retr0(ultra)bright on a STFM

[Marsupilami]

Hi,

I tried to retr0bright a 1040 STF. The concern is that with retr0bright, I read a lot of articles that talked about "blooming" effect, especially about STs.

Many articles also talk about UV lamp with the risk of having an halo effect and others that swear only by exposure to the sun of California...Yes but...I live in Brittany (France), a rainy part of my country...

So I made my own experience.

Here's the process:

The Material :

Clairol 40 (ebay)

Varnish powder

An aquarium heater to keep the water at a constant temperature (40°).

A kitchen thermometer

And a big plastic box.

The dip :

Protection of logos (top + bottom label) with a so-called waterproof paint tape.

Filling of the box: Water + 1/2 box of varnish + the bottle of Clairol, starting of the goldfish heater with and check of the temperature.

Result :

After three days stirring from time to time...The atari came out...whiter than white (ultra bright)

To compare, another STF that had about the same color before treatment.

If you look closely, there are still spots, for example above the keyboard in the middle, there must have been a star-shaped sticker?

The two parts didn't bleach the same way. Mystery!

The logo is dead

Conclusion :

1 - It works...But...

2 - It's too white! Better than before...not sure. Before, the brown was more uniform. This Atari was carried everywhere by his former owner (a musician), and he obviously took a lot of smoke, that leaves some spots that have not left. I doubt I can get anything uniform with any other process.

3 - No blooming effect. On the other hand, some spots can still be seen.

4 - The California sun...the uv lamps...It works. But in a back kitchen without window with water at 40° it also works.

5 - It looks like there are several kinds of plastic on the same part A grey one underneath and one that ended white on top. Same between the two parts: Same bath and both done at the same time, the results are different. And yes I swapped the parts during the process to try to have something uniform (failed...).

6 - The tape didn't protect the top logo, I still have to find a new one. However, the label with the serial number below is intact.

Morality : Funny experiment to do but that cost me the price of a used STF so...Well...Not awesome

 

[mattsoft]

I have never been able to rrtrobrite an ST case successfully so I don't even try anymore!

[phoenixdownita]

Also, retrobrite is temporary in nature, after a few months/couple-of-years it yellows again (and I am talking of items kept in mostly dark room with no sun exposure).

It doesn't get all the way to yellow/brown as it were, but you can see the process "reverting" (and it seems quicker this time around wrt the time it took way back when).

 

I had it happening on a SNES mini, various N64 carts etc.... they were almost perfect after the process but 10-12 months in I could see the onset of yellowing again.

[spacecadet]

To an extent, some of these things are probably unavoidable - you can never really predict how two different pieces of plastic are going to react, for example. Often they don't react exactly the same way and I don't know that anything can be done about that. What you *can* do, though, is continue trying to refine and brighten the darker half until it more closely matches the lighter half. (It's impossible to re-darken the over-brightened half, so you may as well get them to match the other way.)

 

But other things can be improved with practice. It's probably too late for this case but you can practice a couple more times on any spare yellowed stuff you have that you don't care about, and you'll refine your technique. Retrobrighting is somewhat of a skill that does require practice and experience to do the best job. For example, things like minimizing streaks, protecting logos, and knowing when to quit before over-brightening are the types of things you learn by experience.

[tjlazer]

On the ST you cannot use CREME conditioner, you have to use the CLEAR. I have done dozens and they turn out ok. Creme can cause blooming and ruins it. Also do NOT use saran wrap, that can cause streaks. Simply brush it on with a fine brush and reapply ever 15 min or so while out in the hot sun! 2-3 hours is enough time.

[ngtwolf]

On the ST you cannot use CREME conditioner, you have to use the CLEAR. I have done dozens and they turn out ok. Creme can cause blooming and ruins it. Also do NOT use saran wrap, that can cause streaks. Simply brush it on with a fine brush and reapply ever 15 min or so while out in the hot sun! 2-3 hours is enough time.

 

Thanks for this advice, I've done the retrobrite as well on some systems but have used the creme. I did learn early on not to use saran wrap, I've actually put things into those large ziplock style bags (like the vacuum type for blankets and stuff) and had better luck that way, I've never tried or considered it on an Atari ST (luckily mine have been out of the sun and while probably darker, definitely not brown), but I did try it on a few Commodore 64's with mostly bad results. Luckily with the C64 there is a paint that almost completely matches the original brown breadboard color for fix bleaching mishaps (Retroleum Satin French Beige). Hah!

 

Anyway, I'll try the clear myself next time and I definitely learned the lesson about too long in the sun.. I left some stuff out all day in (what seemed overcast) california sun and .. yeah... bad idea. C64's or common atari's are one thing, but I would probably never risk retrobrite on anything rare or irreplaceable. I have hopes that the retrobrite naysayers are correct and that my retrobrite disasters will fade back to the way they were before in a few years, but I kinda doubt it.

Edited May 12, 2018 by ngtwolf

[+wood_jl]

On the ST you cannot use CREME conditioner, you have to use the CLEAR. I have done dozens and they turn out ok. Creme can cause blooming and ruins it. Also do NOT use saran wrap, that can cause streaks. Simply brush it on with a fine brush and reapply ever 15 min or so while out in the hot sun! 2-3 hours is enough time.

 

Can you post a link or a picture of the product that you have been using, successfully?

 

This place (a nationwide chain, I think)....

 

 

....is the only place I know to get the conditioner, as obviously I'm not a regular shopper of beauty supplies. Is that where you found the clear?

[tjlazer]

I use this, but I have the 30%.

 

https://www.sallybeauty.com/hair/hair-color/toner-and-developer/clairoxide-20-volume-clear-developer/SBS-320850.html?list=Home%7CHair%7CHair%20Color%7CToner%20%26%20Developer#start=1

[KLund1]

I highly recommend using a low, low nap 3" roller after applying Cream 30 to the case with a paint brush. The roller does a great job of evenly coating the flat parts of the case. This reduces blooming a lot, but not completely. Also Heat and Humidity are much needed! I only do my retro-brite work during the summer. I wait until about 1pm to let the backyard cement warm up a lot. I then coat the ST. I spray water on the cement. Place the case there, then cover with large clear plastic Rubbermaid storage container. On a 80' day, I wait 30 minuets. On a 90' day, 20 minutes. 100' day 15 minutes. I then remove the case, wash, rinse, let dry, and let cool. I then check for the start of any blooming. If the case is still yellow then I repeat above, but for 1/2 the time.

I have done this on many cases, not just ST's. 95% of the time all goes well. But ST's are by far the most 'boom' prone! I think Atari used the cheapest vendor for the plastics. I'll bet those vendors did not mix the plastic 'recipes' well. So there is a bit more or less of a chemical(s) in places in the case. Hense the blooming effect we often get. IMP

When the case gets to the color I like, I then spray with a 2-3 coats of clear varnish. This will keep the yellow from returning. The better the quality of the varnish the less chance of yellow returning.

If I do get a case that blooms to a point that it gets noticeable. I then revert to the spray paint can. Testor Light Sea Gray I think it is. Then the varnish.

But the roller is the key, It really helps! When I used a brush alone, 1 in 4 cases might come out ok. After using the roller I'm at 95%.

For those of you in colder part of the world, wait for the warmest month of the year, then do all you cases then.

[mattsoft]

On the ST you cannot use CREME conditioner, you have to use the CLEAR. I have done dozens and they turn out ok. Creme can cause blooming and ruins it. Also do NOT use saran wrap, that can cause streaks. Simply brush it on with a fine brush and reapply ever 15 min or so while out in the hot sun! 2-3 hours is enough time.

 

 

THIS ^^^

 

I have had the exact same experience. Use the CLEAR stuff. No plastic wrap.

 

To make it thick, I add some cornstarch and microwave it for a minute or so. Makes it like thick mucus (yummy).

 

The creme conditioner causes marbling, streaks, spots, etc...must be something they put in there.