Re: Retr0bright

On 2012-10-07, at 22:36, Justin wrote:

> I did it the first time on an overcast day, and it doesn't take a lot of UV to catalyze the reaction, so I wouldn't worry too much about coming up with an intense source.  If you have a place you can leave them outside on a day that it is not going to rain, you'll be fine.  Since then I've used it to clean up all kinds of yellow plastics in not so great fall and winter sunlight, control knobs on my hot tub, etc.  I think you're over-thinking the UV part.

Might be. I never tried it before but I was lead to believe that the UV is a critical factor of the successful process. Good to know that it worked also in overcast conditions.


On 2012-10-07, at 22:42, Hegedűs István wrote:

> I have used it on a C128. The case I have done with the gel (xantan gum,glycerin,h2o2 and oxi). Very important is not to use stronger than 6%. Someone mentiones 3% which is even safer but slower.

Hmm.. the Retr0bright site says about 40 Vol, which translates somehow into 12%. And warns about stronger ones too. So you say that 6% worked fine. I bought a 35%, which I plan on dilluting appropriately.

> I have used the sun as UV source and applied a foil on it not to dry (the foil helps a lot!). If the gel dries then you will have white areas where the h2o2 becomes stronger so be careful! It is very important not to let it dry out (reapply gel every hour or more often) ! My result is very good.
> Because of this drying problem the keys must be whitened only with the liquid version and using UV bulb. Otherwise the letters can fade. I have an UVA bulb (black 20W energy saver) and it works fine.

I see - so the black light UVA was just enough, right?

> When you whiten the keys you have to use a transparent box in which you have the liquid and the bulb lights it from the bottom. This is needed because the keys will face down when you put them in the liquid.


And how - both of you guys - prepared the mixture? In a blender or? I really would not like to spill such corrosive agent around the house if there is whatever mishap or slight leak somewhere during the preparation.

-- 
SD! 
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