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Aussie Pinball Forums => Technical Matters => Handy hints and tips => Topic started by: Ric on May 28, 2009, 02:16:56 PM

Title: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: Ric on May 28, 2009, 02:16:56 PM
Hi there

I have a Big Brave that has a nice yellow hue to all of the cabinet

I was amazed when I went on IPDB and saw it was actually meant to be a crsip white cab as mine is a sandy yellow colour (although it doesn't look that bad really)

Usually this owuld not be an issue however the fround door of the cab -actually the whole of the front of the cab was ripped off when I bought it and I am rebuiding it.

However I am looknig to paint the front now and wondered if I should try to match the yellow or is there a way to clean the cab to bring back the white?

Any tips or products you guys can recommend?

Cheers

Ric
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: Strangeways on May 28, 2009, 02:40:53 PM

I once tried a green scotchbrite pad and nifti. It DID remove the yellow, but in doing so it did remove some of the white paint as well - so it was a case of the yellow gone, but some of the white was removed as well.

Try a section that is not seen first !
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: Ric on May 28, 2009, 02:46:25 PM
thanks Nino

Will try it on top of the backbox and see

I have a tried orange cleaner and couple of other things and it lookied like it was beginnig to take the paint with it.

I will have a go but it may be too far gone
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: millsy on May 28, 2009, 08:42:53 PM
 *!@ Not 100% sure,but I think it is the enamel yellowing that occured with enamels over time. I repainted my machines with waterbased enamels (Dont yellow)
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: Ric on June 01, 2009, 10:52:24 AM
I am going to try Nifti first

If it doesn't work I am not too fussed. the yellow doesn't look too bad

Actually, I think it fits the theme of the desert more than a plain white cab
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: studentprince on August 02, 2009, 06:59:00 PM
I've got a Pioneer that had the same yellowing. I used Kitten No1 Cream Polish and an electric polisher to clean the cabinet. The white came up nice. Maybe you could try that.
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: jyebow on August 02, 2009, 09:34:07 PM
I've got a Pioneer that had the same yellowing. I used Kitten No1 Cream Polish and an electric polisher to clean the cabinet. The white came up nice. Maybe you could try that.
G'day studentprince, Another Pioneer owner. Welcome, How bout an intro post & what other machines do you have?
cheers Steve
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: silverball on August 03, 2009, 10:33:44 AM
*!@ Not 100% sure,but I think it is the enamel yellowing that occured with enamels over time. I repainted my machines with waterbased enamels (Dont yellow)
Most enamels(white) will yellow over time. A drop of blue tint added to the paint will stop this from occurring. A wise tip from my father that has so far proven correct. ^^^
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: chillie on August 03, 2009, 02:21:35 PM
Just in case it is yellowing from smoke try some degreaser and and a soft skotch bright then if it is smoke it will come straight off. This is a proven technique I have used several times
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: deadlydave on August 10, 2009, 09:19:58 PM
Here's a pic of my effort to remove yellowing from cabinet, isoprol and magic erasers.
I cannot really reccomend it, took three magic erasers and a solid 1/2 hour of scubbing
to get the back half to this stage, takes paint off as well.
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: ajlaird on August 11, 2009, 09:22:07 AM
Yeah, probably better off doing a re-paint. But thanks for doing the research!
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: illawarra_steelers on August 11, 2009, 10:04:56 PM
Yeah, probably better off doing a re-paint. But thanks for doing the research!


That should be the last option IMO - if the original paint is OK and just yellow then suppose it's up to the owner if they can live with that.

Repainting a cab is a MASSIVE job - I'm working on my third one now. It's a fun job, actually I enjoy it more than any part of the restoration. Couln't even ballpark the amount of hours it takes....

40? 50?

Results with patience is well worth the effort though

Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: ajlaird on August 12, 2009, 08:47:17 AM
Yeah, probably better off doing a re-paint. But thanks for doing the research!


That should be the last option IMO - if the original paint is OK and just yellow then suppose it's up to the owner if they can live with that.

Repainting a cab is a MASSIVE job - I'm working on my third one now. It's a fun job, actually I enjoy it more than any part of the restoration. Couln't even ballpark the amount of hours it takes....

40? 50?

Results with patience is well worth the effort though


If it was me I would probably live with the yellowed cabinet. But in this case he is going to have to do touch-ups as the bare cabinet is showing through now.

I don't know how touching this cabinet up now will go; maybe it will come out OK? But if you are going to have to do that much work then you might as well do a repaint anyway.
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: deadlydave on August 12, 2009, 09:25:26 AM
Hi

A repaint is going to happen at some stage, in the interim, I prefer the look of the cleaner cab even with the paint loss as opposed to the yellowed cab, I think this machine must have been sited in a fish and chip shop for twenty years  %.%.

Cheers
Dave
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: ajlaird on August 12, 2009, 03:41:37 PM
Show us some pictures of the sides when done - a before and after comparison will be enlightening.
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: Romano on August 24, 2009, 12:03:34 AM
Hi enough people have already mentioned the properties of enamel vs Water based paints. In any case, most of the yellowing which is caused by other factors such as smoke (from pubs and clubs, etc) can be cleaned without lifting ANY paint, by using "EASE OFF BAM". I used it on my 1969 "Bowl-O" and it came up a treat.

Thanks,
Sandro.
Title: Re: Any way to clean a yellowed cab?
Post by: Caveoftreasures on August 24, 2009, 01:07:45 AM
I use gumption with a wet cloth on cabinets or some plastics, a bit of effort,polishing in circles makes things like new, and takes away any stubborn unwanted marks etc.brings orig colours back to life.