posted
Im considering buying one of the speedpress sets. Which one would you recommend? Is it a good tool? Thanks
-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted
I use a 18"x24", 18"x36", and a 24"x72". I use it on banners with good results. The transfer materal lasts a long time. Going to try windex to clean them.
Don't use them with wet applications, I found out the hard way. Been using some clear TransferRite with rapid tack 2, plug for Roger, with good results. With the screen press I couldn't get the letters to transfer to the banner.
-------------------- Raymond Quick Ye Thicker Than Thou Sign and Repair Shoppe Olympic College, 1600 Chester Ave Bremerton, WA 98337 rquick@oc.ctc.edu Posts: 50 | From: Bremerton Washington | Registered: Jan 2002
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I bought two sizes.....one really large one and the 18" x 36. I find the smaller one is really handy and really cost effective when doing muliples of boring signs ....fewer steps, no masking tape required, save on garbage, more dollars in your pocket, much quicker so more time to do other things. I have only used the large one twice, and find it a little awkward. Just my two cents worth....
-------------------- Susan Banasky Source Signs Nanaimo, British Columbia sourcesigns@shaw.ca
When in need....go directly to the "Source"!
Proud Supporter of this "Knowledge Network"! Posts: 1323 | From: Nanaimo, B.C. Canada | Registered: Oct 1999
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John; I have two one large one small. I have had them for over five years and still have the original roll of transfer material. REASON?
I don't like the way the transfer tape stretches and sags after only one transfer.
I have tried many times to use this product on banners and for the life of me I can't do more than ONE transfer, and the transfer "tape" sticks agressivly to the substrate, and stretches so badly that the next use of the frame I find the transfer material is all sagged and next to useless.
my 2ç worth
Bob
-------------------- Bob Cole American Sign Company 14163 Akron Canfield Rd. Berlin Center, Ohio 44401
A.K.A. Vinylman® Posts: 575 | From: Berlin Center, Ohio, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Similar experiences to Susan and Robert. I rarely use mine except on multiple coro or magnetic signs. Even then, it's a crap shoot at to how well the vinyl will release off the liner when trying to transfer. The large one is useless.
-------------------- Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Posts: 2785 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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Thanks guys. I appreciate the replies. Always good to have opinions of fellow heads.
-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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John Did you get my e-mail with the plans for making your own? IF not- e-mail me and I will send you a corel file. What corel version would you like?
diane
-------------------- Balch Signs 1045 Raymond Rd Malta, NY 12020 518 885-9899 signs@balchsigns.com http://www.balchsigns.com Posts: 1701 | From: MaltaNY | Registered: Jan 2000
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Plans for making your own? That's just great. Nothing like screwing someone out of their hard work and investment then complaining about how someone did that to you. I have two things in my shop that increase my productivity by about 40% when doing vinyl but because of the propensity of sign shops to see something and do knock offs I've kept it to myself. I've spent over 5 years perfecting these products, been to the Patent & Trademark office and spent a lot of money in the development but I probably won't put them on the market because of attitudes like this. Don't get me wrong; this is not a personal attack on Diane, just a long time personal observation. Diane only gave me a good opportunity to express myself. I'm all for "Yankee ingenuity" but I also support my fellow heds by *paying* for their products and services. If it's good enough to copy then it's good enough to buy. Nothing stifles progress like people coming up with good ideas, spending lots of money on development only to have people taking their idea and making their own. I don't use pirated software and I don't deprive my friends of money they deserve from their products or services.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Ricky- The Balches built their cnc router system and I can't blame them for figuring out how make a fastpress; Ernie's an engineer after all. I've thought of making my own frames for transfer tape. Over the years, I've "invented" a thing or 2 that may or may not be patentable, but I don't see market for them.
Diane- Does your press work with regular clear transferite? I've wondered about doing banners with a frame transferer but if banners want to pull the tape all out of shape, I wonder what the solution is? Maybe just pull the banner off at 180°?
Frank
-------------------- Frank Smith Frank Smith Signs Albany, NY www.franksmithsigns.com Posts: 807 | From: Albany, NY USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I agree with your basic premise, but remember that it is legal to make something for your own use even if it is patented. I would not dream of ripping anyone off by selling a copy or even selling plans.
It's not rocket science to buy 4 pieces of square aluminum tube and 4 plastic corner connectors and tap them together with a hammer. It should not cost $500 for a speedpress either.
As for respecting people's patents, I have 19 of them issued and one of them is violated by every company that makes submicron chips. The basic technique is used to pattern most of the chips in your computer. Nineteen years later the lawyers are fighting over it and they will make all the money. Working for a large company that sold my patent as part of the RCA semiconductor business I'll never see a cent.
I only mention it to show that I understand both sides of the issue, honest, I'm not complaining about getting ripped off.
Frank, As for the press we almost never use it. It would be ok for a large number of coroplast signs or some big banners. Make sure the vinyl you use has an agressive tack and you do dry application. We use exac-tac clear plastic transfer tape which is a little too sticky until we use it for a while. It does pick up dust and dirt making things more difficult. I blot it first or spray it with water to reduce the tackyness. They have a website you can look up.
ernie
-------------------- Ernie Balch Balch Signs 1045 Raymond Rd Malta, NY 518-885-9899 Posts: 405 | From: Malta, NY | Registered: Jan 2003
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Ernie, I feel your pain. My father was the inventor of the machine that made the first hook loop carpet. When he invented it in Dalton, Georgia, he was told "This is nice but I don't see any commercial value to it". He asked my dad how it was made and he, being a trusting soul, told him and the man sold the technology to Singer Sewing Machine co. My dad never saw a cent either. Dalton is nothing but carpet mills now.
I know it's not illegal to make something you've seen but it does hinder new products coming to market if everybody does their own knockoff. I used to have a Commodore Amiga computer and was in a "users group" that basically all we did was copy pirated software. At that time and for at least 5 years after the last Amiga was made there was nothing that could touch it. It's demise, as you probably already know, was because of people pirating the software and not paying for it so I restate my position, if it's worth copying or using it's worth paying for.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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some people have more time then money & based on different peoples available tools & abilities, the time/money equation changes from person to person, & of course changes from knock-off to knock-off... but just as I think there are plenty of folks that can afford the time to make their own sign when they are starting a new business with limited funds.. (& some of them can even do a decent job...) I think $500 is too much for a tape frame, weber thingys are a little too pricey & GrainFraims are also more costly then the same materials would cost in a different application.
Sheila was asking the other day about the concept of "perceived value" & if other trades are capitalizing on it. I think these products are good examples. You set your price where you want it, knowing you will sell more if it costs less... & you'll sell less if it costs more. Will the people who think it costs too much choose to live without it? some will, some won't... no big deal, each persons own ratio of available time vs. available money will determine if they buy it, make it, or live without it. If too many people can afford to make their own, then the original manufacturer was too greedy & has himself to blame.
posted
Doug is that a parrot on yer shoulder? RRRRRRRRRRrrrrr, LOL. Seriously, I do understand the tradeoff and I'm trying not to belabor that point but since you mentioned the Weber tape tool I will say this. I have developed a tape transfer system that allows changing tape in less than 5 seconds; that's removing the one on the dispenser, grabbing the right size (providing you know what size you want) and putting it on the dispenser. I can tape up 15' of vinyl graphics (20" wide) in about 35 seconds with no creases or bubbles. In my old shop I could do a 23' run but now I'm down to a 16' table. I've been toying with the idea of bringing this to market, spending $$$$ on marketing and advertising, getting into the distributor network and working trade shows but since it would be very easy for anyone to copy it and save a few dollars I've kept this a closely guarded secret for over 10 years. Maybe I could just sell the plans. Hopefully the people that buy them wouldn't begrudge me making less than $20 on them. I'd be glad to consider a few *trustworthy* guinea pigs that would like to make their own and post their feedback here in the Bullboard. I also have another "thing" that helps speed up production tremendously. Once someone uses it one time they would *never* be without it. I'm not even telling what it is are or what it does. Maybe with the Mayor's permission I will start a new thread about this.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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You can't worry about people that make their own versions of tools for their own uses.
They'd never buy the tool from someone else anyway if they believed they could make it themselves.
99.95% of people on this planet don't have the ingenuity, creativity or skill set to even attempt fabricating their own tools. The few that *do* will find some way to customize it specific to their needs and make improvements where they feel the existing product lacks.
Companies always make the mistake of putting so much R&D into something, all kinds of custom tooling, etc when it COULD have been done much more cost effectively. If all the R&D and tooling or proprietary attitude drives the cost up higher than the market will bear, it's not gonna sell. It's that simple.
In Product Development, if 1 out of 100 (maybe even 1,000) "inventions" actually turns out a success, that's a pretty good track record.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Hey Ricky, I'd be glad to be considered amoung a few *trustworthy* guinea pigs that would like to make their own and post their feedback here in the Bullboard.
I'd like to be on that list! and your email addy doesn't work
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6718 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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