Pinstripes for the technically challenged.

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big stinkie

Guest
Maybe this is common knowledge, but if not I hope it will help someone.

Needed to put some pinstripes on a tank and fenders, bought the striping brushes and paint and commenced making big smudge marks and blobs all over the pieces. My wife said, "I like the jellyfishes and clouds you are painting on that tank." Wiped it all off in disgust and tried another method.

Used 1/8 fineline tape to "draw" the pinstripe that included some curves and rounded corners. Then layed more 1/8 fineline directly next to both sides of that piece of tape, making sure there was no gap between them. That gave me 3 parallel runs of 1/8 tape. I then peeled off the middle run of tape, exposing the area I wanted to stripe. Important to keep minimal/no gaps between them for a consistant looking stripe. Masked off the rest of the surface by sticking 3/4" tape and paper on the 2 remaining outside pieces of fineline. Squirted the paint and pulled all the tape off. Voila! Darn good looking pinstripes! Worked for me, your mileage may vary.
 

rex

New member
Amen,I'm not steady enough myself.Regular stripe tape works also and doesn't look bad if you clear it in,but I think it's cheap looking.I usually freehand it so it isn't a perfect width (without the initial guide strip).That way it looks more like hand laid until you get up close and don't see the telltale marks of a brushed stripe.
 
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melthebikepainterdude

Guest
I've tried alot of times to freehand the stripes some good some bad, untill I came across the pinstriperoller, it has many different widths and alittle practice can get very good jobs...
I'm not affiliated with this company in any way but ck it out www.beugler.com
 

ezrider

New member
Mel, i experimented with a paint roller about 10 years ago ( cant remeber the brand )i personally didnt like the end results, have they improved the design? i rember it leaving like a track mark in the stripe.if inproved in design can you now manuver them to say pin stripe the out line of flames? any feed back would be appreciated. thanks
 

rex

New member
I remember having one of these years ago as a kid doing model work-why I don't know because it was too big for 1/24 scale.Many discs and spacers to come up with any pattern,but it left tracks like EZ said.The Buegler looks like the same concept,but I don't see the notches in the wheels to hold the paint and leave tracks like the old version.More info would be great,I really suck at freehanding with a brush.
 

ezrider

New member
Rex , thank you "notches" was the expression i was looking for.
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melthebikepainterdude

Guest
Yes I've had a few problems with the "notches" but if I don't thin or add reducer to the paint it comes out great for me .....I use the paint right out of the can (ppg) products.
Also, I do mostly flame paint jobs and yes it works for me to pinstripe the edges, It does take some practice to stay on the line (remember 1st grade here) lol most important I've found is not to go over the wet paint let it dry then if needed hit it again...
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Kyle

Guest
I saw the Beugler pinstriper at a car show a year or so ago, the guy even let me play with it a bit. It was full of Oneshot, and I don't think it had any reducer in it. I thought it was impressive enough at the time that if I would have had the money I would have bought it on the spot.

I am curious to hear a few more opinions on it though!
 
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dan green

Guest
One more easy way to do this is to buy a pre made multi stripe pi stripe with the clear backing. I use 3M stripeing with a 1\8 inch gap between them. The actule stripes are two different withs but it dosent hurt if you use the 3-4 inch tape carefuly. I then brush on the paint insted of spraying it so Idont have to wastmy time with paper. The result is a nice stripe with the freehand brushmark look. To keep the pinstriping frome sticking to well I press it on a clean paiinted pannel, like my car.
When you peel it off, it removes enough adhesive to use it for the stripe without it becoming a permanit decal. good luck to those who try it out.
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Art

New member
I would really like to see some pics of the pinstriperollers end results. Sounds interesting to me. Maybe even some pic of you using it. Thanks...
 

rex

New member
I'd like to add to Dan's post since this is going around again.I took me a second to realize Dan is using regular stripe tape like on your car.3M makes(or did) a multi stripped fineline about 3/4" wide and it was slit every 1/16 or 1/32".You lay it down and peel out the ones you want to paint.DON'T BUY IT! if you see it.While it wont bend tight enough for bike work the sections aren't sliced well and it's a nitemare getting them out.After you finally do there's little tits like it was perforated poorly instead of a nice slice between them.Great concept,works like crap.I like Dan's idea and that stuff is under $20 for 150 feet.
 
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hdchuck

Guest
I also tried freehand, what a mess. My wife is artistic and can paint I hadd her try, bigger mess.

I used 1/16 rubber tape masked both sides and painted with the brush excellent reusults!!

it also looks hand painted. it took a while, but for an amatuer who has the time it was an excellent way to go

Chuck
 
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shano

Guest
3m tape works good for me with spraying ! Q: to brush pinstripes with tape do you use reducer ?
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hdchuck

Guest
sorry for the late reply!!

I put a small ammount of reducer (a few drops) to start then if the paint starts to get too thick I add a few more drops.

Chuck
 
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Air_fx

Guest
I've used the Beugler striping tool on a few occasions, and I liked it....yes I could freehand a tight set of flames using PPG straight out of the can, and I didn't have any problems with the wheel leaving any tracks,but I never tried a roller wider than 1/8". I think it is a fine tool to add to any airbrusher arsenal....yes, they require some practice to use effeciently, but so does an airbrush.

Another way to add a pinstripe to your flamejob is to layout your flames with 1/8" fineline, and mask off all the areas not to be painted....now using your pinstripe color in your airbrush, paint the inside edge of your flames, let this dry, and then take either 1/16" or 1/8" and lay it right next to your previously layed 1/8" tape, covering the edge that you just painted.

Now you have two pieces of fineline tape laying side by side...one is original flame layout and the other is now covering your pinstipe color....now take either 1/8" or 1/4" tape and cover the seam between those two, and then go ahead and finish painting your flames....when you remove all the tape, you will have flames with a pinstiped edge.....although this route seems like your taping your design repeatedly, it does produce a clean end result for us pinstiped challenged.

FX
 

DaveK

New member
Well what do ya know...... Mikey found this board. Yep.... Mr Air_fx. Now get that Sportster finished!!!! And don't pull up any paint on the flames!

DaveK
 
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Scott M

Guest
My cousin does pinstriping for a living. He gave me a Mack #1 brush and told me not to waste his time for further instruction until I could make 10 one eighth inch by 12" parallel lines with 1/8" spacing. He said this usually take about one thousand practice strokes. Needless to say, it will be awhile before I get proficient enough to bother him for more instruction. He has a couple beugler stripers. Apparently they haven't changed basic design in 60 years. The only changes are newer soft parts and instead of welding on the guide bracket, it is now machine forged or something.
 

DanS

New member
Originally posted by Air_fx:
I've used the Beugler striping tool on a few occasions, and I liked it....yes I could freehand a tight set of flames using PPG straight out of the can, and I didn't have any problems with the wheel leaving any tracks,but I never tried a roller wider than 1/8". I think it is a fine tool to add to any airbrusher arsenal....yes, they require some practice to use effeciently, but so does an airbrush.

Another way to add a pinstripe to your flamejob is to layout your flames with 1/8" fineline, and mask off all the areas not to be painted....now using your pinstripe color in your airbrush, paint the inside edge of your flames, let this dry, and then take either 1/16" or 1/8" and lay it right next to your previously layed 1/8" tape, covering the edge that you just painted.

Now you have two pieces of fineline tape laying side by side...one is original flame layout and the other is now covering your pinstipe color....now take either 1/8" or 1/4" tape and cover the seam between those two, and then go ahead and finish painting your flames....when you remove all the tape, you will have flames with a pinstiped edge.....although this route seems like your taping your design repeatedly, it does produce a clean end result for us pinstiped challenged.

FX
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DanS

New member
I tried your way of taping over the airbrushed pinstripe color. Worked great. That solved my biggest problem, an unsteady hand. Thanks
DanS
 
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MPAVLAS

Guest
GO TO LAZER LINE ARTIST BRUSHES ON THE WEB THEY CARRY A GOOD SUPPLY OF PINSTRIPING BRUSHES THAT HAVE INTERCHANGEABLE HEADS AND THE WORK VERY WELL
 
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