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Thread: Retrobright questions?

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    Fever Hunter Bouye's Avatar
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    Default Retrobright questions?

    Has anyone tried to retrobrite the clear colored plastic parts that cover the jackpot lights or ball tray lights? My question is will it mess up the clear colored plastic. I just replaced my third cell and the light cover has white which is now yellow surrounding the clear colored plastic. I can't retrobrite the white without getting it on the clear colored plastic. I'm thinking it would be fine. Anyone?

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    Eye Shooter Rival's Avatar
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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    Are you cooking the retrobrite yourself, or are you using a product claiming to be retrobrite?

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    Fever Hunter Bouye's Avatar
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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    Yes I will be doing it myself with a homemade batch.

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    Ive used Retr0bright many times and have gotten it on clear red lenses with no ill effects. If it were to etch it which I think is highly unlikely, it could be easily polished back to normal. I don't think it will discolor it either. But as with anything, try it out first on an inconspicuous area. Also, you can use the gel method to apply it only to certain areas. It's more of a pain than the liquid immersion method however. I'd suggest going to the pet store and buying a UVB emitting bulb. Sunlight is great but not consistent and a UVB bulb gives you the correct wavelength anytime you want it.
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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    I have recently used it on most the parts on my machine. I love the way that stuff works. It got all my very heavily yellowed white plastic back ot almost pure white. I have tried it on a hazy clear cover and it did get rid of a little bit of the haze but I don't think it actually effected the piece (other than making it clearer). And like emmadog said if it doesn't work out you can always repolish the clear. I use good ol California sunshine for my parts. I tried the UV bulb and I wasn't pleased it was taking forever. This way by using sunshine it was proving to be stronger than the bulb I was using.
    Last edited by mxfaiman; 07-27-2011 at 12:00 PM.

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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    If you go the bulb route make sure it's UVB and of the highest output. I used exoterra reptiglo. It mimics desert sun but I have noticed differing times based on method, plastic composition (ABS plastics like all other plastics vary from batch to batch), and degree of yellowing. I had success with sunlight but if you're planning on whitening frequently ur likely to end up buying a bulb. I made a chamber that I then lined with metallized Mylar to reflect as much UVB as possible on the parts.
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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    Quote Originally Posted by emmadog View Post
    If you go the bulb route make sure it's UVB and of the highest output. I used exoterra reptiglo. It mimics desert sun but I have noticed differing times based on method, plastic composition (ABS plastics like all other plastics vary from batch to batch), and degree of yellowing. I had success with sunlight but if you're planning on whitening frequently ur likely to end up buying a bulb. I made a chamber that I then lined with metallized Mylar to reflect as much UVB as possible on the parts.
    Is your "bulb" a fluorecent style tube or is it like an actual bulb that you can screw into any socket? Also can you post some pictures of your chamber?

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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    My chamber was simply a box I made using spare plexi and silicone glue. I lined the outside of it to include the bottom with metallized/mirror mylar. You may have seen the mylar stuff in gyms used as mirrors. It's as refletive as a mirror, cheap, and easy to fix when meatheads or the inexperienced fling weights around.
    Any container big enough to hold your parts will do such as a cardboard box or old aquarium. If you plan on doing this regularly then get/make a nonporous box so it will last. Using a box is definitely not required, it merely functions as a place to hold the relective material to maximize UV exposure when using the gel method which is best for larger parts. Fo smaller parts I used the liquid method and have a couple of glass containers that the parts go in along with the solution. I then make a tent out of mylar to go around it and forget about it for a day or so.
    Again, if you're going to do this regularly then bulbs are the way to go as vintage electronics fans will tell you. Don't buy a UVA or a combo UVA/UVB bulb. I'm not saying they won't work but UVB rays are the ones primarily responsible for the yellowing and also for reversing the yellowing process so get that type of bulb. I used Reptiglo's UVB screw-in bulb and it's their highest output which says "10" on the package. Cost was 15 or so bucks and I also used a ceramic socket.
    No pics of the box I made since I dismantled it and I don't retr0bright anymore. To digress a little, the last two arrange ball projects I did were complete restorations and not refurbishments. As such everything had to look new and retr0bright just wasn't going to get me there. I didn't want to have new machines with almost white plastics. I really didn't want to paint the plastic as I was leery that it would look like, well, painted plastic. Thru lots or research, prep work, and airbrush experience gained from trial and error, I pulled it off. You can get as close to you want to my machnes and you'd never know some parts were painted which is one of the beauties of airbrushing. Since you control both the volume of air and paint, surface details are preserved such as the various types of texture on pachinko plastics. Rattle cans allow almost no control in comparison.
    So now I airbrush to achieve the original color after prepping the parts (sanding-adhesion promoter-priming-sanding again-basecoats-clearcoats).
    Pics are of before, during, and after restoration of those parts. I was skeptical about retr0bright restoring them to "as new" white or restoring them to the same level of whiteness.
    Attached Images Attached Images
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    Last edited by emmadog; 07-27-2011 at 06:27 PM.
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    Fever Hunter Bouye's Avatar
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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    Thanks Emma. I can't spend the money right now on new tools the wife would not be happy, so airbrushing is not an option right now. This machine was so far gone, no cell just about every part in the back was caked with rust, rat poop inside Machine and the plastics all discolored. At this point anything will be a huge improvement. Thanks for everyones input. I will keep you updated.

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    Fever Hunter Bouye's Avatar
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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    That one's seen better days for sure but it's possible to bring it back as far as you want. Plus the benefit of learning and fine tuning your techniques. Keep us informed and post some pics if you go the retr0bright route.
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    Default Re: Retrobright questions?

    If you are talking about the lens on the front tray that pops out. So you wouldn't have to worry about getting retr0bright on it. You have to take off the whole front tray to get it out (not like it is any extra work because you have to take the front tray off anyways to rert0bright it.) If you didn't already know retr0bright does speed up rust if you get it on steel. So keep it off the front frame.

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