Painting template for hubcaps???

[tcb-1]

in particular these..... I have some nice (unbent) caps and wondered if anyone has ever whipped up some type of painting template.

wonder how GM was able to mass produce?

here's the examples........

[Luvlegs]

I'd just paint the center blue and put 'em on my truck! I like 'em

[GRIMSS]

Maybe you could sacrifice a bad cap and cut it up to make some sort of overlay type template. It would probably be just as easy to mask it with tape for just 4 of them.

[LONGHAIR]

You might be able to get a local sign shop make you an mask. If you can find a place with a "plotter" they could make you one for the black areas. This would require you to paint the caps black first. Apply the mask and shoot the white second. Peel the mask and you have it.
Cost wise, this is probably not feasable for just one set. The set-up fee would kill it, but once you have that, the individual pieces should not be that expensive.

[tcb-1]

wonder if some sort of screenprinting place could fill the black areas with........ screenprint?

[LONGHAIR]

Probably not, the contour would be an issue. I have only seen screen printing done on flat or cylindrical odjects.
Even if you could, you are still looking at a set-up fee.

Maybe the sign shop could go the other way? Instead of a painting mask, they could make them black. Then you would apply them to a white cap and just leave them on?

[roger0080]

I was always thinking that I would try making a very very light fiberglass mat over a hubcap as a mold, cut out the pattern from that. Then lay it over the new one a spray it.

They must have done it similarly at the factory as you can see that the color borders are not always "crisp". They may have a feathered look on the edge of the black and white. Which kind of implies some kind of template laid on it for painting.

[special-K]

I`m sure GM had a die-type overlay.I just mask,cut,and shoot.