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Gold pinstriping paint?

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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John Arnott
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Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by John Arnott »

I've restored a lot of antique safes (about 34 so far).
I pinstripe the fine lines of gold color using size with bronzing powder mixed into it. I've tried the 1 shot straight but didn't like the coverage or the color.
I've mixed some bronzing powder into it but it doesn't seem to flow as good as size and powder only.
Does anybody have a good way to mix up something like the old original painters used?

I often make a mask for the corner scrolls and tiny manufactures name. Then peel it off. But I realy don't like the way it leaves the edges. Any tricks to smooth out the edges besides pulling asap.
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Since 1978
Patrick Mackle
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Patrick Mackle »

I just the other day read an account out of an antique book entitled painters encyclopedia and it mentioned putting gold leaf between something like two pieces of ground (frosted glass) with some paint friendly oil and grinding the gold until it was down to a paint like consistency. Then adding it to a varnish.
I should try to mix up a bit and work out the method.
It also explained the glue used to stick those old angel gilded glass letters to the fronts of plate glass store windows.
Pat
Robare M. Novou
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Robare M. Novou »

Yo Pat,

Those Old Time Glass Letters Weren't Angel Gilded...Thays Fired on, in a Kiln.

As in China Painting.

P.S. Nice Safe Work...if you can get it!

RMN
What's On Your Book Shelf ?

http://www.milwaukeesignworks.com
Patrick Mackle
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Patrick Mackle »

Robare,
You are correct, the gold was fired on and that's why those letters are not as bright a gold as angel gilded glass.

I wrote that preceding post in a hurry so I could get back to work and did not elaborate on the glue that was used. So here goes.
The book described cooking animal glue with water and then adding naptha. The cooking of the glue with water would dissolve the glue granules
(as it does in preparation for chipping) and the addition of naptha would keep the glue mixture in liquid suspension which then could be stored in a closed container for upcoming glass letter applications. Although the book did not explain in much detail, I would have to think that in cooking the animal glue for gluing these glass letters to store fronts, that it would be heated to a slightly higher temperature than glue chip glue in order to "ruin" the glue. By slightly over cooking the glue it would lose its shrinking and curling properties. The same very necessary properties that must not be endangered when cooking glue for glass chipping.
Also, glue that has been over cooked will not jell when it cools, but stays quite liquid, much like LePage's bottled glue.
Pat
Jim Moser
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Jim Moser »

John,
I use House of Kolor urethane striping paint for any fine line striping or lettering....works great....dries fast. They have two golds ( I prefer u-11 ) silver and copper ( copper does not seem to work as well ). Use their U-00 reducer. A coat of clear after it has dried overnight will give it some gloss if you like and may help soften the edge if you use a mask.
Life is much too important to be taken seriously
Kent Smith
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Kent Smith »

One old method of mixing powders so they would stay in suspension and make a cleaner line was first to make a paste. This is done by putting the metallic powder (any color of bronze or aluminum) into a clean container. Add turpentine, just a few drops at a time, mixing as you go and the powder will turn into a sticky paste. Then add the resin, gold size, brushing lacquer or other varnishes. Not much clear is needed and as you add the clear you will see the powder change and float evenly. This way you can used any one of the many bronze colors or tinted aluminums or combinations. This is basically the same method used in the factories to make the ready-made products. I like the extra fine powders as very little is needed in the mix, they give a cleaner edege without buildup and they stay in suspension better. I have found that most of the ready-mixed loads out at the edges and as it gets older, drops out of suspension and will not remix well.
John Arnott
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by John Arnott »

Thanks everyone.....I normaly take fine powder, mix tiny amount of size to make a paste. Then add enough clear size to make it liquid. No turps.

I study the old brush strokes on antiques. They sure look to be smooth covering in 1 stroke. Even on much wider stripes (3/4") and flourshes.
Maybe it was the lead!
Since 1978
Kent Smith
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Kent Smith »

size and varnish can make the particles stick together when making the paste but a small amount of turps can mix more smoothly without reducing the mix too much

one thing I know is that using brushing lacquer and earlier vintage gold size will cure over time allowing the powder to rise to the surface which hides any evidence of brush marks and also becomes more brilliant.

really the only advantage of the lead in clears was that they dried more reliably.
John Arnott
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by John Arnott »

Hmmmm..........brushing lacquer......I'll just run over to Home Depot and pick up some!
Thanks Kent, I'll try adding turps, altho I do dip into it when palleting the brush for striping.
Since 1978
Kent Smith
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Kent Smith »

If you find some good brushing lacquer at Home Depot, or anywhere else for that matter, let me know.
Ray Smith
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Ray Smith »

I don't normally like to use any metallic paint for striping but when I do the 1-Shot Metallic Brass seems to be the best of the lot.It seems to replicate actual gold the best in color anyway.The biggest problem I find is not being able to pull a very long line without reloading the brush.Usually two coats are necessary which can be a bit trying when you are doing really long lines.I have found that you can only pull about a 2' line before the consistency goes away.
As for doing wide lines:are you using a broad liner or a regular quill?Broad liners hold a tremendous amount of paint and will provide a nice crisp edge.Just my twopence
"May you be in a half hour before the devil knows you're dead"
Jim Moser
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Jim Moser »

The best Gold Striping Paint ever was Paul Moura's Dagger Lac which is no longer available. His colors were just silk screen lacquer, but I was never able to find out what he was using for the Gold and Silver. As I said before I have been using the House of Color urethane striping paints with great success. Sid Moses has a line of striping lacquer called Mo Lac, but I have not used them.
Life is much too important to be taken seriously
Doug Fielder
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Re: Gold pinstriping paint?

Post by Doug Fielder »

When I was up in Vermont I was lucky enough to get to put the striping back onto restored Harleys from the 20s and 30s, and they all had some sort of gold striping on them. I tried the "mix-n-stripe" method and found it alright, but it didn't flow from the brush well and was hard to pallet nicely. I was using gold size and bronze powder, I tried House of Kolor UC-3 clear and bronze powder and even sign clear and bronze powder, but found the best was just striping in Imitation Gold 1-Shot and dabbing the powder on after the paint reached a good tack like gold size. The end result was nearly indistinguishable from the other methods and was faster and easier.

I think I got the idea from the "Autobody and Carriage Striping" book. Any powder not where I wanted it was wiped away with a damp cloth and then cleared over with HoK UC-3, or automotive urethane clear.
Doug F.
FALLOUT Grafix
Port St Lucie, FL

Formerly from NJ, Formerly from VT,
Formerly from SF, CA, Formerly from NC,
Formerly from CO, FINALLY settled in FL!
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