Frost on MOC Figures - Does it Return???

SithlordWS6 · Mar 30, 2013

Hey All,
So I just put a MOC figure I have that had some frosting on it out in the Florida sun for about 15 minutes and it removed all of the frost beautifully! For others who have done this, does the frost ever return after time if it is stored/displayed properly?

Also, since the "frost" is really a mold, is it ok to put a MOC figure that has it in a display case with other figures that do not have the frost? Has anyone seen it jump from one figure to another?

Thanks,
Chris

Joe_O · Mar 30, 2013

Don't quote me on this but I am pretty sure it can return, you may have to repeat the procedure this time next year for example but on the plus side I have never heard of it spreading from one figure to another. The bubble probably does a good enough job of keeping it contained.

michael_mensinger · Mar 30, 2013

Hi Chris,

The frost is not believed to be mold, it's believed to be plasticizers migrating to the surface of the figure.

Mike

SithlordWS6 · Mar 30, 2013

Really Mike? I always heard it was a mold. Do you have any links or old posts that discuss this?

JEFFS_MUSEUM · Mar 30, 2013

I have found that in my collection I have used light to remove frosting and as long as I keep my dehumidifier running all the time I never see it come back and my bubbles stay clear as well as my capes do not discolor. All of these things did happen to me before I installed my dehumidifier.

Jeff

Ross_C · Mar 31, 2013

Not sure I understand you from multiple posts. Are you saying one should have a dehumidifier to help protect thier collection? /jk

Out of curiosity whats the level of humidity around your collection?

JEFFS_MUSEUM said:
I have found that in my collection I have used light to remove frosting and as long as I keep my dehumidifier running all the time I never see it come back and my bubbles stay clear as well as my capes do not discolor. All of these things did happen to me before I installed my dehumidifier.

Jeff

michael_mensinger · Mar 31, 2013

SithlordWS6 wrote:

Really Mike? I always heard it was a mold. Do you have any links or old posts that discuss this?

There have definitely been discussions in the past about it, but I don't have links off the top of my head.

- Mike

tapuvae · Mar 31, 2013

I always thought "mold" was just a descriptor? I mean what would actually be molding?

michael_mensinger · Mar 31, 2013

Chris, I think it's definitely a case of a descriptor being misconstrued. Since dry sunny conditions (the opposite of what folks associate with a mold-favorable environment) make the frosting go away I can easily see how non-science minded collectors make the leap to misunderstanding the descriptor to mean a true mold. I think "frosting" is a much better descriptor in that regard as it doesn't lead to false assumptions.

Mike

M4K3R1 · Mar 31, 2013

I have frosting on my Italian/Harbert MOC Vader, seems to be common on these,
i did place it in the sun for about 30 minutes, aproximatelly 1 year ago,
and it worked a treat, all the frosting was gone.
About 1 month ago i had a quick look at it again, ( been in storage since )
and the frosting has returned, to exactlly the same areas as before.
I will have to look into one of those Dehumidifier thingy's that Jeff mentions.

Not sure if this is the same thing, but i also noticed that on 1 of my MOC, MIM LL Rotj Vader's,
the figure seems to be oozing some kind of liquid/clear/oil.
I was wondering if this oil is the start of Frosting?

Jeff, you mentioned you use light, not sunlight?,
what type of light do/did you use to get rid of frosting,
just wondering also, if using sunlight to remove the frost,
could be the start of causing a MOC bubble to yellow?

BillCable · Apr 1, 2013

It's not actually mold, obviously. And it does come back.

SithlordWS6 · Apr 1, 2013

For anyone who has done this to the same MOC figure more than once, did you notice any changes to the bubble from sun exposure?

John_Solo · Apr 1, 2013

JEFFS_MUSEUM said:
I have found that in my collection I have used light to remove frosting and as long as I keep my dehumidifier running all the time I never see it come back and my bubbles stay clear as well as my capes do not discolor. All of these things did happen to me before I installed my dehumidifier.

Jeff

Ross_C said:
Not sure I understand you from multiple posts. Are you saying one should have a dehumidifier to help protect thier collection? /jk Out of curiosity whats the level of humidity around your collection?

I bought a dehumidifier to protect my collection as well - about 4 years ago. I keep it running 24 hours a day.

Small amount of money to spend for a good peace of mind, methinks.