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Thread: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

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    Fever Hunter Vikingwiz's Avatar
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    Default RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Had a few older machines come in today. These always worry me as their arrival cleanliness condition is always a craps shot. Newer machines are a task, this is a project.

    The infamous Evangelion was one of them. It’s in good shape, but it’s super dirty. This is the 1/99 model that has a predominately white frame, which in this case is a combo of faded and nicotine.

    I do have a RetroBright station setup, but never had to restore something this large. I know sunlight is an alternative, but wondering if there’s a better way.



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    Gibisans - Japan West compirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    409 does wonders for nicotine.

    人生は恐れなければ、とても素晴らしいものなんだよ。
    人生に必要なもの。それは勇気と想像力、そして少しのお金だ。

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    Hyah! rubberratt's Avatar
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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    I LOVE white frames, Lumina/Stadium, but this is invariably what happens to them in the parlor.

    The cigarette smoke penetrates the plastic, it's really tar that discolors the Whites. I actually sand them down with fine grit paper and sticks (requires experience) and re-polish them to a nice shiny sheen using Novus #3 and then #2

    But don't do that to Rei . 409 (as Gibisan says) or Dirtex (buy it in the paint section of the hardware store)
    Last edited by rubberratt; 06-21-2019 at 02:07 PM.

    せぶん戦闘機 せぶん

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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    i'm sure tar discolors the whites but a big part of it is the bromine used as a fire retardant in ABS plastics. it reacts with UV light and comes "out of solution" so to speak so the yellowing you're seeing is the color of bromine. the retrobright process has been a huge help in restoring discolored vintage game consoles, computers, etc to their fomer colors and these machines were never subjected to tar.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Fever Hunter Vikingwiz's Avatar
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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Completely agree. I've used the Retrobright process on smaller parts, but I haven't had a need to do a whole frame door which requires additional precautions. Before I go there, I did go out and buy 409, Gel-Glass, Dirtex and some #0000 Steel Wool. In this specific instance, the #0000 Steel Wool is working great. However, it takes a lot of elbow grease and time. I'll post pictures when I'm done and perhaps a product compare video on the different cleaners on my YouTube channel.

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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    I gave up on the steel wool. I figured if it’s this dirty on the outside, it’s gotta be pretty bad inside too. So I took the door apart. Only about 100 screws.

    Slowly starting the retro bright process after I ultrasonic clean everything. I’m doing it in 4 phases.

    1. Upper door
    2. Bottom door
    3. Lower frame guts (shooter knob, evangelion strip at the bottom.
    4. Game cell

    Given the extreme effort required to bring this back, I’ll likely end up keeping it. Here’s some photos from phase 1.




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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Ultrasonic cleaned all the door parts. Now for RetroBright!




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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    After putting a few of the white parts in the sun for two hours.




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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    It suks - but looks like you founds a way you solve the issue

    Here's to hoping you have zero extra screws when she's all back together. Looks like good progress.
    Last edited by rubberratt; 06-27-2019 at 08:50 PM.

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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    IMG_1955.JPG

    Oh - I gotta sand this pup down next SO YELLOW (started on the top), and put in a The MASK cell
    Last edited by rubberratt; 06-27-2019 at 09:06 PM.

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    Chicken Fried Steak takethecastle57's Avatar
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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Quote Originally Posted by rubberratt View Post
    IMG_1955.JPG

    Oh - I gotta sand this pup down next SO YELLOW (started on the top), and put in a The MASK cell
    My Goku Midnight Eye uses the same frame. Mr. Goodburn imported the only one and I was the lucky guy to "adopt" it . He did post some play on YouTube


    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ebTP9mwnsdM

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxLlVoIvNs8
    Last edited by takethecastle57; 06-27-2019 at 10:12 PM.
    When things don't go right the 1st time , Step back ,Take a break and come back renewed. RGS

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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Upper door after 2 rounds of RetroBright.

    I tried two approaches. One using natural sunlight and the other using a UV light. Both work, but the sun in early afternoon removes the yellow in literally a few minutes.




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    Stuey - The RADministrator MrGneiss's Avatar
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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Nice!!

    "Blowing smoke rings at the moon."

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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Great Job !

    せぶん戦闘機 せぶん

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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    OOOOH. Supercar !!!!!!!!!!

    せぶん戦闘機 せぶん

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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Repeat after me “Take more pictures. Always more pictures”

    I’m almost done. The bottom Evangelion strip and shooter are baking in the sun now. Then, time to reassemble the bottom door and put the frame back together.

    I cannot put enough emphasis on just how much work this. But it is looking really good.

    Will post some more pictures when it’s all done.


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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    All done!




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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Nicely done!! Well worth the effort for a nice outcome!

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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Thanks!

    One last thing I learned is to be very careful with Dirtex.

    I tried it on a small black part to remove tar (ultrasonic cleaner is still #1, simply green #2). It faded the heck out of the plastic and did not clean it well. It’s like changing something from glossy black to a matte gray. Be careful with it if you use it. Novas can only do so much to bring it back.


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    Default Re: RetroBright a Pachinko Door

    Dirtex is strong ! (so sorry that you had a bad experience). It has ammonia and is quite caustic, and I have ruined some pinball machine translites with it.

    My apologies for not warning you, but it has been very effective for me, but you can NOT let it soak on anything

    Apologies again

    せぶん戦闘機 せぶん

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