Star Wars 180 Trooper Figure Whitening Tutorial w/ UV protection [TIMELAPSE]

[@decadentdave]

Just curious has the yellowing returned at all since you have posted this?

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Great question. I coated 8 figures. 2 have yellowed, so I’m guessing that I may not have coated those two properly. I’ll pin this one. Thanks.

[@andrade2737]

Where do you get the plastic coating stuff

[@TheImperialCommunique]

@@andrade2737 Any art store should carry it.

[@BossksBounty]

Hand paint all those figures with the UV protector. You have the patience of a saint!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

That's why the video took so long, lol!

[@lidocainesally]

I'm especially proud of Garret. My little red-eared baby is all grown up and scoring parts in Imperial productions!!! 😁

[@lidocainesally]

I love this vid! Dr. K. Nowall... Stellar performance!!! 🤩

[@TheImperialCommunique]

I think she should chime in here as well. 🙂

[@binarysunset6662]

Nice! After a million videos about whitening figures someone finally addresses the re-yellowing issue. I've been using this method for some time now and it really works. The tricky part is finding the correct varnish that matches the original satin finish of factory plastics.

[@Jcc2224]

YOU ARE THE FIRST PERSON I HAVE SEEN WHO'S HAD THE SAME ISSUES AS ME! Everyone talks about yellowing and de-yellowing but never mentions how it COMES BACK. It looks like your stormtrooper collection has had just as many yellowing casualties as my clone trooper collection. I have wondered about UV protection coatings but I hadn't seen anyone else give it a go before you. I've usually done them in smaller batches than you did. I put Clariol 40 cream on them, wrapped them in plastic wrap, and I made myself an "incubation chamber" as I inaccurately and affectionately call it. It's a cardboard box covered with aluminum foil (for light reflection) with UV LED strips lined all on the inside. It works super fast, but as you've mentioned, it doesn't last forever. It's been a few more months now, how are they still holding up for you man? I really think I'm gunna give this a go!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thank you! Some have held up really well. Others have degraded and I'm wondering if it's because of insufficient coating. Still trying to perfect the process. 😬 This is precisely why I made the video, to spark the conversation about how to reverse the yellowing permanently.

[@ameliasword7680]

That doctor was pretty funny… the rest of the video was pretty great as well!!😊

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thank you!

[@mexicansalad8003]

I don't have any figures, but I love coming back to see your new vids from time to time!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Wow. Thank you!

[@melasiawoodson7387]

Me too

[@TheImperialCommunique]

@@melasiawoodson7387 Thank you!

[@SeanSolo8]

Grace rocked it! Another epic video! Thanks for the tips!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thanks Sean!

[@SHABBYGEEK22]

Another very informative communique! Glad we had Dr Nowall to guide us thru the process!! Great video Anthony and Grace!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thanks so much Marc!!!

[@AJ_DregzCat]

Great informational video! I didn't know about the red light. I will definitely refer to this video when whitening my troops!

[@charlescwestcott]

Fantastic video!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thank you!

[@theimperialshipyards]

Nice procedure. Thanks for sharing it.

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thank you, sir!

[@half-assedcraftswithbigmik4301]

TAMER! It is I - Darth Optimus from many years hence!

[@ameliasword7680]

Boy, that doctor is a cutie pie

[@TheImperialCommunique]

🙂

[@Dandy1981]

Great info. And wonderful job dr...know all.. wonderful performance

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thank you!

[@astaroth_sasazaki_yt]

NICE VIDEO AS ALWAYS!! I'VE MISSED YOUR CONTETN SO MUCH

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thanks so much! This one was a bear to get finished. 😬

[@astaroth_sasazaki_yt]

@@TheImperialCommunique and it shows, every video shows an improvement in quality and even the jokes are getting better Can't wait for the 1200 trooper army build

[@Azul_Monterrubio]

These guy deserve a lot more of subs!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

🙏🏼

[@MartinFutter70]

Quality performances all round 'well done Grace' Oscar awaits! Yes I know my Dianoga safety protocols after losing a toe! Quality production throughout of which I hope it leads to a satisfying 'white' armored squad. Cant believe those Troops are partying on the barge! ❤🤘🇬🇧🍺👍

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thanks my friend!

[@deathmetalrob7]

That was very educational and I like mrs. Know-it-all

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thank so much!

[@TheSittingSocietyDoc]

That was awesome!! 👏🏻 I enjoyed learning about the chemical processes of how the white turned yellow in the first place as well as how to reverse it. The use of UVB light and red light spectrum was also interesting. Really cool. Thank you! 💖

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thank you!

[@SmugglersCanyon]

Hello! ... Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed thi communique Anthony! It's incredibly apparent that it took a lot of effort to put together, but nothing by comparison to painting all those figures by hand 😅 Much respect! 👍

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Exactly, lol! Thanks so much!

[@elbarto4595]

What a great video!!!! It would be cool if you put subtitles for the non-english people to understand it better. Anyway, i will follow this method with mi stormtrooper squadron, thnx for the science lesson!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thanks for that suggestion! I think I can still add those but in my experience you can hit the CC button for Subtitles.

[@noticierogeek5936]

Nice video! informative and entertaining

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thank you!

[@johnblack9885]

What happens when the yellowing eventually (and it does) return under your UV clearcoat? No you won’t be able to re-retrobrite unless you remove the varnish which means you have to use a chemical varnish remover like acetone which is harmful to plastic. You can spray them with 303 Aerospace Protectant after Retrobriting to help keep them whiter longer.

[@deez1883]

Please post an update! Amazing video!

[@MrLeeziebee]

I painted my BMF in the ILM method to protect it against UV fading whaich had started on the rear of the cockpit. You cannot dip a falcon in H.P.

[@TheImperialCommunique]

It's my understanding that there's a cream version of HP that can be applied to ships, but I haven't done hard research on that yet.

[@BruceWayne-yu9oc]

cute dr.!!!! very very cute doctor!!!!

[@wlnorris75]

I've been trying to kick around using something other than hydrogen peroxide. A couple of things I have been considering is periodic acid (weak dilution brushed on) or calcium carbonate solution. Essentially yellowing is caused by the alternating double bonds in the muconic acid that results from the free radical oxidation process. Calcium Carbonate (limestone) is a readily available substance that has the potential to break the double bonds of the muconic acid, resulting in the yellowing being removed. Periodic acid reacts with Muconic acid and would also break the double bonds. The negative here is that the resulting product is formic acid, which smells bad and can be hazardous. However, it would seem like such a small amount would be created, I don't know that it would be harmful. Another possibility might be hydrogenation. The double bonds of muconic acid could be broken in a hydrogen rich environment, using nickel as a catalyst. Of course you have the issue of flammable, explosive hydrogen gas to create this hydrogen rich environment. Using hydrogen peroxide is sort of a similar mechanism, but it also bleaches paint and labels on the plastic. In theory, you could use a nickel solution with a submerged part, and then maybe bubble in hydrogen. I don't think this would be destructive to paint like peroxide would be. I guess in theory, the peroxide method makes hydrogen gas (the bubble you see when it is exposed to UVB). If you put a part in a nickel solution at the top of a container, and then had a bath of peroxide at the bottom of the container, the UVB light would still cause the peroxide to form hydrogen, which rises to the top and forces heavier air to the bottom of a sealed container. Then the part at the top of the container in the nickel solution would be in there with hydrogen rich atmosphere (maybe the nickel solution is pumped over the yellow part if it needs more exposure to the hydrogen).

[@DeltaFH]

Could you please provide a list of all the exact figures that Hasbro updated to not yellow. Myself and I imagine others would probably love to go out and collect those repaints/reissues without the errors. I'm particularly curious about the clean scout trooper and the clean stormtrooper. Thank you and awesome video. I'll be following your channel with great interest!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Will year do? Nearly everything released 2010 onwards is chemically composed not to yellow. The random trooper that may yellow out of a batch of thousands would be an exception. The Legacy Collection Stormtroopers, 2007-2009 (Spacetrooper, Han, Luke and Joker Squad) are hit and miss. Maybe 2 out of nine have mildly yellowed. Any white figure prior to 2007 is very prone to yellowing, sadly. Hope that helps. 👍

[@DeltaFH]

@@TheImperialCommunique It does! Would you be able to identify the Stormtrooper after Han Solo in Stormtrooper disguise (not the spacetrooper) and the scout trooper next to the Rebel in scout trooper disguise? Thank you so much and awesome video!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

@@DeltaFH The Stormtrooper is specifically the 2009 Legacy Collection BD46 stormtrooper and the Scout Trooper is the first “Vintage” collection version released in 2006’s The Saga Collection. The stormtrooper keeps white while the scout trooper is very prone to yellowing.

[@liamk5497]

One side of my 2010 AT-AT has yellowed. Any tips de-yellowing large vehicles?

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Not yet. Same thing happened to my Imperial Shuttle, but then again, that was sitting in some intense sunlight for a year or two. Planning on getting to it, though.

[@liamk5497]

@@TheImperialCommunique Awesome! These tutorials are great!!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

@@liamk5497 Thank you!

[@holonet1]

Jeeze! This is just like defogging my headlights. I don't want to keep redoing it. I'll just the yellow ones yellow & make sure to never buy any more stormies that are more than ten years old.

[@fonzzz007]

Hi, have you tried this with clone trooper from the clone wars animated line and with the ones with colors? also order 66 obi-wan kenobi has yellowing of the torso. Thanks!!!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

It’s the same chemical process at work, so the result will be the same. In other words: yes. 👍

[@fonzzz007]

@@TheImperialCommunique no discoloration of the colors, stripe colors? Thanks!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

@@fonzzz007 negative. No adverse effects. Adverse effects have only been seen on some vintage figures and on chrome parts.

[@melasiawoodson7387]

YES FINALLY

[@OvibanKenobi]

I've been so much looking forward to this video. Great content as always! 👌 So do you think more recent figures like the VC140 might not go yellow? Mine are usually packed away, but I remember a video by Bossk's Bounty showing Little Bossk's VC143 Stormtrooper Han that's gone pretty yellow in the torso area.

[@TheImperialCommunique]

My understanding is that the yellowing issue has been more or less fixed. I'm sure there will be outliers, but I think Hasbro has been away of the problem. My VC140 are holding up and have been out and about for many photos.

[@fonzzz007]

Hello, quick question... I have the figures outside getting sun, what do I do when the sun goes down? do I bring the figures indoors?

[@TheImperialCommunique]

If they’re safe outside, you can leave them. 👍

[@jeromecrytes340]

Soooo , 2 years later , is it yellowing normly or faster ?

[@fonzzz007]

Hi Again, for the varnish did you go over the black painted parts also... have you varnished color parts/stripes? the commander Neyo/Salelacami trooper (30th anniversary Collection/saga legends) yellows really bad! Thanks again for your time.

[@TheImperialCommunique]

It doesn’t hurt it any other parts. It’s just a protective coating. 👍 Hope it all works out well for you.

[@countdooku9521]

Thank you for this video ! but just one question, I have a lot of white figures in my collection (they are not yellowing yet), I put them on a shelf with a window just in front and there is a lot of sun coming out of the window, will that prevent them from yellowing ?

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Depends on when the figures were made and how cool your room stays. Figures released before 2010 displayed in a warm room even part of the year with any amount of sunlight are almost guaranteed to yellow. 😕 Also depends on the manufacturer. Hasbro took care to prevent figures from yellow eventually. Can’t vouch for Mattel, Jakks Pacific, McFarlane, etc.

[@patrucho77]

Hola! Usted podría colocar un pequeño resumen en español? Muchas gracias Hi! Could you put a short summary in Spanish? Thanks a lot

[@TheImperialCommunique]

I'll have someone put that together. I'll put it in the summary as well. Give me a day or so.

[@diegogonzalezramirez9672]

Hello! Nice video! I’ve tried to paint my troops with acrylic white paint the yellowing parts, it works out after it gets dry! The only problem is to get something to protect the paint. Have you tried it? As I told you, I’ve done it and so far it has worked. Kind regards from México!

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Thanks! I’ve only gotten to complete a handful of figures using my method and so far, so good. I’m also going to try using a white paint by Kreotox and then coat them with a 40/30 eurothane clear. I might give the 40/30 eurothane a shot. (This was recommended by an artist after looking at the figures.)

[@RodChampers]

Can you do it to a yak face ?

[@greekfreak0075]

Can you tell us what kind of paint we can use to figures ? :)

[@TheImperialCommunique]

Kreotox Ultra violent resistant white paint. It’s a urethane based paint.

[@katehall804]

Oh sure, like 4 billion microscopic layers of white acrylic paint in every tiny crack and then some wasn’t white enough for you. 😂 let it be known I tried.

[@TheImperialCommunique]

It is noted. 😉

[@Azul_Monterrubio]

what’s your favorite trooper figure ever made?

[@TheImperialCommunique]

I'm really digging VC140, the Rogue One Stormtrooper. It's near perfection. 👍