I have had a couple inquiries from companies that want stencils for different projects. One guy occasionally needs stencils of house addresses - he is a concrete guy, and puts the house number and street name at the end of a freshly poured concrete driveway by using a colored, dry agent, poured over the template. I hand cut a stencil from heavy stock paper for him, but he is looking for something inexpensive (of course), so I need something quicker than hand cutting an eight foot long stencil, but out of heavy material, so it stays put. Any Ideas or suggestions to help me? Another guy wants a stencil he can spray paint his logo onto the metal sides of his roll-off dumpsters. He was using a hand cut stencil out of magnetic material, but said the paint ran, where the magnet didn't stick tightly/flat against the metal. So, I cut a vinyl mask for him, (out of vinyl mask material) and he thought that would work great - it would squeegy tight/flat against the metal. But, he also thought he could remove the vinyl mask and re-use it 6 times! Any suggestions on a good, re-useable material that will lay flat and not leak when spray painted? (I think I know the answer to that one - tape it down flat or use a brush with thick paint!) Any of you guys have template/stencil customers?
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
Got a nice packet of literature from http://www.newstripe.com/ They make custom stencils. Love....Jill
Posted by Tim Barrow (Member # 576) on :
a friend of mine has a govt contractor client who is shipping something overseas and has ordered thousands upon thousands of stencils for the shipping labels there is some sort of code for the military that has to be on all sides of the packages stating some sort of code as to the contents and which way the crate or package has to be handled(this side up,...etc) they just cut the stencils according to specs in a gang fashion weed them,premask and deliver,...if your customer needs stencils cut them in bulk and sell them in bulk. Don't let them drive ya batty trying to nickel and dime you,..if they want perfect each time they will have to pay for perfect each time with a seperate stencil. there is no such thing as a perfect stencil,..you can always have them routed out of thin brass and show them how to use a stencil brush or you can sell them a couple hundred or so vinyl stencils,either way the customer shouldn't dictate whether or not the effort on your part is profitable.
Posted by Bill Modzel (Member # 22) on :
Jill, Newstripe is an excellent company to work with. I've used them for years. They offer a quality product that will last a long long time. But, I've found that most customers are looking for stencils because they want to letter something cheap. You quote them a price on a quality stencil like Newstripe offers and they about choke. I've probably sold one stencil out of 4 requests average.
Kathy, if your guy can't keep the paint from running with a magnetic stencil on steel, he's, well, clueless. He actually can't paint with a spray can, go figure.
As far as the concrete guy goes, Find a shop with a blade flatbed cutter. But, once again, cheap isn't part of the equation. Charge them well or don't waste your time.
Posted by Judy Pate (Member # 237) on :
I use Stencils Online in New Hampshire when I need stencils. Check them out at stencilsonline.com...they also have a sister company called Yankee Stencils and they offer more decorative stencils like you might use on a wall in your home. Stencils Online offer a second idential stencil for about a third of the cost of the first stencil, but you must order it with your first stencil. Judy
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
I've got a CNC bloke to cut me one out of 2mm foam pvc some years ago when I had to do a number of carpark spaces, lettered on the bitumen (with a brush).
Later I had to supply some at 5 ft by 14", and I plotted the stencil in heavy stiff masking vinyl (like the windowsplash vinyl, and weeded that, and then applied it over the top of a second piece of the same stuff, then hand-cut right through to the bottom, following the 'holes'.
I gave them this which was pretty stiff, being 'laminated' and they were happy.
After that I made some from scrap 2mm lexan (& used the CNC router), when the maintenance bloke/janitor from a school wanted a 'boys ' & a 'girls' stencil to spray on toilet block entrances.
Posted by Tony McDonald (Member # 1158) on :
I've tried a couple things for small stencils including sandblast mask applied to a screen. Usually end up putting cheap cut vinyl on 1/8" pvc and hand cutting them.
Also have a concrete guy doing similar work. I usually pen plot a paper patern for him. He uses spray glue to stick it to a piece of panneling, and cuts it out with a jigsaw. He does more of a stamp in the concrete, then colors it.
Posted by Kathy Weeks (Member # 10828) on :
Wow, those are all good ideas - thanks everyone! Thanks for the links, too, I'll check into those companies.
I've done a stencil like you did, Ian, where I doubled up some vinyl and premask, and hand cut out the lettering.
Also, good advice on the cheapness, and cluelessness of people! I tune out on people as soon as they say the word "cheap", and don't give them a second thought. But, I usually fall into the trap of thinking up ideas of how to help people when they, first, ask me if I can produce something special for them. So, now I'll have a quick, solid answer for the next person who asks me about stencils. Thank you, All - very helpful! Posted by stein Saether (Member # 430) on :
Customers use their imagination to improve and/or save.
I just cant see the point in putting on a vinyl, then paint, and then remove the sticker?.
Customers have all kind of strange ideas, they come to us to help them sort them.
Some place on the wide net someone is selling paintrolls with desired words. That might be resellable
Posted by Neil D. Butler (Member # 661) on :
We do stencils all the time and charge well for them. we use thin polystrene, actually we cut by hand with a mat knife, we just score it for the most part. Stencils as small as 1" sometimes... it is hard on the hands all the same
Posted by W. R. Pickett (Member # 3842) on :
...I use cleat acetate if I have it around. I've also been using old sheets of press down 'Letraset' lettering sheets. I have a ton of it, and it looks like I'm not going to need it again.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
We needed to make one for crab buoy's. Had to wrap on a 10" circle. Sent the file to metal shop with CNC and he made two for $35. Customer loves 'em!
Posted by Guy H. J. Hilliard (Member # 2529) on :
I laser cut them from Mylar for smaller stencils and larger industrial stencils are cut on the CNC Router from either 3mm HIP Styrene or Sintra / Komatex.
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
I buy (acetate?) on a roll from the art supply store, then put a vinyl mask or letters on it, to speed drawing time. Then I use a tool I got at the same store, to melt/cut the pieces out. It's faster and easier than cutting by hand. It looks like a skinny soldering iron, with the tip bent into a little right angle hook. After cutting, store it flat, even if it requires sandwiching between hard panels. Otherwise, the little parts inside of letters will retain the curve, and do a lift thing, even if the rest of the stencil is laying flat.
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