Say Goodbye to Old Yellowed Plastics!

I found a way to make old Yellowed Plastics ,Ramps etc Clear again.

Maybe posted here before but not sure I haven't searched.

You have all been there. You have Yellowed plastic and all the cleaners on Earth do nothing but clean off dirt and old Nicotine but they are still yellowed. Thats because its a chemical change from the Fire retardant used in plastics in combo with UV light.

The Solution? A Peroxide Sunbath.

Place your piece in a Clear container and fill with Peroxide to cover item then cover seal with seran wrap and leave in the Sunlight or a UV lamp for a few days and thats it.

Don't believe it below are pics after the bath.

Both pieces are from A STTNG that I am restoring for a client I used the one on the right to test the theory and you can see the results. I left it in the sun last weekend before I left my house and upon returning this weekend this is what I was greeted with. A perfectly clear piece.

Original pieces as removed from machine.

67.jpg

Peroxide bath in ziplock bag

23.jpg

Results on right.

6.jpg

7.jpg

Yellowed Shuttle

8.jpg

Peroxide bath

24.jpg

Decals removed after bath results on left.

30.jpg

Restored and redecaled and painted Shuttle

47.jpg

#2 9 years ago

BTF

PinballManiac40

Pinside+ Frequent

14y 234K 17,856 105

Very nice indeed. I'll have to try that on some older Bally SS game plastics.

#3 9 years ago

LWJ

reynolds531

Pinside+ Frequent

Denver, CO

9y 51,650 347 13

What strength solution of hydrogen peroxide are you using?

#4 9 years ago

FRX

Frax

Pinside member

12y 103K 16,663 2 9

Doesn't solve the issue with stuff that has graphics on it, unfortunately. That's the big problem except for ramps that haven't been reproed but have decals available.

This has been around for years...if you put in an oxygen based accelerant, this is effectively the "retrobrite" process..

#5 9 years ago

???

PappyBoyington

Pinside member

Murphy, TX

12y 78,300 1,792 11 26

Awesome, thanks for the tip!

#6 9 years ago

DOZ

dozer1

Pinside+ Addict

Sargeant, MN

10y 114K 1,553 7

Quoted from reynolds531:
What strength solution of hydrogen peroxide are you using?

My question too.

#7 9 years ago

DEN

jibmums

Pinside member

12y 102K 4,194 17

Does the plastic otherwise chemically react with the peroxide, become brittle, soft, other?

#8 9 years ago

HBS

herbertbsharp

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Ballston Spa, NY

13y 148K 6,140 19 24

wow! thanks for sharing!

#9 9 years ago

AAA

ledge

Pinside member

10y 47,650 2,195 3

yep thanks.. i hate that yellowed plastic ramp /or anything look..

#10 9 years ago

ABC

Crash

Pinside member

13y 141K 14,239

Can you use this with silkscreened plastics?

#11 9 years ago

SHP

labnip

Inactive member

13y 118K 9,928

works great on TEETH too

#12 9 years ago

TOX

ChrisHibler

Chris' Pinball Repair

Chesterfield, MO

12y 128K 10,143 46

Interesting results.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.Team-EM.com
http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball/index.htm
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info

#13 9 years ago

Eddie

Frax is correct this is a simplified retrobrite procedure.

So far I have used peroxide from different places just grabbed whatever was on the shelf so I can't say what the % is.

So far they have all worked.

The reason I left the decals on the shuttle is because I was awaiting a new one and a new set of decals. I was just testing the old shuttle so I really didn't care about the decals.

I would suggest removing decals first and as for screened plastics I haven't tried them yet but will.

I don't see it affecting the screening as this procedure just reverts the chemical process that caused the yellowing to begin with within the plastic itself.

As you can see the shuttle paint was not affected at all.

I know this technique can work on some painted plastics without issue such as old yellowed pop caps

However there is a possibility on some plastics that they may indeed become brittle not so much of a problem with the clear plastics.

I say play around with old broken plastics and use them as samples before trying it on plastics you are trying to restore.

#14 9 years ago

DRU

TheDrewster

Inactive member

Reno, NV

12y 65,150 641 4

I would love to see if this works on screened plastics.

#15 9 years ago

COX

maestro

Pinside+ Frequent

Fincastle, VA

10y 53,600 448 21

This is amazing. Could save people hundreds restoring old plastics rather than having to purchase new ones. Thanks for the tip. I have a black knight with yellowed plastics and new CPR playfield. I may try this with my screened plastics because I'm going to have to get new ones anyway. The yellowed ones are unacceptable against new playfield. I'll post results.

#16 9 years ago

BOB

beatmaster

Mods for your pinballs

Beauharnois

12y 107K 7,394 7 17

thanks for the infos!

i've been searching for years for lane guide with the bally logo on it for my game because they are yellow.

my search is over, i'm gonna try that tomorrow.

#17 9 years ago

JIM

PNBLWZD

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 76,400 1,283

Wow that's a great process thanks!

#18 9 years ago

ARD

Jean-Luc-Picard

Inactive member

Unknown

11y 75,550 4,510 17

Wow, great idea. That would work great on my Bi-plane in IJ. Most peoples are no longer white and rather yellow.

#19 9 years ago

DOZ

dozer1

Pinside+ Addict

Sargeant, MN

10y 114K 1,553 7

The stuff is cheap enough (assuming the 3% formula is the right one) http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgreens-hydrogen-peroxide-3-topical-solution-usp/ID=prod6056573-product

3 bucks for 1/2 gallon. , for 6 bucks one should be able to clear up an F-14 dome!

Eddie, is it only good for 1 use, or can it be used a few times?

#20 9 years ago

Eddie

Quoted from dozer1:
The stuff is cheap enough (assuming the 3% formula is the right one) http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgreens-hydrogen-peroxide-3-topical-solution-usp/ID=prod6056573-product
3 bucks for 1/2 gallon. , for 6 bucks one should be able to clear up an F-14 dome!
Eddie, is it only good for 1 use, or can it be used a few times?

Not sure never tried to save the peroxide But I don't see why it wouldn't be good for more than one use.

Remember you need to get the part completely even in the sun or under a UV lamp or you may get uneven results.

Also the process on average is about 24 hrs but that too may vary.

#21 9 years ago

DEN

KingNine

Pinside member

Beaumont, TX

11y 51,900 1,050 18 13

All my yellowed platics that I want to try this on are screened. I can't wait to see results of that. This is a great thread. Thanks!

#22 9 years ago

ZOD

jedimojo

Pinside member

Omaha, NE

12y 51,900 261 13

Yeah... I've got some screened plastics from a 1967 Bally that are still fairly yellow after cleaning. I'd love to see if this works on screened pieces.

#23 9 years ago

Eddie

Just got the results from the Romulan ship and damn it it worked!

Why am I mad at that? because I want to paint it anyway.

Before pic after a week of cleaning in a simple green and vinegar windex bath and Novus 2 you can still see the discoloration. Too bad my camera is so bad because the coloring is worse in real life. Note the greenish color and brownish splotches

16.jpg

Here is after the Peroxide + UV bath only 6 hrs. Note the even and bright color.

4.jpg

After I painted it but before I paint on the windows.

5.jpg

#24 9 years ago

DEN

jibmums

Pinside member

12y 102K 4,194 17

Eddie, have you tried the peroxide process on plastics with rivets and/or metal brackets permanently attached? I've got some yellowed plastics from Earthshaker that have several small brackets riveted to them. They would make a world of difference with the yellowing removed but not if the metal rusted or tarnished due to a chemical reaction with the peroxide..

#25 9 years ago

KDS

LoPan

Pinside member

Grand Rapids, MI

10y 35,300 41 20

Nice job! Cant wait to try this my EM's.

#26 9 years ago

Eddie

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/sttng-shuttle-craft-rehab

Quoted from jibmums:
Eddie, have you tried the peroxide process on plastics with rivets and/or metal brackets permanently attached? I've got some yellowed plastics from Earthshaker that have several small brackets riveted to them. They would make a world of difference with the yellowing removed but not if the metal rusted or tarnished due to a chemical reaction with the peroxide..

Don't think the peroxide would effect the metal. Through some brass screws or rivets in some peroxide by themselves as a test if you are leary.

#27 9 years ago

FYA

Pin_Crazed

Inactive member

Unknown City, MN

13y 56,650 2,080 10 71

outstanding, be interesting to see varied results from different plastic, very interesting indeed....

#28 9 years ago

GEP

Gerry

Inactive member

Syracuse, NY

12y 66,900 3,808 26

Great thread..

This is great for the EM guys

Thanks, i got a couple machines in que

#29 9 years ago

STF

scott_freeman

Pinside member

Detroit, MI

12y 43,650 875 1

OP,

Thanks for sharing, and the great examples!

You have come a long way since your first pinball machine (RFM?)

#30 9 years ago

KSN

2manypins

Pinside+ Addict

Hanover, VA

12y 80,800 2,065 7 1

Great tip. Thanks

#31 9 years ago

LEO

Arcade

Colorado Canyon

Beaumont, TX

12y 123K 6,357 16 34

Still waiting for someone with access to the sun to try some screened plastics.
Texas has not seen the sun in weeks.

#32 9 years ago

DEN

KingNine

Pinside member

Beaumont, TX

11y 51,900 1,050 18 13

Hmmmmm, Could this work on the yellowed cabinets? Brush on the peroxide in the sun? I know it wouldn't be soaking like the plastics but could it lighten up that nicotene staining?

#33 9 years ago

Shredso

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 95,300 3,066 7

I have a bunch of Pioneer plastics that are badly yellowed. If they get ruined I have one less bin in my closet, if they work maybe I'll sell them for a few bucks. I'll try it this weekend.

#34 9 years ago

JIG

jwilson

Pinball Art Prints

Toronto, ON

10y 108K 5,061 6 7

Quoted from KingNine:
Hmmmmm, Could this work on the yellowed cabinets?

No, this is a specific reaction to a chemical in the plastics that yellow in UV light.

#35 9 years ago

NES

Spitfiren8

Pinside member

11y 82,550 1,937

Following

#36 9 years ago

TRG

TomGWI

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 143K 10,973 157 1

Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

#37 9 years ago

CAA

caker137

Pinside member

Stillwater, OK

12y 77,400 482 7 68

Quoted from Arcade:
Still waiting for someone with access to the sun to try some screened plastics.
Texas has not seen the sun in weeks.

I actually did this a couple of years ago. While it was amazing for all the molded plastic toys in my STTNG, I had little success with clear plastics. Perhaps the plastic type varies, and some work while others don't. I had a spare really yellowed TOM sling plastic which I tried as an experiment. The art bleached out way before the yellowed plastic did anything good.

BTW - here is the original thread with several photos and amazed people

#38 9 years ago

ARP

arpman

Inactive member

Hagerstown, MD

11y 21,400 163 2

Wikipedia has a bit of information...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retr0bright

#39 9 years ago

Eddie