Well I think yesterday might have been my last body shop repair job. I realy don't like spending time trying to fiqure out fonts or having to recreate someone else's layouts. Most of the time it doesn't come out perfectly anyways. Plus I don't like having to order vinyl colors that leave me with a yard or two leftover. Stuff I don't normally use. So unless it's a job that I myself first did, I'm just gonna have to say no,,,,unless it's the whole job. I don't mind having to re-do the whole job. But one door or hood graphics, nope, not for me.
Posted by Roy Frisby (Member # 736) on August 20, 2014 01:26 PM:
I'll second that! A real PITA
Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on August 20, 2014 06:27 PM:
I agree, Alicia. Today, there are 15 different Ariel fonts, 9 different Cooper fonts, 13 different Caslon fonts, and on and on, for the 68,731 known-to-be-existing fonts. And this doesn't include the derivatives, the slanted ones, the compressed ones, etc.
Add to that, Avery's Cardinal Red is a little different than Gerber's; Arlon's lime green is a little different than FDC's, and on and on.......
Just say NO, or go back to the age-old adage......."You can't see both sides at the same time!"
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on August 20, 2014 09:19 PM:
Yes, about the fonts, and then there's the trying to match graphics. Sometimes it might just be a 12in. by 1in. stripe, in say a metallic green. I have to buy a whole yard. Then I'm stuck with these little pieces. Yeah, I get my money back from the job, but ain't worth it.
Posted by Kathy Weeks (Member # 10828) on August 21, 2014 12:53 PM:
Thank you for sharing this Alicia - it backs up what I was considering. I've done a couple body shop graphic repairs, and the one small shop that calls me from time to time is pretty good about it - if it's complex, they tell the customer to get the original sign shop to do the repair, but if it's simple black and white stuff, they call me, and I make my money on it. However, a local ABBRA called me to do a repair, on one of my own customers trucks, so that worked out fine - I had the artwork already on file. Then they asked me if I would do more work for them if they called - I said okay, but told them I'd have to pick and choose - for the reason you gave - I'm not going to special order yards of material just to fix a door or fender - they haven't called me back - that's fine with me!
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on August 23, 2014 03:30 PM:
I don't get it. I'm up front with my body shop guys about having to charge for the entire amount of vinyl that must be purchased, (which I buy by the yard) and they understand. The extra is usually enough to fix a screw up, and the left over makes great cat hair remover for my jeans & shirt when Fitch jumps up on my lap when I'm on the computer. All my fix it jobs are time and material if I haven't done the job previously. I just did one where the body shop did a bunch of work on a jet ski. The owner wanted the original graphics which aren't available any more. Took pictures and replicated all the swooshes and labels in 90 minutes. $100.50 billed for layout. If they want it and will pay your rate, why not? Just make them aware that it's time and material (+ profit) for that type of work. If they don't want to pay, fine, you don't have to mess with them. If they agree, well then you are making your shop rate which makes it a lot easier to search for that font because you're not wasting time, you're earning money.
