Styrofoam damage and prevention

Discussion in 'Repair, Restoration, Conservation and Preservation' started by ASSEMbler, May 14, 2010.

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  1. ASSEMbler

    ASSEMbler Administrator Staff Member

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  2. Trenton_net

    Trenton_net AKA SUPERCOM32

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    Pretty nifty video. Does it effect items that come inside protective plastics, like the one the Master System is in?
     
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  3. ASSEMbler

    ASSEMbler Administrator Staff Member

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    Well the chemicals tend to interact with polyethylene differently. I prefer to check every few years. I've never seen a poly bag melt to anything. The tape on it will yellow and dry out before the bag degrades. I'm sure it will be an issue but perhaps not until we are very old men!
     
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  4. 3rdman

    3rdman Spirited Member

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    do styrofoam inserts inside paper game boxes (such as NES) pose any risk to the box itself?
     
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  5. ASSEMbler

    ASSEMbler Administrator Staff Member

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    Only to other plastics. If you have the game in the sleeve (the plastic sleeve)
    up against the styro you might wind up with the styro stuck the the bottom.
    I'm not sure as I don't own many boxed nes games. I would probably cut a small piece of paper as a barrier. It takes 5 seconds to do, so I would do it.

    I can't ever remember seeing something stuck to a nes sleeve, they seem to be made of hard, folded and welded plastic.

    Now the foam in sega cd games will discolor the manual, I have seen it. They break down to this gritty, crumbly foam. I take cardboard and cut it the same size of the manual, slide it behind the manual to keep it straight and from sagging.
     
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  6. alecjahn

    alecjahn Site Soldier

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    I've had problems with something in the compound of the cord reacting with the plastic of the product. For example, I have an old IBM keyboard that had the cord wrapped around it and then it was stuffed in the corner for 5 years. The cord left very noticable indentations in the plastic casing. I've never seen it happen with any of my gaming junk (I never wrap controllers with their own cords, only coil loosely next to), but has anyone else seen this happen?
     
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  7. ASSEMbler

    ASSEMbler Administrator Staff Member

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    Same thing happened to my famicom twin. It's the plastics melding.
    The softeners in the cable affect the hard plastic and ruin it.
     
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  8. ave

    ave JAMMA compatible

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    [​IMG]

    Take a look at those cords! :O
    No comment necessary about the console's color as well.

    I'll take care of more of my styrofoam-based package interiors tomorrow. The Famicom is already stuffed.
     
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  9. ASSEMbler

    ASSEMbler Administrator Staff Member

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    The cord should clean up, but the yellowing is going to be near impossible to fix.
     
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  10. alphagamer

    alphagamer What is this? *BRRZZ*.. Ouch!

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    How about retr0brite?

    Okay, if you overuse it it gets "retr0brittle", but worth a shot I think.
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2010
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  11. ASSEMbler

    ASSEMbler Administrator Staff Member

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    He'll never get the logos and black bits off and on
    without damaging them.
     
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  12. alecjahn

    alecjahn Site Soldier

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    Yeah, in my experience Retr0brite isn't that magical, and if there's any color matching between pieces required... it's not going to look that great. I just embrace the yellow. It's not like it's added to the machine, it has had the same plastic shell it's entire life.
     
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