens. Look at some vintage guitar color shifts sometime, for example.
Yes ABSOLUTELY to slow the yellowing process you can coat the plastic in 'SHERWIN WILLIAMS 1377 KRYLON GALLERY SERIES K UV ARCHIVAL VARNISH SPRAY SATIN' or similar UV art protecting product. Satin is in between matte and glossy and is suggested for old computer/console cases. $12 on ebay. Will probably need a re-coat every so often not sure how often yet.
Modern Classic I know this has nothing to do with the reply thread, but I was just curious if you'd mind explaining exactly how you meant "semantic" when using it in your last comment regarding uv clear coat yellowing? I'm aware of the word's meaning and can see why, you being a computer guy, would use it. I just can't exactly understand it's usage here. Are you basically saying that the logic of using the clear coat to protect from uv when itself yellows is debatable, or are you saying it doesn't make sense? Just exactly how is it being used here? I kind of have this affinity for vocabulary and your reply would be much appreciated! You, sir, are very well spoken, by the way.
Retrobrite is just a bleaching process. Hey Birt! Did massive experimentation and came to the conclusion that you aren't "reversing they yellowing" or w.e, you are just bleaching the plastics into a lighter shade.
Basically the computer community is entering the area that other collectibles have been in for a long time. Specifically, do you leave things as they were? Is patina a desirable condition? At what point are you stopping damage, vs. "restoring"? This is a huge debate within the world of collectible firearms. You'd have people like Mark Novak advocating for armory level damage mitigation (boiling light surface rust to convert it to bluing). Is cleaning something up and preserving it damaging the value or increasing the value? There's really no easy answer to the questions. But it's fascinating regardless.
Well I did retro bright on my SNES PAL + NTSC over a year ago. They came out perfect but then I had to move so they ended up in a friends loft. Now a year later having brought them out they are all yellowed again. Even if you keep them out of sunlight, heat reverts them back. I now know if I’m ever going to do it again they are going on a cool rack to draw the heat away.
The difference in the shop fluorescent lights and the UV lights was so slight that I suspect it wasn't the UV at all but rather some of the other colors. I would be interested in seeing what happens if you use incandescent light bulbs(not halogen). Very little UV from them.
great video, I really don't understand your argument against using retrobrite though. You even said yourself that with time the yellow comes back so what would you be worried about?
@@ModernClassic Yeah but you made the whole point about people noticing its retrobrited if they are buying, but if the yellow comes back eventually anyways then who careS?
How about LEDs? Another popular light treatment in a completely different community is radioactive photographic lenses, specifically old Pentax lenses get really yellow. Just like retrobright, for a long time people thought UV was the only way the yellowing could clean out but recently a youtuber stuck one under an IKEA desk lamp overnight and compared the results, and it came out really well. This is probably also more energy efficient compared to fluorescent, and people are more likely to own strong LEDs than strong fluorescent lights.
After my tests, I don't see why any broad spectrum light at all wouldn't work. But if you're saying they did it without the peroxide solution, I'm not sure of the science of that, and I'd be skeptical of it working on ABS plastic. The thing the solution does is, when combined with light, it get the bromides off the surface. Just light isn't going to do that - it does the opposite, it attracts them to the surface. The retrobright solution basically reverses the process. But I don't see why you couldn't use LED's instead of fluorescent light with the solution; light is light as long as you're comparing the same brightness, spectrum and wavelengths. I could have replaced my shop lights with equivalent T12 LED bulbs and most likely gotten the exact same result.
Americans are lucky... what can we use in Europe? I tried the HP but we can only get 3%. It's nothing. I tried, - although I didn't cover it. What's the best method, please that we can get? Does anyone know? xx..
excellent video. I want to mention that I'll probably try this on my guitar. It suffered from yellowing due to sunlight so I'm assuming the same principle is at work here.
I watched a lot of videos about use the hydrogen peroxide but you experimented very good with that, I enjoyed it your video and I’ll put the cream on my projects , thanks a lot.
People should know how dangerous high concentrate H2O2 is as well. I don't know how much is in the salon product (typically schools/labs will use a max 30% which is still considered dangerous), but you should be super careful handling it. Leaving it on your skin will end up being extremely painful. High enough concentration can either light on fire or explode from heat. Its also very corrosive, so since the plastic yellows again eventually you may end up disintegrating it over the course of retrobriting repeatedly. I've never heard of this happening with whats commercially available, I doubt it ever could. But this is why its more or less impossible to get anything higher than 3% over the counter.
Seems like (I am not an expert by any means, I just educated myself on the subject) that light is not the key, but the energy that is brought to help chemical reactions. Try with the solution you are using (3%,6%,12% H2O2, Beauty Salon cream, etc.) and heat it up to some degree (nothing crazy, 120-150F) and compare results with the non-heated version, and you should see acceleration. You can try it in a pitch-black room to be sure that light is not the factor, but the energy. In my opinion, the Vapor retrobright setup should work pretty well, a sealed container with the solution on the bottom, items to retrobright suspended in the air over the solution on some mesh or hangers, and a heating mat with controlled temperature under the container. The solution will start to evaporate, and cover the items evenly. Try to keep the container to a solution volume not higher than 10 to 1, to try to make solution and evaporation as effective as possible.
The sunlight might have produced a more even result because *the sun moves* relative to the plastic, so bright spots & shadows would tend to get blurred out.
I don't have tons of experience retrobrighting but some, and I could SWEAR it makes some plastics become brittle. So for fragile or thin plastic parts I think it is slightly risky. Ever since I had that experience I've been pretty turned off the process.
Very methodical! I need to try this on synthesizer keys, but it is not possible to remove them. That means clean up will be arduous and application will take time and attention to detail. If you have any important suggestions please let me know. I have tubes installed over my fluorescent lights (which happen to be right above the synth) to filter UVA and UVB. From your comments it sounds like that is a non-issue.
Now I wonder if you could use Plastidip on yellowing ABS plastic : It could make the computer or appliance a bit nicer. But you'd need to make it resistant to hand oils.
I have been thinking about using Plastidip (the black rubberized matte finish) on older thinkpad laptops, that have become too sticky over the years. I can't see any other use regarding retro computers for Plastidip, as it provides a matte rubber finish that just wouldn't suit any other appliance.
The variable not taken into account is temperature. When you use a higher temperature it accelerates the process. I use the UV lights inside an insulated booth to get about a 90F temperature for best results! Peroxide concentration, keeping the mixture from drying out, UV light and temperature!
@@ModernClassic A salon professional in a similar video discussion insists that the hair product is activated by heat, not necessarily light (which of course includes heat energy). Customers sit under a hair dryer to bleach their hair. That aside, I am wondering if this technique might correct discoloration in floor vinyl caused by the rubber backing of a rug. I would have to position a clamp light directly over the area to warm it up.
The only reason I would ever "retrobrite" an item is if it has discoloured unevenly, so that it could hopefully re-colour evenly over time (which all pieces do eventually, don't anyone be fooled otherwise). I'm with you on this one, I would much rather buy an item in its original state, regardless of its condition.
R. M I know for wood you can get varnish that blocks UV and prevents fading. Maybe it’s the same thing applied to plastic, or something similar formulated for plastic.
I have too relatively old keyboards. One of them is slightly yelow. The other one is kinda brown and univen brown I even considered removing the topl layer. I don't want to take the keyboard apart. Did anyone try any bleach paste that works other than the salon thing?
I'm using the same Clairol solution, applying it thoroughly with a brush, wrapping in cellophane and letting it sit out in the sun, but for some reason my consoles keep coming out blotchy and streaky and I can't figure out why. Any ideas?
And what if I would use a clear coat on the plastics after retrobrightin it. UV protectant clear coat like on car headlights after polishing? A very thin layer on the computer part could protect it yellowing again.
Hi, I have no experience doing this myself, but I’ve watched heaps of videos including 8 Bit Guy. What are your thoughts on the idea that it’s the temperature itself and nothing to do with light at all. I saw 8 Bit Guy cooking up his keyboard keys in a saucepan at a certain temperature and it seemed to work the best. Purely asking out of genuine interest, can’t say I’d bother messing around with this sort of thing.
Sorry but the yellow is so ugly. I want things to look brand new, even if I've ruined some things with bloom and streaking...in the end its with it to restore something to its former glory. 😊
i can see this fellows reluctance to reverse the patina of his vintage computer. My wife is in her 60s, and im always telling her how much i would hate it if she looked as she did as a teenager when i married her 44 years ago.
@@vcolinc in our family we learned ,as kids ,two things ,way before we learned our address, or our ABC's. First , a fool and his money are soon parted. And secondly ,and even more importantly,. Sarcasm is wasted on fools and children. I use sarcasm sparingly. And frugally, as if it were element 115.
@@bigted1953 I am glad to hear that you still cherish your wife after all these years. I must say that you do have a curious way of expressing yourself though. What does she say when you tell her you would not remove the patina of her years since the day you were married?
Thanks for the nice video. I have checked the peroxide I purchased and it contains Phosphoric acid - I shall do some tests before ruining my Apple //e!
Another great video...I will be retrobriting soon...I am curious how high brightness led lights work vs the charged gases in an florescent tube...I will have to give it a try. Additionally, after retrobriting, some users have been using a flat transparent spray paint to coat the surfaces...this should prevent oxidation from air, but without UV protection...the components should still avoid daylight...cheers.
I've been experimenting with this and I've been getting the dreaded streaks. It honestly looks like the peroxide is just baking onto the surface of the plastic. I hadn't considered the brand--it's a small bottle of the 40 stuff I found at CVS. I was thinking the plastic wrap bubbling is what led to the streaks, so I may try the bag option and try to keep the bag from touching the surface. I also want to try the submersion method, but that requires a lot of the liquid type depending on the size and container. Very interesting how it works under shop lights. I really wasn't expecting that, especially since heat seems to be a factor as well. (See 8BitGuy's boiling experiment)
Yeah, I watch 8 Bit Guy too and respect him, but his results don't always line up with mine. Light with no heat whatsoever clearly works - in fact it was about 60 degrees in my basement during that test. My guess is that you can both yellow and de-yellow with light *or* heat; you don't necessarily need both, but both work either separately or together. They probably work better together, although I haven't tested that.
Well knowing that florescent light works just fine, provided enough exposure, that makes things easier. Though I have to laugh inside when you say to not disassemble a CRT monitor unless you know what you're doing. Certainly the voltages inside a CRT are dangerous, but more so that they'll make you jump and cut yourself on a metal shield or something. A taser actually has a better chance of killing you. And yes, I have zapped myself inside a CRT monitor before (it bloody hurts, so do avoid that). My dad, who was knowledgeable in electronics (though, admittedly, not the brightest parent), showed me how to tweak the focus and colour balance inside old CRTs to breath a bit more life into them when I was a kid. Just build yourself a probe with an alligator clip at one end, and a big beefy resistor in the middle, and you can safely discharge the caps and the tube easily. It's been suggested to just use a screwdriver and a jumper wire to the chassis ground, but you run the risk of frying other components via the ground track, and the resistor helps to discharge that safely. *However,* you still shouldn't attempt to disassemble a CRT monitor or TV if you can't identify the components inside that you need to discharge. If you're clueless, just leave it to somebody who knows what they're doing.
I had a Power PC 9500/120 and a 1998 Compaq Deskpro EP/SB. They were bought yellow already and were corporate-owned when new. I try to imagine how many chemicals they resisted on their early cleaning because both of them started cracking. Every time I moved the Apple somewhere, bits of plastic were falling on my hand or around else. Gone to garbage! The Deskpro was at least more resistant, but when I was tinkering with it, any handle or joint from any removed piece cracked. Garbage again! I still have a Compaq Presario 5000 and this was bought new in 2001. Yellow keyboard, but I don't intend to retro bright it. Just clean it properly and keep the history of it with me.
Great video, thank you. Been toying with the idea of retrobriting an Atari 1040st that belonged to my late father but I kinda enjoy the yellow since it's ours lol silly I know.
I've gotten into this for the purpose of restoring old toys - where the cosmetics are quite an important part. I don't think I'd bother retrobrighting my SNES though. I guess Sega had the right idea to make everything black!
Nothing looks good in nicotine yellow.
LOL exactly.
My teef do
"nothing" is too much. Better yellow working than nothing at all.
@@naocomputei still doesn't mean it looks good
I've actually gotten really good results using just the 3% hydrogen peroxide sold at major grocery stores, large zip-up sandwich bags, and sunlight - it takes far longer (2-3 days in direct sunlight during the peak of summer), but that basically just meant I had plenty of time to rotate the item to ensure it'd de-yellow evenly.
I was a professional housecleaner and ive used hydrogen peroxide over time on a lot of kitchen appliances & assorted surfaces. i know its properties and uses well. Peroxide does seem to be the #1 most effective choice to reverse the yellowing of plastic.
Commonplace as hydrogen peroxide is, most users dont really know that at any strength it is simply H202 which is essentially WATER (H20) with an extra oxygen molecule H202 (ozone is H203) the extra oxygen molecules easily detach to cause enzyme reactions and THAT is the activating (bleaching) factor with the residue being pure water. H202 the cleanest clean possible.
The action is the same matter what the various strengths (% & volumes) for different purposes are. Drug store peroxide is 3%, hair bleach activator is 6% (20 volume) to 12% (40 volum Oxyiclean has 18% and a pure pharmaceutical grade of H2O2 is a whopping 35%)
H2O2 "power water" is safe yet misused it isnt. Oxidizers can be highly corrosive.
At 3% medicinal peroxide is used to explode oxygen hating bacteria clean wounds, & dissolve blood & dead tissue. BUT exposure to pure OXYGEN at even 3% will bleach hair lighten skin & whiten fingertips. Higher strengths are potentially harmful & require precautions to avoid brief but painful chemical burns)
H202 may oxidize some metals but it has no ingredients that will damage plastic. Its potential bleaching action on yellowing, (how well it bleaches and how long it takes) would amount to how MUCH oxygen (enzyme) is present to interact and how deeply it penitrates the surface.
Heat & or light may help it penetrate but I am guessing that oxyclean which contains baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) might be more effective than hair peroxide.abd frequent application might be as effective as soaking
Im also wondering if retrobrighters have tried just keeping a brown bottle of drugstore 3% peroxde handy to daily wipe down their devices? I suspect it would both slow the yellowing & reverse it gradually over time...
Hi, people said without cover with plastic would make the process faster. Is it right?
I tried it on my teeth but lost patience sunbathing for 6 hours with my mouth wide open.
@Umos Crocodiles do not have sweat glands on their skin. They keep their mouth open to cool it off.
Best comment yet lol
I guess you just forgot to cover your mouth with a clear plastic bin.
@@retroman2884 But it was 2 years ago, we did not have to cover our mouths back then...
Some people ALWAYS should;)
The original Apple II or II Plus shouldn't need to be Retrobrighted, because its case is painted. Same thing with many TRS-80s. And Retrobright rarely turns out well on cases that were originally supposed to be beige, like the C64. Like you said, people often go too far and turn them nearly plain white, when they were never that color even when new.
I did do my C64, but it was REALLY yellow when I got it (I didn't take any "before" photos unfortunately). But I couldn't match the top and bottom, which you can sort of see in the photo at the end and I almost mentioned it. The top and bottom yellowed differently; the bottom's lighter now than the top, but still yellower. So, another example of how this doesn't really restore the original color, it just de-saturates and lightens, but at an unpredictable rate for each.
c64 came in various colors to start with which complicates the issue. Some were darker brown.
This is a none issue really because the original colour of the system is gone anyway. Weather you retro brite it or not. I'd choose white over yellow any day.
@@AndehX this I think is an underappreciated point. For every precious Apple IIe special edition, there's a hundred anonymous beige boxes that won't lose a cent in value. And a lot of computers yellowed very unevenly, depending on sunlight (and if the owner smoked). Painting it is an option, and often people don't know what paint to use on plastic, so retrobrite (or Retr0brite) I think is a better way for the average user to go.
I'd just add that after disassembling, you can usually tell what color you're trying to match by examining areas of the plastic that were never previously exposed.
"...to boldly go where no man has gone before."
I have a cure for the yellowing coming back. Put a high quality auto wax on the plastic after retro brighting. The wax will reflect the uv light and slow down the process. Also on piano black plastics the wax actually stops fingerprints.
uv protectant hopefully is in the wax. its why headlights should be uv clear coated after refinishing/removing haze
This is probably the best video for an overall perspective and mature approach to the subject. Well done!
heat works too! :)
Jesus, I usually have nothing to do with retro tech, but this was so well researched and structured I couldn't help but watch a full 20 minutes of making tech white again. Good job!
TechWurst why are we still here just to suffer?
TechWurst making teck white again!
lulllzzz.
Well researched?!? BS! I watched the first 5 minutes and knew he doesn't know what he's talking about just from the comment that nobody knows for sure what original colors where! All the moron has to do is look at the INSIDE of any case where the color is still original!
Yellowed plastic becomes brittle, so in the snes, you will see that they legit fall apart
An excellent, no-nonsense and informative video. I will go with the findings in this video to kick off my first brightening project. Thank you!
I appreciate how you explained the pros and cons of retrobright. Most videos do not go over the negatives at all. I live in downtown Seattle and don't have a place to leave stuff in the sun (or any place really lol), so sadly this isn't an option for me in the slightest. However, when the day comes to finally retrobright something, I will keep all this in mind.
Can you imagine you go so far that the plastic becomes completely transparent? lol
In my opinion, the yellow hue just adds to the patina of these old retro machines, I wouldn't touch for anything... the yellower the better ;) Of course to each their own.
You can use heat in place of UV it seems th-cam.com/video/qZYbchvSUDY/w-d-xo.html
You actually could retrobrite in a less sunny climate, on paper at least. UV light passes through clouds.
Tips coming from experience... No plastic bags or wrap! Just a clear plastic storage bin, sunlight and patience. I will do three light/thin brush coats a day for 1-3 days with great success.
My first go with plastic wrap and sun resulted in blotches where the plastic clung and where it didn't... Hosed a perfectly good IIgs case this way :(
Two other points:
-No retrobrite on Painted surfaces!!! (Watch out Commodore guys, maybe others) many monitor bezels can be painted though they appear plastic. Same with badges, lettering, etc... The Peroxide will deteriorate it to the point it will often wash off directly after your treating it.
-I have many times done keyboard keys in a 5(water):1(peroxide) solution in a clear plastic bowl, with clear plastic cover. Keys ALL came out evenly with out all the fuss of brushing on Peroxide and trying to lay keys out oriented up. Darned nifty. Mix, dump and submerge, cover and go!
AND THE FIRST RULE OF THUMB!!!
Try simple rubbing alchohol and a magic eraser sponge first! You might be VERY surprized with the results.
(also search for dry erase marker to get out sharpie) :)
All the Best!
I tried to de-yellow my apple //e keys in the hydrogen peroxide submersion method. It worked for the most part but the space bar still had a little yellowing so my dumb ass thought it would be a good idea to use the boiling water method the 8-bit guy uses. (Apparently this only works for white keys not grey ones.) they came out with bright white splotches on them. I also ruined the grey part of the monitor and a replacement for the entire monitor is 150$ on eBay. I've replaced all the keycaps as you can buy full sets online but I am still kicking myself over the monitor!
@R. M The evaporation is stopped by the lid on the clear plastic storage bin.
TheSlow Norris in my experience, as long as you periodically massage and spread the creme around under the plastic wrap, you can expect some very nice results
this is informative as much as the entire video. Tnx a lot!
I keep my Playstation and my Super NES in plastic bags in a cupboard in ones of my bedrooms. I've had them both for over 20 years and there's not even a hint of yellowing on either console. I don't smoke in my house either so I guess that helps too.
I found the most effective method of retro brighting is to submerge the plastic completely in a 12% hydrogen peroxide liquid, anything light can be blu tacked down in the container to prevent floating. Its a more expensive way of doing it, but it eliminates the possibility of streaking.
@Krulikka rip...
I'd like to add: for #3 on devils advocate about "yellowing being yours", I agree in some instances! I would like to offer the word "patina" to be used in this instance. In a high quality top grain leather product, or a carbon steel Japanese chefs knife, the term patina would be used to describe the beauty that comes along with using and aging. I think for certain things, its much more beautiful, especially knowing you created said patina.
Awww, just to late for 8-bit guy...
His video on Retrobright was actually my introduction to it about 5 years ago. (I mentioned that I bought the Clairol stuff because of his video - I remembered that.) Back then, though, not as much was known about it, especially the fact that it's temporary. So I thought it was worth talking about some of those issues and also testing it a little more. I think he used a black light if I remember right.
Hendrik is referring to the Osborne computer that The 8-Bit Guy just ruined by Retrobrighting it way too long.
Oh, woops! I didn't see that - I will check it out. I've been too busy trying to get this done to actually watch anything on YT recently.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing when I stumbled across this video. It seems that Retrobrighting can be pretty tricky. His Osborne still turned out pretty kickass (minus the leather handle), and I do like the marble look that it ended up giving the keys.
also the 8 bit guy was also planning on trying on new ways on retro brighting as well
Scandinavia is great for retrobright in the summer when you can get more then 20h of sunligt. In the winter on the other hand not so good. Guess the same thing is true for northern Alaska and Canada. :)
Per Kroon Canada, along the south, has a normal day night period. Just a few hours change. But Alaska and parts of northern Canada have 24h of sunlight.
Canada, definitely.
I grow indoors though, this is a non-issue for me.
Yes, lots of sunlight, but still not that much UV.
I used hair conditioner and regular hydrogen peroxide and mixed for a good while about half and half but you should keep adding peroxide carefully until its a smooth goopy consistency like paint stripper. Coat heavily with paint brush and wrap in saran wrap then put in sun for several hours. You may need to repeat the application so make enough. Try to add as much peroxide you can but do not make it watery it has to cling to surfaces.
Heat can also be a factor which isn't mentioned a lot. Similar experiments have proven that standard off the shelf 3% Hydrogen Peroxide will work when diluted in water and heated to a significantly higher temperature. (70C or 160F is sufficient, but needs to be below the plastics melting point. ex. 210F for ABS) Essentially you can use a hotplate and heat diluted peroxide to around 160F with the part in solution for a couple hours and the process works similar. No light needed and no streaking. Another fact, most people mention that the retrobright process essentially reverses the coloring, which isn't true. Most people should be smart enough to piece together that retrobright is essentially just bleaching the plastic. Peroxide, especially high concentrate, is used for bleaching hair, which is why Salon 40 cream is found in salons and other 'beauty' stores. The more you know.
Well known by now (this video is now over 4 years old), but worth posting here. One of the reasons the sun works very well is the heat it generates. So when using artificial light, either warm the solution or provide heat to the enclosure. Obviously not enough heat to melt plastic. More heat = less time necessary to brighten. Less time = less potential for bleaching damage, plastic deterioration or streaking.
Just want to point out that using only hydrogen peroxide does in fact work. I used 35% peroxide, further diluted in a bit of water to increase the volume, I'd say about half and half if I remember correctly, and I got this result: imgur.com/a/HqF9j leaving it in the sun for a few hours (in Greece, during summer).
The yellow looks horrible. When I look at my c64 and Amiga the piss yellow spoils the experience for me.
Great video, I don't know how you do it for me but I have no retro consoles, computers, etc, and you still manage to make this not only watchable, but super interesting. Please keep the videos going. PS I know you have a huge interest in Japan, but I am currently living in South Korea and if you had some sort of interest or need for anything here, please let me know and I'll make it happen. Keep up the great videos.
Hey, thanks! I hope I can keep you and others like you interested. And thanks for the offer too - I'm not sure if there's anything from Korea I'm looking for right now, but I'll keep you in mind if I think of anything!
Top vid again mate. :) keep up the good work!
I am now bringing the appearance of my Hero 2000 robot back to life. imgur.com/a/sLahvr1 The plastics had turned a heavy yellow color, but as you can see, my plastic de-yellowing is coming along quit good. In the picture you can see the de-yellowed top section compared to the non-de-yellowed sonar section. WOW !
"Some things were not meant to be retr0brighted." Just like my grandpappy used to say.
I remember my old PC's being yellow
Nice video, I'm going to do my A1200 but I don't think I will ever retro bright my original A500 which is almost orange!: ) nor will I do an A1000 I have which was already yellow when I got it from a famous games developer. Living in Southern Australia I can get HUGELY powerful ozone layer free burning light for like 12 hours straight over Summer, so getting them white will be no problem.
The archivist rule of thumb is to never alter something so drastically by any chemical process. Stabilize it if you can but don't try to remove anything that takes this much effort.
In this video, you stated that retrobrite does not change the molecular structure of plastic, but some years ago, it was studied and found that it actually does leave microscopic gaps once the bromine is reduced, which in theory would make the plastic structure weaker (perhaps brittle over time). Especially with repeated use of peroxide. I wonder if this is why the yellowing returns 10 fold over a shorter period of time, as it fills in these microscopic gaps when the bromine separates and resurfaces.😵💫
It reminds me of how plasticizers in some semi-rigid plastic action figures (like vintage He-Man, TMNT, etc), would separate and surface over the figures, leaving a sticky film on top. Plasticizers are an important component of the plastic, to keep it's structure supple. Once it surfaces, the plastic has been found to be less durable (more brittle).
I wonder if by removing the bromine in these harder plastics, the effects are similar. I really wish there was a perfect solution to this problem. I'm contemplating experimenting with paint to match applications, using precise airbrushing and protective lacquer coats to replicate a perfect color match and surface finish, for certain items like a yellowing Super Nintendo, original classic NES, a Dreamcast and so forth. 🤔
This is a great video. Thank you so much for sharing it. Many valid points were made.
Great food for thought not found elsewhere nor often finding Capt. Archer on board. I've got cool gray plumbing fixtures including acrylic tub which all look just fine but have a grungy yellowish 30yo toilet seat and lid that never quite matched the fixtures anyway. Have noticed the grunge for sometime but just recently had cataract surgery and can see a great difference now. Think I'll give this a try. Was wondering if the blooming/streaking might have something to do with plastic bag/film coming into contact with item surface while in process of being retrOized? Thanks for sharing.
I quite like the grungy yellow look of my Atari ST but with other systems I prefer the snowy white appearance. With my other systems, one system was almost orange and retro Brighting brought it back to its original finish and it's stayed that way for 10 years but I guess that says more about the sun in the UK! Certain machines suit a bit of yellowing but others don't plus it's very subjective I think.
Also, using the clear hydrogen peroxide and heat does the best job. You can buy stronger clear hydrogen peroxide probably at the same place you buy the cream. And so you need less peroxide you want to dilute it a bit with water
I retro bright my old keyboard for the test, is was very yellow almost brown, but I received it like that and remembered it like this .
and I was filing strange like you describe , like I loose a friend of mine. when it become withe like new
In a more recent 8 bit guy video he shows off that ozone in a plastic bag with sunlight can work like retrobrite. It takes way longer but you don't have to worry about the problems that come with applying it as cream. I guess if you get a big enough bag, or like a big fishtank with a clear cover, you could put a whole monitor in there without taking it apart.
He also evidenced that fact by his peroxide fine test, which would yield the same consistent result. I like the idea of using gas, fume, or complete liquid submersion.
Putting a complete monitor in an oxygen rich(-er) environment has a high risk of causing oxidation of the metals inside.
I would not do that.
Kris M Thanks for the heads up! Do you recommend any other way I could do it without taking it apart?
Sorry, can't think of another way. Ozone is even more corrosive than my "oxygen rich(-er) environment" statement indicates and that combined with the longer time required is almost certainly a problem with old electronics.
If taken care disassembly should not be that difficult nor dangerous.
Leave it disconnected for at least a day.
Open it carefully and prevent pulling on any wires.
Remember there can be multiple fragile attachments to the tube, so put it face down on a cloth. Make sure you cannot accidentally push it of the table.
If you have bad luck: some wires might need to be desolderd or glue is used hindering disassembly.
Kris M Well thank you very much for the help! I'm not at all scared to take apart the monitor, I've done it before, I'm just really lazy lol
i would always retrobrite when i started collecting. now, you are right - as long as the yellowing happens when its in my posession, it doesnt bother me. very odd
Once something has been retrobrited, would one of the UV protection sprays make the effect last longer?Also, strictly speaking, xanthan is a thickener - a "stabiliser" is something that prevents peroxide from degrading (eg acetanilide, phenol, tin).
This is probably a good thing to test - could try it on half of a retrobrighted extra part and then leave it on a windowsill for a few months.
Great video, bit long for my ADD friends but I watched it all. Shared with the vintage sled collector groups. Thanks so much
Wouldn't it be possible, after the retro right process, to coat the plastic in some kind of UV protective substance to avoid future yellowing?
Yes, but then you've just encased plastic in plastic, which isn't exactly subtle to the naked eye.
Also, it's not really reliable either. A lot of clearcoats that were initially considered "UV protectant" have themselves yellowed considerably over time. I guess they protected what was underneath from UV, but it's kind of semantic when the clearcoat itself yellows and darkens. Look at some vintage guitar color shifts sometime, for example.
Yes ABSOLUTELY to slow the yellowing process you can coat the plastic in 'SHERWIN WILLIAMS 1377 KRYLON GALLERY SERIES K UV ARCHIVAL VARNISH SPRAY SATIN' or similar UV art protecting product. Satin is in between matte and glossy and is suggested for old computer/console cases. $12 on ebay. Will probably need a re-coat every so often not sure how often yet.
Modern Classic
I know this has nothing to do with the reply thread, but I was just curious if you'd mind explaining exactly how you meant "semantic" when using it in your last comment regarding uv clear coat yellowing?
I'm aware of the word's meaning and can see why, you being a computer guy, would use it. I just can't exactly understand it's usage here. Are you basically saying that the logic of using the clear coat to protect from uv when itself yellows is debatable, or are you saying it doesn't make sense? Just exactly how is it being used here?
I kind of have this affinity for vocabulary and your reply would be much appreciated!
You, sir, are very well spoken, by the way.
honestly armor all wipes are the way to go.
Wipes or product with 3M UV-Scotchgard, like automotive dash wipes etc.
Finally, a video that gives you the facts with a mature brief. Also, "the carpet don't match the drapes, if you know what I mean"! 😁
Every time you say “streaking” I think of my underwear lol
Retrobrite is just a bleaching process. Hey Birt! Did massive experimentation and came to the conclusion that you aren't "reversing they yellowing" or w.e, you are just bleaching the plastics into a lighter shade.
Basically the computer community is entering the area that other collectibles have been in for a long time. Specifically, do you leave things as they were? Is patina a desirable condition? At what point are you stopping damage, vs. "restoring"?
This is a huge debate within the world of collectible firearms. You'd have people like Mark Novak advocating for armory level damage mitigation (boiling light surface rust to convert it to bluing). Is cleaning something up and preserving it damaging the value or increasing the value?
There's really no easy answer to the questions. But it's fascinating regardless.
Well I did retro bright on my SNES PAL + NTSC over a year ago. They came out perfect but then I had to move so they ended up in a friends loft.
Now a year later having brought them out they are all yellowed again. Even if you keep them out of sunlight, heat reverts them back.
I now know if I’m ever going to do it again they are going on a cool rack to draw the heat away.
You can get concentrated Hydrogen Peroxide from taxidermy supply houses. Stuff is used to bleach bones for display.
The difference in the shop fluorescent lights and the UV lights was so slight that I suspect it wasn't the UV at all but rather some of the other colors. I would be interested in seeing what happens if you use incandescent light bulbs(not halogen). Very little UV from them.
great video, I really don't understand your argument against using retrobrite though.
You even said yourself that with time the yellow comes back so what would you be worried about?
The yellowing coming back. Why waste your time?
@@ModernClassic Yeah but you made the whole point about people noticing its retrobrited if they are buying, but if the yellow comes back eventually anyways then who careS?
How about LEDs? Another popular light treatment in a completely different community is radioactive photographic lenses, specifically old Pentax lenses get really yellow. Just like retrobright, for a long time people thought UV was the only way the yellowing could clean out but recently a youtuber stuck one under an IKEA desk lamp overnight and compared the results, and it came out really well. This is probably also more energy efficient compared to fluorescent, and people are more likely to own strong LEDs than strong fluorescent lights.
After my tests, I don't see why any broad spectrum light at all wouldn't work. But if you're saying they did it without the peroxide solution, I'm not sure of the science of that, and I'd be skeptical of it working on ABS plastic. The thing the solution does is, when combined with light, it get the bromides off the surface. Just light isn't going to do that - it does the opposite, it attracts them to the surface. The retrobright solution basically reverses the process. But I don't see why you couldn't use LED's instead of fluorescent light with the solution; light is light as long as you're comparing the same brightness, spectrum and wavelengths. I could have replaced my shop lights with equivalent T12 LED bulbs and most likely gotten the exact same result.
Americans are lucky... what can we use in Europe? I tried the HP but we can only get 3%. It's nothing. I tried, - although I didn't cover it. What's the best method, please that we can get? Does anyone know? xx..
excellent video. I want to mention that I'll probably try this on my guitar. It suffered from yellowing due to sunlight so I'm assuming the same principle is at work here.
Same reason why “patina” is a thing on certain cars. Restoring away the originality and the history could take away value
Tried it with my slight yellow C64G. Even without Sunlight, after 14 Hours in Bags, the Plastic Parts are Commodore White again!
I watched a lot of videos about use the hydrogen peroxide but you experimented very good with that, I enjoyed it your video and I’ll put the cream on my projects , thanks a lot.
it's basically came from bleaching your hair. good job in testing!!! thanks for doing this now i understand bleaching plastic. =)
Thank you. Very informative.
I rather like the patina created by age. It is a badge of authenticity IMHO. Really, ONLY reply? Sad....
I tend to agree with you.
People should know how dangerous high concentrate H2O2 is as well.
I don't know how much is in the salon product (typically schools/labs will use a max 30% which is still considered dangerous), but you should be super careful handling it. Leaving it on your skin will end up being extremely painful.
High enough concentration can either light on fire or explode from heat. Its also very corrosive, so since the plastic yellows again eventually you may end up disintegrating it over the course of retrobriting repeatedly.
I've never heard of this happening with whats commercially available, I doubt it ever could. But this is why its more or less impossible to get anything higher than 3% over the counter.
For #2 What was the original look? -- in may cases it's how it looks on the inside of the case, unaffected by sun light.
Seems like (I am not an expert by any means, I just educated myself on the subject) that light is not the key, but the energy that is brought to help chemical reactions. Try with the solution you are using (3%,6%,12% H2O2, Beauty Salon cream, etc.) and heat it up to some degree (nothing crazy, 120-150F) and compare results with the non-heated version, and you should see acceleration. You can try it in a pitch-black room to be sure that light is not the factor, but the energy. In my opinion, the Vapor retrobright setup should work pretty well, a sealed container with the solution on the bottom, items to retrobright suspended in the air over the solution on some mesh or hangers, and a heating mat with controlled temperature under the container. The solution will start to evaporate, and cover the items evenly. Try to keep the container to a solution volume not higher than 10 to 1, to try to make solution and evaporation as effective as possible.
The sunlight might have produced a more even result because *the sun moves* relative to the plastic, so bright spots & shadows would tend to get blurred out.
no, the sun is just a massive and even light source.
I don't have tons of experience retrobrighting but some, and I could SWEAR it makes some plastics become brittle. So for fragile or thin plastic parts I think it is slightly risky. Ever since I had that experience I've been pretty turned off the process.
Very methodical! I need to try this on synthesizer keys, but it is not possible to remove them. That means clean up will be arduous and application will take time and attention to detail. If you have any important suggestions please let me know. I have tubes installed over my fluorescent lights (which happen to be right above the synth) to filter UVA and UVB. From your comments it sounds like that is a non-issue.
But if you dont have sunlights. Is it about the heat? Can i wrape platic around the objekt i want to get White, and put it i a really hot rom?
Thank you for a clear and concise explanation of this process.
A very informational video without nonsensical fillers.
Now I wonder if you could use Plastidip on yellowing ABS plastic : It could make the computer or appliance a bit nicer. But you'd need to make it resistant to hand oils.
I have been thinking about using Plastidip (the black rubberized matte finish) on older thinkpad laptops, that have become too sticky over the years. I can't see any other use regarding retro computers for Plastidip, as it provides a matte rubber finish that just wouldn't suit any other appliance.
The variable not taken into account is temperature. When you use a higher temperature it accelerates the process. I use the UV lights inside an insulated booth to get about a 90F temperature for best results! Peroxide concentration, keeping the mixture from drying out, UV light and temperature!
now retest this with HEAT approx 160deg.. with and without light
No reason to.
@@ModernClassic A salon professional in a similar video discussion insists that the hair product is activated by heat, not necessarily light (which of course includes heat energy). Customers sit under a hair dryer to bleach their hair. That aside, I am wondering if this technique might correct discoloration in floor vinyl caused by the rubber backing of a rug. I would have to position a clamp light directly over the area to warm it up.
The only reason I would ever "retrobrite" an item is if it has discoloured unevenly, so that it could hopefully re-colour evenly over time (which all pieces do eventually, don't anyone be fooled otherwise).
I'm with you on this one, I would much rather buy an item in its original state, regardless of its condition.
With retrobriting, you need to put a UV protectant to slow the yellowing.
R. M I know for wood you can get varnish that blocks UV and prevents fading. Maybe it’s the same thing applied to plastic, or something similar formulated for plastic.
I find yellowing an important part of the "retro" feel, so I have not and will not retrobright anything that I own.
The yellowing will make the plastic fall apart sooooooooo yeah...good luck!
I have too relatively old keyboards. One of them is slightly yelow. The other one is kinda brown and univen brown I even considered removing the topl layer. I don't want to take the keyboard apart. Did anyone try any bleach paste that works other than the salon thing?
I'm using the same Clairol solution, applying it thoroughly with a brush, wrapping in cellophane and letting it sit out in the sun, but for some reason my consoles keep coming out blotchy and streaky and I can't figure out why. Any ideas?
And what if I would use a clear coat on the plastics after retrobrightin it. UV protectant clear coat like on car headlights after polishing? A very thin layer on the computer part could protect it yellowing again.
I want to try this but the item I want to try it on has decals basically designed stickers Will this mess the decals up on the item?
These videos are totally awesome
Hi, I have no experience doing this myself, but I’ve watched heaps of videos including 8 Bit Guy. What are your thoughts on the idea that it’s the temperature itself and nothing to do with light at all. I saw 8 Bit Guy cooking up his keyboard keys in a saucepan at a certain temperature and it seemed to work the best. Purely asking out of genuine interest, can’t say I’d bother messing around with this sort of thing.
150f. Thinking of giving it a go.
Sorry but the yellow is so ugly. I want things to look brand new, even if I've ruined some things with bloom and streaking...in the end its with it to restore something to its former glory. 😊
I’m quite sure some Commodore 64 “breadboxes” were grey. I’ve used both brown and grey ones.
And my Atari ST was definitely light grey, not brown.
Very informative and very much correct! Thank you for another good perspective on the process.
i can see this fellows reluctance to reverse the patina of his vintage computer. My wife is in her 60s, and im always telling her how much i would hate it if she looked as she did as a teenager when i married her 44 years ago.
I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not 😂
@@vcolinc in our family we learned ,as kids ,two things ,way before we learned our address, or our ABC's.
First , a fool and his money are soon parted. And secondly ,and even more importantly,. Sarcasm is wasted on fools and children. I use sarcasm sparingly. And frugally, as if it were element 115.
@@bigted1953 I am glad to hear that you still cherish your wife after all these years. I must say that you do have a curious way of expressing yourself though. What does she say when you tell her you would not remove the patina of her years since the day you were married?
@@vcolinc she doesn't say a word, but looks at me in wonder as if I was a Greek god.
@@bigted1953 A Greek god who uses sarcasm as sparingly as interstellar spaceship fuel, no less!
Whaaat, in my country you can literally buy galons of H2O2, people tend to blonde their hair with it. lol.
Just wipe it down with Acetone the oxidation layer and thin and can be removed instantly vs putting in a bag and hoping for a sunny day.
This was a really good guide. Not over promising and not complex. Just pain and honest. Thank you.
Thanks for the nice video. I have checked the peroxide I purchased and it contains Phosphoric acid - I shall do some tests before ruining my Apple //e!
Did you ever make a follow-up video to discuss if the yellowing came back after a few years?
Just like you can retrobright sneakers!!! But thanks very informative, detailed and nice explanation. Very thorough, thanks a lot!
I have never done it to anything I own, to scared the things like you talked about would happen and leave it even worse looking
Another great video...I will be retrobriting soon...I am curious how high brightness led lights work vs the charged gases in an florescent tube...I will have to give it a try. Additionally, after retrobriting, some users have been using a flat transparent spray paint to coat the surfaces...this should prevent oxidation from air, but without UV protection...the components should still avoid daylight...cheers.
I've been experimenting with this and I've been getting the dreaded streaks. It honestly looks like the peroxide is just baking onto the surface of the plastic. I hadn't considered the brand--it's a small bottle of the 40 stuff I found at CVS. I was thinking the plastic wrap bubbling is what led to the streaks, so I may try the bag option and try to keep the bag from touching the surface. I also want to try the submersion method, but that requires a lot of the liquid type depending on the size and container. Very interesting how it works under shop lights. I really wasn't expecting that, especially since heat seems to be a factor as well. (See 8BitGuy's boiling experiment)
Yeah, I watch 8 Bit Guy too and respect him, but his results don't always line up with mine. Light with no heat whatsoever clearly works - in fact it was about 60 degrees in my basement during that test. My guess is that you can both yellow and de-yellow with light *or* heat; you don't necessarily need both, but both work either separately or together. They probably work better together, although I haven't tested that.
A wise, well thought out video. As in life nothing is without pros and cons.
Well knowing that florescent light works just fine, provided enough exposure, that makes things easier.
Though I have to laugh inside when you say to not disassemble a CRT monitor unless you know what you're doing. Certainly the voltages inside a CRT are dangerous, but more so that they'll make you jump and cut yourself on a metal shield or something. A taser actually has a better chance of killing you. And yes, I have zapped myself inside a CRT monitor before (it bloody hurts, so do avoid that). My dad, who was knowledgeable in electronics (though, admittedly, not the brightest parent), showed me how to tweak the focus and colour balance inside old CRTs to breath a bit more life into them when I was a kid.
Just build yourself a probe with an alligator clip at one end, and a big beefy resistor in the middle, and you can safely discharge the caps and the tube easily. It's been suggested to just use a screwdriver and a jumper wire to the chassis ground, but you run the risk of frying other components via the ground track, and the resistor helps to discharge that safely.
*However,* you still shouldn't attempt to disassemble a CRT monitor or TV if you can't identify the components inside that you need to discharge. If you're clueless, just leave it to somebody who knows what they're doing.
11:35 looks easy to get
its a mixture but
as long as we dont can make something wrong with the mixture
I had a Power PC 9500/120 and a 1998 Compaq Deskpro EP/SB. They were bought yellow already and were corporate-owned when new. I try to imagine how many chemicals they resisted on their early cleaning because both of them started cracking. Every time I moved the Apple somewhere, bits of plastic were falling on my hand or around else. Gone to garbage!
The Deskpro was at least more resistant, but when I was tinkering with it, any handle or joint from any removed piece cracked. Garbage again!
I still have a Compaq Presario 5000 and this was bought new in 2001. Yellow keyboard, but I don't intend to retro bright it. Just clean it properly and keep the history of it with me.
Great video, thank you. Been toying with the idea of retrobriting an Atari 1040st that belonged to my late father but I kinda enjoy the yellow since it's ours lol silly I know.
Just don’t. Retrobrighting is not restoring. It’s like a fake tan. Depressing.
The best video about this topic that I had ever found ! Thanks !
I've gotten into this for the purpose of restoring old toys - where the cosmetics are quite an important part. I don't think I'd bother retrobrighting my SNES though. I guess Sega had the right idea to make everything black!
What about heat under your lamps? Were they warming you plastic or not?