Painting Pantographs
07-29-21, 07:33 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Twin Cities
Posts: 927
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 206 Post(s)
Liked 102 Times
in
46 Posts
Painting Pantographs
Any tips on painting pantographs on a old bike? I have an early-80s Serotta that I’m finally getting around to redoing - new paint and more modern hardware. I just don’t have experience in dealing with fine etchings on the frame and fork. What are your experiences?
__________________
Some days, it's not even worth gnawing through the restraints.
Some days, it's not even worth gnawing through the restraints.
07-29-21, 07:47 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Peoria, IL
Posts: 4,461
Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1822 Post(s)
Liked 3,366 Times
in
1,572 Posts
that's something I've had an interest in, but never did it. Still, I do recall this getting discussed a few times in not-too-distant history. Hopefully a search will pull up the threads?
Steve in Peoria
Steve in Peoria
07-29-21, 08:11 PM
#3
Senior Member
I like to use toothpicks.
__________________
Semper fi
Semper fi
Likes For sloar:
07-29-21, 08:42 PM
#4
aka: Dr. Cannondale
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,724
Mentioned: 234 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2152 Post(s)
Liked 3,401 Times
in
1,203 Posts
Fill with slightly thickened Testors enamel, then wipe with a clean paper towel moistened (not soaked) with thinner. Voila!
__________________
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
Likes For rccardr:
07-29-21, 08:47 PM
#5
Friendship is Magic
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 22,983
Bikes: old ones
Mentioned: 304 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26374 Post(s)
Liked 10,341 Times
in
7,185 Posts
.
...this is how I do it:
1. Finish your repaint of the frame with a 2 part epoxy clear coat. Let that cure for about a week.
2. Use a fine artists brush or a paint pen to fill the pantographing with whatever contrasting color you picked.
3. Let that sit in there about five minutes until it starts to thicken.
4. Take a blue shop towel (the disposable kind, similar to paper towels), moistened with mineral spirits. Wring it out so it's not dripping.
Wrap a single or double layer of it around something like a dowel for a curved stay cap like that, or just a straight edged wood scrap for flat.
With a single swiping action, wipe off anything that you painted on there that has gone outside the clean, machined edge of the pantograph.
5. This will sometimes still leave some streaking on the bottom edge of your swiping stroke. You can usually clean that up with another part of the same blue, spirits moistened towel, around your finger.
6. With the advantage of the epoxy clear coat protecting your color coat, you get as many tries as you need, until you get it right. It's important to get clean, sharp edges.
...this is how I do it:
1. Finish your repaint of the frame with a 2 part epoxy clear coat. Let that cure for about a week.
2. Use a fine artists brush or a paint pen to fill the pantographing with whatever contrasting color you picked.
3. Let that sit in there about five minutes until it starts to thicken.
4. Take a blue shop towel (the disposable kind, similar to paper towels), moistened with mineral spirits. Wring it out so it's not dripping.
Wrap a single or double layer of it around something like a dowel for a curved stay cap like that, or just a straight edged wood scrap for flat.
With a single swiping action, wipe off anything that you painted on there that has gone outside the clean, machined edge of the pantograph.
5. This will sometimes still leave some streaking on the bottom edge of your swiping stroke. You can usually clean that up with another part of the same blue, spirits moistened towel, around your finger.
6. With the advantage of the epoxy clear coat protecting your color coat, you get as many tries as you need, until you get it right. It's important to get clean, sharp edges.
Likes For 3alarmer:
07-30-21, 05:11 PM
#6
Semper Fi
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,942
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1172 Post(s)
Liked 358 Times
in
241 Posts
Paging Drillium Dude 😉
__________________
Semper Fi, USMC, 1975-1977
I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
Semper Fi, USMC, 1975-1977
I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
07-30-21, 06:30 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Magnolia State, 100° with 110% humidity
Posts: 1,230
Bikes: American, Italian, and Japanese.. in no particular order.
Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 350 Post(s)
Liked 276 Times
in
128 Posts
Research fluid writer pen.
Likes For tyler_fred:
07-30-21, 08:57 PM
#9
Bike Butcher of Portland
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 11,630
Bikes: It's complicated.
Mentioned: 1299 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4677 Post(s)
Liked 5,790 Times
in
2,279 Posts
Paging Drillium Dude 😉
__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
