Yellowed Yamato

[Roy Focker]

I guess it had to happen eventually.

My VF-1A DYRL Hikaru you know the first VF-1 Yamato did? I was looking at my Valks. Haven't paid much attention to that one in years. Storing it on display in IKEA glass cabinet. Well this early all white VF-1A started going yellow. Strange enough the yellowing isn't located on just one side. Like an arm shielded by the rest of the toy has yellowed but parts exposed to light haven't.

[Renato]

One of these days I'm going to post a photo of the Angel Birds valk on display in the Osaka branch of Yodobashi Camera. That thing has transformed into a cannon fodder due to years directly under a fluorescent tube.

[Javabean]

Just wonder what will happen to the pure white 1/60 1J Hikky in times to come.

[Golden Arms]

My OG 1/60 Hikaru vf-1a has undergone the same thing. Thats why I have real concerns about Bandai's upcoming alto vf-25s. I hope it is painted a lite grey. My 1/48 angel birds seem to be okay though, but the might need a few more yrs to start to yellow.

[Graham]

The ver.1 1/60 VF-1 do seem quite prone to yellowing.

None of my 1/48 including first issue VF-1A Hikaru have started to yellow.

Graham

[emerson]

Yep, my Version 1.0 1/60 VF-1A Hikaru has yellowed on random spots too; namely near the intakes. Never even seen the sun.

[Graham]

Many years ago, I saw a Bandai 1/55 VT-1 out of the box in a shop in HK. The owner had it displayed on a shelf quite near to some florescent lights. All the white parts had turned brown!

Actually, I've had bad luck with Bandai white plastics. I had three of the perfect transformation V Gundam toys that were released a few years ago, mint in unopened boxes. I stored them under my bed away from any UV light, but when I checked them earlier this year, the white plastic parts had seriously discolored.

Graham

[David Hingtgen]

If light was the main cause of yellowing, then I wouldn't own stuff where the permanently-in-shadow bottom yellowed while the exposed-to-constant-sun parts stayed white... Some plastic yellows. Regardless. (and not just white plastic, though it's the most prone to---anyone who owns an original SNES probably has a very interesting pattern of yellowing on it that makes little sense)

[UN_MARINE]

i have random yellowing on my 1/60 1A too.

and all this time, the only thing facing the light was the back of the box.

could be the heat though. i live in a relatively warm country.

the funny part is that it's completely yellowed on individual parts instead of it slowly spreading.

i think it's 4-5 yellowed parts vs a perfectly white valk.

i had that "what the hell...?!?!" moment when i saw the head perfectly white on 1 side, & yellowed on the other.

and my 1/48 is also showing some light/early yellowing in some corners, but it doesn't look as severe as the 1/60's case.

[sidearmsalpha]

Many years ago, I saw a Bandai 1/55 VT-1 out of the box in a shop in HK. The owner had it displayed on a shelf quite near to some florescent lights. All the white parts had turned brown!

Actually, I've had bad luck with Bandai white plastics. I had three of the perfect transformation V Gundam toys that were released a few years ago, mint in unopened boxes. I stored them under my bed away from any UV light, but when I checked them earlier this year, the white plastic parts had seriously discolored.

Graham

I have those Gundams, too. I have a loose V Gundam and the Hexa Gundam. Both yellowed pretty bad. I have one of each in their boxes, too, but I don't know if they have yellowed or not since they have been in storage.

[VFTF1]

I have no electricity in Poland, so this problem does not affect me.

Ok - no seriously; I do have electricity (although sometimes they switch it off for a couple hours), but usually my Valks are all snug in their boxes and in a cool closer (cool in the sense of temperature). Right now, I've been disoplaying all of them on my shelves, and don't really feel like any of them have yellowed.

But then again - NONE of my toys have ever yelloed. Transformers or otherwise...

Pete

[MechTech]

Flourecsents put out ultra-violet light (it's what excites the phosphorus to glow). If you have to go with lights, I hear LEDs are safe - SO FAR. Incadesent bulbs will still put out some types of radiation. I hear now to NOT look into a white LED, I just don't know why yet. Maybe no light is safe . - MT

[Solscud007]

Many years ago, I saw a Bandai 1/55 VT-1 out of the box in a shop in HK. The owner had it displayed on a shelf quite near to some florescent lights. All the white parts had turned brown!

Actually, I've had bad luck with Bandai white plastics. I had three of the perfect transformation V Gundam toys that were released a few years ago, mint in unopened boxes. I stored them under my bed away from any UV light, but when I checked them earlier this year, the white plastic parts had seriously discolored.

Graham

Like this?

[TheLoneWolf]

If light was the main cause of yellowing, then I wouldn't own stuff where the permanently-in-shadow bottom yellowed while the exposed-to-constant-sun parts stayed white... Some plastic yellows. Regardless. (and not just white plastic, though it's the most prone to---anyone who owns an original SNES probably has a very interesting pattern of yellowing on it that makes little sense)

Good article on SNES yellowing.

It might even explain why the v1 Hikaru 1/60 also yellows.

[takatoys]

I have the first reissue 1/55 Bandai Hikaru VF-1A and it is showing yellowing on the elbows and nose.

It is sad that with all the new technology, there is not a product that can be added before injecting the plastic on the mold to eliminate yellowing.

That yellowing on the VT-1 actually fixed the toy, now it has the right color

Edited November 26, 2008 by takatoys

[VFTF1]

Dag - poor VF-1D. Whenever I see pictures of yellowed toys, I can't help but think of those toothpaste commercials with the yellowed teeth that suddenly become white a shiny following a good brush... and I have the urge to grab a toothbrush and ...well...brush...the...Valkyrie with toothpaste. Seriously. Would that work?

Pete

[Ignacio Ocamica]

I have the same random yellowing on my Hikaru 1/60 v1. VF-1A as others said.

None of the other VF's show signs of yellowing!!! I bought every single release since 2000.

[Kyp Durron]

Good article on SNES yellowing.

It might even explain why the v1 Hikaru 1/60 also yellows.

And one of the posters at the bottom wrote this :

# Merlin Says:

September 13th, 2008 at 9:16 am

This problem has been solved. I am a former industrial chemist and I have worked with rkauer (Hi Rogerio) of English Amiga Board, who is a plastics engineer. Respect to the guys at a1k.org for putting us on to this concept of using peroxide, we just fixed the process and put it on steroids….

You need hydrogen peroxide solution (at least 6%, the stronger the better), UV light (sunlight or a UV lamp) and some “Oxy” laundry detergent booster, any one with “Oxi Action” or “Oxy” in the title will do, the most famous one in the UK is Vanish Oxy Action. You add about 1/4 teaspoonful per gallon of the “Oxy” to the peroxide, immerse the pastic part to be cleaned and stick it under a UV source.

Does it work? Look here at these threads:-

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=37808

http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/sh...ead.php?t=11877

So, how does it work? Well, as stated above, the oxygen links to the polybrominated phenyl ethers which were used as the flame retardant via a chemical bind similar to a co-ordinate bond, i.e. electron sharing. Bromine compunds are yellow / brown, does this sound familiar? It should….

The UV light bombards this bond and makes it unstable. At the same time, the TAED is undergoing reversible reactions with the peroxide, forming chemicals like peracetic acid and making free hydrogen atoms available.

This environment is enough to lever the oxygen from the bromine molecule and it gets replaced with a hydrogen; remember bromine is a negative halogen atom, just looking for a nice H+ to neutralise the odd free electron in the outer orbital. In effect, it re-caps the polymer chain.

This process continues and the oxygens get evolved as the gas, which is why you will see bubbles when you carry this out.

Does it work? Hell Yeah!! Check the threads, escpecially the Osborne 1 case treated in the Vintage Computer Forums thread. This was cleaned in about six hours under sunlight, this is mightily impressive…..

Once treated, if you clear coat the case with an acrylic matt lacquer this should stop the yellowing returning.

You can get 20% hydrogen peroxide solution from hairdressing trade supplies, in the UK they are chains like ‘Sally’. It can also be sourced as Urine Rescue as I believe it neutralises pet urine odours… ewwwww….

Now, for my next trick….

# Merlin Says:

September 15th, 2008 at 2:37 pm

OK,

We’ve now written a guide on the process, it’s available here:-

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?p=458725#post458725

Enjoy……

Merlin

VERY interesting indeed!

-Kyp

[TheLoneWolf]

You know, I bookmarked that article ages ago and never bothered to read the newer comments. Good looking out, Kyp!

So David, do you feel like giving your SNES a bath?

[David Hingtgen]

I'm seriously considering it.

[Mechinyun]

I am into preventing it before it happens, so I have wiped down my valks with this stuff

http://www.303products.com/tech/index.cfm?...FTOKEN=22165892

It SHOULD work considering what the stuff does.. no ill effects so far having been first applied about 8 months ago.

[crescens]

I have no electricity in Poland, so this problem does not affect me.

Pete

first of all, a lil' offtop... you're from Poland? :>

@topic

i shake when the thought of my 1/48 turning yellow coming to my head... >_<