Painting plastics

CupNoodle · Post by **CupNoodle** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 5:31 pm

I've made several unsuccessful attempts at painting consoles (just accessories) and my Saturn needs a makeover. I've modded it with a region switch and a Revision 2 access LED. My power light is yellow and my access light is blue. I'm thinking yellow bottom shell. A light, flat, almost sky blue, for the top shell, and a yellow lid. How much should I sand is the biggest question. What type of paint should I use is the next most important in my mind. Krylon has a paint especially made for plastics that I've seen advertised. Please help, I need a project to feed my modding spirit!

FETUS · Post by **FETUS** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:57 pm

Sand it till it looks clean and give it a healthy coat of krylon make sure theres no runs and let it dry, if it doesn't look right just add another coat.

Dreamcast ? · Post by **Dreamcast ?** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 8:13 pm

Remember to use a very high-grit sandpaper to make it smooth. The case probably won't have many blemishes, and is still is just bare colored plastic, so all you'll really want to do is lightly rough up the surface so the paint can adhere a little better. Remember to work evenly or else you'll have high and low spots all over.

- Dreamcast ?

DCFan2004 · Post by **DCFan2004** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:36 am

If you're going to use Krylon Fusion (the spray paint that bonds to plastics) you don't need to sand the system at all. I would recomend washing it down with warm soapy water though to get rid of any grease that may be on the system. I've painted three Dreamcasts with Fusion and haven't sanded any of them, and the paint hasn't chiped or flaked at all.

Caboose · Post by **Caboose** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:08 am

I apinted a controller not long ago with some generic paint for plastic lawn furniture and it worked great. I didn't sand it, but I did wash the controller. Many, many, very light coats is the key. I need some clear coat though because the controller scratches very easily.

Smiley · Post by **Smiley** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 6:01 pm

Somone suggsted using a site called dickblick.com to order the krylon fusion, but they wanted $6 for just one can. I found it cheaper at Wal-Mart, for $3.77/bottle.

Was just sharing; woot!!!

Raijin Z · Post by **Raijin Z** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 6:47 pm

Walmart was selling it for $2.50.

It's not perfect paint, it's easy to scratch. =_=

Just don't paint anything you'll be touching a lot.

DCFan2004 · Post by **DCFan2004** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:36 pm

Raijin Z wrote:Walmart was selling it for $2.50.

It's not perfect paint, it's easy to scratch. =_=

Just don't paint anything you'll be touching a lot.

All paint scratches unless you put some type of clear or top coat on it.

Alexvrb · Post by **Alexvrb** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:59 pm

Some paint resists scratching better than others. My first car didn't have a clear coat, old school automotive paint was extremely durable. Modern cars use clearcoats which can often enhance appearance and protect the paint, but the clearcoat isn't all that tough either. It can become scratched pretty easily - its just less noticible when a clear layer is scratched and easier to "fix".

kingbuzzo · Post by **kingbuzzo** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:55 pm

if you've ever seen results from vinyl pain, you'll probably never want to use anything else. I'm looking for some now.

If I can't find that, I'll just use the plastic furniture paint we sell at home depot.

Alexvrb · Post by **Alexvrb** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:43 pm

Krylon Fusion works pretty well for the most part, but I suppose vinyl paint could do well too. I know you can get vinyl paint from automotive stores, and I assume any place that handles a good amount of spraypaints should carry it too.

CupNoodle · Post by **CupNoodle** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 12:21 pm

Well the painting is going better than expected. I used a plastic primer and lots of thin coats of regular spray paint. The blue got a little thick so I sanded the uneven spots down and its good for another coat. The sky blue and yellow scheme is pretty hot imho.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 12:45 pm

Smiley wrote:Somone suggsted using a site called dickblick.com to order the krylon fusion, but they wanted $6 for just one can. I found it cheaper at Wal-Mart, for $3.77/bottle.

Was just sharing; woot!!!

You also have to be 18 to walk into a store and buy it, which not all of us are.

CupNoodle · Post by **CupNoodle** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 12:55 pm

Naked Nick wrote:
Smiley wrote:Somone suggsted using a site called dickblick.com to order the krylon fusion, but they wanted $6 for just one can. I found it cheaper at Wal-Mart, for $3.77/bottle.

Was just sharing; woot!!!
You also have to be 18 to walk into a store and buy it, which not all of us are.

I'm about to sound like a hippie-liberal-douche, but Wal-Mart can just die. I absolutely hate that place. It has completely destroyed the land value of buildings around it and the urban sprawl problem in Colorado Springs isn't stopping any time soon. Completely off the topic of painting, but man do I hate it. I'll take my local shops, kthx.

Alexvrb · Post by **Alexvrb** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 10:22 pm

You just need to find the heart of the walmart, and then destroy it. It's easy. But I warn you... you will not succeed, and you will die trying.

DCFan2004 · Post by **DCFan2004** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:20 pm

Naked Nick wrote: You also have to be 18 to walk into a store and buy it, which not all of us are.

They carded me to buy compressed air last week, anything that you can "huff" they'll card you on. Most of the time they just dont care.

Alexvrb wrote:You just need to find the heart of the walmart, and then destroy it. It's easy. But I warn you... you will not succeed, and you will die trying.

Oh my god! This screwdriver set is only $6.86, you boys go ahead I need to buy this right away.

kingbuzzo · Post by **kingbuzzo** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 4:31 am

I get my krylon fusion from work (home depot)

It works really well, but the finish on it isn't very good, right now I'm trying to put on some clear finish laquer coat. While it's a good strong pretecting spray, it isn't very smooth, and could really use some gloss to it. I'm already using white gloss krylon and I'm still not getting any glossyness.

I'll post some pictures of the results.
I'm painting a gamegear, a psx, and a wireless saturn controller.

peace,

Kingbuzzo.