Thought I'd give Sunbrighting a try
Posted by SorinLion@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 6 comments
Found out about it while watching one of @retrobitstv videos on YouTube about the Tandy1000. He showed off putting a partially yellowed Tandy1000 case in the sun for about a week and showed off the difference.
So I put the front plate of a 486 case in the Florida sun for about 10 days. The results seemed.. interesting. I'm guessing not all plastics react the same to sunlight. It got pretty close to the original color. I think I'll try it on my Compaq monitor next.
Another user mentioned using a weaker hydrogen peroxide solution for a more gentle Retrobrighting process, I may try that out on the buttons and drive bay plates.
magnificentfoxes@reddit
The best method I've seen is the vapourbrite method if you have bright sun and hot climate. Give that a shot. It's no contact, more or less.
SorinLion@reddit (OP)
I'll have to look that up, I wonder if it's gentler than the weak peroxide method.
echocomplex@reddit
Is something wrong with me? I'm looking at the before and after and they appear to be virtually the same? I don't see a big difference here from the sun brightening. I too have read about this process as an alternative to using peroxide solutions, I tried it with a very yellowed keyboard I have, but after 3 days in the hot sun I didn't really detect much of a difference. Hope it works for your monitor, though it seems to me that paint might be the way to go for some of this stuff to have a real tangible result.
SorinLion@reddit (OP)
It's easier to see in person. This was sort of a spur of the moment test. I'll try having better before and after photos for the next one I try.
Necessary-Clock-5893@reddit
Maybe its your screen or settings? I see a clear difference on my end - not dramatic by any stretch, mind you.
TheRealFailtester@reddit
So that's why my yellowed electronics gradually got nearly perfect white again after about two years of having them in a south-west room of the building, where there were several windows always letting in more light than room.