I'd love to do something like this to one of my old consoles, but I think I'd just make a mess...
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N64 complete.Comment
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N64 looking good!Comment
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The thing that puts me off painting consoles in general is when you have to paint over stickers and the like.Comment
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Report of the effort it took for those who care.
Step 1. Take the console apart.
Easy really. Take it all apart a store it away safely. I used a large plastic food container. Both the SNES and the N64 pretty
much came apart complete.
Step 2. Prepare the console.
The machine is old and will need to be thoroughly cleaned. I used simple baby wipes, with a bit of effort the machine came out very clean.
Next you need to used some fine sandpaper to allow the primer to grip the plastic. Around 1200 grade is plenty. Lightly sand the whole
machine and every part that needs to be painted. It should be a tiny bit rough after. Blow off all of the residue with a can of compressed
air or a good set of lungs.
In the case of consoles like the SNES UK and the N64 you will need to do a lot of extra preparation. The main issue lies with the on/off
buttons and the reset button. This could also ring true with the Megadrive and many others, it didn't with the USA snes.
What you need to do it sand the edges of the buttons down by around 1-2 mm. Otherwise the thickness of the paint will expand the buttons
causing them not to work when refitting the console. Maybe worth taking 1mm from the button and 1mm from the console.
The machine is now ready to prime.
Step 3. Priming, the false sense of security part.
Priming is easy, it is hard to mess it up and it lulls you in to how easy painting is. Or isn't.
I used PlastiKote Plastic Primer which is available from Wilkinson among other places, works well.
I had the machine down flat as you would if you were playing it for my painting position. This allows full coverage on the top and you
only need to be a little careful at the front and sides to not cause runs.
Hold the can around 25 cm from the machine and start from one side, aim just off the console. I then went around 3-4 swishes across
the machine and slowly moved the can up and over the console. One the top is completed switch to the sides and the rear sections. Don't
worry about a little primer going back on the primed areas, if you are far enough away it will do no harm.
Leave to dry in 25degree heat for around 15 mins and repeat 2 times. You should have a lovely grey console.
Leave to dry for at least 12 hours in warm weather.
Step 4 Painting. I used plastikote plastic paint.
Once the primer is totally dry, give it a light sand with 2000 fine grit. This will remove any imperfections you might have. Blow off
excess as before and set for painting.
Painting is extremely hard and requires a lot of patience. Unlike priming it will look crap for hours and you will think you are doing it wrong.
This is especially true with lighter than grey colours as it takes longer to cover.
Hold the can around 25cm form the machine. Starting in the same place as priming, swish the can just once across and back again, 2 times not 3-4.
Move up the console to the rear and also the sides. This will give you very faint coverage and will look very patchy.
Repeat after 15 mins 2 times.
You should have fair coverage now and the confidence to add more paint. Leave 30 mins since the last coat and go again. This time use 4
swishes across the machine, still 25 cm away.
Do this 3-4 times, leaving 20 mins between coats.
Hopefully now you should have the console all 1 colour. It wont look amazing, just in colour.
Now the trickty part, goint to town.
You need to move the can a little closer, 20mm and layer it on a little thicker. The best thing would be to try it on an EXT port flap or
something. You need to do up to 6 swishes to lay it on just enough so it wont run but it looks thick. It is very hard to explain that exact
moment, practice.
When doing this the console should look fairly wet after applying the paint, if you can pull it off leave to dry for 1 hour. You will need
to repeat once for maximum effect.
Once it is all done, you must leave to dry in warm conditons for 24 hours.
If you are not confident to lay the paint on thicker you don't have too. It just means the finish will not be quite as smooth.
Step 5 Laquering.
This is a tough part but not as hard as painting.
Once the machine is dry it will need to be laquered. I used Plastikote Super Clear.
***optional. You can again lightly sand the console with 2000 grit, very lightly to remove any areas where the paint might have pinched, and
it will pinch. Also it helps apply the laquer. I didn't do this mind as laquer is quite thick.
Laqering is much the same as painting. Start 25 mm away and go 2-4 swishes across, not too think to start. The laquer is clear and much thicker
so will stick well. At first it will look like it has ruined the paint work, it will be all wet and patchy but it will dry and set nicely.
Repeat around 3 times, leaving 15 mins between coats.
Do 2 more times but try 6 swishes to add a little more paint, the more confident the application the better the finish.
Step 6 Finishing up.
OK the final part is simple to let the console dry. I would leave it 48 hours minimum for it to totally dry and harden. You will be handling
with force to put the machine together and will damage it otherwise. After 24 hours it will feel very dry but be very soft.
Also pray you have sanded the buttons enough so they fit.
One final note. All buttons, ext flaps, cart covers etc paint in the same way. Might need a little less paint if the colour is dark like the
SNES and N64 weere but all need Primer, Paint and Laquer.
I hope this helps. I will be doing another machine soon and I will provide picture to go with in next time. Sorry I didn't this time.
Feel free to ask any questions.
Martin.Comment
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