Plexus -- The Holy Grail for Amiga plastics?

[Damion]

I've been using this product for a few years (moslty on my motorcycle shields and car instrument cluster plastics), and it's an absolutely FANTASTIC product, regarded highly by many friends of mine, and in the motorcycle/car detailing circles I frequent.

BUT -- I never thought of using it on amiga cases until today.

Plexus

I found this quote rather interesting:

"Plexus protects plastic more effectively than ordinary cleaners. Because Plexus seals the pores in plastic surfaces with a micro-thin layer of shiny, protective wax, plastic becomes resistant to debris, oil, scratches, and eventual yellowing. And its anti-static properties repel dust and lint."

I'm going to give it a try on one of my amigas this eve and see how it works. In the past, I've always used a soft cloth (microfiber) and a little distilled water, kept them covered, out of the sun and away from fluorescents. (I have used a little alcohol and/or vinegar at times for heavier cleaning of computers I acquire, but wipe again immediately with distilled.) I've yet to have one (that I've cared for since new) go yellow, but a little added protection certainly can't hurt.

cheers

Damion

[Damion]

OK... I gave this a shot first on my laptop, with great results. The casing has a soft, muted "new" look after application. I tried it on the LCD screen (tested on my work laptop, LOL), and surprisingly the display seems to look much nicer -- and it was already clean.

Same results on my A500 and 1084. Not greasy or shiny, just appears closer to new again. Cleans well. I'm a pretty picky guy, and I give it 5 stars! :-P

Naturally, I can't vouch for anything long-term, other than to say I trust it with things more valuable than my amigas, and so far it has worked great. (After cleaning with Plexus, my helmet screen is so clear I can't even tell it's there.)

(BTW -- m/c dealerships may be the best place to find this stuff locally.)

[Damion]

odin wrote:
So basically it does the same as a transparent layer of paint..it keeps the oxygen away from the plastic.

Is that enough to stop UV-yellowing? I think oxygen is needed for that proces.

That would make sense. I found a related article about plastic yellowing (mentioning the role of oxygen) here.

@weirdami

True, as I stated above, long-term effects are unknown. However, my understanding is the product doesn't contain any chemicals known to harm plastic, or cause yellowing.

[Damion]

@Tj

I pick it up at a BMW motorcycle dealer, though I've also spotted it at a Honda dealer. I think you'll dig it!

Assuming this stuff doesnt ruin the look or feel of your Amiga, there's probably no harm in trying to see if it helps.

Aside from what it cleans, there's a barely perceptible difference in the looks department. Maybe a bit "brighter" or "cleaner", but it's difficult to tell. (You can kind of make out the wax coating.)

I've since tried it on an A1200 case that had some very minor scratches/scuffing, and it did reduce their visibility by a small amount. I also tried it on some yellowed (not from dirt/tobacco) plastic, and as expected, no difference aside from looking a bit cleaner.

I agree that UV is the primary cause of yellowing on our machines -- in that regard Plexus may not provide much benefit, unless oxygen still has something to do with that kind of reaction. Products which do contain UV blockers leave an undesirable finish, unless you dilute them -- in which case the UV protection is probably limited/compromised.

Keeping them out of the sun is certainly the best thing, cleaning with distilled water and maybe a small amount of vinegar from time to time is no doubt safe. (Using soft cloths/microfibers to prevent abrasive damage.) I think the benefits of Plexus may be in visible scratch reduction, as well as a small amount of oxidative protection from the wax coating. The anti-static properties may also be a good thing. I figure I'll continue with my normal routine, and top with a light coat of Plexus for a little added protection.



 

[Damion]

murple wrote:
Well, the 500s are several years older than the 1200... so it could just be the time factor.

Another interesting point (something raised in the "snes" article I linked to) is the possibility of a poor mix of chemicals/materials during production. I have an old "breadbox" C64, looks perfect aside from the lettering on the "3" key... which has yellowed, yet the rest is fine. I've also seen a few A1200s with only a few yellowed keys. :shrug:

[Damion]

amiga92570 wrote:
I don't know what causes it, but not one of the amigas I own has turned yellow. All my 500's, 600's, 1200's are original biege/white color.

I feel pretty fortunate myself, even my C128 (which saw pretty heavy use for several years) has remained beige. Just keep 'em clean, out of the sun and away from temperature extremes, and with a little luck they'll stay that way until some excavator digs them up in 2480... and says, "ah, these amigas are preserved most excellently, must have used Plexus" :-P

[Damion]

OK, all silliness aside, 5 years later and _none_ of the computers treated with Plexus have yellowed even a little. I still do my best to keep them out of the sun, dry and away from temperature extremes, etc.

Only downside is the toxic chemical blast, so I use it rather sparingly, with no one else home and open windows. :-/ Still, seems effective for keeping cases looking new, especially after "retrobrighting" since those plastics may be more prone to yellowing again.