Re: Restoring Apple IIs, others...

[labelas@hotmail.com (Labelas Enoreth)]

>      Most likely, the yellowing is going to be deeper in some places
> than others. So, as md observes, you may get some etching effect from
> bleach. Another reason for uneven bleaching could be mixing detergent
> with the bleach.
Well, the first thing I tried was applying lots of soft scrub bleach with
some elbow grease, and then letting it sit for a while...no etching, but
not much yellowing removed either...
 
>      Probably, it is best to run the case through a good cleaning first
> in order to remove any grime, grease, ... coating. Then, rinse and run
> it through a bleach solution. DJ's idea of using grease to protect
> labels sounds good. Silicone grease may be a bit better than auto grease
> at resisting hot water and detergent.
Oh, they're nice and clean, I make sure of that anyway...I've been known
to take a little brush and sweep out the smallest of crevices, or sit
there with a warm soapy rag and...

>      If the bleacing works, the plastic will still have been beat around
> pretty badly. It may be more brittle, rougher, and harder to keep clean.
> One try at reviving it is to apply one of the vinyl restoration
> products, like ArmorAll.
Perhaps, but the plastic that the cases are made out of seems fairly
sturdy and textured anyway...the shiny smooth parts (inside and such) most
most likely get etched though
 
>      If nothing seems to work, you can always experiment with a new
> look. For example, you can dip the case in dye to get a kind of marble
> effect in the color chosen and then coat the whole thing with a few
> laywers of clear urathane 'laquer'. If the Apple label is protected, the
> result might be very attractive. (You could advertise a collector's item
> "Rare Blue Apple" on E-bay!)
I considered that...but I'd want the keyboard to match too, and I couldn't
think of an effective way to protect the letters on the keyboard or on the
front panel, other than trying to meticulously paint over them with
protection, or around them with paint...and I don't think I'm _that_
accurate. I might just end up throwing it out the window in frustration.
Oh, and I considered doing an Apple II in a plexiglass or lucite, except
that materials were either too difficult to work with, or too expensive.