Guide To Re-Spray Painting your controllers for melee(Updated 4/3/07)

[red stone]

i second wii sticks

 

[DP's Mario]

Another DP Exclusive!!

This time, I went for the Orange - Red color look...Nice.

And there you have it! Another controller that I've done by myself. I faded the colors once again, and gave my controller a nice, fancy look. This controller sparkles when it's shone in the light.

 

[zKillah]

Controller looks killer, DP. I LOVE the fade, it really stands out. How many clear coats did you put? That is one shiny shell.

 

[DP's Mario]

Controller looks killer, DP. I LOVE the fade, it really stands out. How many clear coats did you put? That is one shiny shell.

About 2-3 clear coats. It's still trying to dry up still, so it's still sorta soft. I gotta wait until it dries up, now. It's basically the controller I'm using for Brawl.

 

[Girl]

Thanks for this guide

 

[Hitaku]

So ya...DP your controller looks awesome ^^. I was thinking about doing a purple to black fade myself but to be honest I really don't know how you did it so well. Any tips on the fade process?
Has anyone confirmed the legality of the Wii joystick replacement for both the normal joystick and the c-stick?
Also, How do these controllers feel in your hands compared to a normal one? Does the paint give it a weird texture/feel?

 

[Binx]

DP can you explain how you got that sexy fade look? I want to do that with my controller using pink and blue.

 

[Yeroc]

My controller got rave reviews at C3. No one told me I couldn't use it either, except for Tope but I'm fairly certain he was joking. >_> <_<

 

[RoyTheFlamboyant]

Isn't Tope always joking anyway? lol, just kidding.

Yeah, Yeroc, your controllers are amazing. *w* And I still need to get my pics up here (never gonna happen~) :3

 

[Liewyel]

For clear coat, would Varnish work? I used to use it in WH40k modeling, and it worked with those plastics/paints, but will it work with this method?

 

[rake]

thx for this it helped me and my freind color ours ^.^

 

[-PM-]

hey does anyone know if you can tighten up your control stick

cause mine is so loose its effecting my ownage with fox and falco and mario =[

 

[ConnorTheKid]

Thanks a lot for this guide, I made a beautiful blue controller and my friend made a green/black controller I'll post pictures of my controller soon

 

[Yeroc]

The only way I know of to restore a control stick is to replace the module or buy a new controller (essentially one and the same as I don't know anyone who sells those modules). My controller, fortunately, has the plastic screw-in type used on Classic Controllers (as opposed to metal ones with solder pins) so I'll be caniballizing those as time goes on - assuming of course I prefer to keep my Gamecube controller for Brawl, but I'm confident I will.

 

[LelandStanfordJr]

If you've noticed your performance (and intelligence) declining after spraypainting your controller, check to see if you've used a lead-based paint.

 

[Maben]

In addition to the black, purple, and orange (well, and indigo and whatever else they did in japan) and eventually the silver, they sold a purple controller that had a clear back. So I picked one of those up and lightly sprayed it with blue, and did the top all in blue. So it looked blue, or mostly blue, and you could see the LED glow inside too. It was pretty sweet.

Yep, drilled all the holes myself. I work on my guitars too so I feel fairly comfortable doing handy things like that.

Also, just gotta say that I'm loving the Wii sticks. Anyone feeling adventurous I recommend you at least try them out.

Hi there Yeroc, I actually met you at Catonsville on Saturday. Decided to check out this thread again after seeing what you can do with a controller and happened upon your posts lol. I guess maybe it's not as coincidental as it feels. .

Yeroc did quite the number on his controller there, both the joysticks are substituted and are much higher than normal, which feels odd but if you get used to it might actually help your play I suppose. This controller looks really cool, wish I could have seen it in the dark.

 

[Liewyel]

great thread, as of now i've got my controller primed, just thinking of what color scheme to use

 

[ollecram]

i just followed this guide and painted my controller yesterday. i know in the guide it said resist all temptation and let it dry before touching it.....but i just had to put it together. i couldn't help myself. and now i have some little flat spots where i leaned it. it kinda sucks to have flat spots and finger prints on it, but my controller rocks!!! great guideline.

 

[tennisthehilife]

When you paint over does it feel the same? Better or worse?

 

[Yeroc]

It will most likely feel a little different. If you're really good, you can get it to feel close to the same as before, almost so it's not noticeable, but it's there, though you get used to it after a while. I don't mind the difference in feel because I really enjoy having a one-of-a-kind controller.

 

[Liewyel]

got mine just about finished, the spray can calls the color "blue angel blue" and i opted to matte varnish it.

 

[Yeroc]

Bump for this awesome topic. Has no one else decided to try and make one of these?

I did a N64 controller with a "sunburst" effect this week, to see how well it would come out. Quality of paint cans aside, I think it worked wonderfully, so I thought I'd post pictures for everyone to see. I almost think the effect worked better on this controller than the GC one, but I still like the blue/white of that controller. Enjoy!

 

[inside]

Omg sick! I'll do this right away.

 

[Winged Messiah]

Bump for this awesome topic. Has no one else decided to try and make one of these?

I did a N64 controller with a "sunburst" effect this week, to see how well it would come out. Quality of paint cans aside, I think it worked wonderfully, so I thought I'd post pictures for everyone to see. I almost think the effect worked better on this controller than the GC one, but I still like the blue/white of that controller. Enjoy!

AWSOME. Incredble job... How did you get the faded effect, may I ask?

 

[Winged Messiah]

double post, major lag =/.

 

[Yeroc]

I whipped up a crappy diagram to explain it.

I did it by keeping the nozzle of the can really close to the controller, and then moved it carefully over the edges to apply the paint to the top and sides. The controller was elevated from the ground, and I wasted a LOT of paint trying to get this effect.

 

[OoNoiRoO]

Ok, this needs an update.

Paint for plastics does not work out so well. Yes, it may come out looking nice along with the top coat, but over use, the paint rubs off and your controller will have an icky feeling. Also, depending on how you paint, the general feel and look of the controller will highly vary(very milky, robust, crappy, etc.).

I'm really surprised this hasn't been brought up.

http://alcaron.blogspot.com/2006/12/noir-360-wireless-controller.html

The solution is just to use vinyl paint found at auto shops n' such.

The paint bonds to the plastic itself, so thus, the feeling of a new unpainted controller is given, as well as the paint/color not rubbing off through use either. Cost is also cheaper since there is no need for primer and/or top coat. Pretty much, the better and cheaper alternative. And no difference in appliance either. Just spray as usual.

I've already done this to 2 of my wiimotes and the result is supurb(red and black if you're wondering). Not to my GCN controller though since... well... havn't played smash in a month.

If this has been mentioned before, well, I'm mentioning it again because vinyl paint is MUCH BETTER.

 

[BrandonOwnageking]

you should do a guide on making designs on the controller and stuff

 

[BrandonOwnageking]

u should do a guide on designs on the controller

 

[Pamaro]

Thats my red/orange controller with a gold plug-in

 

[WIGI]

i don't have an ebay acount.. so i improvised my trwing. it satrted out as a phillips head, and i flattened the one side thinking the other 2 teath would with into the tri wing.. and they did. but it masivly stripped the screw.. so i filled it into a flat-head that was small enough to fit between 2 of the gaps of the screw.. still stripped it like mad.


so my little pen screwdriver is getting short, but then i got an idea, and file it into a flat tipped right angle triangle, so 2 sides are teh same with one side a bit longer. i then tapered this a bit and flattened the tip. works perfectly. each corner of the triangle fits into a groove on teh screw.


im also in teh midst of painting my controler. i screwed up once, cuz my clear coat (krylon tripple thick) made the paint run off teh controller. its old finish.. so i threw it away. i sanded it down and started again, it looks good so far, im on my 2nd coat of green. my controller has 2 wii-classic controler sticks in it and im going to paint the buttons white eventually... anyoen know why my clear coat would make my paint run? (both layers, after they ahd set for 24 hours.

 

[Yeroc]

A 2mm flathead would serve you better. I've used them for years now with no issues.

Protip: N64 controller screws are the same size as GCN controller screws but with Phillips heads. Swap them out if you want an easier time getting into your favorite controller.

Later today I plan to conduct a few tests with LEDs and such, figuring out all the possible ways to get them to light up. I already found one way to make them light continuously while the controller is plugged in, but I want to see if there are other, simpler ways. Later I'll post what I've found out.

 

[WIGI]

yeah im interested in adding green leds somplace in my controller.. also, ahs anyone found ways to sue any other parts from a classic controler or wii controler? i ahve 2 classic controler thumbsticks, and wated to add a wii d-pad, but because its such a diferent thickness it wouldn't work.. any ideas on how to do this?

 

[Yeroc]

I don't think you'd be able to pull that one off.

On the plus side, I figured out all the ways you can connect an LED to the circuit. I'm working on a guide presently, and I will probably add pictures a little later.

 

[WIGI]

sweet thanks, can you asloa dd what size led you used, and what kind of resistor? thx. i was thinking i could file of a large chunk of the gc d-pad to fit into the wii, then build up teh wii one for teh gc controller, i could make the rasie out of wood then glue it with epoxy. i dunnp, chances are i wont lol. probably just paint my current d-pad. my controller wil be ready tomorow, im just letting it cure right now. what kind of clear coat should i buy? like waht brand?

 

[lorddave551]

I wanted to do a zelda themed controller but i'm stuck on one part of it. I was gonna paint the thing green, about the shade of link's tunic. But the part that i don't really know how to do is this, i wanted to put a triforce on it. It would go right where the words "Nintendo Gamecube" are on a real controller. How would i do this? I wanted three of the triangles to be gold colored with the center bit of it being the same green as the rest of the controller. Any ideas are much appreciated. And i want a method that will give me a very good looking triforce, last thing i want is a crooked triforce. Thanks.

 

[Yeroc]

Spray that area gold first and let it dry, then put tape triangles just exactly how you want your triforce to look (use the blue painer's tape) then paint over it with the green. Be sure you let the green dry longer than ordinary, or it won't come off cleanly. To remove the tape, you'll have to poke at it gently with an Xacto knife. Be sure not to gouge holes in the gold paint, just scrape at the triangles till they come up.

 

[lorddave551]

how would i get the tape into such neat triangles? If i hand cut it i'm sure i'd mess up somewhere, besides, i have to create 3 identical triangles at the same time...

 

[Drumma_Boi]

print a pattern offline and then use the tape and an exacto knife and match the tape to the stencil u printed offline


also the wii classic controller sticks I put on my controller the day after I bought that classic controller. I love then soo much not having that stubby C-Stick. lol


Also @ Yurok - Nice controller, but I cant believe you wasted a Clear shell like the one in you controller's picture. I try so hard to get people to trade me their clear shells and me finding ones to buy that aren't too expensive.

All I can say is the clear bottoms are the coolest and I need to get pics of my controller on here.

 

[cultofrubik]

This thread is so much ownage. I just do not see why it's been dead for so long.

*Painted my controller using this guide*


=D