Aargh!!!...Advice Needed

[undead_jon]

Ok, need some help gentlemen.

I've just gone to put something into my Pulp City box and discovered all the mini's have got a dirty yellow tint to them.

I varnish with a coat of gloss varnish and then Dullcote over the top and I've been storing them in Figures in Comfort trays in one of FiC's Company Boxes (basically a cheap & cheerful corrugated white plastic box).

Three weeks ago they were all fine (they've only been in the box about a month and a half all told), but now this.  I've never had it happen before and I have some Infinity models stored in the same way, and whilst not as bad, some of them do show signs of the same problem and I have noticed that the corrugated plastic has discoloured somewhat as well to a similar colour to the tint on the models.

Has anyone else had this problem?  I've not used the same can of Dullcote on all the models so I'm wondering if there's been some kind of reaction occur with the plastic of the box maybe?

Also I'm assuming a re-paint is the only way to get the mini's back to the way they were, but if anyone has another solution I'm all ears.

Any help you guy's can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

J

[OSHIROmodels]

It's unfortunately sounds probably like a case of cross-polymerization and there's not a lot you can do about it. Certain chemicals in certain solvents, plastics etc tend to react badly with each other even when they have gone off.

We had an acrylic case at work that was wrapped in cheap bubblewrap and put away for a few weeks and when we got it out again there was an impression of the bubbles in the case. It took forever to polish them out 

Hopefully this won't be the case with yourself.

The other possibility is that the varnish didn't have time to flash off properly before you boxed them up, even though the stuff can feel dry it can take several days for it to go of properly.

As to cleaning, try them first with a simple, weak household window cleaner (own brand basic products should do, but make sure you water it down) and a worn toothbrush or soft stipple brush and have a go at cleaning them up.

cheers

James

[redzed]

most likely candidate is... the gloss varnish, possibly off or applied too thick.

[starkadder]

The other possibility is that the varnish didn't have time to flash off properly before you boxed them up, even though the stuff can feel dry it can take several days for it to go of properly.

I believe Jimbibbly shows wisdom. You should be prepared to leave gloss varnished figures to cure in the open air for as long as you can (a fortnight or more) before sealing them into a box where the fumes aerosoliate (behave like, er, fumes). Even after a long curing time they will still give off fumes. I've had figures "yellow" after years of seeming o.k. because I whacked them into a sealed box for a long time.

I'm assuming you're in the UK which has higher humidity than Oz. That may permit the varnish to remain "plastic" or malleable longer than here. That's also a problem.

It's similar when collecting early plastic stuff (bakelite, xylenite, lucite etc.) My wife collects early plastic, particularly handbags. Some of these are incredibly expensive and you have to fight the urge to store too many of them together or in a sealed cabinet. Even after sixty or more years, they are still giving off acetone and other fumes that can "yellow". It gets called plastic cancer and so on but that's a silly name. It's just a chemical process.

Your solution, I fear, should be seen as an opportunity to refocus your painting skills.  Jimbibbly's approach to cleaning can work but it's not easy or foolproof.

Study Epictetus and Seneca. The Stoics can teach you a lot about patience and acceptance. Sorry, undead_jon.