Has anyone ever done their own pinstriping?

[CRASH]

I'm sure this has been covered before, but as my son's project gels in my mind, and the pinstriping part grows, I'm wondering if the cost of having a a pinstripe/letting job done by a professional is going to get crazy expensive, and whether I should just try to tackle it myself. I've never done such a thing, but I'm wondering how hard it might be, and the cost of whatever specialized brushes might be, and where to find them.

Any info/direction/advise is always appreciated!

 

[DaBigKahuna]

Coast Air Brush in Anaheim has a lot of supplies and instructional materials http://www.coastairbrush.com

Also look at Mooneyes http://www.mooneyesusa.com

I've heard that the books by Ed "Big Daddy" Roth and also by Watson are good but I haven't taken the plunge yet.

 

[Willg]

I tried, and it was terrible. :|

 

[NewOrleansFlyer]

Have you ever noticed that you don't see a lot of the work done by beginner pin stripe artists?? Not to say that they don't get good over time...but that is what it takes, more than know how.....just doing hundreds, maybe thousands of lines...pricey..yup, but worth it..no doubt. Maybe a thread on bad pin striping would be a good idea, I'm sure this group has some winners..

 

[CRASH]

You've got a point. I look at it and say to myself: "They're just painted lines! Just follow the pattern!" But it's my son't bike, and I've got a deadline. If I screwed it up... well...

I think I'll start looking for a striper and finding out the charge. Maybe it won't be as bad as I think.

 

[Toeslider]

I think I'm going to get one of these:

http://www.beugler.com/

You can get in the game for around $100. They've been selling this same basic tool since at least the 70's, so it seems to have stood the test of time.

 

[Roscoe Clyde]

It is not extremly difficult, however it typically take a few months of steady practice to pull off a decent job.

http://www.tcpglobal.com/pinstriperdepot/ is a good place to aquire supplies.

There are a lot of amatures around that do a "good enough" job that might be able to cut you a deal.

Roscoe Clyde

 

[dedman]

I tried some on my old truck, wasn't the best but I liked it. You just need patience.

 

[sensor]

yeah...i had to learn since i couldnt find anyone to do mine(turns out there was an oldtimer hiding in town but it took 10 years before i found him :lol: )...
its really not expensive to get into at all.
$10(or less) for a mack striping sword. and $6-14 for 1shot paint(depending on the color and size) and maybe $8 for mineral spirits(for thinning if you need to and cleaning your brush).
so for $30 or so you have everything you need. just remember it takes patience and lots of practice.dont expect it to look good the first few times(that where most get frustrated and give up. know itll look bad and keep on doing it anyhow)...but with time and effort youll get better.
search pinstriping in the other talk section theres lots of links on where to buy, what to get how to tip the brush,thinning,basics to practice,etc.,etc.,etc.
ohh and support you local auto paint suppliers...they can probably get everything you need for less than getting it online(plus you get to keep locals working) and you can walk out with it that day 99% of the time.