Beolit 400 Colouradio panel restoration...

So, my first introduction to B&O was growing up with my parents Beolit 400 which sat in the corner of the kitchen happily playing away the sounds of the late 70s and early 80s.

It was only after my Bang & Olufsen epiphany as a teen that I asked if I could have their old radio (as my parents had bought a new midi-system) for myself

So the trusty old Beolit, a kind of creamy yellow/beige colour (little did I know they were meant to be white!), sat pride of place in my bedroom. A few years later I was fortunate enough to visit B&O in Struer with my father and there we were given a brand new pair of red 600 covers which replaced the original ones as soon as I got home. Happy days.

I kept the original covers and cleaned them the best I could but they still just looked tired, however, I always wanted to try and do 'something' with them.

And now, many years later, I have!

I decided to buy an ultrasonic cleaner and give it a go on the panels. In addition I thought I'd try giving them a bath in hyrdogen peroxide, oxi powder and UV light (as it worked so well with my old yellowed Lego bricks).

Take a look....

In the sonic bath!

Before the bath - all the muck in the little holes and a sun-yellowed handle mark!

40+ years of deep grot!

Mmmm - freshly bathed!

Under the sun (and peroxide!)

Before sunbath and after comparison - you can still see a the handle mark but it's a massive improvement!

Cleaner and looking better!

So my first attempt has been an encouraging start, but I'm going to give the panels another bath once I get another 5l of peroxide!

 

Very well done. Looks so much better.

I'm rather tempted to try it on my violet one! It isn't too bad but it is a bit dirty!

Ben

Just done my 700 which was the same colour - the two sides were like yours - rather different shades! The body of the inside was a rather unpleasant green sludge colour - I wonder if this is common to all the different colours? I cannot remember what my red 400 was like. I cleaned mine but have primed it and painted it blue! This had been my original plan when I bought it but is has taken me a number of years to actually get round to it. Still has the original B&O battery tube! Had not used it for ages but came with us to the very north of Scotland where is provided excellent service as no wi-fi or phone signal!

Peter, 

I can't talk for everyone but I have beolits in curry, white, violet and red.  The red panels are still very clean but the white and violet ones look rather worse for wear! I must clean these up like you and Dave have done!

Ben

Thanks Ben! It was a bit of a risk but I thought nothing ventured nothing gained, however, it would be a risk with a violet cover When I cleaned my Lego it was the blue bricks that fared the worst, they weren't as yellow anymore but the blue had faded.

I'm definitely going to give them another go in the peroxide but I've run out and need to wait for it to arrive! I initially used 3% but have bought 12% so I can dilute so it lasts longer.

Peter, you raise a good question - I imagine a fair few of these Coloradios had sets of panels bought during their lifetime when the owners changed decor. I can imagine Margot Leadbetter swapping her violet covers for a nice pair of curry ones to match her lounge

But as for the ultrasonic cleaning I'm most happy with how it brought the panels up!

It looks good, but unfortunately peroxide only provides a temporary solution.

The degrading of the plastics that cause the decoloration continues below the surface.

The yellowing will be visible again before too long (helped by sunlight) and it will be worse than

before the treatment (since more time has passed and time is a factor).

 

Sorry, but many users and collectors of f.e. LEGO bricks was there already.

 

PS. Left in peroxide for too long, the plastics may become brittle.

 

Martin

Thanks Martin, yes the panels do look better now than they did - I'm particularly happy with the ultrasonic cleaning aspect.

I'm aware that the peroxide treatment isn't a permanent fix and that the UV breakdown of the bromine in the plastic will continue to happen but I'm willing to give them a new lease of life short term and see how long it lasts. As far as it looking worse then we'll see - consider me a Beo-guineapig!

With regards to the plastic becoming brittle I've read that this may happen and it was a risk doing these panels. However, compared to a Lego brick they'll have a less physically stressful life on the side of a Beolit 400 so fingers crossed on that one.

Ultimately nothing can turn back time and the chemical reactions that occur, it's just unfortunate that these white covers are the ones most affected visibly as compared to red or black ones.

On a connected note, I know you've produced reproductions of the Beolab/Master 5000 sliders - any plans for Beolit 400 ones?

David

If it doesn't work out - try this

Dillen:

It looks good, but unfortunately peroxide only provides a temporary solution.

The degrading of the plastics that cause the decoloration continues below the surface.

The yellowing will be visible again before too long (helped by sunlight) and it will be worse than

before the treatment (since more time has passed and time is a factor).

 

Sorry, but many users and collectors of f.e. LEGO bricks was there already.

 

PS. Left in peroxide for too long, the plastics may become brittle.

 

Martin

That's interesting Martin.  Have you found an effective way of cleaning the panels which does not have this effect? I'm reluctant to paint any of mine.  Anything which removes the original finish isn't really appealing to me.

Ben

Thanks Peter - an interesting thread for sure! Painting panels certainly gives an immediate wow factor but I don't think I'd go down that route myself, although, it would certainly look interesting to have rose gold or brass panels on a black framed Beolit! I've seen some interesting deposition coatings on plastic items in the past.

Funnily enough one of the posters suggested using Autoglym bumper care on his black panels which is exactly what I did on mine! They looked much improved after a rub over

Ben_S:

Dillen:

It looks good, but unfortunately peroxide only provides a temporary solution.

The degrading of the plastics that cause the decoloration continues below the surface.

The yellowing will be visible again before too long (helped by sunlight) and it will be worse than

before the treatment (since more time has passed and time is a factor).

 

Sorry, but many users and collectors of f.e. LEGO bricks was there already.

 

PS. Left in peroxide for too long, the plastics may become brittle.

 

Martin

That's interesting Martin.  Have you found an effective way of cleaning the panels which does not have this effect? I'm reluctant to paint any of mine.  Anything which removes the original finish isn't really appealing to me.

Ben

I'm afraid the short answer will have to be a no.
The ultrasonic cleaning is good, it won't hurt the panels and it will last until they get dirty again.
Regarding the peroxide, the panels must be in there a loooong time to become brittle. I don't know about repeated treatments, though.
I taught myself a little here and there about rubber and plastics, but I'm in no way a chemist.
- Which brings us to the Beolit 400 slider windows - well.. If demand is there.
Reproducing parts is considered based mainly on my own needs and how much time I can set aside for it (it can take hundreds of
hours to get a part right).
None of the parts I have produced so far broke even yet (and most never will), so I will have to consider economy too, but hey, this is hobby, it's fun and I don't smoke.
Having said that, I listen to the parts requests in my inbox and take notes. Having a bunch of people waiting for a specific part certainly motivates.

Martin

All back together again and I'm very happy - it gives me pleasure to look at it now! It's not perfect, but then again it wasn't before - let's see how long it lasts before starting to re-yellow.

The slider improved somewhat but not as much as I hoped, and it had several applications, but I got rid of a lot of scratches and overall dullness.