I purchased a 2nd G1 Fort Max because my original one had yellowed. I want to make sure the colors on this 2nd one remain vibrant and that I minimize yellowing as much as possible. For those who own a G1 Fort Max that is still pure in color and not discolored/yellowed, I was curious as to what is your method of storage for your Fort Max? Do you keep it in a tupperware box? A regular cardboard box? The original G1 packaging with styrofoam? What is your method? (I am no longer interested in the H202 "whitening" method, and would rather take preventative measures versus corrective ones.)
Mine yellowed in the box, so I figured fuck it and have it on display loose now. I'm not bothered about the minor yellowing, but I am happy I get to see it loose every day.
^ WTH, yellowed from being stored in its box??? Its the expose to sunlight that alters the molecules and caused the discoloration!
I've had a fair few G1 figures yellow terribly while in storage. I pulled out my Jazz and Tracks from a box I'd had stashed in a cupboard for 2 years only to find them to be totally yellowed. However the wheeljack which had been stored with them had not yellowed at all.
I don't have the original packaging. My Fort Max (and Grand Max too) resides in a box that is just a little larger than the figure. I have the box packed out with bubble wrap to keep the figure safe. So far, the colors are OK.
My first Fort Max was kept inside a box and was in complete darkness in a climate controlled room for over 2 years. When I examined it a few months ago, it was yellowed all over. So lack of sunlight is not a solution. I have read that air exposure still mixes with UV which causes degradation. I've also read that heat causes degradation too, but that wasn't a factor in my first one's discoloration since mine was in a climate controlled room. I was thinking of putting mine in a XL4 Zip-Lock bag made for clothing. But I'm wondering if that is overkill?
doesn't mean the cardboard didn't let light pass through it only takes a little bit of light, over what, 25 years since it's release? and you expect no light to get through the box, which is made out of cardboard, which is made out of trees, which is biodegradable?
Yellowing is mostly caused by the brominated flame ******ants used in almost all plastics in the '80s and '90s, before their use in toys was outlawed (in the US) and replaced by different types of plastics. Bromine binding with oxygen is what causes the discoloration of plastics (all colors, not just white): although UV light accelerates the disoloration process on the bromides which have leached to the surface it is not a necessary condition. It means the yellowing can happen in a darkened enclosed box, without any light. Remember, back in the days when these toys were made, they were not made to last, and plastic chemical mixes were often less than perfectly mixed: some batches will probably have contained more bromines than others. Considering this, the best way to store plastics is probably in a space with a minimal amount of oxygen!
Nope, actually it's a chemical reaction with oxygene. So, no matter where you put it, it will yellow anyway. Except when there is different plastic used. There are examples of old Super Nintendos where they used different plastics and they are partially yellow and partially bright grey.
I have my Fort Max displayed in my room and he's exposed to sunlight (not directly). I haven't had an issue with him yellowing yet. I always check to see if he's starting to yellow. I don't have the box or inserts any longer. But he's still looks damn good and am proud to be a Fort Max owner!!
Mine spent a while on display out of direct sunlight. It's still happily white. Currently though it's stood stashed away in my wardrobe because I needed the display space. If it ever yellows then so be it.
Mine was forgotten about in its original box (minus styrofoam) jammed packed with a shit tonne load of other G1 figs in a damp smelly cellar (it was up on a shelf thankfully). No yellowing at all. In fact none of the figs had yellowed IIRC, even Metroplex was fine and there was another 3 boxes of equal size jammed full. Whoever scored that was a lucky bastard thinking back! Cellars ftw.
I guess an important factor to consider is how the Fort Max was played with during its "toy-life." If a kid constantly played with it outdoors and in sunlight, I'm pretty sure that increases the risk of yellowing over time, whereas perhaps someone who had less sunshine time or outdoor time with theirs might not see a change if at all. That's the uncertainty you face whenever buying one.
