Short version: Anyone have any experience with dyeing/staining a wood headphone and has any recommendations for paints/stains or has general pointers (Do/Dont) - or should i avoid trying to rework the wood and vinyl wrap it instead.
Note: Iv’e only painted walls (and 40K miniatures ) so im novice when it comes to wood.
So i recently bought this headphone from Aliexpress after a pretty stellar recommendation from @ATK , and to be honest he was right…
As far as closed back its one pretty amazing particularly for the price. My issue as you might have guessed from the title is the looks - the wood in particular (he opened it up and said that it is actual wood not a veneer) . it honestly feels and looks like really crappy cheap wood, which is in pretty big contrast to the sound and the rest of build.
So any pointers/guides/recommendations for paints would we most apprecaited - im debating to go from just a darker tone or try out some crazy color - or just forget this and wrap it
I think it would be easiest to mask and paint using a good quality ‘plastics’ paint. Lightly scuff the polyurethane finish but don’t cut through it to the wood.
But then they can’t be seen while listening and if you’re going out in public with these on the color won’t make any difference to the reaction most have…
Its not other people thing its a me sort thing. Normally i wouldnt care too much but the gap between the rest of the headphone and the rather ugly wood its actually annoying me.
Why Plastics paint? Wouldnt it be better to sand it and use wood paint?
It’s a ton more work to refinish wood vs. changing the color.
The protective coating on the wood now is very likely a polyurethane. Polyurethane is a type of polymer that exhibits characteristics of both plastic and rubber. The so-called plastics paint will adhere and harden to be much more durable than a paint designed for non-plastics. It’s readily available at the big box stores in the US and presumably elsewhere on the planet.
OR you could give them a hammered finish like this pewter.
Haha, exactly half the fun is in the DIY, even if nobody else notices once they’re on your head. At least you’ll know they look the way you want them to. And honestly, a clean paint job usually makes you appreciate the gear a little more every time you pick it up.
Very true, also im a huge fan of customizing things even in small ways - both making something fit you better both in esthetics and in usage adds a little extra.
