Disgusting Commodore 64 Restoration. Will It Work? (Part 1)

[@charlesdebarber2997]

Excellent work, Noel. Here is a tip for those springs. Often with things that become too rusty removing the rust will cost you integrity. If I had a spring I worried might snap if I removed the rust I would use a product called 'rust converter'. I think it would be a good candidate for things like those springs, RF shields, etc. I use it on old metal tanks so I do not need to remove the rust. What rust converter does it is chemically alters the rust and hardens it making it stronger than the metal! You can then paint over it or just leave it bare as it stops further rusting.

[@slipcurve1410]

i was holding my breath as you opened that case because i didn't want to breathe in that mould. then i remembered i was watching a video.

[@skeggjoldgunnr3167]

A buddy of mine would lean around and tilt his head back while playing a videogame. EASY! Don't get a crook in yer neck! phhFFt!!

[@chainq68k]

First! :) The condition of this C64 reminded me of an Amiga 500 I had once, which we literally pulled out from below manure pile/half buried in the ground already at some countryside electro-junkyard, around year 2000. This was before electronics recycling became a thing in the area. We had to put it into several layers of plastic bag just to be able to put into the car, to be able to endure the smell while getting it home. It's case was already broken/cracked at many places, its keyboard, shielding, FDD was way beyond repair, of course, but the board itself lived in the end! Thanks for taking up the challenge of saving this C64.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Wow, too bad you didn't have a video of that. But yes, I'm impressed with Commodore boards in general. If that was an Amstrad board, it would have been long gone already.

[@chainq68k]

@@NoelsRetroLab Video? :) This was before everyone had a camera in their pocket... And one certainly didn't go to a junkyard with a VHS camera. :D But now that I think about it, I'm not sure actually where that motherboard went. I wonder if I still have it in storage somewhere, or gave it away when moved abroad. I need to go in the basement (a dry one, don't worry!) to look into some boxes.

[@natethefighter]

My jaw dropped when I saw the motherboard. I cannot believe that thing survived as well as it did.

[@00Skyfox]

That case is definitely a good candidate for a custom paint job. All of my C64s have cases good enough to want to keep them original so I've never gone as far to paint one, but over on Ms. Mad Lemon's channel she got some amazing results painting an Amiga case. Anyway, very nice work salvaging this C64 from ending up in a landfill!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

My thoughts exactly! It was my first time painting a case and it was an interesting experience. I'm sure I'll do it again with those that are too far gone.

[@AntoninPoitou]

Your editing has been getting better and better ever since I started watching your videos!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thanks! Yes, I've been learning non-stop about it and I can see how it has improved. Now when I'm watching other people's videos I'm always thinking about how they edited them and trying to learn new techniques 😃

[@darkstatehk]

You: "Music: Commando, Rob Hubbard" Me: *SIR YES SIR*

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Right? Can't go wrong with that! 👍

[@Kedvespatikus]

@@NoelsRetroLab Krakout is another sure hit, sir! :)

[@adilsongoliveira]

Great stuff as usual. When I was an intern in a steel company, one of my tasks was to periodically remove mainframe terminals (yes, I'm that old) from a coking plant (which, incidentally, creates a lot of coal dust and soot) for maintenance. They were so dirty that I had to wash them with a power washer and let the boards dry in a cord as if they were clothes so this Commodore would be just another day at the office for me :)

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thanks! That's crazy about those terminals. It must have been quite a sight! Did they work afterwards? I imagine they did otherwise you wouldn't have bothered trying to wash them.

[@JoeMcLutz]

Hi! I think 1083 on 6510 stands for "10th week of 1985" so early 83s too in my opinion... Nice video (as always), nice job and... I'm looking forward for part 2! 👍🏻😊

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes! You're totally right. I think I was thinking March vs. October, but that's the week indeed 😃

[@JoeMcLutz]

@@NoelsRetroLab 👍🏻 See you soon Noel! 😊

[@MD_il_microcanale]

yes, it stands for the week and year. 1083 is week 10 of 1983 I have some with 5082 written and it stands for fiftieth week of 1982 for example.

[@skeggjoldgunnr3167]

@@MD_il_microcanale Okay that'll be about enough of that geek flex bragging about your silver label breadbin there, hoss!

[@MD_il_microcanale]

@@skeggjoldgunnr3167 I have so many I have to throw them away, hahahaha

[@15385331]

For information. Be careful - three springs are stiffer than the rest. They should be on the spacebar

[@robertsissco2439]

I need to thank you Noel, I happened to be working on my Trash C64 (yellowed, bad (but usable) video output, etc. I was considering retrobrighting it, then I looked up and saw this case, then looked back down and magically mine didn't look so bad that I needed to retrobright it anymore.

[@ropersonline]

Just the video to watch while you're eating your dinner and enjoying some nice blue cheese.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Bon apetit! 🤣

[@vectrex28]

Love seeing restorations like this! Also I love that you chose the Battro tune as the ending theme, you have a good taste in chiptunes my man

[@bramvandenbroeck5060]

I have a tip for retrobrighting, you have to put some plastic foil over the cream, every 30 minutes, you need to go outside and massage the cream around and turn the pieces you are retrobrighting around 45 degrees, it will eliminate those "paint lines" you get on the case (you get those when the cream has dried up), you will get a much nicer and cleaner retrobrighted computer that is almost indistinguishable from the original factory color. Otherwise? NIce video man!

[@Yoritomo3800]

Sunbrite is better than retrobrite, at least on first attempts, no damage or marble effects, I did on a C64C, on the case , the color came back to original, but for some reasons, the keys are a bit reflecting the UV and are still a bit yellow. anyway they was brown on beginning, I will make a video about my trials, some days on full sun without any chemicals. You still can use retrobrite technic after if the effect is not perfect, I recommend to use in liquid, not as cream (about marble effect.)

[@NoelsRetroLab]

I tried sunbright but for me it barely worked on a very slightly yellowed piece of plastic. But then again, I didn't have very strong sun in that area (clouds and fairly northern latitude). There's no way that case would have gone close to the original color that way there. I'm very interested in trying an indoor setup with UV lights though.

[@MT-or7lv]

Loved this episode Noel. I can't wait for part two. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Glad you enjoyed it Part 2 coming soon!

[@EmilOppelnBronikowski]

Truly one person trash is another treasure. At first I was, it isn't that bad? But the book wrapped in a foil made me go "yyyyh" and I'm not averted to getting my hands dirty.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yeah, depending how you look at it at first, it didn't look horrible. And that RF shield... 🤮

[@EmilOppelnBronikowski]

@@NoelsRetroLab Got to RF shield, it wins the That's Nasty cup by defeating manual in the final.

[@eightguitars]

That looks so much like it was in a heavy smoker's room. That's absolutely tragic. Good luck!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thanks! You know, it didn't smell like tobacco at all. I think it might have been humidity plus direct sun for 30 years.

[@eightguitars]

@@NoelsRetroLab Well, all that mold inside the RF shielding couldn't have helped. I've seen similar gear (PC's) have that kind of discoloration in workplaces like garages (some really grimy garages) where everyone smoked heavily, which is where I made that connection. Looking forward to Part 2!

[@anthonysantiago1999]

Always nice to see a Commodore 64 come back from the Dead. Great Video.

[@DeathMetalDerf]

Whenever I have to totally clean an old board like that, after I scrub it down just like you did in the video, I flush the entire board with a bunch of 99.9% pure ethanol solution. The alcohol displaces the water and then evaporates a lot faster than just water alone. It's a little expensive because after I've used the ethanol about 4 or 5 times before I'd have to distill it again and clean that up too. It's possible to filter out and clean it up, but it's not so expensive that I find it necessary to get as many uses out of it as possible.

[@th3cub350]

Looking at the RF shield im actually astonished the motherboard has so few damages especially the underside i wonder if when it was flooded the computer wasn't face down (keyboard toward the ground) i also remember the one the 8bits guy restored with the motor oil everywhere and stuff, this one seems to be in a better shape happily :) awesome repair video !!!! keep up the good work Noel.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Absolutely! I was floored how good the board looked when I removed the RF shield (and after seeing that crumbling manual!!).

[@Hessi]

Finally an amazing job, Noel! Okay, this is a C64 from Germany, apparently. We call it "CeVi", which is a short cose form of "C-Vierundsechszig" (C64), BTW. I would like to formally apologize for the condition of the CeVi of the compatriot. :-) On one of my restoration objects I simply brushed H2O2 on each key cap, the effect was the same as yours, they are easy to whiten again. The type plates are totally sensitive anyway. If the case is only slightly yellowed, simply brushing it with Domestos is often enough. The problem is that, for example, Domestos sometimes dissolves the front special characters on the key caps. Then they have to dry thoroughly, because if you rub them first, they are gone.

[@HAGSLAB]

Great video Noel! Very excited for the next part(s) :) I'm concerned about the traces, that will be interesting for sure.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

I was very concerned about them too, and then... 😃

[@HAGSLAB]

@@NoelsRetroLab ooooh, intriguing...

[@xjaja1975]

I have some problem with my Commodore 64G. I think there is some problem with colormemory chip, But I am unsure, because background pf chip have lot of corrosion or something else so I think that can be one reason to error. I am beginner with electronic stuff, so I am unsure about anything.

[@andrewkoines6389]

When did men become so repulsed by dirt?

[@fresita_jugosa]

A wasted case is a lovely candidate for a paint job. My first restoration was a PlayStation 1 with a very bad burn case. Y cleaned and sanded it, and painted it black, keeping the stickers and alike safe to place them back afterwards. I also had to restore the electronics. It is my PlayStation to date. I love that darn thing, it just looks gorgeous. Go for something beautiful! A red commodore, maybe?

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Exactly my thoughts. It's my first time painting a case, so it should be an interesting experience.

[@Leahi84]

That case looked like it had been locked in a room with a 6 pack a day smoker for years. Good grief.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Exactly, but it wasn't any room, it was a sauna judging by the state of the user manual.

[@TheMalMeninga]

Best of luck with this one Noel! Looks like quite the challenge

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thank you! Should be interesting!

[@paoloselvini3449]

Just another great video, like we're getting used to, by now, since you keep doing better and better! But, hey, where's that vic20 you got some time ago that is still waiting to be checked up? Or did I miss something? Anyway I am totally looking forward to the next episode on this poor c64: will it ever switch on? Thank you Noel!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thanks! I'm going to start with Vic20 content soon, so it's coming up, don't worry 😃

[@markharrisllb]

This is the first video I've seen of yours and it was absolutely fascinating, I’m really looking forward to see how it finishes up. I do have one concern, I have a serious respiratory condition and wouldn’t wish one on my worse enemy if I had one. Please be careful opening things that have fungal spores in them, I’m no KZbin expert but maybe a mask with a voice over later? It looked like it have belonged to a chain smoker with ten years of continuous use.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! I was talking precautions with the gloves, but I didn't see that mold coming! Otherwise I probably would have worn some mask, you're right. The case didn't smell at all like smoke, so I think that at least that was a more natural cause (heat and humidity probably?).

[@gir5o1]

When I first saw the thumbnail I was like "I didn't know they made the c64 with wood veneer"

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

Really looking forward to part 2!!! You did your best with retrobright, but it wasn't looking good from the start. I do appreciate that there are people like you out there who make the effort to restore these machines. Thanks for that! These episodes are so informative!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Glad you enjoyed it! Part 2 is almost ready and I think you're going to like how it turned out 😃

[@di4352]

I'm enjoying your videos a lot, the restorations are fun to watch, great job!

[@commodorebench2556]

Noel, I've had my best luck retrobriting using a clear plastic bin with a few bottles of the 3% peroxide from a drug store. That being said, my favorite commodore I own is a C128 is a retrobrite fail that I ended up painting the case black.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Right. Or with UV lamps, but the amount of peroxide you'd need is huge! And is 3% enough? But yes, I'm going the painting route as well 😃

[@commodorebench2556]

@@NoelsRetroLab 3% works where I am at. I live in the Tennessee so we have plenty of sunshine, but most of our rooftops don't look as good as yours! For a while during the pandemic, 3% was hard to come by, but the stores all seem to have stock now. I think it takes around 6 or 8 bottles, maybe 10 USD worth, but I save the liquid in the bin and reuse it several times. I've seen places online to buy it by the gallon but it seems cheaper to buy it by the quart locally.

[@awilliams1701]

The C64 I'm using now at least externally looked a lot like this. But it was mostly just dirt. It was so bad that just touching it made my hands itch. After cleaning it looks like new. I didn't bother to retrobrite it since it was nearly the original color. The PCB was even dirtier, but after cleaning it looked brand new. Its only faults were 1 bad RAM chip (I replaced all since it was MT RAM) and the cartridge slot. Unfortunately because my home made PSU was using a cable that wasn't up to the task it wasn't getting enough power and I had color glitches. So I replaced the PLA and the color RAM but destroyed a trace in the color RAM by accident. So it's no longer like new. It's got a bodge. I had been using de-oxit on the cartridge slot, but it stopped working and I couldn't fix it. So I replaced it. I lifted a trace, but it's still attached. So I just soldered it to the new connector. The unit is working really well now. I even have a working SID! All the unique parts are original except the GAL PLA that I'm using. I could put the MOS PLA back in now that I know it's working, but the GAL seems like it's better for the long run since the MOS ones do die.

[@bryanminugh9680]

Non-corroding plating on the Copper backside connections timemark 10:47 the 63% lead in solder tarnishs to black once the clear flux overcoat has been cleaned to make it conductive. There's chemical-reaction replating kits that don't tarnish the port contact fingers.

[@MMWA-DAVE]

Love your channel Noel. You are going to be very successful on here, you always leave us wanting more. 😎

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thank you! Glad you're enjoying it. I'm not doing cliffhangers on purpose, I just keep running out of time! 😃

[@TheRetroChannel]

Looks like those annoying RF shields do serve a purpose 😄

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Haha, apparently! Either that or they're the reason all that mold grew in there and otherwise it would be pristine 😃

[@ryangavigan2049]

never a good sign when you have to start out with a 'once i get rid of all the spiders'. :)

[@NoelsRetroLab]

You got that right!

[@BertGrink]

At the start it reminded me of Adrian's Ant-Hill C64 from a couple of years ago.

[@meTimetraveler]

when i worked as a bench tech for a computer repair store one of our drivers brought in a PC tower that a cat had been peeing into. It was in a bag, when we opened the bag the manager said no way and we sent it back. LOL

[@claw_md]

I wonder what used to be in that ‘original PP strap’ box

[@NoelsRetroLab]

No idea. I disposed of it quickly enough since it was all mouldy and smelly 😃

[@skeggjoldgunnr3167]

Latest information i recall learning of here on the youtubes; with retrobrighting: - HEAT makes the biggest difference. Also maybe focus your OWN artificial UV source. I found that a certain wavelength is important, as each wavelength has an enormous difference in effect. I think mine are 365nM 100W units. Four of them. in a HUGE plastic bin with PID controlled hot tub spa heater. I immerse parts in a bath to keep down blotching that you tend to get from gel. Then I hear that the plastics bromine fire retarded stuff re-yelllows plastics all over again. So I use a spray aerospace UV blocker to protect it. I did my 1541 and breadbin and a customer's C=128 to GREAT effect like this.

[@da1otta]

It's not dead. It's pining for the fjords!

[@desiv1170]

Never thought I'd see a C64 where yellowing would actually help it! ;-) Man, that is dark...

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, give me a nice age yellowing any day instead of that!

[@bwack]

Nice video. Holy smokes. Seems like it was submerged at some point in time.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

That's what I thought when I saw the manual, but the board was in such good condition... that couldn't have been it. I'd love to know what happened to it though!

[@zaxchannel2834]

I was not expecting the manual to be included

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Me neither. It wasn't displayed in the for sale picture. On the other hand I thought I would have some fun with that pile of 5.25" disks and those didn't come with it. Oh well.

[@rastislavzima]

8:42 aaahh its Commando music, isn't it? :-) such a great game! And 14:09 is very nice idea, I'll use it! :-)

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, isn't it great? The AY version is also good, but the SID version is special 😃

[@rastislavzima]

@@NoelsRetroLab i had only CPC but its a few of the games I played much and succeeded to pass many levels maybe even finished it do not remember, so this music is carved deep into my brain. :-) And yes SID music is in general quite better than AY.

[@crazyedo9979]

This is like the scrolls of Qumran. Everything you touch crumbles to dust. Always take care when working with old stuff like that! Wear gloves and eye protection also effective respiratory protection. Don't take it in your house before thorouh inspection and/or sanitation. Stay alert stay alive.

[@Reed-Publications]

I can't help thinking that the submersion method of retro-brighting would have given you a better result, but then again it was extremely yellowed.

[@stevethepocket]

I don't think the tops of the keys were ever supposed to match the fronts. Comparing the insides of the caps, which are cream-colored, it appears that the symbols on the fronts were painted on. Which makes sense if you know how the double-shot method works: in order to fill in the "holes" in characters like O, A, or 6, there have to be literal holes in the inner mold for the brown plastic to pour through. And all the front symbols are full of empty enclosed spaces. Molding something like the checkerboard symbol would be virtually impossible.

[@johnsonlam]

Look like it's been put in a high humidity and sunny place, some of our old electronics did look like this, dust and rust together under 99% humidity (in my city), maybe also near the sea shore so the "salty wind" that make all metal oxidize.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

You're on to something there. It came from the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, so that's probably exactly the environment it was in.

[@johnsonlam]

I live in Hong Kong, where the C64 was made, a place that have very high humidity. Seen quiet a lot of oxidation of electronics.

[@Androx74]

nice video now we have to see if that motherboard is working fine, looking forward for the next episode :D bye

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thanks. Next episode should be coming soon!

[@donpalmera]

At least the photos of it were honest. Stuff I've bought from ebay that had nice photos and said good condition but untested usually turned up smelling like their cat pissed on it and then had all the hallmarks of someone that thinks they know about compoooters taking it apart to attempt to fix it like all the screws missing, all the plastic clips broken off etc.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

For sure! They didn't try to hide it in any way and the price was right too, so props to the seller!

[@commodorebench2556]

"untested" means broken but don't want to admit it.

[@georgemaragos2378]

@@commodorebench2556 Also the other good one to avoid is Worked when last used Worked when stored ( in 1986 )

[@SteveHacker]

“Naval Jelly” will ELIMINATE the rust in SECONDS…

[@minombredepila1580]

Can't wait for episode II, III, IV,... Looks like "The Walking Dead Breadbin" to me. Will get popcorn for the next episodes (way more interesting than some Netflix series). After looking at it, probably is not only spiders' work and dust: I would have used a Geiger detector on it too. If I clean a machine like this in the shower, my family would make me clean the shower with bleach after I finished. Another fine video from Noel. He did it again.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Haha! Thanks! I did have to scrub the shower quite a bit afterwards, so you're right about that part 😃

[@ItalianRetroGuy]

I'm pretty sure dried water that isn't distilled is still going to harm things in the long run

[@sydneybiscuit]

You may be interested in retro-briting the case in a similar fashion to how David Murray does his - large clear tub, submerge the part entirely in a water / h2o2 solution. he has gotten some very consistent results that way. You can also supplement the sun with some UV led lights when necessary

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, I've seen his approach but I don't have that big of a container or even enough peroxide to cover the whole case. Besides, in this case, it wouldn't have done much for the uneveness I think.

[@sydneybiscuit]

@@NoelsRetroLab ah fair enough, nonetheless thank you for the reply and thank you for making such wonderful content!

[@ElectronGordo]

Noel, Where could I find this gadget for get straight the ICs pins? or the name of it to check it out.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

I got it from here: www.amazon.co.uk/Spiratronics-TH2-013-IC-Straightener-Tool/dp/B0093Z7JH0 I'll add it to the description since that might be useful to other people too.

[@johnsonlam]

Hi Noel, you definite need a UV flood light, I got a 60W from AliExpress, strong enough to retro-bright within few hours if hydrogen peroxide is enough. Last time I did my Apple //c chassis with cream, and found that it's not good, too many uneven area. Finally have to did it 3 times, later I found a shop with liquid form hydrogen peroxide. that I can submerge in clear water with tin foil wrapped around the plastic container, result a lot better.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Probably, but I don't have space for the lights or the container at the moment. Besides, how do you get that much hydrogen peroxide? Do you need to buy it in bulk?

[@johnsonlam]

@@NoelsRetroLab Just a beer bottle from chemical shop, cost around US4, 50%.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Oh I thought you would have to get 10 liters of that to fully submerge a case. How are you doing it with so little?

[@MD_il_microcanale]

You did an excellent job! meanwhile, I sign up waiting to see the second part!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

I'm working on it! Should be coming very soon.

[@MD_il_microcanale]

@@NoelsRetroLab I also deal with Commodore material and when I see someone who repairs a C64 or another Commodore computer with so much love, I can't help but congratulate him!

[@psteier]

Retrobrighting will only last for some time, I think the bad spots on the case will come back. For the keys I do the following: Get some flat and transparent bin, put some double sided glue tape on the bottom and stick the keycaps like you've already done. Instead of using that creamy peroxide stuff, use fluid 12% peroxide and just pour carefully into the bin with the caps, to submerge them. After a few hours in the sun, they will come out perfectly. You can see the chemical reaction, a lot of small bubbles will appear... Just adjust the position a bit to the sun, so they get the UV rays from all directions. But also this will not last forever, the yellowing will slowly come back. For the case, there are special spray paint colors for the C64. Removing the badges and putting some coats of paint will bring back the original look forever...

[@NoelsRetroLab]

I have an Amiga 500 that I retrobrighted 5 years ago and it's as white as the first day, but I've also heard reports of people saying the yellowing comes back. So it has to be dependent on the plastic or storage conditions or something like that.

[@psteier]

@@NoelsRetroLab yes, it is depending on the kind of material and storage. I've retrobrighted some cases and keycaps from Amiga models. My A600 keyboard looked white like snow in the first months. After some years, it looks like someone smoked cigaretts in front of it... :D

[@MattKasdorf]

Would a clear coat spray paint help keep the keys from yellowing again? Or would the paint not stand up to the consistent fingering?

[@psteier]

@@MattKasdorf honestly, I don't really know, but I assume not. Because the chemical reaction is happening inside the material, not on it's surface. I also think, a clear coat can be torn away by permanent touching only, when it's too thin. You can layer more than one coat.

[@flashjazzcat]

You have bleached the colour out of the plastic owing to the high concentration of peroxide caused by brushing more cream onto the stuff that has already dried out. Either apply a single coat and wrap in cling film, or rinse the case between each application. Believe me, I learned this the hard way after ruining an Atari ST case in 2009. :)

[@catriona_drummond]

Finally I found somebody else who uses hairdryer to clean boards. I have been subjected to some ridicule about it and feel very much vindicated now. Also - good cliffhanger.

[@BertGrink]

As the saying goes: "If it looks stupid but works, it ain't stupid"

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Really?? What reason would someone give against using a hair dryer? You can control the heat, so that can't be it. Nobody's said anything to me so far. I find it really effective to get the bulk of the humidity, and then I leave it another 24 hours to make really sure. I've heard other people use big fans to speed up the process too.

[@catriona_drummond]

@@NoelsRetroLab not manly enough, gotta be a paintmelting and chipdestroying heagun... *sigh*

[@Explore531]

Im been thinking spray painted the frame with red and replacing the keys in blue that would be kinda cool

[@niallmartin590]

This is more like archaeology than tech repair! can understand the gloves, great video thanks

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Glad you liked it!

[@Vermilicious]

For rust removal, you could just use vinegar, but don't expect things to return to original. About the retro-brightening, I saw another KZbinr actually putting the plastic in an oven for a while, and the result looked just as good as the sun treatment. I'm doubtful that case is ever gonna look nice again though, maybe it was used in a garage or something and got oil and grease on it. Maybe painting is the best option. Those traces look pretty rough.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Good point about vinegar. I went for this solution because I saw them SO rusted, but that would have worked too I'm sure. Yes, it's interesting how retrobrighting seems to work with heat as well as with UV. Still room for researching things.

[@greedygreggor]

great video, good job on cleaning that board up :)

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@TRONMAGNUM2099]

What a cliffhanger. I’m going to guess 3 traces will need to be repaired. For the case I have seen some really cool cases done by artistic people. One person did a ghostbusters themed case.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

I was also guessing that 3 traces would need to be repaired and I was... wrong! It would be really fun to do a fancy custom paint job for the case, but I've never painted one before, so I'll start with a solid color and make sure it looks good (it won't be trying to match the original C64 color though, I'll go for something bright and lively). Maybe in the future I can get fancier with paint jobs 😃

[@piconano]

It was shocking how clean the motherboard was! They make spray can paint specially for plastic. It chemically bonds to the surface and 3 light coats will be all it takes to make a C64 any color you want. I would tin the legs of the 2 dead chips, and see if they are really dead or just bad contacts with the socket, before signing their death certificate.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, I actually did that this very morning. I didn't go for the original color, instead just chose something bright and cheerful. Looks great! Good idea about the chips. I did clean the contacts well of one of them and it came back to life. Unfortunately, there were other bad chips in the board... but that's a story for another time 😃

[@basvanharen2904]

1:30 DO NOT OPEN, put it in the dishwasher as whole at once!🤣

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Haha, it did end in the shower, so that's about right. But amazingly it wasn't as disgusting as it seemed from the outside.

[@Vampier]

That things needs holy water and exorcism - looks like the owner might have been a heavy smoker or would have used massive amounts of makeup...

[@NoelsRetroLab]

That's why the hydrogen peroxide didn't work so well: It needed to be diluted in holy water!!! Next time 🤣

[@gertsy2000]

Great video Noel. Cant wait for the "something special"!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Don't expect too much. Just a different look from the standard C64 😃

[@rdoetjes]

Just spray the case with car paint. I did it too mine, in the exact same colour of my car Black Pearl and it's astonishing. And car paints are basically poly urethane so it also adds some strength to those brittle bodies. And especially that clear coat (that is a must) that turns rock solid. I painted my damaged guitar 2 years ago. And the first spray was a bit uneven for my liking, and I had to sand it down... again... and boy was that hard work. The C64 on the left is the make over C64C case, and no it doesn't have an Ultimate C64 board in there, the original batch was broken. Still looking for one. But the clear coat and the sheen is really nice. And they keys are actually grey, the insta filter makes them look yellow. It's a keyboard I took from an ALDI C64C bread bin model. instagram.com/p/CLpGkowg0UP/

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, that was one of the options, but I didn't have any car shop friends that could do that for me. I ended up just getting some good-quality spray paints and so far it's looking great 😃

[@theannoyedmrfloyd3998]

When Retrobriting, consider using a storage tub with hydrogen peroxide then wrap the tub with UV LED strips, then wrap that with aluminum foil and cover.

[@retrolabo]

To retrobright stuff I find the cream method with the sun very hit or miss... A sousvide + full spectrum light setup with simple h2o2 works way way better IMHO.

[@retrolabo]

Good luck with the rest of the restoration!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

I have no doubt it's better. It seems it would get much more even coverage and wouldn't have to check it every 15 minutes or have it risk drying out. Unfortunately I don't have the space for it, so this is the best I can do given the situation. For what it's worth, that method has always worked great for other cases. This one was too far gone plus it had all those other blemishes though.

[@fernandoorozco3751]

You should just give the yellowed case a custom paint job. Put some flames on it!

[@javimm77]

I didn't know you could put electronics under water like that. Very interesting!. Love your videos!. Cheers from Madrid ;-)

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, it's a great way to clean dirty boards like this one. Just dry it REALLY well and don't turn it on for a while. Then again, in Madrid in a summer day, you can take it out of the shower and it will instantly dry 😃 Un saludo!

[@javimm77]

@@NoelsRetroLab Indeed!. Put something out under the sun in summer and it will dry and even melt :-). I've just finished watching the video. I never thought a C64 in a state like that could start looking as good as it is beginning to look. Looking forward to part 2!. Saludos.

[@pvc988]

I wonder if you could buy new springs like these on Ebay or somewhere. And this case may be a good candidate for painting.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Probably. And I think they don't have to be exact. Just about anything roughly of the same size will be enough to push the keys up. And yes, the case is a GREAT candidate for painting (did it this morning 😃).

[@CrazyMan_Engineer]

With retro brighting you get better results with clear peroxide in a clear container wrapped in foil using uv lighting.

[@WacKEDmaN]

wow thats definitely been for a swim!..amazing how good the board looks in parts...and bad in others!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yeah, it's a puzzle how this turned out this way. The board overall is pretty good though!

[@RS-ls7mm]

Starting to wonder if people are deliberately destroying their computers just so all the KZbinrs will buy them to fix them. I see a LOT of restoration videos.

[@muxman3132]

I had a C64 that turned that color too. It was stored in a damp basement so I think the moisture has something to do with it.

[@PJBonoVox]

Hey dude. I know it's a lot of effort but these kind of restorations where they're almost beyond saving really are the best. Just curious, can you sand plastic like that something quite low-grit to reveal a new layer?

[@NoelsRetroLab]

You could but... the C64 has a fine texture in the case, so you would lose that. I went the painting route and I think it came out pretty good.

[@PJBonoVox]

@@NoelsRetroLab SPOILER ALERT!

[@mondo8bit]

Nice work, can’t wait to see how this poor 64 will become 👍

[@NoelsRetroLab]

It's getting better already! Just wait 😃

[@Stoney3K]

I'd go for some really crazy paint job on that case -- maybe something outrageous like pearl, rainbow or chrome?

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Haha, that might be a bit too crazy even for me right now. But I'm certainly not going for boring beige either.

[@wadereynoldsgm]

Maybe a custom wrap that looks like the original breadbin color

[@wadereynoldsgm]

Or paint it black

[@NozomuYume]

You should build a reflective UV light box to get more even lighting on parts you're bleaching.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

You're right. Or at least next time I should put some aluminum foil underneath to catch a few extra sun rays. That will probably help with the sides quite a bit.

[@NozomuYume]

@@NoelsRetroLab Yeah. The advantage of the sun is that it is free and doesn't cost electricity, but unless you're in the tropics (or at least someplace south like Texas) it's at a bad angle. Especially in the winter. With a lamp and lightbox you can just retrobright all through the night to your heart's content. All the best results I've seen have come from immersing rather than pasting on, since it guarantees even concentration of the peroxide. No splotches once it's completed.

[@SidebandSamurai]

A thumbs up for how discusting the computer is! The more discusting the better the video!

[@jacknedry3925]

For the Springs, use Vinegar.

[@SocrateTheCat]

Thanks for your video. Can you tell me where to find the pin rectifier for the IC? Thx for your answer. Regards.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

You're welcome! I got the tool from Amazon UK www.amazon.co.uk/Spiratronics-TH2-013-IC-Straightener-Tool/dp/B0093Z7JH0

[@SocrateTheCat]

@@NoelsRetroLab Thx a lot, Noel. Regard.

[@Clockwork_Planet]

Thank you Noel, I really enjoy watching your channel.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Happy to hear that!

[@jeffstack4217]

Why don’t you wrap your case in plastic after applying the #40? It helps ensure an even coat across the plastic. Also, a cheap airbrush station will come in handy. You can do custom paint or even mix colors to match original. Best of all, it goes on even, drys fast and you can seal it too. Nice vid!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

I tried the wrap approach and it's never worked well for me. It's very easy for the wrap to touch the case, thin out the cream and have it dry out or at least end up really uneven. This way has always worked well for me, very even... but obviously not this time. This one was too far gone. An airbrush (and skill to use it) would be great. This time I just went with spray paint from a can though. Enough for a first time 😃

[@tooheystechgaming1977]

Enjoyed that i have a vic 20 i need to try restore

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Definitely go for it! It's so rewarding bringing these machines back to life... or at least back to not looking like garbage 😃

[@EvertonGomes]

Very good job. But just as a health advice: The fungus colony inside was more dangerous than the filthy outside. Better use gloves till you discart or deep clean all these pieces with mold. A mask would also be indicated also…

[@psteier]

So this C64 took a long way to you? The "Handbuch" from Germany... this looks awful. But I like thos restoring challenges. Keep it on! :)

[@NoelsRetroLab]

It actually came from the Ballearic Islands, so not quite that far. The weather there might explain the condition of the computer actually.

[@2flyabove]

Wow that thing was a bio-hazzard!!!!

[@benitogomez7968]

Look at the bright side: no live roaches or spiders inside.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Nope. The smoke and the flood killed them all 🤣

[@diegocipriani]

A less aggressive but effective rust remover is vinegar you should give it a try, I found it working without the risk lf damaging too much the rusted part

[@VincentGroenewold]

This looks like a computer found in a video from "the proper people". :) Abandoned house maybe?

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Haha! Yes, I could see it being abandoned for years. That's why it got that color!

[@JakeBirkett]

LOL! It's totally gross. Was really funny watching you unpack and open it.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

The thing that got to me was the manual. Ugh! Don't miss watching the followup video where I paint it 😃

[@richardkelsch3640]

Black mold is quite dangerous. It's considered a severe biohazard. Homes with black mold require hazmat level cleaning. I hope you bleached the crap out of that case. Heck, I would recommend a masked power wash with bleached water.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

The RF shield, which is what was covered in mold, went straight into the garbage. The case got a lot of cleaning and it's now covered in multiple layers of paint, so hopefully that's good 😃 I am kicking myself for not wearing a mask while I opened it though.