135 replies to this topic

[tcropper]

I have also had good luck using WD-40 as a cleaner for stickers, glue, etc. It's handy and already around the house. It can sometimes fix discolorations as well, depending on the plastic.

[yorgle]

Here's something to try when everything else fails in fixing keyboards:  The H and J keys on my newly acquired 600xl would randomly work/not work.  I thought it was a broken ribbon cable and spent hours messing with that.  Then just for the heck of it, I remelted the solder joints directly below each of the non-working keys.  Works 100% now.

[UNIXcoffee928]

Time tested advice:

1. Windex Original. Cleans great, nothing else I've used is as good for computer equipment.

2. Armor All Original. Cleans, protects, beautifies. Use it after you're done with the Windex.

3. Goo Gone. Quart. Removes any adhesive nastiness.

4. Several new #2 pencils, with nice new pink erasers. Perfect for cleaning contacts on anything.

5. Q-Tips. LOTS! Use them to clean keyboards, & the thin crevices that seem to be lurking everywhere in industrial design. Can be used in tiny circular motions with pressure, while using Armor All, to get down into textured plastics crevices.

6. Paper Towels. Rolls & Rolls! You'll be needing them for #s 1-3.

7. Lemon Pledge spray wax. Use very sparingly. A little bit on a towel applied to the fan grills will reduce dust from accumulating by the fan.

8. Thin X-Acto Knife. Can be used to slightly 'rough up' pins to ensure a good connection. Good for places that you can't get to with the pencil eraser. Don't cut yourself with these, they make that special DARK RED blood come out.

9. Can-O-Air. Good for getting dust out. Or just use the old fashioned method of blowing the dust out... just be sure to turn your head to deeply inhale the next breath. Or don't, you'll only make that mistake ONCE!

= )

10. Music 160 BPM or greater. Tap out the beat on those keys that don't work. They'll come back to life.

11. Yellow electrical tape makes for nice START, SELECT, OPTION, & RESET buttons on your PC's keyboard - for use with an emulator...  A thin Sharpie is the pen to use. Break & Inverse keys are good ideas too, while you're labeling.

12. Papermate ball point medium. One. Use the non-pen end of it to remove mouse-shit from mechanical mice. Works perfectly.

13. Blue automotive aluminum polish. Works great with paper towels or Q-tips to clean up RF shielding.


Other than that, I have found that both physical threats & verbal assault work wonders with making computers work properly.

ALWAYS read the labels of products. Don't buy anything that may cause central nervous system damage. Chances are that you will need that nervous system one day.


That's it. You can now fix & restore ANYTHING.


L8R,

UNIXcoffee928

PS. NOTE: Most other things that exist may require a hammer, vice-grips, WD-40,  a sturdy knife, and duct tape. Other than that you're good to go.

[UNIXcoffee928]

OK, here is what your Atari should NOT look like.

Now, I've been to Long Beach... had a great time at "Release the Bats"... Funny, I don't recall any SWAMPS in the area... Well, I don't think that the public bathrooms at the Long Beach Marina count as swamps (WORSE than CBGBs...) ...pretty close though.

In any case, the systems from the Long Beach collection seem to be begging for WINDEX!

Your computer looks clean compared to these specimens!

Bet that you feel better already!


L8R,

UNIXcoffee928

[Guitarman]

UNIXcoffee928, on Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:21 PM, said:

OK, here is what your Atari should NOT look like.

Now, I've been to Long Beach... had a great time at "Release the Bats"... Funny, I don't recall any SWAMPS in the area... Well, I don't think that the public bathrooms at the Long Beach Marina count as swamps (WORSE than CBGBs...) ...pretty close though.

In any case, the systems from the Long Beach collection seem to be begging for WINDEX!

Your computer looks clean compared to these specimens!

Bet that you feel better already!


L8R,

UNIXcoffee928

    

I just pissed myself!!!!  Thanks for the nod!!!  You have no idea how I felt when I picked that stuff up. How could anyone treat anything like that, let alone vintage hardware, and from someone who use to run an Atari BBS.

I have had good luck cleaning stuff like this with the 'dishwasher' method on the cases but I do use Windex on many things while restoring.

[UNIXcoffee928]

A Procedure that is useful for any tape which has been stored for a great length of time.

*NOTE* It is very important to be sure that the temperature of the tape has normalized, from the area in which it was previously stored, to the temperature of your current operating environment (give it at least 30 minutes), before you begin the following procedures.

Read & understand all of the following steps before starting:

1. Hand-wind the tape (with your index finger fingernail in the right sprocket hole), start by slowly wiggling (not actually winding, just jiggling your finger, to free the tape in case it is stuck to itself., then wind it 10 rotations, counterclockwise, going slowly, and monitoring it for smooth winding.

2. If there is pull, or the smooth flow is retarded in any way, STOP. Squeeze the face-plates of side A&B with thumb & index finger, repeatedly, working your way around the spool (on the wound side). This will even out the tape on the spool, reducing unwanted lateral movement across the tape read head. Repeat step one.

Once you have verified that the tape runs smoothly by hand, and the media is not stuck to itself, fast forward it to the end in a tape player. Take it out, squeeze the face plates as described above, wind by hand until tight. Reinsert, rewind. Remove. Squeeze the face plates, wind by hand until tight.

The tape should now be all set for use.

This applies to all cassettes, data, or music. Following these steps will greatly enhance the probability of the cassette working properly. If you have audio cassettes that have a sound frequency dropout, do the above procedure, and the tape will go back to normal.


Good luck!

[pboland]

Over at the 7800 fourm  there were some questions on how to dye plastic.  I thought this might be helpful for all of us trying to fix that yellowing problem. I did some quick searching and found some information.  Here is a copy of the post I did in the 7800 fourm.

pboland, on Mon Dec 24, 2007 1:43 PM, said:

mimo, on Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:08 PM, said:

could you tell me how/what to use to dye plastic?
I have got some yellowing Atari computers that could do with a freshen up

Bakasama, on Sat Dec 22, 2007 8:36 PM, said:

I got a question for you.  How did you dye the plastic on the controllers?

I not 100% sure how doubledown did it, so I won't speculate, but you might want to look at these three links:

Vinyl Dye Guide

Beige Plastic: Can it be dyed?

VHT Penetrating Vinyl Dye

I also know that some nylon plastics can be dyed in the same way you dye a t-shirt.  This is the way it use to be done in the RC cars community.

[UNIXcoffee928]

Here's some more tips, for people with screwdrivers...

You'll never end up with extra screws again, if you take this precaution...

Use "Diamond Match" boxes "32 Count", to keep track of screws for specific sub-assemblies when disassembling ANYTHING. Label the boxes with masking tape & a Sharpie pen.

===

Any plastic, especially porous surfaces, can be made black with Speedball India Ink. First disassemble the apparatus in question, then clean the outer surface with rubbing alcohol, let it dry, then apply the ink with a foam brush, by dabbing it in, using stippling technique.

When it dries, reassemble, and you are done.

If you want to prevent wear, lightly coat the dry ink with spray-on clear acrylic, then reassemble.

Doing this to your Atari may ruin it's collectible value, but if it's your personal system, and you don't care, it really looks cool, just be sure to be a perfectionist when you do it.

Do it at your own risk, or on a shell from a dead system. It can always be removed with warm water, soap, and a scrub brush... if you don't do the acrylic step. At any rate it's a neat mod that does not involve paint.

===

You can change the color of any smooth flat area to any color by using colored "Contact Paper", a colored plastic sheet with an adhesive backing. Put it on slowly, like a sticker, and be sure not to get air bubbles, by sliding your finger on it while applying... don't block air vents.

===

"Art Foam" can be used to reduce vibration &  to dampen noise when re-building any apparatus. Just be sure not to cover ground points, or to disturb air flow for cooling.

You'll be amazed how much quieter your floppy drives become. Foam under power supplies with fans helps too, as it softens vibration nosies, which become ambient environmental background noises in your environment, if not kept in check.

Use your head when you do this, don't put foam on warm areas, and be sure to allow proper air flow, by using layers of thin strips (create air-flow channels, based on air circulation routes within the device).

===

Fabric-based, plasticized duct tape applied to the UPPER surfaces of RF shielding or lower casing surfaces can reduce vibration noise, too. Don't over do it... (and remember that it IS NOT ELECTRICAL TAPE... don't use it as such and expect proper protection) ...always consider heat dissipation & the correct fitting of precision bent shielding. Leave areas of the shielding exposed, think of it like a snare drum head... you just want to DAMPEN noise.

Do it right the first time. Learn a bit about acoustics, vibration, & thermal distribution first...

Basically, don't come crying if you find out that you've built a toaster oven.

= )


Have fun!


L8R.

[yorgle]

Just opened up my latest 1200xl acquisition (to add +5v to the SIO port) and found this:    

The date on the paper slip (in dot matrix) reads 03/23/83 which corresponds with the date code on the serial tag on the bottom of the machine.  The RF modulator is not soldered to the PCB and looks like it never was.  It's just loose.  No other wierdness inside.  Just thought I'd post my find here for posterity.  If it was a repair job, it was almost immediately after the machine was built.  So much for Atari quality control.

Edited by yorgle, Fri May 23, 2008 3:40 PM.

[mimo]

The people over at Amiga Forums seem to be having some good results reversing the yellowing process.
http://eab.abime.net...ead.php?t=37808

Will try and get some time to try my 400/800/800XL/XEGS etc etc and report back

[UNIXcoffee928]

That Amiga thread is GREAT!

After a while I was cracking up about the chemistry hackery going on there... especially once I got to post #131! Ha!

Atari 8-bit & Amiga hackers stop at nothing... the sheer will demonstrated is something that we should all be proud of. Even after all these years, the hackerism just gets more hackerish!

= )


Man, if I could choose my co-workers, they would be people exclusively from both of these circles.

DIY with no limits! Killer.

[kamakazi]

I was just curious...I remember a infomercial about a product that came in a small toothpaste-like tube.  Granted I can't remember the name, but I do remember them putting a small amount in a clear water tank and putting stained items in there from clothing to brass items and it would take off the residue.  If this product still exists, do you think that soaking our yellowed plastic Atari (or other) components in something like this would neutralize the yellowing allowing the original color to shine through once again?  Or do you think that products like Oxy Clean might work?

Surely somewhere, somehow, there has to be a way to remove the discoloration.  Just some food for thought.

Nevermind...just read the thread that the link went too.  Talk about comedy central!  The idea of putting bleach in with oxy action (which I assume is Oxy Clean to the U.S.A.) might seem dangerous...but sounds like it works.  I have an Apple IIc that's really yellow and I don't use it because of it's cancerous condition...I'll have to see if I can try this...outside for sure.

Edited by kamakazi, Mon Sep 8, 2008 10:17 PM.

[mimo]

I have started to get the stuff together, I have some 40% Peroxide, with hopefully more on the way (800s are BIG), some of the OXY catalyst on the way from Merlin at the Amiga forums, just trying to get hold of a UV lamp so I can get started.
I will obviously post the before and after shots here and at the Amiga forum

[yorgle]

I can just hear all the mothers out there: "Put that hydrogen peroxide away!  You'll burn your eyes out!"  

[nonner242]

I hate the YELLOWING.......

[mimo]

if I look like this next week, It all went horribly wrong

[UNIXcoffee928]

mimo, on Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:06 AM, said:

if I look like this next week, It all went horribly wrong
twat.jpg

Looks OK to me... idk, maybe shave the sides, though.

[madman420]

I know this thread is a million years old, but it's a sticky, so here is my super-secret-probably-wont-work-for-you-but-worked-great-for-me thing.  Rubbing Alcohol.  I used 70% Isopropyl on my yellowing 800XL with a cotton ball.  Wouldn't you know , the thing looks brand new.

[yorgle]

mimo, on Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:06 AM, said:

if I look like this next week, It all went horribly wrong
twat.jpg

Hey, it's been a while and I'm curious to know how things turned out?  Any pics of the computer (or yourself- I guess that'd at least give us a hint. )

[flashjazzcat]

My 65XE (expanded to 128K) was recently retrieved from a box above my old wardrobe after a nine year absence and now I've got it set up next to a grey LG LCD TV, it's looking decidedly yellowed. The keys are the main problem, and clearly show more yellowing where the sunlight used to hit them when the computer was situated in the same position for several years. The other day I decided to try cotton buds soaked in nail polish remover on the keys. This has the effect of taking off the top layer of plastic, and will - with considerable patience and care - remove most of the yellowing, reducing the plastic to a rough, matte finish. However, rubbing too hard will definitely take the print off the keys. I only tried this on a couple of keys and one console key. I'm wondering if T-Cut (car paint polish) might be a better bet???

[mimo]

yorgle, on Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:17 PM, said:

mimo, on Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:06 AM, said:

if I look like this next week, It all went horribly wrong
twat.jpg

Hey, it's been a while and I'm curious to know how things turned out?  Any pics of the computer (or yourself- I guess that'd at least give us a hint. )

Sorry, not been keeping up.
I tried on a sun tanned 800XL and a yellowed 400 and it works very well. I will try and sort out some photos soon.
I also have a 600xl,65xe,400, and several 1050s that need doing. Hopefully today I will get some more peroxide and a neighbor has some xanthan gum for me to use, so I can use the new method of making a gel to paint on the cases. Should be much easier than putting them in a bath full of the stuff.
Watch this space

[mimo]

Ok, a few pictures of my first attempt on an 800xl.
This is the worst XL that I had, looks like it was sat next to a window as you can see it is definitely worse on one side.



After a day and a half iirc the yellowing has pretty much been eliminated, just a few spots in the vents. Hopeful using the new improved gel I will get perfect results

[yorgle]

Holy Cow! That looks great!

[flashjazzcat]

Really superb! Would it bleach the print off keys?

[mimo]

flashjazzcat, on Wed Jan 28, 2009 10:30 AM, said:

Really superb! Would it bleach the print off keys?

not so far, I have tried to do an XE keyboard, but not happy with the results (maybe a different plastic)
I hope to mix up a new batch in the next day or so and try the keys again, along with a 400, 800 and 65XE case.
I'll post the results