Seb's Web

About three months ago my ADD brain was on the high of retro gaming again. The Retroid was boring, I wanted a PSP for the sake of nostalgia, then thought better of it because it was quite expensive… But what sounded just as good was making my Retroid 4 look more like the original PSP. The plan was simple:

1. First, order PSP-like buttons from Etsy.
2. Order PSP-like D-pad and joysticks from AliExpress.
3. While all that’s being delivered, get some tools, primer and paint
4. Disassemble the whole thing.
5. Sand the plastic down
6. Spray a couple of coats of primer
7. Paint the plastic in short, thin coats over a couple of weeks to get an even coat.
8. Assemble everything back neatly.
9. Enjoy this faux-PSP.

First thing that stuck in my craw was that the buttons would take two months to arrive. So anyway, I started unscrewing.

Made large sketches on paper to remember where all the screws went, taped the screws on the paper, disassembled everything carefully, watched a video on it for the difficult stuff and – wait, you can’t disassemble the motherboard or the screen? No matter, I’ll put masking tape on those. Off I go sanding!

The plan seemed to go well… until the packages started to arrive. The D-pad was alright, black but looked nothing like the PSP. The joysticks didn’t fit so I threw them away. The paint was not super glossy OR piano-black. To top it all off, I had no varnish for the paint.

And then I lost the protective caps that go underneath the joystick. Actually, that’s not accurate. I placed them somewhere safe after painting them, so dirt wouldn’t stick to them and I wouldn’t lose them. They’re probably still there, I just haven’t found that safe place yet.

Well… the buttons arrived and they’re the best thing about this whole frankenretroid pocketstein pro 4. So here it is, in all its glory.

The paint sucks – it’s not glossy, grit stuck to it and it’s a scratch magnet.
I had no good varnish so I used my… watercolor varnish. When I pulled the masking tape off, the varnish peeled away with it too.
Had nothing good to replace the joystick covers, so now the motherboard is visible underneath.
To top it all off, I was somehow left with 11 (ELEVEN) fucking screws at the end. I don’t understand how. Nothing’s rattling and there were no more holes left to screw them in so… whatever works.

I turned it on today and it works. The look is nothing close to what I wanted yet it’s got character, it’s much more punk than I expected and… I kind of love it. Hopefully it doesn’t blow up.

To top it all off, while I was waiting for those buttons and moaning about this project, my lovely partner gifted me a PSP in tip-top shape and a Trimui Brick. But I promise I’ll keep the screwdriver away from these.