Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
I have been aware of the RetroBrite process for a number of years and intended to try it sometime or another, I just never got the motivation to get the ingredients together.
Then just recently I came across a blog that said there was a off the shelf product that was ready to use as is.
So as I have got some GameCubes with yellow-ish controller ports which do not clean with conventional cleaning products I decided to try the RetroBrite way.
I dont know if the staining is nicotine or sun ageing but it sure looks ugly compared against a clean controller port.
I put a strip of tape on the port to see if there would be noticeable difference.
The process itself involved applying cream peroxide with a toothbrush all over the discoloured area of the port and then covering it in cling film which helps to stop the cream drying away.
I then left the controller port outside in bright sunshine for a total of four hours of which it was cloudy for about ninety minutes.
After which I washed the port to remove the residue peroxide.
Remarkable difference - image on screen fails to deliver the true change seen.
The products used - Jerome Russell 12% Cream Peroxide - Kitchen cling film.
I got the peroxide from Superdrug (£1.52) retail chain store here in UK.
Here is the blog that brought this product to my attention - Thanks guy. http://stiggyblog.wordpress.com/2011/04 ... ter-cases/
Then just recently I came across a blog that said there was a off the shelf product that was ready to use as is.
So as I have got some GameCubes with yellow-ish controller ports which do not clean with conventional cleaning products I decided to try the RetroBrite way.
I dont know if the staining is nicotine or sun ageing but it sure looks ugly compared against a clean controller port.
I put a strip of tape on the port to see if there would be noticeable difference.
The process itself involved applying cream peroxide with a toothbrush all over the discoloured area of the port and then covering it in cling film which helps to stop the cream drying away.
I then left the controller port outside in bright sunshine for a total of four hours of which it was cloudy for about ninety minutes.
After which I washed the port to remove the residue peroxide.
Remarkable difference - image on screen fails to deliver the true change seen.
The products used - Jerome Russell 12% Cream Peroxide - Kitchen cling film.
I got the peroxide from Superdrug (£1.52) retail chain store here in UK.
Here is the blog that brought this product to my attention - Thanks guy. http://stiggyblog.wordpress.com/2011/04 ... ter-cases/
Last edited by wii_HD on Tue May 15, 2012 7:58 am, edited 2 times in total.
Playing - Super Mario Sunshine - DariusBurst CS - Hotline Miami 2 - Rpi2 Lakka - X360 BurnOut Paradise City
Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
Thanks for sharing this information. I have a controller port cover and a dreamcast which has some light yellowing and was thinking of painting them. Will probably try this instead.
I don't think this will work on the aging yellowing of NES/SNES cases, anyone know?
I don't think this will work on the aging yellowing of NES/SNES cases, anyone know?
Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
have you clicked the link? look at his photos - his computer cases look worse than any yellowed nes i've ever seen!!dilav wrote:Thanks for sharing this information. I have a controller port cover and a dreamcast which has some light yellowing and was thinking of painting them. Will probably try this instead.
I don't think this will work on the aging yellowing of NES/SNES cases, anyone know?
please search before you ask - a lot has been discussed already!
(or use google with "site:gc-forever.com *term*")
http://is.gd/MDmZcr
we also have a wiki filled with knowledge
http://is.gd/dX58Rm
(or use google with "site:gc-forever.com *term*")
http://is.gd/MDmZcr
we also have a wiki filled with knowledge
http://is.gd/dX58Rm
Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
Cool stuff!
I had one yellow faceplate, too.. just painted it black and now it looks really evil
I had one yellow faceplate, too.. just painted it black and now it looks really evil
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Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
I don't know either, but I understood that some of those older consoles were made from a bad batch of plastic ingredients, so it may still be necessary to remove the surface layer. It's great to know that there's a way to clean up GameCube systems now, though at the risk of making them less fire resistant (didn't even know they were treated!) I will adjust the prices I pay for items on eBay!dilav wrote:I don't think this will work on the aging yellowing of NES/SNES cases, anyone know?
Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
Playing - Super Mario Sunshine - DariusBurst CS - Hotline Miami 2 - Rpi2 Lakka - X360 BurnOut Paradise City
Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
Yes, I have clicked it and read the article. Not sure why at the time of posting I though of the NES/SNES to be any different.liquitt wrote:have you clicked the link? look at his photos - his computer cases look worse than any yellowed nes i've ever seen!!
To rethink I believe it should work on the consoles as it had worked on computers and the cause of yellowing could be the same. However I do find that the yellowed Snes plastic is weaker than the non yellow ones.HomelandReloaded wrote:I don't know either, but I understood that some of those older consoles were made from a bad batch of plastic ingredients, so it may still be necessary to remove the surface layer. It's great to know that there's a way to clean up GameCube systems now, though at the risk of making them less fire resistant (didn't even know they were treated!) I will adjust the prices I pay for items on eBay!
Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
Yes, if the fire retardant was one of the materials in the plastic then it should work the same (I had thought it was just a coating, like on furniture).
Thanks to Wii-HD for telling us about this - now I've just got see the look on face of the staff at the checkout when I buy the cream peroxide product
I'm not going to mix my own now I know what's in it.
Thanks to Wii-HD for telling us about this - now I've just got see the look on face of the staff at the checkout when I buy the cream peroxide product
I'm not going to mix my own now I know what's in it.
Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
I have used it on several SNES and SFC consoles and it works great. They look like new. You can't tell the difference between one that is treated with Retr0bright and a new one unless you put them side by side.dilav wrote:Thanks for sharing this information. I have a controller port cover and a dreamcast which has some light yellowing and was thinking of painting them. Will probably try this instead.
I don't think this will work on the aging yellowing of NES/SNES cases, anyone know?
On the Retr0bright wiki they advise not to use hairdressing creams because they can contain additives which might damage the surface of the plastic. I bought a bottle of 30% hydrogen peroxide from a chemist and I dilute it to 15%. It gives me great results.
Unfortunately I didn't make a before picture, but in the picture I have attached the SNES is original color and the SFC is treated with Retr0bright.
- Attachments
-
- snes_sfc.jpg
- (97.59 KiB) Not downloaded yet
Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
very nice TPSNT. I have a lot of NES consoles in need of a good retroBrite do over.
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Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
I was at the super market today and I remembered the retrobrite project for some reason.
I did try to make the original one some time ago, but I couldn't find cheap and small quantities of hydrogen peroxide.
So I bought this on impulse:
And its ingredients...(it seems all hair products are 12% max):
I applied a fairly thin layer with an (old ) toothbrush and covered it with kitchen membrane/film (I don't even know how's called).
To be honest, I was so anxious to see the results I only left it only about a hour in the sun.
Rinsed with water and...
IT'S FREAKING EPIC :3
Oh, and the best part is the price.
0.54 euros.
I did try to make the original one some time ago, but I couldn't find cheap and small quantities of hydrogen peroxide.
So I bought this on impulse:
And its ingredients...(it seems all hair products are 12% max):
I applied a fairly thin layer with an (old ) toothbrush and covered it with kitchen membrane/film (I don't even know how's called).
To be honest, I was so anxious to see the results I only left it only about a hour in the sun.
Rinsed with water and...
IT'S FREAKING EPIC :3
Oh, and the best part is the price.
0.54 euros.
Re: Refresh plastics *RetroBrite*
That really is good - it's great to see old consoles looking new again! By the way, the film is called cling film in the UK.