Clear over transfers on restored bikes

[flthead]

i'm assuming you've done this before ? any varnish will be compatable with new stickers ? no ill affects like lifting ,ect. . will be ok on paint surface, with todays modern gas additives ? ? just checking ,because if clear coat isn't an acceptable finish in your opinion ,i'm assuming you had tried your varnish technique on modern stickers ,finishes and the gas we have today with success .

[jurassic]

ex

i knew they made henderson frames,but didn't know they made excelsior frames.

[LJH]

Hi, interesting post
The type of clear coat is the least of my problems at this point.
When is someone going to make a correct 36-39 Harley Decal
the originals have silver as the base color, Thanks

[schmittm]

modern materials

The real problem is that the original varnish is no longer available, all we have are the modern synthetic equivalents, like the acrylic enamals and laquers.

The varnish used during the "J" and "V" era was called COPAL varnish, it was made from all natural materials. The solvent was flax or linseed oil which was boiled for something like 6 or 8 hours, thinned with turpentine, and then melted Amber was added in the correct ratio. Amber is a natural rosin, another product of the dinosaur age, that they used to mine in a few places around the world but its pretty much used up now and has become a precious commodity. It flowed out smooth as silk, took a long time to dry, and left a finish that was as hard as a rock. If you could find the Amber you could probably make some, all the original recipes are in pounds: 20 lbs Linseed Oil, 8 lbs Amber, etc., you'ld have to scale it down.

I know this didn't answer the question or solve the problem but it justifies (sort of) why we have to shoot clear coat over our decals so they don't flake off the first time we wash the bikes. I'm still looking for a modern equivalent to COPAL that will behave like the original stuff.

mike

[flthead]

The real problem is that the original varnish is no longer available, all we have are the modern synthetic equivalents, like the acrylic enamals and laquers.

The varnish used during the "J" and "V" era was called COPAL varnish, it was made from all natural materials. The solvent was flax or linseed oil which was boiled for something like 6 or 8 hours, thinned with turpentine, and then melted Amber was added in the correct ratio. Amber is a natural rosin, another product of the dinosaur age, that they used to mine in a few places around the world but its pretty much used up now and has become a precious commodity. It flowed out smooth as silk, took a long time to dry, and left a finish that was as hard as a rock. If you could find the Amber you could probably make some, all the original recipes are in pounds: 20 lbs Linseed Oil, 8 lbs Amber, etc., you'ld have to scale it down.

I know this didn't answer the question or solve the problem but it justifies (sort of) why we have to shoot clear coat over our decals so they don't flake off the first time we wash the bikes. I'm still looking for a modern equivalent to COPAL that will behave like the original stuff.

mike

I guess this is why they allow clear coat Chris