How does one do pinstripe paint?

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?

Around lugs it seems a small brush would be the only way.

For straight lines an straight tubes I guess masking might work. But I
doubt this is how its done when the bike is made.

Am I on the right track?

Much of the pinstrip painting on my bike has worn off and I'd kind of
like to touch it up.

Thanks for your help.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?

Around lugs it seems a small brush would be the only way.

For straight lines an straight tubes I guess masking might work. But I
doubt this is how its done when the bike is made.

Am I on the right track?

Much of the pinstrip painting on my bike has worn off and I'd kind of
like to touch it up.

I refinished a cherished old frame that originally had pin striping
around the lugs and on the tubes. I reapplied the pin striping around
the lugs by hand with a small brush. It wasn't hard to get it as neat
as the original. The pin striping on tubes is another story. I haven't
had the guts to try it yet.

Rick

Bruce W.1 said:

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?

You need a can of striped paint.

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary

You've got to have a steady hand to try these. I'd try anything as long as I
get to buy more tools.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=534&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=532&iSubCat=534

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=536&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=532&iSubCat=536

"Bruce W.1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?

Around lugs it seems a small brush would be the only way.

For straight lines an straight tubes I guess masking might work. But I
doubt this is how its done when the bike is made.

Am I on the right track?

Much of the pinstrip painting on my bike has worn off and I'd kind of
like to touch it up.

Thanks for your help.

Bruce W.1 said:

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?

Around lugs it seems a small brush would be the only way.

For straight lines an straight tubes I guess masking might work. But

I

Quoted message said:

doubt this is how its done when the bike is made.

I would suggest using a picnic table as a straightedge:
1. Obtain picnic table with width 1" less than toptube length.
2. Place sheet of hard plastic or other hard, slippery surface
on table, to cover imperfections in table surface
3. Hang the bike by the toptube from end of picnic table so that
wheels are a few inches off the ground
4. Use bricks against bike wheels to roll the top tube so that
desired stripe location is 1/4" (actually, 1/2 brushwidth)
above surface of picnic table
5. Place small brush horizontally on picnic table near one corner,
with tip near desired starting point of pinstripe.
6. Drag brush along tabletop to create the stripe.

I suppose you could use a piece of plywood cut to size, plus a
kitchen table, plus some bricks to keep the plywood from tipping,
to simulate the overhang of a picnic table end.

Good luck and please post pictures so we can see how it came out!

-dkl

"Bruce W.1" wrote: How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Next time you see a bunch of fancy brushwork on the tailgate, as the owner
where it was done. He will doubtless give you the name of a custom
automotive paint shop. Take your frame there.

Bruce W.1 said:

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?

Depends on who "they" are. At the factory, it's typically applied by
a robot (for mass-produced bikes) or a skilled pinstriping painter
(for the high-end low-production stuff).

Quoted message said:

Around lugs it seems a small brush would be the only way.

For straight lines an straight tubes I guess masking might work. But I
doubt this is how its done when the bike is made.

Am I on the right track?

The favored brush for many skilled pinstripers is a broad, thin
fin-shaped[1] camel's hair type with a very short handle or a small
grip; a few automotive paint supply houses carry them. Getting the
stripes right with one of those is a matter of practice. While both
pinstripe masking tape (which usually produces a poor result) and
pinstripe tape (which isn't really much easier to get right than
painted stripes) can be used, the best results are obtained using
paint, a brush, and a very steady hand.

[1] not a typo; it's shaped like the dorsal fin of certain types of
fish.

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

BobI said:

You've got to have a steady hand to try these. I'd try anything as

long as I

Quoted message said:

get to buy more tools.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=534&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=532&iSubCat=534

Quoted message said:

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=536&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=532&iSubCat=536

Quoted message said:

You missed the best part- the "how-to" section:
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=828&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=688&iSubCat=828
Make Big Money! Learn to Pinstripe:
http://www.xcaliberart.com/

Jeff

Watching a pinstriper or a sign painter do their trade freehand is one interesting thing.

Quoted message said:

"Bruce W.1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?
Around lugs it seems a small brush would be the only way.
For straight lines an straight tubes I guess masking might work. But I
doubt this is how its done when the bike is made.
Am I on the right track?
Much of the pinstrip painting on my bike has worn off and I'd kind of
like to touch it up.

Gary Jacobson said:

The Mercian website has or had some photos of painters

using what looked to

Quoted message said:

me like a wheeled device to paint pinstrips, and there

were photos of

Quoted message said:

outlining lugs with what looked like a brush.

Both are common in auto / motorcycle paint shops. Striping
wheel and dagger brush.

Some bicycles are hand striped with a dagger brush. Or
should I say 'were'. Most notable examples: Taylor's
beautiful box striping and the trim line in on the painted
Schwinn rims of the fifties.

Modern technique is a thin plastic tape.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

most of the stuff down on automobiles is by air brush, other than the
straight line 3M pinstripe tape you can buy.

\\Leo Lichtman said:

"Bruce W.1" wrote: How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Next time you see a bunch of fancy brushwork on the tailgate, as the owner
where it was done. He will doubtless give you the name of a custom
automotive paint shop. Take your frame there.

Bruce W.1 said:

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?

Around lugs it seems a small brush would be the only way.

For straight lines an straight tubes I guess masking might work. But I
doubt this is how its done when the bike is made.

Am I on the right track?

Much of the pinstrip painting on my bike has worn off and I'd kind of
like to touch it up.

Thanks for your help.

for straight pinstriping you want a pinstriping tool, a small
paintwheel with an alignment thing.
A magnetic strip from a freezer door is usefull too
--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

Bruce W.1 said:

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?

Around lugs it seems a small brush would be the only way.

For straight lines an straight tubes I guess masking might work. But I
doubt this is how its done when the bike is made.

Am I on the right track?

Much of the pinstrip painting on my bike has worn off and I'd kind of
like to touch it up.

Thanks for your help.

======================================================

Thanks all for your suggestions. Sounds like a pinstriping wheel might
be the best tool for DIY.

Well I was scrounging thru my materials and found a bottle of Testors
model paint of the right color so I just couldn't resist. Using a teeny
tiny brush I painted around the tube butts. That came out okay. So I
decided to mask the straight lines on the straight tubes with masking
tape and continued painting. That came out so so, not great, but not
too bad either. Next time I'll try the steady hand method.

From a distance it looks alright. 8^)

Kinky Cowboy said:

Bruce W.1 said:

How do they do pinstrip painting on bicycles?

You need a can of striped paint.

indeed!

Quoted message said:

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary