Hydrogen peroxide Shuttle resto disaster oops

threaders

Padawan
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
119
Well, It was all going so well and was very nearly finished, but buggered it all up at the end :oops:. So get a cup of tea and have a sitdown and read on :)
I got this shuttle from on here with the veiw of giving this hydrogen peroxide method a go. I used it once before on a yellowed shuttle wing outside in the sun and had good results.. Here is the ship:
100_2475_zpsab35b845.jpg

I already had the center wing off and the other parts. Then got my bucket, which was bought from a garden centre and put the three wings and side hatch and canopy in the bucket
100_2476_zps4ed6e0b7.jpg

Then ordered some 35% hydrogen peroxide.
100_2491_zps2f425735.jpg

I put the whole n5 liters of peroxide in, then added 10 litres of water, then three scoops of oxy powder. I did this in the evening, so there was no uv sun light. I woke up the next day and checked, but nothing had changed :?
100_2478_zpsc985d47b.jpg

I then checked back in the evening and had some pretty good results. There wasnt much uv light coming in the room, but the parts had definatly become whiter and the yellowing has turned very faint. You can see the difference in the wing where it was submerged and where the tip wasnt
100_2484_zps88d5a360.jpg

This was during the first 24 - 48 hours with the 35% peroxide, oxy powder and water in the 2:1 ratio.
I then left it for another five days, but sawa no further change. I tipped the center wing upside down and tried to de yellow the tip, but nothing further happened. I had read somewhere that the mixture only lasts a few days, but I wasnt completly shure.
I did some more reading up and someone had posted up a thread on another forum about using 12% hydrogen peroxide in the form of a hair product that can be brushed on neat and left on the window sill to get the full uv light needed.
I had another shuttle with some yellowing only on one wing and at the very top of the centre wing so I thought I would try that also:
100_2489_zpsc497fefd.jpg

I also had the body part of the other shuttle, which had a very yellow nose:
100_2486_zpsd0dfe77d.jpg

I wont tell you what the stuff reminds me of :)
100_2485_zpsc3ced2ec.jpg

I checked this after a day by the window and there are definatly some great improvements and at least you can brush the stuff on so a lot less effort and its only £7 also where as the 5 litre 35% is £20 a go.
So up to now I was feeling quite happy with my experiment. I know that it has been reported by some plastics museum that hydrogen peroxide can damage the plastics structure and no one knew the long term effects of this. If I hadn't of used the stuff before to good effect, then I wouldn't be messing around with it now and the stuff is shipped in a plastic bottle, so dispite the huge corrosive warnings on the bottle I decided to push on :oops:
So the parts in the bucket had been sat in the mix for six days all up with no further progress. So rather than be sensible and pour the whole mix away and start again. I tipped only half away and topped the mixture up with another fresh 35% 5 litres and added some fresh oxy powder.
I did this in the evening around 5 oclock and checked it regularly before going to bed and there was no change. I fiqured this was because I had done it in the evening with no UV light and was expecting it to work throughout the course of the following day.
Woke up this morning after doing the new mix last night and go to cheack out the progress expecting to find good results and I go in the room to find the peroxide mix all over the floor and the remains of a load of shuttle parts melted and twisted in the bottom of the bucket :cry:
I had to mop up all the mixture and luckly I had taken up all the rugs as otherwise I could have buggered up a whole lounge full of rugs and furniture.
I tipped out everything in to the bath being carefull not to get any on my clothes and this is whats left of my hairbrained experiment:
100_2493_zpscf438631.jpg

100_2492_zps9c82b3d1.jpg

What a bummer. Its got rid of the yellowing though, youll have to admit. It didnt effect the guns which must be due to being made of a different plastic and I cant find a hole in the bucket anywhere, so it must have bubbled over during the night perhaps. I will check it again later to see if the peroxide has damaged that also.
100_2494_zps7a2004b9.jpg

The other part of the shuttle is still on the windowsill with the 12% peroxide on as is the other complete shutle with the one yellowed wing and tip of the centre wing so I will update that this evening with some pics.
I guess I was trying to find out if it is worth buying yellowed stuff to try and restore, but It really isnt worth the effort and time. Each 5 litre 35% peroxide bottle is £20 and I used two. If the 12% stuff works, then it might be worth doing on something you already own and at £7 for a 120ml bottle its quite cheap and ii I find it has worked later on, then it will be quick as well.
Please be gentle with your comments and I hope I havent upset anyone with this thread. I think with the shuttle being so large, it has meant I have had to use the mixture twice, which has meant the experiment was not cost effective So I wouldnt advice buying yellowed stuf with a veiw to restoring it. You might as well pay more for an example which hasnt yellowed in the first place :)
If anyone has any wings, or a canopy and side door, please let me know as I would still like to save this shuttle and rebuild it. Ill take pars in any condition.
Lets have your thoughts and suggestions on what to do with the remains of the toy. :)
Thanks for looking and you have been warned :(
 

Doomseeker

Jedi Master
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
557
Location
York
That's well and truly ****ed!!!
Everything I've read on retrobright says only to use 12% and that anything stronger could damage what you're trying to fix. Mostly from the computer games console guys. Never seen anyone use 35%..........until now
 

Michael Sith

Grand Master
Supporter
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
8,768
Location
Up North
OMG :shock:

The death of a shuttle...very sad to see :cry: gutting

I've used HP on my x wing, but prior to that warm soapy water and several hours with a toothbrush, this had great results, and took away surface grime and dirt, but does not get back to minty white.

TBH the slight off colour and yellowing that is there is a little like the patina on an old antique ...best left alone to avoid total destruction like this. If its Minty white you want then it's like anything else, you have to pay a premium for top grade MIB.

Sad to see the lovely shuttle dead :cry:
 

Caswellbot

Sith Lord
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
3,072
**** me thats a disaster. That must be pretty strong stuff you used. Looks like it flew too close to the sun! A real shame, I guess sometimes its best not to tamper.
 

Michael Sith

Grand Master
Supporter
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
8,768
Location
Up North
There are some threads and pics on here in regard to the X Wing Clean up I did, but just to give an idea you can see the difference here

Soapy water, then HP very weak solution soaked on to cotton wool pads and wrapped around the Xwing

I did carefully remove the original battle damage stickers first then reapplied afterwards

I also used the starch spray and iron method on the box to clean and square up for display

image by Michael j s1, on Flickr


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr





image by Michael j s1, on Flickr
 

RKW1138

Padawan
Joined
Jan 20, 2013
Messages
119
Are you still married?

I can still see what looks like a grey ring stain on the floor from the bucket!

On items this yellowed you would be better off spraying them with acrylic paint.
 

threaders

Padawan
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
119
:lol: The rug will fit nicely over that stain :wink: The 12% stuff that is in the smaller bottle is actually working pretty good, I will post up pics soon. I think 35% stuff worked good with a 2:1 ratio, its just that I made the second mix to strong. But that said, the 12% stuff seems to work better and quicker than the stronger stuff :)
 

momike

Jedi Master
Joined
Feb 27, 2011
Messages
516
Location
UK
Gutted for you mate :cry: I had a play with some of that stuff and a stomie a good while back, it was the limbs that had yellowed and after a week i could see a difference, i came across the same figure some time later and the torso had not just yellowed it had turned brown. Like Chris said i think it's best not to tamper, it is what it is :)
 

threaders

Padawan
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
119
You could be right and I dont think ill be buying anymore of the 35% stuff. But have a look here at the nose on whats left of the shuttle. Here is before:
100_2477_zps97b59110.jpg

And this is after 48 hours of lying on the windowsill with the 12% hair product coated over it:
100_2498_zps3512f9f5.jpg

Not bad and I wish I hd tried this stuff first instead of the other way around :cry:
I still plan to finish the shuttle if I can. I have seen the centre wing, canopy and side door hatch all on the bay, but finding the two side wings is going to be hard.
I will have to weigh up the costs of parts against a new vintage one so any help there would be great. All the best and thanks for your comments :)
 

edd_jedi

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,877
Location
UK
Sorry to see that! It definitely does work as I've done it myself on computers before, but you really need to keep an eye on it and only leave the solution on for the bear minimum time required, usually no more than a few hours at a time. From my experience, UV light is absolutely essential so I wouldn't even bother trying in the winter, and oxy powder is what seems to often bugger it up (as although it is an accelerant, it is a bit too strong.)
 

jay4

Jedi Knight
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
333
Location
uk
:lol: :lol: :shock: :eek: i cant believe anyone would try this with 35% strength diluted or not , **** the 6% hp works fine , i presume you thought by getting super strength hp that the results would be better and quiker . :p well that worked out well for ya mate :mrgreen: sorry i know its a tragedy but its funny , i can just imagine your face and what you said as you entered the room and seen it all ,would love to have been a fly on the wall
 

jay4

Jedi Knight
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
333
Location
uk
Michael Sith said:
There are some threads and pics on here in regard to the X Wing Clean up I did, but just to give an idea you can see the difference here

Soapy water, then HP very weak solution soaked on to cotton wool pads and wrapped around the Xwing

I did carefully remove the original battle damage stickers first then reapplied afterwards

I also used the starch spray and iron method on the box to clean and square up for display

image by Michael j s1, on Flickr


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr





image by Michael j s1, on Flickr

never heard of this ironing and starching boxes before sounds tricky :?:
 

threaders

Padawan
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
119
I think last time I used 35% but it was only half a litre diluted, which worked fine. It's just the shuttle is so big, I thought I'd get 5 litres and top up the rest with water. It was going really well and the parts sat in that 1st mix for nearly a week, with no damage and the yellowing having faded significantly. Then I thought that it would be ok to make the solution stronger. :?
I knew I was taking a risk when I bought the shuttle in the first place, just didn't think id melt the bloody thing :cry: I though worst case scenario would be that it did sod all, so I got quite excited when it started to work. Oh we'll I am very embarrassed but I hope it serves as some info for anyone thinking of trying it :)
 

Michael Sith

Grand Master
Supporter
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
8,768
Location
Up North
Uncle Todd gave me the Starching idea, and I combined with ironing,

It is tricky and to be done carefully, but results are decent

Here's a jabba playset box I did

stripped the box, then flattened it with an iron and cotton t towel
Spray starched
Recreased all of the creases, and squared back up with iron
Not brilliant, but the ironing does work, I think yo can see the difference before and after


Before


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr





image by Michael j s1, on Flickr

Then
Stripped down to iron recrease and square up


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr

Reassembled and squared, pva d some of the tears


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr
 

jay4

Jedi Knight
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
333
Location
uk
Michael Sith said:
Uncle Todd gave me the Starching idea, and I combined with ironing,

It is tricky and to be done carefully, but results are decent

Here's a jabba playset box I did

stripped the box, then flattened it with an iron and cotton t towel
Spray starched
Recreased all of the creases, and squared back up with iron
Not brilliant, but the ironing does work, I think yo can see the difference before and after


Before


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr





image by Michael j s1, on Flickr

Then
Stripped down to iron recrease and square up


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr

Reassembled and squared, pva d some of the tears


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr


image by Michael j s1, on Flickr

cheers ! maybe just your photos ,but i dont really see any real dfrnce between the before and after .did you use quite a lot starch on the inside ? what are we talking enough that the brown card appears wet / darkened or just a light spray before ironing
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.

Latest posts

Top Bottom