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If you disappear, I will be pretty sure that @Shank had something to do with it.
Worklog Various Cosmetic Console Mods
rscasny
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Not sure if this question belongs here, but I am planning to do a console selling run. How do you correctly paint the console, and what's a good price to sell them for? I bought 5 Dreamcast, and I am planning to custom paint each unit. Along with that, I am planning to perform the region free mod, and the VGA mod. What would be a good price for each console without ripping someone off, or ripping myself off?
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I don't know the answers to many of these questions, but I do want to issue a few words of warning. From what I've seen, It's not a great idea to make a custom console unless someone is specifically looking for a design. Based on the fact that you are asking about how to paint the console, I feel like it is safe to assume that you haven't done this before. I would highly recommend painting yourself a couple Dreamcasts, getting a feel for how it works, and going from there. Don't try to turn console modding into a business before getting lots of experience! It never works out.
Also, not everyone who wants a custom painted console is going to care about and want those mods. I know that for me, VGA and region free capabilities aren't something I care about on a home console, and so those kinds of mods should really be done on case by case basis, so that you don't waste lots of time and money.
I'm not trying to discourage you or berate you, I just don't want you to be dissapointed if you aren't able to sell your projects! Start working on projects as a hobby, and eventually you might reach the point where you can turn it into a business.
Good luck!
rscasny
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Alright. I understand.
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To further Ginger's point, consider what you might want to pay for a painted console. Sure, people get excited over really cool cosmetic mods, but when they say things like, "Shut up and take my money!" what's really going through their heads is, "I'd pay the value of the console plus maybe an extra $50 for the work."
Once you show off your work, then you can open yourself up for commissions and ask a little more for specific requests.
Once you show off your work, then you can open yourself up for commissions and ask a little more for specific requests.
Actually I make very little, so unless you just love doing it for fun, don't start painting. If you don't know how to paint a console, you shouldn't be starting a business for selling them. I know that sounds harsh, but there is a huge amount you have to learn through experience before selling your work. Also, it sometimes takes me months to sell anything even at about $20 plus cost of paint and the console. So I just want to say from experience that you should only do this if you're doing it for fun, and definitely not for money. I do sell my work, but I actually put every penny I make back into customizing consoles, so it only really pays for itself.
Also to be quite honest, it bothers me when people who are new to something say that they want to start it so they can make money. It's okay to want to be paid for your work, but if you have no experience, you shouldn't jump in expecting to make quick cash.
For example, when you paint a console, unless you've painted a couple, you might make the mistake of closing the disk drive door after reassembling it. But paint that is newly dry sticks together and unless you give it about a week, it'll rip off pieces of paint that it touches. That goes for battery covers, disc drives, even buttons. But if you don't know that, you'll end up selling a (literally) flaky console to someone. There are all sorts of things like this you need to know before selling anything.
So my point here isn't to discourage you from painting or customizing, but to discourage you from doing it for money before getting some experience. You won't make much money, and your buyers will likely be unhappy when their dreamcast won't open or the paint literally sloughs off.
Also to be quite honest, it bothers me when people who are new to something say that they want to start it so they can make money. It's okay to want to be paid for your work, but if you have no experience, you shouldn't jump in expecting to make quick cash.
For example, when you paint a console, unless you've painted a couple, you might make the mistake of closing the disk drive door after reassembling it. But paint that is newly dry sticks together and unless you give it about a week, it'll rip off pieces of paint that it touches. That goes for battery covers, disc drives, even buttons. But if you don't know that, you'll end up selling a (literally) flaky console to someone. There are all sorts of things like this you need to know before selling anything.
So my point here isn't to discourage you from painting or customizing, but to discourage you from doing it for money before getting some experience. You won't make much money, and your buyers will likely be unhappy when their dreamcast won't open or the paint literally sloughs off.
Alright guys this one I just finished was a commission piece that was actually pretty fun. It's a Gameboy Macro, which for those of you who don't know, is a modified ds lite with the top screen removed so that it's basically a backlit gba.
As you can tell, it's painted to match the Zelda special edition 3ds. I think I nailed the colors, and am pretty happy with how this turned out. I wasn't able to do more detailed corners since I don't have a metallic gold Posca pen, and had to do it with spray paint. I removed the X and Y buttons, the shoulder bumps, and the stylus slot, but left the ds card slot there.
The gold and metallic black are both Rustoleum brand, but with a Testors brand clear coat for a smoother feel. I made a label for the back that says "Game Boy Macro" in the gameboy advance font since the ds label was faded and just a barcode. It's label paper (a printable sticker) with packing tape over it, then cut out and superglued on so it won't go anywhere.
This thing was hell to put back together. With ds lites, it's always something lol. Anyways I had fun with this project and hope you guys like it
As you can tell, it's painted to match the Zelda special edition 3ds. I think I nailed the colors, and am pretty happy with how this turned out. I wasn't able to do more detailed corners since I don't have a metallic gold Posca pen, and had to do it with spray paint. I removed the X and Y buttons, the shoulder bumps, and the stylus slot, but left the ds card slot there.
The gold and metallic black are both Rustoleum brand, but with a Testors brand clear coat for a smoother feel. I made a label for the back that says "Game Boy Macro" in the gameboy advance font since the ds label was faded and just a barcode. It's label paper (a printable sticker) with packing tape over it, then cut out and superglued on so it won't go anywhere.
This thing was hell to put back together. With ds lites, it's always something lol. Anyways I had fun with this project and hope you guys like it
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I've always found the Macro to look weird without the complete ABXY, even if it doesn't need them. It makes the not-DS look naked. Also, great job!
I am working on a Super Castlevania IV themed SNES at the moment that will match the castlevania themed gameboy I made a while back.
Again I'm using Durham's water putty and I'm getting much faster at it, although it's still time consuming. All of the brick here took me about a day to do and used almost exactly one small can of the water putty (about $3.50 worth).
The idea is to paint it in the exact same tones as the gameboy, except the two vertical grey stripes will probably be black, while the buttons will be red.
I'm going to print out a label that says "super castlevania 4" in the right font and put it where it used to say "super Nintendo entertainment system". I tried 3d printing a stamp to stamp the Nintendo logo onto the water putty, but I couldn't make a nice looking one small enough and ditched the idea.
The gargoyles are a leftover idea from the gameboy. I just epoxied them on and put the brick around them.
I'll let it dry overnight and start painting tomorrow
Again I'm using Durham's water putty and I'm getting much faster at it, although it's still time consuming. All of the brick here took me about a day to do and used almost exactly one small can of the water putty (about $3.50 worth).
The idea is to paint it in the exact same tones as the gameboy, except the two vertical grey stripes will probably be black, while the buttons will be red.
I'm going to print out a label that says "super castlevania 4" in the right font and put it where it used to say "super Nintendo entertainment system". I tried 3d printing a stamp to stamp the Nintendo logo onto the water putty, but I couldn't make a nice looking one small enough and ditched the idea.
The gargoyles are a leftover idea from the gameboy. I just epoxied them on and put the brick around them.
I'll let it dry overnight and start painting tomorrow
lyberty5
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Maybe for your "Nintendo" stamp you could use the logo of a GameCube (for example) as a mold, and cast your stamp with something relatively maleable but hard that you can extract from the cast. Like wax or epoxy? (with a lubricant)
Or even, press your water-based putty on the nintendo logo, release and let it dry. That might work (to make the stamp)
Or even, press your water-based putty on the nintendo logo, release and let it dry. That might work
(to make the stamp)Oh for sure
I don't have one right now actually, but Monday I'm going to pick up one or two. Any ideas?Hey the putty is a good ideaMaybe for your "Nintendo" stamp you could use the logo of a GameCube (for example) as a mold, and cast your stamp with something relatively maleable but hard that you can extract from the cast. Like wax or epoxy? (with a lubricant)
Or even, press your water-based putty on the nintendo logo, release and let it dry. That might work
I thought about using something else to make a mold, but hadn't considered just pushing the putty in there and letting it dry. Next time I get the chance, I'll try that. Unfortunately I already went over the logo on this console.
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Incorporate the chain whip somehow on the controller and make it end in the spike ball thingy (technical term) on the Y button since that's the default attack button (according to my phone's emulator). Other than that, I think it would be neat if the controllers put more emphasis on the hero since he/the controller is going into Dracula's castle/the system.
She's done
I decided to go with metallic black buttons with red posca pen lettering on them. I put Testors clear coat on the black parts, and rustoleum on the grey. I did end up doing the castlevania logo where the snes logo was though.
It took longer than expected to finish because the ribbon cable inside the snes was bad and I had to wire each of the 11 pins together individually. It didn't take long, I just had to get around to it
I may do a matching controller down the road, but not in the immediate future. Anyways I'm pretty happy with it
but let me know what you guys think, constructive criticism is always helpful
Thanks!oh boi, your stuff really looks amazing! The Castlevania Gameboy is my favorite... it's just perfect!
I really which i could paint like that
I'm going to do a tutorial soon to try and explain how to do designs with spray paint. I'm hoping more people will do fancy portables lol