Steampunking Urbanears headphones

[Master Ulthar]

My sister was in need of new headphones, and I in need of a navigator/tech guru for a steampunk airship crew, so she bought a pair of Urbanears for the sake of having some reasonably priced, decent, and vintage-esque headphones I could slap a bit of paint and some brassy widgets on and call a prop.

Except the plastic these things are made of is some weird, soft, almost velvety-textured stuff, and I know nothing of its properties. I know I've seen it before, but I don't know what it is. Can I paint straight on it? Coat it with something? Sand it off and get to a metal or hard plastic layer underneath?

I know this is dangerously specialized knowledge, but if anyone knows anything, or even has a theory, please let me know.

[Albino Sea Monkey]

It's soft, almost rubberized grippy stuff, right?

If you paint directly on it, it will most likely chip off even if you sand it. It's just flexible enough for bumps to make it crack and flake.

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure that stuff is a kind of vinyl, which means you need special paint/dye for it. It's easier to find vinyl dye in spray cans, but for your project I think it might be easier to somehow find a small can of dye to paint on with a brush.

Even though I've seen little cans of dye used in projects, I'm not quite sure where to buy them. Since it's mostly used in cars to touch up seat colors, I would assume you could find them at am automotive paint shop. Everything I'm finding online is spray cans.

The dyes will also only work if you happened to get the white ones. Considering your project, that's probably unlikely, right?

[Master Ulthar]

Albino Sea Monkey

It's soft, almost rubberized grippy stuff, right?

If you paint directly on it, it will most likely chip off even if you sand it. It's just flexible enough for bumps to make it crack and flake.

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure that stuff is a kind of vinyl, which means you need special paint/dye for it. It's easier to find vinyl dye in spray cans, but for your project I think it might be easier to somehow find a small can of dye to paint on with a brush.

Even though I've seen little cans of dye used in projects, I'm not quite sure where to buy them. Since it's mostly used in cars to touch up seat colors, I would assume you could find them at am automotive paint shop. Everything I'm finding online is spray cans.

The dyes will also only work if you happened to get the white ones. Considering your project, that's probably unlikely, right?

Really? That's a shame. But it can't be solid vinyl, can it? I'm sure if I scratch it I get down to hard plastic...maybe...

And they aren't white, but even if they were, I wouldn't think you could dye vinyl gold...

[Albino Sea Monkey]

Master Ulthar

Albino Sea Monkey

It's soft, almost rubberized grippy stuff, right?

If you paint directly on it, it will most likely chip off even if you sand it. It's just flexible enough for bumps to make it crack and flake.

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure that stuff is a kind of vinyl, which means you need special paint/dye for it. It's easier to find vinyl dye in spray cans, but for your project I think it might be easier to somehow find a small can of dye to paint on with a brush.

Even though I've seen little cans of dye used in projects, I'm not quite sure where to buy them. Since it's mostly used in cars to touch up seat colors, I would assume you could find them at am automotive paint shop. Everything I'm finding online is spray cans.

The dyes will also only work if you happened to get the white ones. Considering your project, that's probably unlikely, right?

Really? That's a shame. But it can't be solid vinyl, can it? I'm sure if I scratch it I get down to hard plastic...maybe...

And they aren't white, but even if they were, I wouldn't think you could dye vinyl gold...

True, I doubt they could be that stuff all the way through. That would be expensive and flimsy. I guess you could always try scraping/cutting it off with a fresh xacto knife or something.

[Zurah]

Master Ulthar

I'm a total novice with all of this, but have you considered a latex paint? If the surface changes, one would think that latex paint would move with it...

Also, if you put on a thin coating of a spray paint, it might add enough texture for other paint to stick, and still give the project a little character.

Best of luck!

[Serena Rhapsodos]

Taking a pic to show us might be a good idea, since you can point out the part you're talking about.

[Master Ulthar]

Zurah

Master Ulthar

I'm a total novice with all of this, but have you considered a latex paint? If the surface changes, one would think that latex paint would move with it...

Also, if you put on a thin coating of a spray paint, it might add enough texture for other paint to stick, and still give the project a little character.

Best of luck!

Latex paint would probably cover it, but I wouldn't expect it to come in metallics, which is what I want. Dunno about spray paint; I could try that...

[Master Ulthar]

Serena Rhapsodos

Taking a pic to show us might be a good idea, since you can point out the part you're talking about.

Pictures! Yes, pictures are good. Not my own picture, but still:



See the round back of the part that goes on your ear and the little rectangular bit above that? That's what I want to paint gold. The rest of it will stay brown.

[Zurah]

Master Ulthar

Latex paint would probably cover it, but I wouldn't expect it to come in metallics, which is what I want. Dunno about spray paint; I could try that...

I know liquid latex can be found in metallics, but it's expensive.
Also, you could try a latex base with some gold-tone powder air-brushed onto it before it's dry or something like that. It would probably be easier to attach something to latex paint than your strange material. Spray paint's probably your cheapest, fastest, simplest option.

[Master Ulthar]

Zurah

Master Ulthar

Latex paint would probably cover it, but I wouldn't expect it to come in metallics, which is what I want. Dunno about spray paint; I could try that...

I know liquid latex can be found in metallics, but it's expensive.
Also, you could try a latex base with some gold-tone powder air-brushed onto it before it's dry or something like that. It would probably be easier to attach something to latex paint than your strange material. Spray paint's probably your cheapest, fastest, simplest option.

Air-brushing is, sadly, beyond my capacities at this time.