Tank Striping - Paint, Decal or Transfer

[kp]

Hi Duane and,
Interesting finds and constructive debate.
Could I ask if you would mind checking on as many tanks as you own and measure the front width of the left and right stripes. When I measured the stripes width at the front (as per the previous photos) I get a different width for the RH and LH stripe. Both tanks are in original jam and both tanks have this same difference. Chris' width find at 50mm is also interesting
I noticed the in your gold looking tank photo what looks to be overspray on the tank badge. Has this tank had a touch up?

I am not surprised that the stripes look metallic and also look painted. Paint and ink are basically the same thing, it's just the formulation and properties that alter as far as I understand

The other thing I ponder is the process of making the stripe if it is a transfer. The use of water transfers is well known in the automotive industry pre mid 60's Nearly all labels on air cleaners, firewalls, warnings labels and the like involved the use of water transfers in the early days, Fancy crests and brand identification were often printed on a water transfer. Ford was still using a particular water transfer in 1972. When one bought that decal you needed to soak it in water to affix it.
Indeed, the current process of pattern transfer on complex surfaces in custom design is nothing more than a modern take on water transfers using a big tank and a release agent. A good friend of mine has a son who does this for a living and it is so cool to see.
In the early 70's I was into vehicle restoration and many of the decals were printed on a base material. A 1969 Ford had (if my memory is working) an oil decal, an aircleaner decal, a radiator decal, a brake fluid decal and a few others. As I recall all were printed on a white background vinyl type film. Getting those reproduced some years later was a real task. Ford either changed the wording, shape, font size or whatever so getting original decals was another problem. We just didn't have computers, printers, scanners and the like. I had a friend who was a printer by trade and what he would do was take an original decal, photograph it and have that image used as the basis for the print. Don't ask cos I don't know what the process was after the photo was taken, but what we got back were perfect copies of the original decal. Many of the so called reproduction decals we have now are just not accurate. When was the last time you saw an accurate oil tank side cover decal, (cos they changed them) and when are the copies ever printed on a similar thick type silver foil.

As for stripes, does anyone know who makes an ACCURATE tank stripe decal
also
Does anyone know who make an accurate oil tank side cover decal

[kp]

After Duane's post I went back to look again at these stripes. The tank in the following photos is one of the earliest known 19 litre tanks in original jam you'll find. You can see the following

• Several of the photos clearly show some sort of supernumerary edging similar to water transfer edge
• Several of the photos show the irregular nature of the black pinstripe
• If you look you can see the tell tale of paint smudges/splotches or whatever
• The photos indicate to me some sort of randomness

The dilemma is that the transfer theory is sound and the evidence is there but, as Dwayne has pointed out, the painting (or printing) looks to be done by hand so did these stripes get laid up by hand on a transfer, where they printed using a screen print or actually painted direct on the tank.
The other anomaly is that the 3 tanks I have checked so far have similar dimensions BUT, they are all a little different in their dimensions. The earliest tank is a bit amateurish with the stripes varying in contour and width. The LH stripe has slightly different dimensions to the RH side stripe. Tank 2 is a double wrinkle from an 6xx framed bike and is a better example of the striper's art but still not symmetrical with differences between the LH stripe and the RH stripe. The third tank is a later post double wrinkle which has a nicely laid pair of stripes, which indicates to me the striping was getting way better as time went on
But are they transfers or painted is the question that still eludes. Maybe we'll never actually know the answer

[Steve Swan]

KP, the irregular nature you mention is something i picked up on early in my exposure to sandcast bikes, hence i made the assumption the stripes were applied by hand with a brush.  i've been thinking, one thing to consider, assuming the stripes are not hand painted, is if this so-called "decal" may actually be a "varnish transfer."  The Japanese were great copiers of other's work, and we know that a number of both British and American brands were studied and then reproduced in Japanese versions.  The British applied varnish transfers for decades.  i remember in my early years, every pre- and post-war British bike i owned, multiple brands, had varnish transfers.  Applying a varnish transfer requires a steady and experienced hand, they are easily torn and also come apart naturally and a very light and thin "varnish" is applied over the transfer in order for it to slide on to what it is intended to slide on to and then sealed with another light, thin coat of varnish.  i have a few varnish transfers on the inside of my first large too chest i purchased over 40 years ago.  i used to know the name of the so-called varnish, it's on the tip of my tongue, can't remember it.  what you are seeing could well likely be varnish over the very very thin transfer.

Addendum:  on pre-war american bikes, the varnish is called Copal Varnish.  there is a name for the British version of this, can't remember.

[Steve Swan]

a one time only stopping at the first Brit bike site i found.....  entertaining !

Hi Folks-
Lots of info on applying varnish transfers out there- thought I would throw this out from recent experience.
69 Commando fastback-the only correct transfers (8-1/2") I could find for the side panel/oil tank are the varnish type.

Seperate cover paper from tissue carrier paper.
Paintbrush application of Minwax high gloss fast drying polyurethane varnish to the colored side of the transfer. (reverse image side). Make sure you get clear out to the edges without overlapping too much, but if you don't get the varnish clear out the image will stick to the paper and not the side cover. Yep, I did this, and had to touch up a small area of the black outline with a super fine Sharpie---DOH!
Go clean your brush, in this time the varnish tacked up really nice.
Apply to the panel that you've pre-cleaned with wax and grease remover, smooth it with your fingers gently.
While the tissue paper is still on, rub from center out with a soft cloth to further smooth and remove air bubbles.
Give it a bit to stick well, I broke for a smoke, about 10 minutes or less.
Wet a towel and dab the image, trying not to rub side to side. get the tissue paper over the image nice and wet.
Carefully peel off the tissue paper. If it tries to grab, dab it a bit more with the wet towel.
Carefully wipe off any water, etc., but don't get too close to the image.
Repeat for the other side, if applicable.
Walk away for a day or so to be certain it is well cured.
Varnish, or in my case, clear coat over the entire panel.
You're done.
This is basically a re-hash of instructions that are out there, but with specific brand of varnish.
Worked well for me, but I'm with Gunk- unless I'm going for the absolute, A-R resto I much prefer vinyl, just couldn't find the right transfer for the early Commando. Last one I did (70 Fastback) I paid a sign guy to apply the varnish transfers, turns out it wasn't necessary, just took patience and had to overcome the fear of doing it.

HTH

Mike
Kansas, America
Varnish transfer virgin no more.