Even in this time of economical duress,the striping trade , if someone has
talent and trains/masters the discipline, could earn 70 to 100 K per year
easily.
When I was restoring bikes regularly in my old shop, I called in one of two
stripers in my area and they would charge a minimum of 50 and usually 70
to100$ for 15/20 minutes work, 1/2 hour at the most.
There was as much work for them as they wanted, and it would always take 2-3
days or more for them to be able to come in.
The work was done at my shop, all their equipment was in a station wagon or
van.
They made their rounds every day.
You can do any kind of math you like, and see the potential for someone who
has a feel/touch for it and wishes to apply him/herself.
Lite easy work, do as much or little as you like, no rent to pay, no
employees, minimal insurance, no gas, lite, water, trash pickup, etc.
Of course it's not a high tech job on a computer, or attorney, type
profession, and kids would rather tag than be a credit to society.
The the long green is out their, kiddos, think about it.
Time to start plucking those camel hairs.
Ted Ernst
Palos Verdes Estates
CA USA
>I know this is OT from lug lining, but I'd like to share a technique. My
> grandfather freehanded many a pin stripe. Never used a roller tool like
> this.
> His technique for complex designs or complex surfaces was to do a mock up
> on
> paper and tested the fit, alignment, etc. Then he removed the paper used
> a
> tracing wheel (like this
> http://missourifamilies.org/
> to
> perforate the lines. The paper was then re-applied to the surface and,
> depending on the base color's value, either chalk or charcoal was rubbed
> onto the lines and transfered to the surface. These lines, although
> faint,
> were all he needed to paint freehand paint stripes. And I can't say for
> sure, but the chalk and charcoal did not mix with the paint nor interfere
> with adhesion.
>
> I agree with Charles. There is a certain liveliness not found in the
> mechanically applied stripes. IMHO, practice is more valuable than this
> tool. Seems there is no easy DIY weekend solution to (high quality)
> pinstriping.
>
> --
> Garrett Belmont
> Los Angeles, CA
>
> On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 7:44 PM, Charles Andrews
> <chasds@mindspring.com>wrote:
>
>> Pablo Brena wrote:
>>
>> "I recently got a lugged frame, but I changed my mind about the detailing
>> line in the lug edges,
>> currently is black and want to change it to gold.
>> Returning it to the builder is not practical and local car paint shops
>> haven't been very helpful.
>> Is it possible to do it with a paintbrush? In such a case what sort of
>> paint should I look for?
>> Any advice would be appreciated."
>>
>>
>> You may need this:
>>
>>
>> http://ebay.com/
>>
>> (No relation to seller).
>>
>> Emanuel Lowi
>>
>>
>> &&&&&&&
>>
>> that looks like a cool tool...but, there's an interesting problem with
>> tools like this. I was reminded of the problem recently when I had a
>> 1950s
>> Rene Herse tandem frame pinstriped and logo'd by our local striping ace.
>> He
>> applied the paint with a couple of special brushes. He used masking tape
>> as
>> a guide, but otherwise was free-handing the stripes with a brush...and
>> they
>> came out quite beautifully. Brush-applied stripes have special qualities
>> that cannot, as far as I have seen, be duplicated by a striping wheel or
>> pen. There is a difficult-to-describe liveliness to stripes done the
>> old-fashioned way. The stripes vary a little in thickness, which is
>> probably part of the effect.
>>
>> This liveliness is best seen on the old swiss bikes with the elaborate
>> pinstriping. It may well be that they were using a wheel-tool to do this
>> stuff--I have never been able to find out for sure how it was done. I'm
>> guessing it was done like the old Schwinn paramounts were done, with a
>> brush, mostly freehand, and probably quite rapidly. The Schwinns and the
>> swiss bikes have that look...as if the stripes were done very quickly.
>> Perhaps not, but that is the visual effect, to me.
>>
>> What I have seen is a airy liveliness to the striping on those old Swiss
>> frames, while more modern repro striping often looks dead somehow---too
>> thick maybe? To uniform in proportion perhaps? done too slowly, without
>> a
>> certain art?
>>
>> I dunno. I just know the old originals often look more entertaining than
>> restorations when it comes to striping...but I'd love to be convinced
>> that
>> good striping in the old style can still be done. The guy who the Herse
>> has
>> made a career of it, mostly does cars and trucks, and he is a true
>> artist.
>>
>> Charles Andrews
>> Los Angeles
>>
>>
>> "everyone has elites; the important thing is
>> to change them from time to time."
>>
>> --Joseph Schumpeter, via Simon Johnson