RelaxImAProfessional
Smash Lord
A GUIDE TO RE-SPRAY PAINTING YOUR CONTROLLERS FOR MELEE
Guide by YES! and RelaxImAProfessional
Guide Editing, Picture Compiling, and Guide Inspiring by RelaxImAProfessional
Guide Compiled by MZero17
updated - 4/3/07
Everyone, don't let nintendo force you into color-communism. customize! and...taste the rainbow! !
Read First:
0. This process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour or so once you have the tools. This is pretty much really easy to do and is why I usually dont take offers to paint peoples controllers. Once you are good it could takes 20 minutes to open, sand, and paint a controller. then you just let it set somewhere to dry. You pretty much have to wait a day for them to dry correctly before use. I would highly recommend you just use a different controller for a week. How long it takes before you can use your controller again depends a lot on how good you painted it, the paint you used, etc... Since melee is aggressive Just try to wait for more then a day.
1. It DOES NOT show how to deal with wavebirds since they are usually banned unless the tourney is small Wavebirds are banned because of frequency issues. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND using WIRED CONTROLLERS FOR MELEE. They are easier to grip and control and do not need batteries.
2. This Guide is to help COSMETICALLY mod controllers for MELEE specifically. This guide is specifically for controllers that will get a beating by the hands of melee enthusiasts. Not for the average gamer controllers that stay all nice and clean.
3. It DOES NOT show how to mod controller functionality.
4. It DOES NOT guide you in how to solder, cut out, or replace parts because tournament directors might ban it since replacing parts can alter controller functionality.
5. It DOES NOT have a section for inserting LED lights. (this may change)
What you will need:
Tournaments do allow cosmetically modified controllers but that's the extent of it.
1. Tri-wing screw driver- For opening the controller, someone suggested a flathead with some pressure. i personally would use a "Triwing Screwdriver" because it's a specific fit to the screw. you can find one on eBay for about $6. it also does other Nintendo products so it's not a complete waste. I just used it for my controller and i'm 100% satisfied with it.
2. Sandpaper - Just find the finest grit that you can. Something that will take the paint off your controller. When going to buy sandpaper you might wanna take your controller with you and ask someone what kind of sandpaper they have that will take the paint off it.
3. Primer - Primer comes in a spray can just like spray paint. This goes on right before the spray paint. Primer is an adhesion to help the paint stick and not run.
4. Spraypaint color of choice for plastics- I believe someone said that spray paint will make ur controller stickier. I don't agree. What I've found is that depending on how many layers of paint and clear coat you apply, it'll come out a bit rougher or very smooth. I bought 3 different color myself.
5. Clear Coat - This goes on after the paint. It is coating for the paint. Obviously. Keeping you controller smooth and protected.
As for the actual process, here's a quick run through.
The Process:
1. Open controller, remove innards carefully (REMEMBER HOW TO PUT IT BACK TOGETHER!)
A note from Yes! - about the use of a flathead screwdriver. i don't have experience with this, but apparently, some people have had great success. that's great! but...please be careful if this causes any stripping of the screw. if the screwdriver is turning the screw but causes any damage, be careful.. i personally have opened up my controller a fair amount of times for maintenance and cleaning. if for every time, i had stripped the screw a little bit, i would have destroyed it...so don't hesitate on spending a mere $6 for a tri-wing screwdriver. BUT, if the flathead truly does work without a hitch, power to you!
A note from Relaximaprofessional - I got my triwing screwdriver from ebay, about 5 bucks including shipping.
2. Wash the shell, making sure to get all the grime from the sides (yuck)
3. After drying it (towel, blowdryer, airdry, whatever works)
4. Sand down the entire surface lightly with 600 grit sandpaper (i actually dont remember
the #, find the highest grdade sandpaper u can at homedepot. btw, this is to give the paint a better surface to stick to) When you start to sand the bare controller (with very fine sandpaper, 600 grit should work), the plastic will turn opaque, slightly white and that should be enough, nothing too serious.
5. Aplly Primer. You don't have to sand the primer. the nature of the primer itself should allow enough adhesion to the color paint.
6. Apply spraypaint color of choice. I used 3 coats and let the paint dry according to the
can's instructions (i used a paint made specfically for plastic, but my friend used one made for wicker chairs since he wanted that color. and suppose it works because in the end, you'll be covering everything with clearcoat). When painting the controller, you'll find that it's difficult to get the area between the 2 pods (i dont know the real term) that house the c-stick and d-pad. don't be tempted to spray those areas without keeping constant motion of the can. just try an up-down motion, then some diagonal motions. you'll get it.
7. When you're done with letting the color COMPLETELY dry, u can either sand it lightly again, or not. i forgot to sand it again, but my controller still looks beautiful so i suppose it isn't needed.
8. Start applying your clear coat the same way you did your color. suggest ~4 coats. my friend chose more coats and it came out very smooth. he likes it that way, but i prefer what he calls "rough and ready"
9. Fight off your temptation and let the sucker completely dry.
10. Reassemble. Enjoy
Some quick spraypainting tips:
1) start and stop spraying away from the controller. the initial sprays tend to shoot out large droplets, something that you don't want. you want a nice even spray so everything is nice and smooth.
2) practice your pressure and motion on newspaper to get the hang of things.
3) keep a constant speed and motion when you spray the controller.
4) do NOT be tempted to go back and forth with one spray. some people can do this, but i suggest you do everything in small spurts of single passes.
5) make sure you have good lighting so that you can see where you haven't covered with color yet.
6) do NOT reassemble until 24 hours after your final layer of clear coat. RESIST all temptation.
Other important info to know when painting:
1) I recommend a facemask in case you breathe in paint particles, lots of newspaper, a pair of steady hands and this bad boy:
- this is a little device for spray cans that they sell at your hardware store. it looks like a gunhandle and goes on top of the spraypaint nozzle. i suggest you buy this because it gives you more control of the pressure at which you spray. don't hestitate at it's ~$4 price. it's worth it.
2) All the supplies should not cost you that much. i think the cost and the effort was all worth it in the end because my controller is very noticable in a crowd of original colors. it does however put more pressure on you to perform well because people see you elite controller and expect you to be just as elite (@_@)
3) There are dyes availible that bond to the plastic. this can be good since you won't have to worry about chipping. painting this controller is essentially like painting a computer case/mouse and there are several guides out there. you can skim those so that you are more confident going into this.
4) I used a brand called "painter's touch" for plastics. there is a brand called krylon which is the most expensive and probably the best. i dont think you need to dish out the extra cash though. but then like i said, my friend used some paint for wicker chairs @_@ and that worked out fine for him.
Button painting and Plug painting:
- along with coloring my controller, i painted my buttons too. i painted A, B, and Z white. and left X, Y, R, L grey. it came out oh so nice. BUT, my archnemesis, friction, eventually reared his ugly head and the original plastic is showing through the sides of my A and B buttons because of the intense rubbing against the shell. o well, i can go back and paint it. if you choose to do like as did and paint your buttons, i suggest 2 LIGHT coats of primer, 2 coats of color, 3 LIGHT coats of clearcoat. i say light because you don't the primer+color+clear getting so thick that it no longer slides in the hole easily.
also, you've gone this far, might as well do the controller plug too! use masking tape to cover the silver part, use masking tape to cover the cord as close as you can to the plug. then put the controller with the remaining unexposed cord into a plastic grocery bag for protection. follow the same steps to color the plug.
Pictures to help understand better:
here's a picture of my controller if you're curious. i chose powder blue because it was different but not too extreme and painful to my retinas like neon green (my original choice haha). as you can see, the control stick is interchangable with the c-stick. i did this purely for aesthetic reason. i doubt it gives you any gameplay advantage. maybe in a FPS, but not in smash. in fact, it might cause you to do the wrong aerial since the control stick is fatter...o well, i like the uniformity.
if you are careful with remembering how things were when u took it apart, you would have noticed this. just to make sure though:
the white sliding pieces should be slid up all the way upon reassembly
make sure the little bar fits into the L/R trigger like so. responsitivity depends on this!
i really like it!
Q&A:
Q: What should you worry or be careful about when you open the controller(will anything fall out, or is anything easy to break)
A: open the controller upside-down, nothing will fall out because most of the pieces are stuck between teh top shell and the circuit board. take part the innards slowly, remembered where things go and how they go in. don't worry it's really simple and nintendo uses quality plastics :^) you shouldn't worry too much.
Q:How long do you dry it, does the paint tell you or does the controller surface require more or less time to dry.
A:the spraypaint can should give you specific instructions for drying. they suggest applying additional layers either within the hour or after 24 hours. i don't understand why the times are so different, but maybe it has to do with how the paint cures (dries). the nintendo controller plastic isn't anything special so u can treat it just like any other plastic. actually, to be honest, i started applying 1-2 hours after each coat because i couldn't stand to wait. my paint job doesn't have a scratch on it till this day.
Q:How hard is it to put back together?
A:3. it's as easy reassembling as it was assembling. don't worry about it, it's as if nintendo meant for you to take it apart ^_^
-The End.
AND NOW SOME SMASHBOARD USER MOD JOBS!
BY RaSeruCort
I'd like to thank yes! for his awesome posts which led to this:
By G-Ron
keep the thread alive, i did this today after finally getting my tri-wing screwdriver off of ebay. (BTW it only cost $0.99 + $5 shipping)
http://img370.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10100136mx.jpg
http://img370.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10100144wo.jpg
By Redd
Well, after three days it's finally finished! When I find my other one I will make a Dark Sapphire one. This was $$$ well spent, I recommend it. I just have to put in a new control stick to replace the old friction-worn one.
The pictures may be a little blurry, but it is VERY shiny in light. Especially sunlight. Thanks Yes!
Sizzle and his work in progress in pictures.
Enjoy! Thanks to yes! for his great guide which has been flawless so far.
The Supplies
Time for cleaning
Sanded Primed and ready to go!
Here we go. Red and Silver it is
My God its good to be home and finally post the pics of the controller! It turned out great in my opinion ^_^. Enjoy!
RED SHIRT KRT'S PICS
This pic shows the color better, even though its a bit bright
Guide by YES! and RelaxImAProfessional
Guide Editing, Picture Compiling, and Guide Inspiring by RelaxImAProfessional
Guide Compiled by MZero17
updated - 4/3/07
Everyone, don't let nintendo force you into color-communism. customize! and...taste the rainbow! !
Read First:
0. This process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour or so once you have the tools. This is pretty much really easy to do and is why I usually dont take offers to paint peoples controllers. Once you are good it could takes 20 minutes to open, sand, and paint a controller. then you just let it set somewhere to dry. You pretty much have to wait a day for them to dry correctly before use. I would highly recommend you just use a different controller for a week. How long it takes before you can use your controller again depends a lot on how good you painted it, the paint you used, etc... Since melee is aggressive Just try to wait for more then a day.
1. It DOES NOT show how to deal with wavebirds since they are usually banned unless the tourney is small Wavebirds are banned because of frequency issues. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND using WIRED CONTROLLERS FOR MELEE. They are easier to grip and control and do not need batteries.
2. This Guide is to help COSMETICALLY mod controllers for MELEE specifically. This guide is specifically for controllers that will get a beating by the hands of melee enthusiasts. Not for the average gamer controllers that stay all nice and clean.
3. It DOES NOT show how to mod controller functionality.
4. It DOES NOT guide you in how to solder, cut out, or replace parts because tournament directors might ban it since replacing parts can alter controller functionality.
5. It DOES NOT have a section for inserting LED lights. (this may change)
What you will need:
Tournaments do allow cosmetically modified controllers but that's the extent of it.
1. Tri-wing screw driver- For opening the controller, someone suggested a flathead with some pressure. i personally would use a "Triwing Screwdriver" because it's a specific fit to the screw. you can find one on eBay for about $6. it also does other Nintendo products so it's not a complete waste. I just used it for my controller and i'm 100% satisfied with it.
2. Sandpaper - Just find the finest grit that you can. Something that will take the paint off your controller. When going to buy sandpaper you might wanna take your controller with you and ask someone what kind of sandpaper they have that will take the paint off it.
3. Primer - Primer comes in a spray can just like spray paint. This goes on right before the spray paint. Primer is an adhesion to help the paint stick and not run.
4. Spraypaint color of choice for plastics- I believe someone said that spray paint will make ur controller stickier. I don't agree. What I've found is that depending on how many layers of paint and clear coat you apply, it'll come out a bit rougher or very smooth. I bought 3 different color myself.
5. Clear Coat - This goes on after the paint. It is coating for the paint. Obviously. Keeping you controller smooth and protected.
As for the actual process, here's a quick run through.
The Process:
1. Open controller, remove innards carefully (REMEMBER HOW TO PUT IT BACK TOGETHER!)
A note from Yes! - about the use of a flathead screwdriver. i don't have experience with this, but apparently, some people have had great success. that's great! but...please be careful if this causes any stripping of the screw. if the screwdriver is turning the screw but causes any damage, be careful.. i personally have opened up my controller a fair amount of times for maintenance and cleaning. if for every time, i had stripped the screw a little bit, i would have destroyed it...so don't hesitate on spending a mere $6 for a tri-wing screwdriver. BUT, if the flathead truly does work without a hitch, power to you!
A note from Relaximaprofessional - I got my triwing screwdriver from ebay, about 5 bucks including shipping.
2. Wash the shell, making sure to get all the grime from the sides (yuck)
3. After drying it (towel, blowdryer, airdry, whatever works)
4. Sand down the entire surface lightly with 600 grit sandpaper (i actually dont remember
the #, find the highest grdade sandpaper u can at homedepot. btw, this is to give the paint a better surface to stick to) When you start to sand the bare controller (with very fine sandpaper, 600 grit should work), the plastic will turn opaque, slightly white and that should be enough, nothing too serious.
5. Aplly Primer. You don't have to sand the primer. the nature of the primer itself should allow enough adhesion to the color paint.
6. Apply spraypaint color of choice. I used 3 coats and let the paint dry according to the
can's instructions (i used a paint made specfically for plastic, but my friend used one made for wicker chairs since he wanted that color. and suppose it works because in the end, you'll be covering everything with clearcoat). When painting the controller, you'll find that it's difficult to get the area between the 2 pods (i dont know the real term) that house the c-stick and d-pad. don't be tempted to spray those areas without keeping constant motion of the can. just try an up-down motion, then some diagonal motions. you'll get it.
7. When you're done with letting the color COMPLETELY dry, u can either sand it lightly again, or not. i forgot to sand it again, but my controller still looks beautiful so i suppose it isn't needed.
8. Start applying your clear coat the same way you did your color. suggest ~4 coats. my friend chose more coats and it came out very smooth. he likes it that way, but i prefer what he calls "rough and ready"
9. Fight off your temptation and let the sucker completely dry.
10. Reassemble. Enjoy
Some quick spraypainting tips:
1) start and stop spraying away from the controller. the initial sprays tend to shoot out large droplets, something that you don't want. you want a nice even spray so everything is nice and smooth.
2) practice your pressure and motion on newspaper to get the hang of things.
3) keep a constant speed and motion when you spray the controller.
4) do NOT be tempted to go back and forth with one spray. some people can do this, but i suggest you do everything in small spurts of single passes.
5) make sure you have good lighting so that you can see where you haven't covered with color yet.
6) do NOT reassemble until 24 hours after your final layer of clear coat. RESIST all temptation.
Other important info to know when painting:
1) I recommend a facemask in case you breathe in paint particles, lots of newspaper, a pair of steady hands and this bad boy:
- this is a little device for spray cans that they sell at your hardware store. it looks like a gunhandle and goes on top of the spraypaint nozzle. i suggest you buy this because it gives you more control of the pressure at which you spray. don't hestitate at it's ~$4 price. it's worth it.
2) All the supplies should not cost you that much. i think the cost and the effort was all worth it in the end because my controller is very noticable in a crowd of original colors. it does however put more pressure on you to perform well because people see you elite controller and expect you to be just as elite (@_@)
3) There are dyes availible that bond to the plastic. this can be good since you won't have to worry about chipping. painting this controller is essentially like painting a computer case/mouse and there are several guides out there. you can skim those so that you are more confident going into this.
4) I used a brand called "painter's touch" for plastics. there is a brand called krylon which is the most expensive and probably the best. i dont think you need to dish out the extra cash though. but then like i said, my friend used some paint for wicker chairs @_@ and that worked out fine for him.
Button painting and Plug painting:
- along with coloring my controller, i painted my buttons too. i painted A, B, and Z white. and left X, Y, R, L grey. it came out oh so nice. BUT, my archnemesis, friction, eventually reared his ugly head and the original plastic is showing through the sides of my A and B buttons because of the intense rubbing against the shell. o well, i can go back and paint it. if you choose to do like as did and paint your buttons, i suggest 2 LIGHT coats of primer, 2 coats of color, 3 LIGHT coats of clearcoat. i say light because you don't the primer+color+clear getting so thick that it no longer slides in the hole easily.
also, you've gone this far, might as well do the controller plug too! use masking tape to cover the silver part, use masking tape to cover the cord as close as you can to the plug. then put the controller with the remaining unexposed cord into a plastic grocery bag for protection. follow the same steps to color the plug.
Pictures to help understand better:
here's a picture of my controller if you're curious. i chose powder blue because it was different but not too extreme and painful to my retinas like neon green (my original choice haha). as you can see, the control stick is interchangable with the c-stick. i did this purely for aesthetic reason. i doubt it gives you any gameplay advantage. maybe in a FPS, but not in smash. in fact, it might cause you to do the wrong aerial since the control stick is fatter...o well, i like the uniformity.
if you are careful with remembering how things were when u took it apart, you would have noticed this. just to make sure though:
the white sliding pieces should be slid up all the way upon reassembly
make sure the little bar fits into the L/R trigger like so. responsitivity depends on this!
i really like it!
Q&A:
Q: What should you worry or be careful about when you open the controller(will anything fall out, or is anything easy to break)
A: open the controller upside-down, nothing will fall out because most of the pieces are stuck between teh top shell and the circuit board. take part the innards slowly, remembered where things go and how they go in. don't worry it's really simple and nintendo uses quality plastics :^) you shouldn't worry too much.
Q:How long do you dry it, does the paint tell you or does the controller surface require more or less time to dry.
A:the spraypaint can should give you specific instructions for drying. they suggest applying additional layers either within the hour or after 24 hours. i don't understand why the times are so different, but maybe it has to do with how the paint cures (dries). the nintendo controller plastic isn't anything special so u can treat it just like any other plastic. actually, to be honest, i started applying 1-2 hours after each coat because i couldn't stand to wait. my paint job doesn't have a scratch on it till this day.
Q:How hard is it to put back together?
A:3. it's as easy reassembling as it was assembling. don't worry about it, it's as if nintendo meant for you to take it apart ^_^
-The End.
AND NOW SOME SMASHBOARD USER MOD JOBS!
BY RaSeruCort
I'd like to thank yes! for his awesome posts which led to this:
By G-Ron
keep the thread alive, i did this today after finally getting my tri-wing screwdriver off of ebay. (BTW it only cost $0.99 + $5 shipping)
http://img370.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10100136mx.jpg
http://img370.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10100144wo.jpg
By Redd
Well, after three days it's finally finished! When I find my other one I will make a Dark Sapphire one. This was $$$ well spent, I recommend it. I just have to put in a new control stick to replace the old friction-worn one.
The pictures may be a little blurry, but it is VERY shiny in light. Especially sunlight. Thanks Yes!
Sizzle and his work in progress in pictures.
Enjoy! Thanks to yes! for his great guide which has been flawless so far.
The Supplies
Time for cleaning
Sanded Primed and ready to go!
Here we go. Red and Silver it is
My God its good to be home and finally post the pics of the controller! It turned out great in my opinion ^_^. Enjoy!
RED SHIRT KRT'S PICS
This pic shows the color better, even though its a bit bright