McDave

I say "new" but I actually found mention of him here on BFs last year when I first started looking for decals. His name is JR Anderson and his email address is wandson1 AT msn.com. Here is what he had to say in reply to my inquiry. Example photos coming soon...
--------------
Hi Dave, I'm still here. I will appreciate any and all advertising I can get. I've been in the decal business for over 25 years. I enjoy recreating bicycle artwork and turning them into decals. I'm very detail and color orientated reproducing the decals to perfection.

It's ok with me if you post my information, I think it would be great to be on a forum thread. I'd be able to reply during the evenings. My pricing is very reasonable, a normal 6-8 piece set averaging from $40 to $70, it just depends how intricate the design is. I can ship USPS priority or express mail.

I also offer a clear UV laminate that helps extend the life of the decals. The decals can be buried in UV clear and I have instructions on how to do that. I work from hi resolution photos and reference measurements, the decals are made from 7 to 9 year 2 mil vinyl with graphics thermo printed into the surface. It is very accurate, sharp and no bleed through.

I can send you some pictures of my work if you want, just let me know. Thanks again for offering this opportunity, I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
JR. Anderson
-----------------
So what do you think? Has anyone here dealt with JR before that can give us some feedback on his work?

If you decide to place an order, here is what he requires. He should be along to answer your questions this evening.

"Please send Hi resolution close up pictures of the decals you want along with reference measurements and colors to this email address (wandson1 AT msn.com). I will then give you an idea on pricing and timing."

Grand Bois

No website?

repechage

Well Nick at Lloyd's website is only a typography list, so while a virtual store is fun to look at, its the product that matters.

There is also a guy in Italy doing Italian bikes, reference the CR list, his web site is nothing, but he will send a list of transfers.

Dr.Deltron

AWESOME! Thanks McD!

That was on todays list, find next decal maker.
And loooo, McDave comes through!

I will send art and see what he can do. 25 yrs experience is a GOOD thing in my book!
And y'all hold off for a couple of days before ordering, I need Cyclotoines decals FIRST!

Thanks y'all!

dbakl

Any idea how they're being made, what decals exist now? Can you post the sample pics when they arrive?

BTW, the guy in Italy seems to be selling originals. Not everything shown on his website, but send an email, he'll send pics.

https://www.vintagetransfers.it/listbici.htm

Also has a bunch of stuff on ebay now. I've ordered from him, no complaints.

https://search.ebay.it/_W0QQsassZgiopan49QQhtZ-1

Grand Bois

I'd feel better about sending money to a complete stranger if he had a website.

vpiuva

I was considering buying my Gitane decals from Koolbikes, as they had lots of artwork already, but they've disappeared. Anyone know anything?

Mariner Fan

This is good news. I was wondering where to get the decals for my Miyata.

Grand Bois

Do they have the foil ones for early '70s TdF's? I can get the ones for the downtube, It's the downtube stickers I haven't been able to find.

McDave

In light of recent developments with the previous decal supplier *with* a website, I would conclude that a website doesn't guarantee trustworthiness.

Yes. They are having ISP problems according to this message...

Archive-URL: https://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.as...10705.1096.eml
Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 08:23:45 -0700 (PDT)
From: xxxxxxxxxx <xxxxxxx(AT)sbcglobal.net>
Subject: [CR]Koolbikes Lives

I just finished speaking to Mary Pfeiffer at Koolbikes. I hadn't spoken
to her for maybe six months or more, and there was a rumor she had existed
the bicycle framebuilding/painting business, as the Koolbikes website was down.

But as Mark Twain said, the reports of Koolbike's demise have been
greatly exagerrated. In fact they have been having severe ISP problems,
which took down both the website and email for several months. She is
working on restoring both, but meantime she can be contacted at the
engineering business she and her husband also operate:

mary(AT)P-E-C-O.com
-----------------------

Any other questions for JR? I'll be pointing him to this thread and posting his example photos (if he doesn't) as I get them this evening.

vpiuva

No, I think they only have the downtube stickers

Check this for an example of some of their Gitane work. They e-mailed me some TdF artwork a while ago, too.

Grand Bois

Give me a break, I'm working and posting at the same time.

The downtube and headtube stickers are correct, but that's not the seat tube sticker I need.

CV-6 

Not about Koolbikes. But I can tell you that Greg Softley will be working on the foil Gitane decals in the very near future. I have a contact with excellent photos of his Super Corsa decals who will be providing those pictures to Greg.

Grand Bois

Is Greg Softly the guy in Australia that sells decals on Ebay? I asked this question before in the "trash Mike Swantak" thread, but didn't get a response.

cyclotoine

That's him, but I seem to remember him NOT being as keen about one off reproductions from photos. I tried to get my reynolds 531 decals through him and he didn't have the version I needed. I sent him photos and he sort of said yeah I will work on this for the future. Didn't seem like he wanted to or maybe he didn't have time to reproduce them for me at the time. I did end up getting the decals from mike before he went incommunicado.

repechage

Yes he is. He has apparently sunk a big chunk onto the equipment and materials to make them. He wrote to the CR list some time ago and advised he was working on tubing, rims, and native Oz bikes first.

CV-6 

Photos being supplied have a tailor's tape in them, allowing for accurate measurement. He is also getting some original NOS markings to work with. He knows there at least two buyers for what he produces, and I think someone on the list here was wanting Gitane foil decals also.

evwxxx

I got some Reynolds 531 decals from Softly (Cyclomondo) awhile back. French language "mid 70's" units. I was not that pleased with the work, the green colors had not lined up with the "531" outlines correctly, giving a "ghost" image to them. I told him about it, and he told me that original 531 decals back in the day were often done no better. I have not personally seen any of the originals with this problem, but in any case I was somewhat disappointed with the decals, and probably will never use them, at least on my PX-10. At only $10 or so, it is not really worth the money and effort to send them back to Oz for replacement, which I will say he did offer to do. Oh well,,,

cyclotoine

I bought a set of fiamme rim decals from mr. softly and he sent me 2 sets, apparently one set has a minor defect I could not identify, my only complaint is I have to trim the outside of the decals. Other than that they look great.

duane041

If anyone is interested (and I;m not trying to steal thnder from the fellow McDave found), a friend of mine has gotten decals from this place:
https://www.suzieillustrator.com/vinyl.htm
She has done excellent two-color rubdown decals for a vintage Reg Harris, and also a J Brittan, and both looked great.
Just thought maybe more than one option would help.

Grand Bois

I bought a set recently. The quality is good, but they're not a match to the originals on my '74 PX10. They're not even the same size. I've gotten them from two other souces and Mr. Softly's are the best of the three. My PX10 isn't going to be original anyway, since I'm having Dr. Deltron paint it black and it's going to have Campy NR/SR components.

vpiuva

The ST decal you desire is one of the decals they e-mailed me artwork for.

Grand Bois

THAT'S IT!!!

I guess I'll be working some more Saturdays to pay for another paintjob.

Did you get the chainstay decal? Italianbiker's white TdF has it. It's the only one I've seen. I can't remember what it says, but I do remember that I thought it was rather odd.

vpiuva

Not familiar with the chainstay decal, and I'm not sure what happened to all the artwork they sent me, as my computer has crashed since then and my external HD also bit it. I'm going to search some other frame pics, though

vpiuva

The only other Gitane decal artwork I found that I can't ID is one that in script looks something like email luxe polimer ise No clue - you got one?