The Energon Pub

So, I picked up this miserable old Jetfire, pictured below for like $15. Poor bastard comes from a smoke filled home. He is majorly discolored from the cig. smoke.

So, I am going to restore this old guy to his former glory. Structurally he is sound. Just very few stickers left and that awful yellow.

I was thinking I would strip off the remaining stickers, grab a tube of http://www.amazon.co.uk/Janina-Diamond- ... B000IB0G5U or something similar and brushing the figure repeatedly till the stain comes off.

Given that this works, some reprolabels http://reprolabels.com/Autobots/jetfire.asp and this will be a truly minty, pun intended), Jetfire.

So, has anyone tried something similar on a figure this badly damaged? How'd it work out?

Umm I wouldn't recommend it to highly. You don't know how it'll work on the diecast, the plastic or either. Try regular whuting toothpaste first on the diecast. Remember, diamonds are the hardest natural formation on earth so that stuffs probably pretty harsh!

MM, point taken. I'll try out a regular tube of whitening toothpaste first.

I'll get some pics up if I can get it to work.

you could drop him in a bucket of bleach, but that would probably turn the red pink...

Gutsman Heavy wrote:you could drop him in a bucket of bleach, but that would probably turn the red pink...

Hmmm, what about Bleach for colored clothing??

Bonger wrote:

Gutsman Heavy wrote:you could drop him in a bucket of bleach, but that would probably turn the red pink...

Hmmm, what about Bleach for colored clothing??

mebbe but bleach is powerful stuff he may melt

Poor Skyfire, Doesn't he just looks so sad and pathetic in that pic.

Are you sure those are smoke stains and not yellowing from UV rays? Sunlight is the biggest factor to plastic becoming yellow.

Well, having smelt this poor guy, yes, I'm pretty sure.

Ofcourse, its always possible that it is a combination.

Would you take a different approach if it was UV damage?

Bonger wrote:Well, having smelt this poor guy, yes, I'm pretty sure.

Ofcourse, its always possible that it is a combination.

Would you take a different approach if it was UV damage?

If it's UV damage, nothing can be done. Sanding down the yellow until you get to white underneath will work but you'll need to buff him to make him shiny again. This method can be done but I'd be reeeal careful about hitting his painted spots. They come off very easily. Oh, and bleach aint gonna do jack brotha. I've got a Jetfire with UV damage myself and haven't attempted the sanding method but I've read all over the place that it's practically the only thing that works. Having tried everything I have, I'd say it's true.

Well, lets hope that it is just cig smoke then.

I don't really know much about this sort of stuff but couldn't you try just painting him white using paint that kitbashers use

i could be missing something obvious here because i don't know anything about paint/kitbashing/plastic etc. but if you want to make a figure that is not white, white, then wouldn't painting it be a logical solution without damaging the plastic?

just a thought...

I'd have just repainted over him with some new paint and then applied the stickers.

That seems logical.

Mmm, I did see an airbrush kit on sale at Walmart for like 30 bucks. If the toothpaste doesn't work, I'll try that. Skyfire should be an easy repaint. Just tape off the colored plastic and wail away.

have u tried denatured alcohol?

Bonger wrote:So, I picked up this miserable old Jetfire, pictured below for like $15. Poor bastard comes from a smoke filled home. He is majorly discolored from the cig. smoke.

So, I am going to restore this old guy to his former glory. Structurally he is sound. Just very few stickers left and that awful yellow.

I was thinking I would strip off the remaining stickers, grab a tube of http://www.amazon.co.uk/Janina-Diamond- ... B000IB0G5U or something similar and brushing the figure repeatedly till the stain comes off.

Given that this works, some reprolabels http://reprolabels.com/Autobots/jetfire.asp and this will be a truly minty, pun intended), Jetfire.

So, has anyone tried something similar on a figure this badly damaged? How'd it work out?

Sadly dude...

Nothing can really be done to restore him, except that very very difficult method of sanding and re-polishing. However, that's really nothing short of impossible and you're really destroying the toy in the process.

Jetfire is really tough. On one hand, he's a very expensive very difficult TF to acquire 100% complete. The truth is, your best two options are to save up for an entirely complete figure or to buy the main figure with one purchase and all his accessories with another.

Bonger wrote:Mmm, I did see an airbrush kit on sale at Walmart for like 30 bucks. If the toothpaste doesn't work, I'll try that. Skyfire should be an easy repaint. Just tape off the colored plastic and wail away.

If you go with the airbrush, please practice for a while. They can be tricky when you are first starting. And assuming you don't have an air compressor, the cans of air will lose pressure as you go.

Just wanted to give you a heads up.

Geekee1 wrote:

Bonger wrote:Mmm, I did see an airbrush kit on sale at Walmart for like 30 bucks. If the toothpaste doesn't work, I'll try that. Skyfire should be an easy repaint. Just tape off the colored plastic and wail away.

If you go with the airbrush, please practice for a while. They can be tricky when you are first starting. And assuming you don't have an air compressor, the cans of air will lose pressure as you go.

Just wanted to give you a heads up.

Mmm, good to know, thanks. I actually wan't planning on doing a restoration Jetfire. But I couldn't resist this one at the price. Basically, it comes down to, if I can do a restoration, I'll keep him, if not, then you'll see him on Carbomya.

I haven't tried anything yet. I'll take a shot at it this weekend. I think sanding is definately out. I'll try tootchpaste, rubbing alcohol, small amounts of bleach, goo gone and see hwat works. I'll keep you all posted though.

Last resort would be the airbrush. I am no artist though, so that might be iffy.