painting controller

[Ghost In Black]

sorry if this is a little noobish:
Ok, I've been reading some posts and it seems like there are MANY different ways to paint your controller. I want to use a vinyl spray paint, and maybe make it look like blue or red tiger camo. From what I've read, I'll also need a clear coat to keep it in good condition. If I do need the clear coat, will it make the camo too glossy? One more thing: nobody seems clear on if you need to use sandpaper with the vinyl dye. Thank you so much to whoever takes the time to read this.  
P.S. I have read a lot of tutorials on how to paint your controller.
O.K. I'm done painting and installing LEDs, here's some crappy pics they're from my phone- (Yes I know my paint job needs to be a little bit better. )

[illusionistpro]

The way the vinyl dye/paint works is it penetrates very mildly the layer or plastic its sprayed on.  So clear coating is not really necessary for normal use.  Ive had my controllers almost 8 months now.  They were once pink, now its black and it looks great.  Adding more paint lays up a mm or two or paint on top of the plastic.  It wont change it much but id rather keep it OEM as possible.  No sanding is necessary, rather give it a good wash, rinse and dry.  I cant say the vinyl paint will not come off, actually I can.  The vinyl paint will not come off, but if you scratch the plastic any further than the paint penetrated you will get pink, white whatever color the controller is showing up.  I have small chips near the screwdriver holes and the circle where the joystick rubs the controller case.  Its up to you if you want to clear coat or not, but i think anything that would take off paint, will do so clear coat or no, so my advice is no.  Other advice is wait til the paint is dry, very dry.  And also on the battery pack there is a tricky spot  that i havent read any one post on and its the button to release the clip.  That part is glossy and could be made of different material, im really not sure, but that single piece is the only part that did not take the vinyl paint well.  The paint there chipped off and its showing its whiteness.  On the llama site there is a disasembly tut.  Read that, take apart the batt pack and do that piece individually, i think sanding that piece would help too.

[redryno1221]

^he's right to tell you that the paint will eventually wear off but i strongly advise you to add some kind of clear coat to your controller (or you can literally sweat off the paint in a couple days(speaking from experience)) to delay sweating off the paint or reduce the risk off chipping...

[Ghost In Black]

Ok thanks for the help! And I'll be sure to post pics when it's finished.

[illusionistpro]

^he's right to tell you that the paint will eventually wear off but i strongly advise you to add some kind of clear coat to your controller (or you can literally sweat off the paint in a couple days(speaking from experience)) to delay sweating off the paint or reduce the risk off chipping...

You sweated it off?!  WTH?! Did you paint your controller or dye it?

[bill16504]

I, too, have "sweated" off paint from a controller.

I use the Krylon Fusion, which is made just for plastic. I completely disassembled the controller and wiped it down with rubbing alcohol to clean off all dirt and oil. Didn't matter. After roughly 3 months, the paint on the grips became soft and easily peeled. The rest of the controller was rock hard.

[illusionistpro]

ok i talked this over with vuribe and the difference is there is paint and there is vinyl dye.  USE VINYL DYE for controllers.  read this http://alcaron.blogspot.com/2006/12/noir-360-wireless-controller.html 

[KyleP]

how much is vinyl dye

[bill16504]

ok i talked this over with vuribe and the difference is there is paint and there is vinyl dye.  USE VINYL DYE for controllers.  read this http://alcaron.blogspot.com/2006/12/noir-360-wireless-controller.html 

Nice find. I'll strip off the rest of the Fusion and try the dye.

[KyleP]

take a picture of your controller after you put the vinyl dye on

[bill16504]

I'd imagine it'd look just like the controller in the link a few posts up.

[illusionistpro]

I had a few controllers laying on my desk.  So i had a lil photoshoot.  The vinyl dye isnt much more than a can of good spray paint and I feel it covers much better.  It also comes in an aerosol can so you apply it exactly the same as paint.  Here is the tut if i didnt link it before.  http://alcaron.blogspot.com/2006/12/noir-360-wireless-controller.html







That is what you can basically expect from using the dye.  Again it will not rub off like paint, but if you scrape or chip your controller and plastic comes off, if you go deeper than a mm or so youll have your controller color showing.  Ive had mine about 9 months now and I have minor scrapes on the bottom from wear and tear, none on top and no paint rubbing off.

[bill16504]

Is that pic after the controllers been dyed and used, or just dyed? It looks like the inside of the thumbstick holes are worn back to pink.

[illusionistpro]

Is that pic after the controllers been dyed and used, or just dyed? It looks like the inside of the thumbstick holes are worn back to pink.

Yes that controller was dyed months ago, and used heavily.  For some reason i seem to favor that controller.  And as you pointed out the unfortunate thing is that the inside of the joystick areas always 'scrape' so far with me, however i also waited the minimum drying time, or less.  Maybe some one patient with proper procedures will have different results, or maybe not.  Just givin you guys an idea of what youll get 

[bill16504]

Yes that controller was dyed months ago, and used heavily.  Just givin you guys an idea of what youll get 

That's good to know. I'd expect at least some wearing around the thumbsticks. That's a high contact point and there is a lot of friction there. But it's nice to see the grips held up real good.

[KyleP]

looks ok did u do 2 coats

[psppunk]

okay so... if i had a controller that i had to use bondo on for whatever reason, would the dye react differently to the bondo?

[illusionistpro]

bondo on a controller id hope its from something like a covered button hole you drilled out and not anything worse.  Im not sure how the dye would react with the bondo.  It could just paint it, it could dye it, it mite not even stick.  But if i had to choose one id say it would give it a minor dye job and at min itd be painted.