# pinstriping and graphics  on old cruisers



## relic_rider (Aug 11, 2008)

hey there, I was hoping someone out there would have some insight into how pinstriping graphics were done on the prewar and early post war cruisers..  do you think they were done by hand with a brush, by a Beugler or????    Id like to recreate some graphics on a project and I always liked how on a lot of bikes, they had an almost hand touched look...  not just a masked off look..  you know what I mean?    I want to do some fender stripes and wheel stripes...  

one last thing...  does anyone know  when decals were  first used?  I have an old Elgin thats been painted, but has some sweet arrow graphics, but they almost don't look stock....  anyone have a clue?


http://www.flickr.com/photos/master_of_none/2752779052/in/set-72157604579147912/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/master_of_none/2751945137/in/set-72157604579147912/


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## Aeropsycho (Aug 12, 2008)

*Not A Elgin...*

It is a Schwinn DX... 39-41 

They used to make water transfer decals for bikes like that 

I believe most if not all were brush pin striped!!! 

J...


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## relic_rider (Aug 12, 2008)

thanks for replying Aero...  could you clue me in to how you know its a schwinn?   it had an elgin badge when I got it.. I took it off to clean it up..  it had a drive screw and a regular screw holding it on, so it might have been taken off at some point...  The sweetheart sprocket through me off for sure... isn't that a schwinn sprocket?  

Im going to some research now..  the hunt is on...

thanks for the info on the water decals... thats what I kinda figured they were, but i didn't know how early they started using those...


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## ColsonTwinbar (Sep 1, 2008)

I actually have a few of those exact decals, even though they did not come on that bike originally, I'm pretty sure that they were sold in catalogs to dress up repainted bikes.


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## sensor (Sep 2, 2008)

for the pins use a mack #000/#0000(depending on how heavy handed you are)and some one shot.they were hand painted back then


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## Turtle (Sep 3, 2008)

This is a video on youtube about bicycle manufacturing. I believe it is at the Columbia Westfield plant. At about 3:20 in the video, they show the pinstriping. They have a lovely jig they put the fender on that allows it to swing back and forth while they use a brush to apply the pinstripe.

On my current project my plan is to use thin masking tape to mask off the area I want to paint. I haven't tried it yet but think it will probably turn out better than hand pinstriping, at least for this newbie.

Cheers,


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## JLarkin (Sep 3, 2008)

I just striped 4 fenders this weekend. The stripes will be buried under clear this coming weekend.  I used 1/8" 3M blue vinyl striping tape.  The way I did mine was to paint the stripe color first.  Since I put darts on the end of the fenders also, I painted the entire fender the stripe and dart color.  After curing I sanded this color down with 800 grit dry and tack-ragged it clean.  Then I laid out the stripes and darts.  

It took alot of patience and time to get a nice even curve.   I used a pencil to make tiny reference marks 1/2" from the fender lip to stripe up to on the lighter fenders but for the dark ones I should have had a yellow grease pencil; I eyeballed the dark ones and ended up coming out fine.  One trick is to always keep about 18" of tape in one hand at the lowest angle to the fender possible while placing the tape with the other.  Do not stretch the tape, just keep it taut.  I found laying tape with the fender bowed toward me was easiest to see.  Once the stripe is down, hold the fender away from you and look to see if there are flat spots in the curve.  You can "push" the tape a bit to fix the curve should you have flat areas.  Be sure and lightly wipe the fender down with wax and grease remover after handling it.  

For the darts, I set the fender on a bucket with the end facing me.  Then I could use my fingertips on each side as reference points on each side to get the darts symmetrical and even; nothing would look worse and it only takes a few extra minutes.  You need to measure for the center also and make a mark.  No right or wrong here, lengths and curves can be to taste or OEM size.  Just remember to tape off EVERYTHING (including the backside) you don't want paint on.  Use real painters tape, not cheap masking tape; it may not come off afterward.  Newspaper is good for larger areas since this makes demasking much easier.  

When peeling, peel the striping tape away from the fresh paint within 20 minutes of painting; it needs to tack but not harden or the stripe can easily come out ragged.  Peel inline with the stripe, not away.  You can leave any masking not touching the fresh paint in place for an area to hold onto while demasking.  Just be careful and methodical.  

Expect to spend 10x masking and taping vs. actual painting.  Prep is everything.


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## sensor (Sep 3, 2008)

just try doing it by hand first.......its not hard to learn and itll only cost about $25 for the brush and paint....just practice on an old frame or something similarly shaped first(it also helps to do it BEFORE the bikes assembled......they roll a bit otherwise.......dont ask me how i know:eek:  )


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