Topic: Could someone trace their 77 or 78's tank stripes for me?

[CB750R]

Hey, I'd like to copy the striping of the stripes shape on my bike, but in a different colour so I was wondering if any one could trace the stripes for me so I can use the shape to paint my tank??

[ElCheapo]

The best solutio is to take a photo of the stripes and then trace them in Adobe Illustrator. This will make a perfect vinyl pattern if you would like to go with the vinyl realm. Or it allows you to make a stencil that can be used to paint.

[MRieck]

What kind of copier do you need to make that stencil??

[CB750R]

Thanks, I was just hoping for some tracing paper and a pencil outline, but that sounds like a mighty interesting process.

[heffay]

The best solutio is to take a photo of the stripes and then trace them in Adobe Illustrator. This will make a perfect vinyl pattern if you would like to go with the vinyl realm. Or it allows you to make a stencil that can be used to paint.

except that adobe will be 2 dimensional instead of 3-D as would the manual process of laying trace over a 3-D tank...


not trying to sound argumentative or know-it-all... i just deal with trace paper and illustrator EVERYDAY... ok, maybe not everyday but, a freekin lot!

[ElCheapo]

Makes total sense to me on the 3d distortion. I guess you would have to have a clean set laid out flat first (like a new set) then you could redo a set.

[TwoTired]

What do you think of using clear kitchen plastic wrap on the tank and marking the outline and any registration marks onto it with a sharpie or china marker?  You could then transfer that to another tank, paper, vellum, or whatever.

I wonder if the newer press seal type would be easier or harder to work with?

 

[Faust]

What do you think of using clear kitchen plastic wrap on the tank and marking the outline and any registration marks onto it with a sharpie or china marker?  You could then transfer that to another tank, paper, vellum, or whatever.

I wonder if the newer press seal type would be easier or harder to work with?

 

I thas been recommended to me to use a clear plastic, self adhesive, stencil material which is supposed to be available at art supply stores. The stencil is then cut out with a toothed cutting wheel. I know from description the tool he means, but don't know where to find one.

This was recently recommended by a RISD student who does gas tanks. I haven't tried it yet.

[TwoTired]

I think I saw Chip Foose use that stuff on OverHaulin'.

The toothed wheel is called a pounce wheel, I think.

He was using it to get the graphics on each side of the car to be the same.  Seems like that should work for the tank, too.

CB750R,  are you looking for an on line posting or something in a mailing tube?

[Chris in Ramsey]

Also...which bike's tank stripes are you looking for? I have a set of vinyl "78 F stripes waiting on a paint job, they are flat and on the backer sheet and would be easy to trace now.

[Bob Wessner]

I had never heard of a "pounce wheel." In case anyone else is in the same boat, here's what they look like...

P.S. Just keep learning something new here all the time. 

[ProTeal55]

It would be killer if someone could trace their stripe , and make it  .jpeg file so
other users could download and use. I wouldn't mind having a stencil/jpeg of a
factory stripe to play around with...

Wish I could find a good stencil of a scalloped tank....

[TwoTired]

It would be killer if someone could trace their stripe , and make it  .jpeg file so
other users could download and use. I wouldn't mind having a stencil/jpeg of a
factory stripe to play around with...

Er, a 128K jpeg wouldn't have the resolution to blow up full size without some mighty jagged lines. 

Or, has technology passed me by?   

[CB750R]

Chris!! I thought this topic had died a while ago! But I'm looking for some F stripes traced so if you'd be so kind as to oblige, perhaps making a scan or a trace of such that I could use I'd be super stoked!!!

[ProTeal55]

TWOTIRED---->
Good point, I guess a simple trace and Fax would work just fine........

[eldar]

A person could still upload a pic, just check with glenn to see if a 400 - 500k pic would work. It could even be larger and just be zipped. A person could download it and unzip it and the file could then offer a high enough bit rate for decent resolution. That way we could have tank and side cover graphics for all SOHCs.

[damn_yankee]

A vector (illustrator) file is a much better way to go than a raster .jpg file. It will be a smaller file and higher resolution.

These guys sell the decals for $80 a pop for a K8. You could make your own for much less if you had the artwork in Illustrator.

http://www.reproductiondecals.com/default_frameset.html?hon_4c.html~main

[bhkrause]

Also...which bike's tank stripes are you looking for? I have a set of vinyl "78 F stripes waiting on a paint job, they are flat and on the backer sheet and would be easy to trace now.

Wow, Chris, I don't surf the board for weeks and suddenly your name is all over the place..  
I'd love a copy of the stripes too.  If/when I get around to doing the paint on the tank, I want a different color from the original as well.  You still working down town MN, or was that job done? 

Bernie