# Schwinn Superior Decals Need Info



## momo608 (May 3, 2016)

Were these larger decals used on any 76, 77 or 1978 Superior? The decal on the frame is a 1976 model.

Thanks


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## Metacortex (May 3, 2016)

Where did you get that decal? It does not appear to be correct for the '76-'78 Superior: 

http://www.schwinnbikeforum.com/index.php?topic=14633.5
http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/859806-homemade-decals-take-ii-my-schwinn-superior.html


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## momo608 (May 3, 2016)

Metacortex said:


> Where did you get that decal? It does not appear to be correct for the '76-'78 Superior:
> 
> http://www.schwinnbikeforum.com/index.php?topic=14633.5
> http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/859806-homemade-decals-take-ii-my-schwinn-superior.html





Velocals. I did not think they were right for any year, contrary to what they are telling me. What do you expect for $70 for an incomplete set. Let's see if they make good on it. Took days for them to get back to me.


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## Schwinn499 (May 9, 2016)

Bummer, I made my own out of vinyl for my '77 from an original I found. They are an exact match. I hope they do you right.


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## momo608 (May 9, 2016)

Schwinn499 said:


> Bummer, I made my own out of vinyl for my '77 from an original I found. They are an exact match. I hope they do you right.




That's interesting. Never heard of someone making vinyl decals at home. How did you make them? How did you deal with the printing problem of white outline letters or black outline with white letters as the case may be?


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## Metacortex (May 9, 2016)

I would like to hear more about this as well, it seems like a good thing to know more about.


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## Jeff54 (May 9, 2016)

That decal looks like  a print of this. It needs to be resized and invert the colors.


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## Schwinn499 (May 9, 2016)

My friend has a machine that custom cuts vinyl stickers, card stock, paper, and other materials for whatever purposes. I scanned the original decal into a software that runs the machine. You can map the image out and scale it as you please. Then you can cut out each section in what ever color you want and layer the decal before application. If you do it correctly you can get a multi color vinyl thats only a single layer thick.

The Sports Tourer im currently working on is missing the black and white decals on the forks between the paint and the chrome. I was planning on making some in vinyl as I cant seem to find any repops or originals that exist. Another option I was thinking of was buying a Sierra decal like this one and trimming off and using the sections on either side of the lettering, but im unsure if it will be long enough to wrap around the whole tube.





I dont have any photos of the Superior decals I made, but I have this one of the decals made to mimic the decals seen on the picture of the Super Sport in the '64 dealer spec. book. I scanned a Super Sport decal and Eric scanned a 60s Superior decal for me to use for the larger S and the larger font "Schwinn". They came out pretty sweet I think.


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## momo608 (May 10, 2016)

Jeff54 said:


> That decal looks like  a print of this. It needs to be resized and invert the colors.




The problem is white ink printing for inkjet or laser printers. They can't do it. You need an ALPS printer and from what I'm seeing they are no longer made so the best you can do is used/refurbished. Cash outlay would be in the $500 range to start printing. Does not make much sense for a couple projects. The round Schwinn Quality decal is already available in black and white waterslide from BB. Stripes for the seat tube and forks are easy to do and I have those ready to go. The SCHWINN down tube decals are also available in waterslide from BB. So it's the SUPERIOR's that are the problem at this point. Jury is still out on how that's going to work out with Velocals. Should have asked Bicyclebones to do them months ago, he was doing the SIERRA's for me so I didn't want to be greedy. I thought I had it covered with Velocals. 

ALPS printer
http://www.alps-printer.com/refurbi...ter-jz7a0676y-band-printed-236477-p-6252.html

Anyway, here's an outfit that will do ALPS printed waterslide decals. I haven't dealt with them yet but at least they offer the service. The thinnest vinyls are still one mil thick and that is thicker than waterslide. On top of that they MUST be clear coated. You need two mil thick for durable vinyls that do not need clear coat, one mil extra for the protecting layer. That is a thick decal my friend, just asking to be snagged on clothing or rags.   

Interesting info website
http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/alpscustom.htm

Here are the stripes I made for the forks and seat tube.(If anyone needs these let me know). The method I use is to make and print out the best image I can on photo paper, take it over to Office Max and have them copy them on their laser printer on my supplied laser water slide decal paper. From what I read the laser water slides are better than inkjet. more fade resistant, more durable. The ink is fused into the paper with heat. It only adds a couple of bucks to the final cost to do them in laser so why not. BTW, both these need to be cleared.


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## momo608 (May 10, 2016)

Schwinn499 said:


> My friend has a machine that custom cuts vinyl stickers, card stock, paper, and other materials for whatever purposes. I scanned the original decal into a software that runs the machine. You can map the image out and scale it as you please. Then you can cut out each section in what ever color you want and layer the decal before application. If you do it correctly you can get a multi color vinyl thats only a single layer thick.QUOTE]






You could only have a single layer with this method if you cut out each outline of every letter, cut out each letter without the outline to fit in the outline and apply them one at a time with a paint space between each letter. Is this even possible, the cutting and the application would have to be perfect? If you overlayed all of them it would be three layers thick counting the layer of clear that would hold it all together. That would be one bumpy and very thick decal. Nothing even close to resembling an original.

Letters are ink printed directly on clear vinyl to achieve a single layer.


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## Schwinn499 (May 10, 2016)

momo608 said:


> You could only have a single layer with this method if you cut out each outline of every letter, cut out each letter without the outline to fit in the outline and apply them one at a time with a paint space between each letter. Is this even possible, the cutting and the application would have to be perfect? If you overlayed all of them it would be three layers thick counting the layer of clear that would hold it all together. That would be one bumpy and very thick decal. Nothing even close to resembling an original.
> 
> Letters are ink printed directly on clear vinyl to achieve a single layer.




Yes, it can be done, but your making it sound harder than it really is, and no, the decal is made in two parts, "layered" off the bike and is applied in one swoop. You dont need a layer to hold it all together, you use a type of contact paper to lift the decal off its backing all in one piece and apply it that way. I never said this was anything close to an original decal. Ive had the ones on the Superior I ride all the time for years now without any clear and its just like when I applied it. A clean surface and a quality vinyl is key. Ive made and applied hundreds and hundreds of these types of decals to various surfaces, for various projects. When my buddy has a difficult one to make...he calls me...and he owns the machine.


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## Jeff54 (May 10, 2016)

One pass, 2-3-layer ink printing. http://www.academia.edu/7442689/Met...orative_Inks_for_Ultra-Violet_Fine_Art_Inkjet


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## momo608 (May 11, 2016)

Schwinn499 said:


> Yes, it can be done, but your making it sound harder than it really is, and no, the decal is made in two parts, "layered" off the bike and is applied in one swoop. You dont need a layer to hold it all together, you use a type of contact paper to lift the decal off its backing all in one piece and apply it that way. I never said this was anything close to an original decal. Ive had the ones on the Superior I ride all the time for years now without any clear and its just like when I applied it. A clean surface and a quality vinyl is key. Ive made and applied hundreds and hundreds of these types of decals to various surfaces, for various projects. When my buddy has a difficult one to make...he calls me...and he owns the machine.




I apologize, I took it that the implication was they were something very close to the original.

" I made my own out of vinyl for my '77 from an original I found. They are an exact match."


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## Schwinn499 (May 11, 2016)

momo608 said:


> I apologize, I took it that the implication was they were something very close to the original.




No, my apologies. My reply does imply an *exact* match, but what I meant was the size, as thats whats off on the ones you received. I could have applied the originals but I deceided they are better left intact as it seems they are rather hard to come by.


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## momo608 (May 13, 2016)

This is more like it. I was this close to saying F**** it and clearing the bike. Glad I came to my senses and fixed it along with all the other wrong or missing decals.


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