On Decals and Pinstripes

Good decals are a must on any old typewriter. They can be ornate pieces of illustration. But sometimes they wear off or are damaged in other ways.

ThisChicago now has a new decal. Check the end of this page for the result.

There are three things you can do:

1. Find a replacement
   
2. Restore the original
   3. Get a replica from the Typewriter Restoration Site.
   

Possibly, the piece will now be so shiny, that it doesn't fit the rest of the machine anymore. In that case, polish it with clear coat polish compound to dull it a bit.
Another negative side to this approach is that the shellac will result in a haze of gold over the entire piece, when placed in direct sunlight.

3. Get a replica from the Typewriter Restoration Site

I have produced several dozens of different decals in the last couple of years. A complete list is on the right side of this page.

Varnish Applied Decals and Silk Screening
Bob Aubert volunteers the following on the traditional method of applying decals:

To make a decal as it was done originally, a special paper is required which has a tissue layer on a peelable back sheet. A mirror image of the decal is silk screened or printed on the tissue side. When ready to apply, the image area is sprayed with varnish. This is absorbed by the tissue paper and tends to dry quickly, but on the decal the varnish dries more slowly. When tacky, the image side is placed down on the surface where needed. After the varnish has set, the backing paper is peeled off. What's
left is the tissue layer with the decal in place beneath it. Warm
water is then used to dissolve and wash away the tissue paper. Over
spraying with clear varnish will make a decal more durable.

Of course, a silk screen can be used to apply an image directly on to a typewriter. However, this is only recommended for flat surfaces.
Printing to a curved surface requires considerable skill, experience,
and in some cases special equipment. The screen is usually coated with
a photo sensitized material, it's exposed, developed and fixed. Then a
special paste-like paint is squeegeed through the screen to lay down the
print. A multi-color image is much more complicated and not usually
applied by direct application. Ideally it should be done by making a
decal first and making the transfer as described above.

Pinstripes
For pin stripes you can use factory produced pinstripe tape. It comes in different widths and colors.
It is nicer to paint an original pin strip back onto the machine, or to restore the original stripe, like this: