[geeks] Apple ][e tips solicited

[nate at portents.com]

On Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:22:53 -0400, "Jonathan J. M. Katz"
<jon at jonworld.com> wrote:
> Tide Magic Eraser does some nifty things. So give that a shot.

That's a micro-abrasive, made from melamine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine_foam

So I don't recommend it, as it will change the texture of whatever plastic
you rub it on, because it is effectively a fine sandpaper.

If you want to restore old plastic that has become brown/yellow over time,
you're going to need to chemically add oxygen links to the polybrominated
phenyl ethers (bromine compounds, the flame retardant), then use UV light
with peroxide to make the oxygen bond unstable and have some free hydrogen
available to bind with the bromine, replacing it with hydrogen, re-capping
the polymer chain.

More detail here:

http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/189

And here:

http://retr0bright.wikispaces.com/

If you go through with it, you might want to consider coating whatever
plastics you treat with something that will protect them against UV light,
like this:

http://www.303products.com/shop303/

- Nate