Collector's problem #1 - yellow/browning of vintage Apple cases.

[chatin]

No wonder Apple switched to aluminum cases. In a hundred years, the computers will be as shinny metalic as the day they were made.

But what to do about a vintage Apple Lisa, or Mac 512K that is in perfect, clean condition but... Yellow-Brown yuk colored?

1) Why do some macs remain perfectly white - grey and others turn yellow brown?

2) The plastic seems rotten to the core. That is, there are no layers of yellow to remove.

Any plastics engineers lurking out there?

 

[alex_ant]

Owned by smokers?

That would definitely explain it.

 

[5300cs]

This young lady seems to have had good luck in bleaching her machines. The link goes to an excellent online photo gallery of her collection.

 

[chatin]

This is her "plesantly yellowed" mac plus.

She seems to take it in stride. Check out her plesantly yellowed mac plus.

 

[nsutt22]

Its custom...

I have about 12 PowerMac 5260 era macs, a couple G3 All-in-ones and about 5 of the grand old classics and the only deductive conclusion as to color change is.....

its custom

Apple engineered speacil plastic that customly changes with age. Just wait 10 more years I here the next color is a rich blue!

Old Mac's rule!

-NSutt-

 

[rainman::|:|]

it's because of the chemical structure of the plastic. sometimes it can vary even on the same model, i have some Apple IIgs's at home that are pristine, some that are piss yellow, they all sat in the same lab their whole lives. If you get a plastic conditioner, you can often restore much the original color, texture, and strength. but if it's too far gone, nothing will fix it.

 

[Sdashiki]

Id take a pic if i still had it but I my old SNES console turned a nice poo poo pee pee yellow color. Funny thing was, the case was 3 pieces, two bottom/top halves and then a rectangular piece that went where the cartridge slid in. That piece stayed perfectly nice and grey, but the other two halfs went nasty.

Damn plastics. At least the N64 was black!

 

[Spock]

Cleaning Classic plastic Macs with Window cleaner will make it yellow.

 

[TMA]

My Performa 6320 (RIP) - Went from beige to wee yellow. Combination of light damage and I started smoking half way through owning it.

My iMac G3 (gone to a good owner) - Went yellow and even brown in some parts. I'm a smoker and I think that's what caused it. It was pretty foul.

My PowerMac G5 - I have more faith in. Not very much plastic in it!

iMac G4 Flat Panel (at work) - Interestingly this is going yellow around the vents at the top of the dome. We can't figure out why because it's not in direct sun light and obviously I don't smoke near it.

iBooks - Tend to go yellow/brown around the wrist wrests - Ground in filth from sweaty wrists!

 

[clayj]

Don't forget the damage caused by prolonged exposure to UV rays. While a lot of stuff fades in too much UV, some materials will undergo a color change... there are even some types of optical glass that will turn yellowish when exposed to too much sunlight.

You might want to look into investing in some UV-blocking window film if you have a room where you store all of these things.

 

[5300cs]

...You might want to look into investing in some UV-blocking window film if you have a room where you store all of these things.

Windows? So who needs a room with windows?

 

[mkjj]

Mac Photography

I think the Danaquarium site has some of the very best old Mac photography i have ever seen, and the cleanest equipment ever! (I also asked how they get them so clean and bleach is the answer...and a lot of patience) Check out some of the close-ups of the backs and the ports, I don't think they where that clean when new!!

http://www.danaquarium.com/gallery/

 

[chatin]

Mac Plus made in beige and platinum!

Old yellow eyes, pictured above...


The Mac Plus was made in two colors, beige and platinum. So when you see the platinum replacement mice that are everywhere, your plus was probably never that color!

 

[generationxwing]

Id take a pic if i still had it but I my old SNES console turned a nice poo poo pee pee yellow color. Funny thing was, the case was 3 pieces, two bottom/top halves and then a rectangular piece that went where the cartridge slid in. That piece stayed perfectly nice and grey, but the other two halfs went nasty.

Damn plastics. At least the N64 was black!

That is EXACTLY what happened to mine! That always bugged me. I wonder wtf was up with that?

 

[dmw007]

Windows? So who needs a room with windows?

Certainly not I (at least not a room with windows os).