How do they do it????????

[britman]

I picked up this original 1964 Virginia motorcycle tag off of Flea Bay about a year ago.  It was rough, bent with extra holes so having some free time lately with this retirement thing I decided I would try and bring it back for my 1964 Triumph TR6R.  Filled the holes with solder and laid a base coat of white and taped the numerals for the black.  I have spent the last three hours or so cutting in with Hobby Lobby paint and tiny arse brushes, and damned if it doesn't still look like I was having delirium tremors when I did the job.  It will do from a distance and from past experience proving the longer you mess with something like this, the more you will screw it up, I am done. 

My question is, how in the hell do those free hand pin strippers sat down and lay those perfect lines with a guide stick or nothing at all.  I am sure it is a talent that requires years of practice and pure natural ability............




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[Arizona Wayne]

They have the touch and steady eye-hand coordination.  Some thing I've never had even if my life depended on it. 

[normzone]

They are not humans such as you and I - they are an entirely separate kind of beings.

[ohiorider]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLV_641eDRY

This amazes me every time I see a video of these fuel tanks being pin striped free-hand.

[RinkRat II]

 Back in the 70's and 80's I used to pinstripe Vans and Trucks and a few odds and ends that people would want me to stripe. I started off with a couple of books by famous  old artists and bought my brushes and enamel from Standard Brands. I went to bodyshops and got sheet metal they were discarding off wrecks that had compound surfaces and would practice on those. I also went to see Butchr in Mesa AZ and Steve Kafka in Phoenix. Asked questions and watched them work. Both super nice guys and willing to teach a new guy.  Life happened and a few years ago I decided to sripe my wife's new SUV. Got out the brushes and paints and realized I needed to practice for a few weeks before attempting to do what I did before that seemed to come naturally. I ended up using tape stripes just to accent the body lines for now. I retired recently and one of the projects on my list is to dedicate a little time daily to get the "touch" back if possible.
If I do, who knows, I might show up at a rallye and do a stripe job or two.  Practice,practice,practice..........

     Paul B

[Lannis]

My question is, how in the hell do those free hand pin strippers sat down and lay those perfect lines with a guide stick or nothing at all.  I am sure it is a talent that requires years of practice and pure natural ability............


 

I suspect that its the same superior eye-brain-hand connection that allows a great guitarist, pianist, sleight-of-hand expert, or sharpshooter to do what they do.

Any of us can get to a certain level of skill in those areas by practice, practice, practice .... but most (like ME) would never get to a level where they could perform professionally, win a competition, or be "in demand" as an artist, auto painter, or pinstriper.

People aren't created equal, despite years of wishing .... I doubt if you or I could ever do this ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLk1v5bSFPw

Lannis

[Kiwi Dave]

Aren't the license tags made by prison labour?

[Lannis]

Aren't the license tags made by prison labour?

They used to be (at least in Virginia, it's different in all 50 states) .... back when you were issued a new set of metal license plates EVERY YEAR!

Now, you keep one set of plates until they fall off the vehicle or are unreadable - every year you just put a new tax sticker on it.   

Not enough work there to keep even a bored convict busy.

Lannis

[93spada]

How about paint it all black then use a ultra short nap roller with white  to hit the hi relief letters?

[britman]

I bolted it on today, I am back in 1964.  Since the sizes in the Old Dominion went from 7" X 4" to the standard 8" X 4" from 1966 on I had to make a backing plate to mount the 64 tag on the bracket without drilling any additional holes.  I will probably only bolt it on for bike nights or if I take it to any shows.  I happy with the final product, like I said looks good from ten feet.......

[fotoguzzi]

not sure if original but my 72 has old plate.. I'm just showing off..

[ITSec]

They used to be (at least in Virginia, it's different in all 50 states) .... back when you were issued a new set of metal license plates EVERY YEAR!

Now, you keep one set of plates until they fall off the vehicle or are unreadable - every year you just put a new tax sticker on it.   

Not enough work there to keep even a bored convict busy.

Lannis

Well, here in Nevada they still use the inmates to make the plates. Not as many of them, but automation is killing more jobs than NAFTA and China combined - even for prisoners!