Removing Yellow Tarnish?

[boing]

>However if it's yellowness due to having been exposed to UV radiation
>you can't clean that. Your only option would be to sand the yellow layer off or paint the case.

It really pisses me off when people who don't know the answer just conclude that because *they* don't have a solution, that it must be impossible.  There are precious few "can do" people in the Amiga world today.

I was going to suggest Didi-7, or Bleach or any of a number of cleaning items that might whiten the afflicted plastic.  Test a small 1" square area on the bottom of your Amiga first though, and wipe it clean, rinse and observe for about a week before proceeding.

>http://www.rabayjr.com/monte_o_seu_hardware.htm

Cool.  English version?

[mattabat]

Some have recommended some very harsh chemicals..
I recommend using undiluted window cleaner. Very effective. Apply to a cloth and clean *carefully*.

[J-Golden]

 :-(

boing wrote:


>http://www.rabayjr.com/monte_o_seu_hardware.htm

Cool.  English version?

Yes, not only theyellowing sollution, but I'd like to beable to read the other info as well...

J-Golden

[Doobrey]

Then feast your eyes on the wonders of Babelfish

OK, it's not a perfect translation, but could anyone tell me what the hell this is supposed to mean?

Not wall lamp this product on letters printed or logotipos

:lol:

[odin]

boing wrote:
>However if it's yellowness due to having been exposed to UV radiation
>you can't clean that. Your only option would be to sand the yellow layer off or paint the case.

It really pisses me off when people who don't know the answer just conclude that because *they* don't have a solution, that it must be impossible.  There are precious few "can do" people in the Amiga world today.

What I meant was, was that UV yellowed plastic has changed chemically and can't be made white, unless you remove the yellow layer of plastic by sanding or (which people have indeed suggested and I indeed failed to say) using chemicals to remove a small layer of plastic.

[PaSha]

Doobrey wrote:
Then feast your eyes on the wonders of Babelfish

OK, it's not a perfect translation, but could anyone tell me what the hell this is supposed to mean?

Not wall lamp this product on letters printed or logotipos

:lol:

I'm guessing something in the direction of "do not apply this product to printed letters/logos" (as in don't use this stuff to clean your keyboard, as it will give you a 'das keyboard')

so you'll end up with one of these for free!)

-Paul

[Jeff]

I had hopes of the method on the website working but it doesn't look good so far.  I tried polish remover which is diluted acetone on a badly yellowed A4000 drive bay blank and it didn't even touch it.

I really can't see how this person achieved the results in the pictures unless they are all nicotine stains that he is working with.

I have some yellowed Amiga stuff that I would really like restored, like my A3070, A1020, A3000T, A4000, ect. Hard to find.  I have stronger chemicals, however most of them will eat the plastic.

Jeff

[Martin_Lee]

i doubt strong chemicals is a good idea, but if you want them white again youll have to get that top layer of
plastic off somehow, either sanding or strong chemicals.

i guess you could sand, prime and paint them instead?

theres no other way of doing it.

[edgar]

Or, maybe you could find a broken miggy (at a car boot sale or  somethin' else) and then just change the cases over.  The "yellowed" case would look much better if it housed a broken circuit board, anyway.

edgar. :-)

[XDelusion]

Ok, thankx for all the help! Curse the sun. Guess I'm going to do a paint job. I should use Model Paint right?

[Martin_Lee]

model paint? noooo! use a matt spray paint or car paint methinks

[terminator]

XDelusion wrote:
How do I remove the yellow Tarnish from my old Amiga? Or is it even possible?

That's a normal result of the plastic aging.  Best bet is to paint it.  You could try various cleaners, but there is a possiblity of damaging the finish.  If it's safe to use on your hands, it probably won't hurt plastic.  But some hand cleaners do contain solvents... the kind that craze plastics.

There is a place here that recycles computers.  The owner stated that once the plastic yellows, it's garbage.  It can't be recycled.

It doesn't hurt to try.  I've seen A500s that smelled of smoke yet worked.  Seemed it had been in a house fire...  It was cleaned, but the smell remained.

Tobacco is bad. The residues get everywhere.  Not good for electronics.

[terminator]

Martin_Lee wrote:
model paint? noooo! use a matt spray paint or car paint methinks

Some of them auto paints are quite wicked when it comes to solvents... But there are so many colours.  The metallics would look whey kewl. Most car parts places can even mix a colour.  Some can even make a spray bomb.

Check with a place that deals in paints, they can help.  Primer wouldn't hurt either.  Might protect the paint from plastic reacting with it.

If painting with a metallic: Everything should be painted in the position it will be used in. Otherwise the effect will not work, and might even look ugly when you reassemble everything.

[Martin_Lee]

definately need primer!!!!

[gazsp]

I had some success by removing the outer casing and leaving it in a bath of bleach and warm water for about an hour.

I then used a sponge to clean off any other dirt and rinsed it off with cold water, and shoved it on a towel on a radiator to dry.

[fillosauru]

Hey, I tried the bleach thing myself, and it barely worked;
I did not get a white A500 case, but it was not so 'yellowed' as before the treatment.
And I left for a day in the bleach+water solution!
Let's say, half bleach and half tap water.
And the whitening was not homogenous, and as a result, I have a A500 case with pathches of white and yellow!  :lol: