# How to Paint Stripes on Wood Rims with Zero Skills



## Brian R. (Mar 15, 2017)

Most restored or new wood rims are finished as plain wood with varnish. They look great but I feel that something has been lost in the process. Back in the day, bikes could be ordered with all kinds of fancy stripes painted under the varnish. Here are two pages from the 1918 CCM catalogue showing some of the frame colour options and the painted rims that went with them:




 



Here is a similar colour page from the 1922 Hyslop Catalogue (Toronto) showing rim striping done for them by an American supplier:




Let's be clear that I have zero talent for painting pinstripes. In my opinion, pinstripers are up there with the Greek Gods for their magical ability to do something that no ordinary human is capable of. So, today I tried an experiment to see if I could pull off replicating one of the above styles of rims. I wanted to test my theory that I could put the wonders of electrical tape to use in place of masking tape. Why electrical tape? - because it's very pliable and forgiving and is capable of hugging curves in 3 dimensions, and so it's perfect for applying to wood rims, curved as they are. Also, it occurred to me that the glue on electrical tape could be perfect for this, because it's strong but also easily removable. Here is what you need:

- A dining table when the wife's not around. Who needs a workshop when you've got a perfectly good dining table that's near the fridge and coffee maker?
- Water based acrylic paints in colours of your choice. I chose matte paint because I will apply varnish over top later and was afraid the varnish would not adhere properly to glossy paint.
- Camel hair brushes, which are really made from squirrel hair. Don't ask me, as the Internet! Apparently they are what pinstripers use. If they're good enough for the gods, they're good enough for me.
- Wood rims. I'm using the darker ones because they're not in pristine condition. I placed some brand new rims from Noah Stutzman next to them for comparison. I'm told they are made of maple. I have no idea what the darker ones are made of but they look like a different type of wood (maybe someone can tell us?). I sanded them last night.
- And the secret ingredient, electrical tape!








I've chosen to paint style 72 from the 1918 CCM catalogue (top right corner of page). I chose it because it will work on a black bike or a maroon bike, and because the center red stripe is about the width of a strip of electrical tape - happy coincidence!

First, using a single strip of electrical tape (one for each side) for the whole circumference of the rim, mask off the outer edges of both sides of the rim. Take your time and carefully ensure the tape precisely follows the curvature of the rim. You can leave the other side of the tape hanging in the air for now if you wish. When you've gone all the way around, press down the other side of the tape so all of it is sticking to the rim around the entire length. Then run a third strip of tape down the middle of the rim, again carefully making sure it's lined up and centered perfectly.




Paint the exposed sections of wood in matte black. After trying and failing to paint the gold pinstripe along the edges, I gave up at half way around, sanded it off, reapplied the black, and went back to the art supply store to buy a gold paint pen. The colour was wrong anyway. I was suckered in by the name "antique gold" but it's too yellowish. The paint pen works wonders!:



 

 



I had never used electrical tape in place of masking tape before so I had no idea of it's ability to prevent leaking of paint under the tape. Eureka, it works!:



 


I was tempted to leave the rims as they were at this point, but since it's an experiment I decided to see it through to the end. Another thing I didn't know, was whether the glue on the electrical tape would peel off the newly applied paint. I decided to try though, having learned from my above mentioned failure at pinstriping that I cannot paint stripes without help from tape. The paint is called Deep Burgundy. I was a little concerned when it went on as lipstick red, but it dried into a nice burgundy colour like the original:





The tape didn't remove the black paint or gold stripe!  I love electrical tape!!!

Success! ...It's not perfect, but as close to perfect as I can get it. with my non-existent painting skills.



 




If you give it a try, or have had success with other methods in the past, feel free to post your pics!
cheers,
-Brian R.


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## catfish (Mar 15, 2017)




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## bairdco (Mar 15, 2017)

For a finer edge, use the green 3M masking tape. The blue works ok, too. Get the thinnest roll they have, 1/2" I think, and it'll stretch around curved surfaces. 

I have an old cutting board that I'll stick the tape on and cut thin strips with an x-acto knife for thinner lines.

Good job with your method,  though!


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## boardhoarder (Mar 15, 2017)

Very cool post, Brian 

Thanks for taking the time to show us the step-by-step. I dig low buck, low tech stuff like this.


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## gtflyte (Mar 16, 2017)

Hello Brian nice work and perfect timing as I'm about to respoke some used wood ones also.
Another product Ive used is fine line tape which is very steerable and leaves a very distinguishable line.


Then border  it with a wider tape  product.



Thanks Greg


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## RustySprockets (Mar 17, 2017)

Is there a benefit to choosing the water-based Sharpie over the oil-based ones?  Intuition tells me that the latter would be more durable and more vibrant.


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## Brian R. (Mar 17, 2017)

I chose the water-based because I thought it would allow me to quickly clean up any pinstriping efforts that strayed off course, smudged etc., with a bit of water. Most of my mistakes were not that easily fixable and would require paint touch ups. As it turned out, I probably could have used the oil paint.


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## Dra (Nov 19, 2021)

Brian R. said:


> Most restored or new wood rims are finished as plain wood with varnish. They look great but I feel that something has been lost in the process. Back in the day, bikes could be ordered with all kinds of fancy stripes painted under the varnish. Here are two pages from the 1918 CCM catalogue showing some of the frame colour options and the painted rims that went with them:
> 
> View attachment 436539 View attachment 436538
> 
> ...



Nice job for sure!! I just stained my guitar body and wanted to two tone it. I would of never tried it with out this smartphone. They make us smarter in some ways and more stupid in other ways. What I learned about staining is the seam between the two colors you go around it with a razor blade and it makes a valley enough so the colors don’t bleed. I went around the seam a few times because I didn’t believe it would work. It worked perfect.


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## HEMI426 (Nov 19, 2021)

3M Fine line 1/8 in. tape is what I used when I painted flames and graphics on my cars.


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## guzziworksman (Nov 19, 2021)

I watched a youtube bike rim stri
ping, where a Bueller (sp?) pin striping tool was held to the rim as the wheel was spun. Looked like it laid down a perfect thin line.


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## SKPC (Nov 19, 2021)

I just found this here and hope anytone can help me do the correct colors on my project?


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## Astroyama (Nov 25, 2021)

Brian R. said:


> Most restored or new wood rims are finished as plain wood with varnish. They look great but I feel that something has been lost in the process. Back in the day, bikes could be ordered with all kinds of fancy stripes painted under the varnish. Here are two pages from the 1918 CCM catalogue showing some of the frame colour options and the painted rims that went with them:
> 
> View attachment 436539 View attachment 436538
> 
> ...








Nice work, I absolutely Love your DIY mentality.
Here is a decent video I'd like to share since you asked.
When I lay down stripes on a bicycle rim or tires, I utilize a stripping brush while the rim is spinning very slowing in a true stand, or fork blade stand.
Same concept here but utilizing a Beugler tool.   
I prefer brushes over Beugler tool because the paint coming off a brush is more consistent, precise, and predictable as you pallet the bristles with paint more or less as needed. 
I made an axle Mahl-Stick out of bicycle kickstand/ back scratcher to assist my hand.


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