Retr0Bright Process

paul'sbricks

Hi All,

Has anyone tried the Retr0Bright process. I tried it yesterday with limited results. Knowing that I got the mix slightly wrong compared to the recipe I'm eager to have another go with 12% hydrogen peroxide as opposed to the 9% that I used.

How long are you supposed to leave it on for ?

robernat

If you use hydrogen peroxide, the chances the pieces remain like that are slim, they usually tend to start yellowing again after some time (regardless the dose and time period you put them in to get them un-discolored), so don't get all your hopes up too fast.
If you intend to sell them, please have the honesty of stating in your listing they have been handled with chemicals... Even if they remain white in storage (and I have seen the opposite), they might start discoloring again soon as they are used and exposed, not very nice towards your buyers.
You can also reverse the discolorisation by putting them straight behind a window during spring and summer (high light intensity), after about a week they will be good, but it is also usually not permanent (depending of the quality of the ABS)...

paul'sbricks

Thanks RobErNat, its more of a personal experiment with a few pieces that aren't listed. I think it was originally created as a way of cleaning retro consoles where the cost of making the gel would be justified by the final sale cost.

Incidentally you're the reason I found this site, back in January searching for a sticker set for one of my daughters expert creator sets that she'd lost

robernat

Good to hear :-)
Yes, I do have a lot of stickers, did you buy the one (sorry, don't recall your username)?

paul'sbricks

Yes I did it was a sticker set for the Cinema Building, my original username was Paulwilkinson_wes but I've changed it recently to paul'sbricks

Me and my daughter have made plenty more since then but to avoid losing pieces she makes them at my house and then takes them home lol

robernat

Ah OK, nice set indeed, and the sticker gives a nice finishing touch on that set (not always the case) :-)

fred67

You don't need to follow the retrobright recipe exactly. Finding higher concentration hydrogen peroxide around here is difficult, but I've found that hydrogen peroxide solutions straight from the bottle (the cheap store brand you can get at a supermarket) works just fine if you put your pieces in a container and cover them with the h.p.. You certainly don't have to add the thickener to make it a paste unless your doing a piece so big it won't fit in some container (old tupperware or something... I often use old Pick a Brick cups).

The only additional thing that might turn a day into hours, or several days into one, is adding oxyclean, which acts as a catalyst.

I agree you wouldn't want to sell these pieces, but they come out really great, and I use it on my personal collection when I find old and yellowing pieces.