bairdco
I live for the CABE
There is a way to tape simple frame darts in a few seconds using masking tape.
Use 3M 1/2" blue or green tape because it stretches without breaking, and still sticks where it stretches.
Take a piece of tape a little longer than your desired dart length.
Straddle your frame with the headtube forward, and put the piece of tape under the bar and hold with a hand on either end.
Stick the tape to the underside of the tube, at the head tube end, where you want the dart to start.
still holding the ends of the tape, Pull both sides up and back along the tube, criss crossing over the top where your dart will end.
You can peel back one side or the other to get them even, side to side.
When it looks right, rub the tape down so it's stuck tight.
Mask off the rest of the bike and paint.
For a pinstripe cheat, make the darts wider (as wide as the total amount of pinstripe plus dart.)
Paint the dart the color you want the pinstripe, and let dry. Don't remove tape.
Use the same tape stretch method, follow the same route as the first dart, but with the tape covering the outside edges 1/8" (or whatever width you want the pinstripe. )
Paint the dart color (for example, if you want a white dart with black pinstripe, paint the black for the first dart, retape, then paint the white.)
Let dry, peel off the tape, wetsand, touch up, clearcoat, or leave it alone, depending on how much work you want to do.
Here's one example i did.
Use 3M 1/2" blue or green tape because it stretches without breaking, and still sticks where it stretches.
Take a piece of tape a little longer than your desired dart length.
Straddle your frame with the headtube forward, and put the piece of tape under the bar and hold with a hand on either end.
Stick the tape to the underside of the tube, at the head tube end, where you want the dart to start.
still holding the ends of the tape, Pull both sides up and back along the tube, criss crossing over the top where your dart will end.
You can peel back one side or the other to get them even, side to side.
When it looks right, rub the tape down so it's stuck tight.
Mask off the rest of the bike and paint.
For a pinstripe cheat, make the darts wider (as wide as the total amount of pinstripe plus dart.)
Paint the dart the color you want the pinstripe, and let dry. Don't remove tape.
Use the same tape stretch method, follow the same route as the first dart, but with the tape covering the outside edges 1/8" (or whatever width you want the pinstripe. )
Paint the dart color (for example, if you want a white dart with black pinstripe, paint the black for the first dart, retape, then paint the white.)
Let dry, peel off the tape, wetsand, touch up, clearcoat, or leave it alone, depending on how much work you want to do.
Here's one example i did.
