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If a customer orders a 4X6 sign on Alumacore, would you charge them for the entire sheet? I have a dozen 2X4 scraps from signs in my shop that have not been used, and I don't see much of a future for them now. What do you think?
-------------------- Sarah F. Evans Appalachian Signs and Design 186 Parkside Road Boone, North Carolina 28607 Posts: 97 | From: Boone, NC | Registered: Dec 2006
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If anything, the cost of a 4'x6' is more than a 4'x8'to cover the cutting charge. As far as the off cut, What ever benefit it is to you barely covers the cost of storage space and moving it around as needed. That our take on it.
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Being a Scot, I hate to throw away anything, but I eventually end up needing the room, so out it goes. You can use up some for small signs, but how many of those do you get. Charge the full price. MUR
-------------------- Murray MacDonald OldTime Signs 529 Third Ave S Kenora, ON. P9N 1Y3 oldtimesigns@gokenora.com Posts: 781 | From: Kenora, ON | Registered: Jan 2003
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The guys have valid arguments, but it really depends on your mark ups, the materials and the space available for storage in your shop. I don't stock or use any Alumacore, so if the client is specifically requesting it, my quote would include my retail price for the full sheet of the material - even if it's for a 1 square foot sign. On the other hand, if it's a substrate I would normally stock, I'm only charging the client for the materials I use to make the sign. My material mark ups account for the waste and the off cuts from less than a full sheet would be returned to inventory for a future sale. Sales generated from the off cuts would be a bonus because I know that substrate has already been paid for
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Sarah......our 21 year oldest is....Sarah ! so i like you already.
i agree with the above, charge, the scraps or "drops" are a tip. we sell a lot of job site signs from drops to other "clients"-we recently traded for a crown moulding job with one carpenter from scraps!
i knew a really good local picture framer who said the mat "drops"-scraps buy her lunch all the time !
as you know the gov. pays bookoo for hammers....so it's all fair right? good day ! Z het checkers !
-------------------- mark zilliox mark z signs 8425 pushaw station rd. owings md. 20736 301-855-5407 thezs@earthlink.net http://www.markzsigns.com Posts: 348 | From: maryland | Registered: May 2003
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I dabble in picture framing and those people have got it down. Now remember that when they cut a mat, the inside gets saved as either another smaller mat or to use as a backer while cutting.
Anyway, I use their principles so anything from a quarter sheet down gets charged for a half sheet, up to a half sheet gets charged for 3/4 sheet, anything over a half sheet gets charged a full sheet.
This gives you some compensation for stroing or throwing away a cut off. Luckily we sell a lot of smaller signs so my cutoff storage section is not all that big.
We also use cut offs to make sign samples for shop, and even smaller samples if I call on customers outside the shop.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5397 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Hi Sarah, I've had the same problem for 12 years now with scraps piling up. IF you have Alumacore or DiBond or Poly Metal scraps that you don't think you'll ever use, then gather them all up and find the nearest recycling center. I did last fall and they gave me over $300.00! I didn't have that much either. Some old faded street signs, Handicapped parking,etc. and drop scraps really cleaned out my shop. They call this kind of scrap "clean scrap". Some signs still had vinyl on them, some were screenprinted. They took it all and it was worth the trip.
Sign-cerely, Steve
I have a 15 year old Sara at home!
-------------------- Steve Luck Sign Magic Inc. 2718-b Grovelin Godfrey, Illinois 62035 (618)466-9120 signmagic@sbcglobal.net Posts: 870 | From: 2718-b Grovelin Godfrey, Illinois 62035 | Registered: Dec 2004
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I always keep the cut-offs, it has saved me money more than once. I used to have a very good friend, who had helped me a great lot when I first started in the sign business and he needed some cut out letters from mdo board. I gave him a discount on the labor, provided I got the scraps, and he bought the material. You guessed it, I later sold another cut-out letter job from the scraps and cleared over $400 on the job. Now you know why I save the cutoffs. Of course my wife says I'm just a pack-rat. Oh well.
-------------------- Donald Miner ABCO Wholesale Neon 1168 Red Hill Creek Dobson, NC Posts: 842 | From: North Carolina | Registered: Apr 2006
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They want it.. They pay for it. I keep the scraps. What you goona do with a 11" x8 scrap? Not much. When I went to move I threw out about 15 11" x 8 ft. pieces of lex and plex. Only a few times did I cut out letters from the scraps. That theory of charging just for just the material used is crazy.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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Most places I've worked would charge for the full sheet. As I'm just starting out on my own, I need bits of scrap substrate for samples and promos,I would be willing to by 2X4 Aluma core etc for say $3.00 each plus actual shipping! I also need small bits of signfoam to practice,sand blasting, carving, and for samples!
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