# 1936 ish, Schwinn Factory Workers Pictures



## Balloontyre (Jan 3, 2019)

You saw it here first folks,
  Babes and Builders.


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## rollfaster (Jan 3, 2019)

How cool is that!!


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## Goldenrod (Jan 3, 2019)

So the pin stripping was done on a moving wheel using a tube that is something like today's marker?  If babes built the bikes, how come the liberated ladies aren't breaking their nails doing what we do?  Maybe they are building bikes in China?


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## rustjunkie (Jan 3, 2019)




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## DonChristie (Jan 3, 2019)

Thats awesome! There is a video floating around of a bike factory (i think schwinn) with an image of them pinstriping fenders!


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## kreika (Jan 3, 2019)

rustjunkie said:


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Love the tounge of concentration!


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## schwinnlax (Jan 3, 2019)

Wow, very cool!  Thanks for posting those pics.  Pretty neat to see how the pinstriping was done.  Would also be interesting to see how the details were painted on the frames.


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## Mr. Monkeyarms (Jan 3, 2019)

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing!


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## SJ_BIKER (Jan 3, 2019)

Can you imagine the pride felt by these workers,  lady or gentleman had after a hard days work.  Not many could say," i helped build that bicycle".


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## Balloontyre (Jan 3, 2019)

I think it's great and interesting how we view these images, the different takes, tangible and intangible. Too cool!

Look into the backgrounds, some fun stuff.


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## barneyguey (Jan 3, 2019)

Balloontyre said:


> You saw it here first folks,
> Babes and Builders.
> View attachment 927723
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> ...



Those are GREAT photos! Thanks for sharing them. Barry


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## kreika (Jan 3, 2019)

Now that can’t be comfortable for 8 plus hours a day. Girls and their fashion.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jan 3, 2019)

I would have thought they used a brush for the striping.  funny that they just built wheels on a table. modern wheels are built with a big fancy machine so one person can do the job of 20.


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## Mr. Monkeyarms (Jan 3, 2019)

And now everybody knows what tool to use for pinstriping their Schwinn restorations to be proper! And the proper attire to wear while doing it! Lol.


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## markivpedalpusher (Jan 3, 2019)

Really dig these @Balloontyre - thanks for posting! @TWBikesnstripes


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## vincev (Jan 3, 2019)

Great pictures! Please post more if you find some !


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## Sevenhills1952 (Jan 3, 2019)

Thank you so much balloontyre for finding and posting the pictures. I'm a retired electronic technician, had a business and in my experience women were better workers than guys for the most part. Best technician I ever had was my wife. She also has built engines, loves rebuilding carburetors, etc.
I doubt we would have won WWII without women workers building stuff here.

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk


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## OhioJones (Jan 3, 2019)

rustjunkie said:


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When they did the frames, thinking cycletruck, then what? Would imagine more free hand needed on the frame. 
Not surprised to see the Beugler. Such a wonderful tool. Easy to use, too.


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## bricycle (Jan 4, 2019)

Great post Ivo!


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## Tikibar (Jan 4, 2019)

The lady welder with the Honey Boy gloves totally blows my preconceived notion of the Schwinn factory. 
I've always called my bikes 'she' and 'her' and now I know why!


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## mr.cycleplane (Jan 5, 2019)

these pictures are fantastic! a couple of questions have surfaced about the painting.....the stripping that is being done in the pictures is with a stripping wheel. it was used for the single striped type fenders and also the main stripe on deluxe fenders. the tip of the fender and the frame points had a block-probably aluminum(for cleaning). this was clamped around the head tube with 'holes' in it and paint was 'shot' down in the holes leaving a pattern-think 'stencil'. the final stripping was actually hand done with a stripping brush on the outside of these stenciled areas. lots of hand work went into making these the most beautiful bikes ever built. (fordmike65 may not agree there!) did anyone notice in picture #2 (on the left)the strippers doodling on the support beam?


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## Hammerhead (Jan 5, 2019)

Very cool pictures. Interesting to see how they did things. Thank you


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## rustjunkie (Jan 5, 2019)

OhioJones said:


> When they did the frames, thinking cycletruck, then what? Would imagine more free hand needed on the frame.
> Not surprised to see the Beugler. Such a wonderful tool. Easy to use, too.




Betting they were done with the striping tool as well. 
i used a beugler to box stripe a bike not long ago, it was the third time using it and was quite easy. Didn't come out perfect but wasn't terrible IMO.
A while back someone posted or sent me a vid of an oldtimer frame builder box-striping his frames with a beugler-type roller. will see if I can dig it up.


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## rustjunkie (Jan 5, 2019)

mr.cycleplane said:


> ...did anyone notice in picture #2 (on the left)the strippers doodling on the support beam?




Dutch hex signs?


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## Balloontyre (Jan 5, 2019)

Lady in back room workin frames, bubble gum machine.


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## cyclingday (Jan 5, 2019)

September issue 1938
American Bicyclist.


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## SLM (Jan 7, 2019)

kreika said:


> Now that can’t be comfortable for 8 plus hours a day. Girls and their fashion.
> View attachment 927809



I  know !   Heels on the factory floor !  Yikees


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## Jeff54 (Jan 31, 2019)

I have one of those Pinstrippers too. Albeit, doubt I can use it.  Also wondered how they hand painted them with it. So, who's gonna build some standing rollers? [grin] However, upon seeing them, it occurs to me somebody could do it at home without them, the front at least. Place bike up-side-down on handle bar. Remove rim and fender. attach the fender to the axle, slide the axle into the fork holding the fender up, away from fork. If you can hold the pinstripper, , stick your tongue out and go. Actually, might be quite a few ways like, of the top o me head, wheel balance machine that's wide enough for the fender to go through. That way, you could rest your hand on the fork. I mean, if the fender brackets are straight, there's lot of ways to pivot them, swing like a pendulum .

BTW #Tikibar 

"The lady welder with the Honey Boy gloves totally blows my preconceived notion of the Schwinn factory. 
 I've always called my bikes 'she' and 'her' and now I know why!"

Look closer, thems is girl fenders.


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## bikemonkey (Feb 1, 2019)




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## bobcycles (Feb 1, 2019)

bikemonkey said:


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hmmmmm Cycle Truck!


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## HARPO (Feb 2, 2019)

rustjunkie said:


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I use to have that exact same setup. It looks easier to use than a brush (it's not), but it's still a bit unnerving. I had tried doing a few cars with it, and wound up giving it away.


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## Sven (Feb 2, 2019)

Thanks for sharing...Great piece of history. . Love that  picture of Justina Petshauer. Totally Hot


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## cyclingday (Feb 2, 2019)

Thanks!
When I saw that picture, I thought, there was nothing sexier than a straightbar Schwinn.
Then I saw the girl building it. Lol!


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## aasmitty757 (Feb 3, 2019)

@cyclingday 
thats because she is an Oklahoma gal!

*Justina Petschauer in the 1940 Census*
First Name:
Justina
Last Name:
Petschauer
Age at Time of Census:
22
Gender:
Female
Race:
White
Ethnicity:
American


Est. Birth Year:
1918
Birth Location:
Oklahoma Map


Enumeration District:
103-1877
Residence:
Ward 30, Chicago, Chicago City, Cook, IL


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## A.S.BOLTNUT (Feb 3, 2019)

Cool pinstriping , just the way I imagined it .


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## PCHiggin (Feb 5, 2019)

SJ_BIKER said:


> Can you imagine the pride felt by these workers,  lady or gentleman had after a hard days work.  Not many could say," i helped build that bicycle".



I'll  bet most of them thought "My back and feet are killing me" lol.  Factory work was very hard back then,most factory jobs still are.


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## Phattiremike (Feb 16, 2019)

Great pictures, thanks for sharing.  The gal pin striping is so intently focusing her tongue is sticking out.


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