Easier Edison Pinstripes

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VanEpsFan1914
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Easier Edison Pinstripes

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

The Model A and Model B phonographs have beautiful pinstripes--but if you have to replace them and you find those long waterslide stripes difficult, this works nicely.

Take a bottle of gold model paint, a steel ruler, and a vintage dip pen. Don't get a flexible nib, or a calligraphy pen like the Hunt's Imperial; as nice as these are, they still are not what you want. You want the old-time office pens. I'm not sure if they make them any more but most antique shops have them (please don't use a nice fountain pen for this though.) Follow the lines where the original stripes were.

If you make a mistake with the pen, you can rub it out a moment later with an eraser--or after it dries. Hopefully this tip helps you save the decorations on your Edison Phonograph & makes your restorations a lot easier. I've added a picture of the pen points I used--they are almost as old as the phonograph. And afterwards you can clean the pen with mineral-spirits or lacquer thinner and it won't be damaged. Much easier than cleaning a paint brush.
DSC01362.JPG

Notice the smudge partway down. This will clean up very nicely with an eraser, and it will look original when done.

DSC01361.JPG

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Inigo
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Re: Easier Edison Pinstripes

Post by Inigo »

Thanks for pointing at this! I also have some of those old pens, and I didn't thought of them for painting the white lettering in my restored exhibition soundbox. Next time I'll try those with white ink or the more persistent Tippex. I used this, but applying it with a toothpick... It ended somewhat clumsy. I don't mind very much, as it looks like old! :D
Inigo

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Re: Easier Edison Pinstripes

Post by phonogfp »

Since the 1980s I have used an old set of drafting pens for pinstripes with quite good results. The advantage of these is that the width of line can be adjusted. They also hold enough paint to allow for a very long stripe. I use the long, topmost pen with a straight edge, but the middle right compass-like pen is very handy when following a curve, such as the upper casting of an Edison Home or Triumph.

As for paint, I'm not a fan of Testor's. The new gold color is pretty obvious - even from a distance. I recommend buying real paint.

I bought a pint can of "Florentine Gold" in a hardware store over 30 years ago. There appear to be tiny-tiny-tiny flakes of brass in it, but whatever the cause, the color is a match to the period stuff once it dries. Also - I'm still using that same can of paint all these years later, although I must add a bit of lacquer thinner to it every few years. Pinstripes don't use much paint!

George P.
Drafting pens.JPG

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Re: Easier Edison Pinstripes

Post by Curt A »

Another tip for making straight lines without smudges from paint leaking under the ruler, is to use a precision drafting ruler with a cork bottom. The cork is spaced so it doesn''t come right to the edge and raises the ruler approx. ⅛" off the surface. This prevents ink or paint from leaking under the edge of the ruler. This is what I used back in the day when drafting was done by hand using drafting pens, ink and paper unlike today using computer cad programs...
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Flexib ... 5198&psc=1
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VanEpsFan1914
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Re: Easier Edison Pinstripes

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

@Curt A: That's a really nice ruler & probably would work wonderfully! I would love to get my hands on something like that; it will probably not be too difficult to find one. The paint smudges aren't a huge problem for me because I can take them off easily with a cotton bud & solvent, but as I keep doing these it will be necessary to get a better set-up.

@George P. -- That was a very, very nice set of drafting pens, and those are truly impressive as vintage items in their own right. Regarding gold paint--I know there are nicer paints in existence, but there's a big difference between what one could have, and what one can afford. Testor's is not great, but after I am done, I always wash the bedplate with amber shellac to give a better look to it. Though now I want to go find some Florentine Gold. Some of those seem to have gold-leaf in them as well, rather than just brass, which might be why yours are turning out so nicely.

It's certainly working better for me than the waterslide transfers were--The larger transfers go on well enough, but it's getting the little stripes on without them all sticking to everything that was the problem.

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Re: Easier Edison Pinstripes

Post by AudioFeline »

FYI, the name of the instrument for painting lines in the drafting set is "ruling pen".
Here is a demo on using it, it's unfortunate that she uses a light coloured paint for the demo.
She also dips the pen into the paint to load it, when I use to use them I would always load it using a small paintbrush and wipe the bristles on the side so the paint falls between the two prongs. Always be careful not to have a blob of paint on the end of the pen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLCh27S12ws

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