SWITCH POD LETTERING

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 6:48 pm

Any one here discovered a workable technique for applying the paint to the top of the lettering on the handlebar switch pods?

SteveG · Post by **SteveG** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:01 pm

I used one of the "paint pens" from Micheal's (a craft shop). You shake it like a rattle can of paint, and the tip is a fine point like a magic marker. The tip gets pressed against a hard object to start the paint flowing, then you write / paint / dab / poke at will.

If you touch very lightly with a semi-dry tip, it works nicely on the raised lettering. Any oversmear / drip can be scraped off with a fine tip toothpick.

The major challenge is getting the color right. The cap of the paint stick looked exact, but mine ended up more pink than the original. Probably because it goes on so thin. Someday when I am not so busy (my everlovin' calls it lazy and distracted) I will resume my search for a closer color.

Good Luck, Steve

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:08 pm

Does it look like a person could open the pen and replace the color with the right one? If the red is the same as the tips of the gauge needles on older Honda's then MODEL MASTER FLUORESCENT RED is right on the money.

I have tried applying paint with an eraser head and other flat surfaces. Maybe a dense but absorbent foam rubber piece would work.

Don · Post by **Don** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:19 pm

I take it then that a pencil eraser didn't give good results . . . . ??

Don

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:35 pm

The pencil eraser was too dense. I have watched shows on TV showing how factories paint raised lettering and it looks like they are using real soft rubber that applies the paint without squeezing the paint off the top of the letters.

SteveG · Post by **SteveG** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:07 pm

twinegar wrote:Does it look like a person could open the pen and replace the color with the right one?

I don't have a clue. My next step is going to try a pen that is substantially darker / deeper than the original lettering on the grip and see what happens. It can't be worse than pink

Steve

alimey4u2 · Post by **alimey4u2** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 12:11 pm

Cabelas sell "dayglo" paint kits for painting fishing lures which may work well...

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 11:50 am

I checked and the GLOW-RED PEN is on back-order but I will be in line to get one and post the results here.

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:38 pm

I bought a Sanford 63602 Uni-PAINT Marker and will see if it works. Tamiya also sells a fluorescent red pen that I will order.

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 6:18 pm

Well I give up!!!
I bought a Tamiya Fluorescent Red paint pen and can't seem to paint the letters without getting it on the pod. I even put my magnified visor on so I could see better so maybe I just don' have the skill to pull it off. I still think a piece of soft rubber glued to a piece of wood and used like a stamp might be the way to go. If there are any web sites or forum posts detailing the technique please pass it along.

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:12 pm

One of the guys on the BMW Owner's Club website, did the "Bing" lettering on the nameplate of his airhead carbs, which is white on black background. He used a potato

Don · Post by **Don** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:27 pm

EMS wrote:He used a potato

Come to think of it, many amateur stamps of all sorts are made using a chunk of potato - You may need to control the moisture in the potato to get the exact results you're after . . . . blotting your 'stamp' several times with paper towel before you apply the paint works pretty well . . . . or so I'm told (by my better half)

Good tip Mike!

Don

alimey4u2 · Post by **alimey4u2** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:12 am

Those guys from Idaho don't give up do they....

ericfreeman · Post by **ericfreeman** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 12:07 am

All this talk about potatoes reminds of the old story:

Kid is told by his older brother to put a potato in his swim trunks when he goes to the beach to impress the girls. Kid follows his brother's advice but can't figure out why all the girls are laughing at him on the beach. Until the brother tells him to put the potato in the FRONT of his trunks, not the BACK!!!

Eric

GregW · Post by **GregW** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 9:54 am

I may be a bit late here, however...............

When I redid the red lettering on my '80, I used a piece of scotch tape & a little bit of Testor's model paint....bright orange if I remember correctly.
I just brushed a dab on the tape & set it over the letters....don't use too much paint or it will go in between the letters....
I usually do the job again after the first coat dries just to get that nice "factory" look....

Anyway, it works for this boy.....