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Hello! I'm New here - and SO happy I found this site!!! I'm a good flat hand-painted sign painter - and recently purchased a sign painting business from a pal who moved away. Already - my third job into the new business - and the guy is asking me about 'vinyl logos' for his business trucks! I've read very little about this in SignCraft, and found a 'how to' book to order, but in the meantime - is this something do-able without high tech equipment, printers, etc? Anyone know of a website out there that gives the basic how-to's so I can at least figure out if it's do-able for me and let the guy know.... Second Question (I think I'll be spending alot of time in here!) If I am making a sign out of MDO board, and I want to give a 3D look, so I cut out the shape of the logo, and cut a smaller logo shape to put in betweent he back piece, and the front logo - will the primer and paint alone be enough to keep them all safe from the weather? We're in nasty wet cold snowy wintry area... I would appreciate any thoughts on this!! Many thanks in advance for any & all help!!! :-) Lorna ~~~~~
-------------------- Lorna A. Herman RiverStone Signs RiverStoneSigns@aol.com Posts: 29 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: Apr 2003
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It would seem to me that if you prime and paint your 3-D pieces the same as you do your panel, that they should last as long as the panel. The one thing we do on all our MDO pieces is to seal the edges with 2 coats of Tightbond II before priming. Also be sure to break all the edges by hand sanding or as we do a router. I take an ogie(sp?) bit and barely have it showing out of the base of the router. This gives me a nice 1/16 to 3/32 round over. This is quick and consistant. Most failure I have seen have been paint peeling on sharp edges and moisture getting in the end plys. Hope this helps.
P.S.- Welcome to the neighborhood. Great to have you.
[ April 07, 2003, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: Steve Nuttle ]
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Hi Lorna, for the time being, you could order the vinyl lettering you need from another shop. You won't make a lot of money on it, but you keep the customer. I've done this for a while before finally buying a vinyl cutter myself. Not that I prefer the thing over hand lettering, but it seemed to be a necessary step. See you around
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i'm sure there will be folks who don't agree..but...if you really want to compete in this business, you definitely need a vinyl cutter...you can still paint when the demand is there, but there are going to be many jobs that are going to come thru your door and the customer is going to want vinyl..period. alot of people lease vehicles and vinyl is easy enough to remove when its traded in...think of it as a tool that will enhance your business...don't limit yourself. good luck to you!
-------------------- Karyn Bush Simply Not Ordinary, LLC Bartlett, NH 603-383-9955 www.snosigns.com info@snosigns.com Posts: 3516 | From: Bartlett, NH USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Welcome to the BB. Someone once advised me to take in the vinyl orders and sub them out to a wholesale house and when my monthly orders get close to rivaling what a payment would be on owning my own equipment then it's time to get my own. If you look at the prices at Gregory or some of the other wholesalers, you'll have a means of pricing. Have fun.
PS. Where are you located?
-------------------- 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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Alrighty!! I'm moving the fridge & microwave in here to the office! You are all so friendly & helpful that I'm sure I'll be spending lots of time here!!! :-) I am located up in the hills of New York ~ the beautiful Catskill Mountains ~~~ I think I'll take that vinyl advice! Seems a good way to keep the customer happy - since I really don't think he has the time to deal with it. Any companies who do vinyl that anyone reccommends? (if we're allowed to say company names on here?) And - it's something I could apply on the trucks - no special tools/equipment needed for that? Thanks again Big Bunches!! ~~~Lorna~~~
-------------------- Lorna A. Herman RiverStone Signs RiverStoneSigns@aol.com Posts: 29 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: Apr 2003
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Need some vinyl cut? Go to "Find A Letterhead" in the left hand side this window .. select USA, your State, even home town .... there will be someone there willing to help you out.
It don't hurt to ask!
Like you, I was buying vinyl lettering in when needed ... then I realised what I was spending covered finance on a system! Now I have the best of both worlds.
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Welcome aboard Lorna. We were the first to get a vinyl cutter in our area and all the local sign shops stopped in to see it and then were ordering vinyls from us until they could afford their own.
Out of curiosity, where in the Catskills? We have a place in West Shokan, town of Olive.
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Welcome Lorna. I agree with the thought that if you can hand letter, you have a good foundation. Vinyl is a great addition but we did hand lettering only for the first 1/2 of our 24 years in business. It's a good idea to check with someone in your area for help but if that doesn't work, try a letterhead that could ship things to you. Some times people in your area are very helpful and some times they will view you as unwelcome competition. All you cna do is be nice, introduce yourself and make it worth their while to get to know you. Eventually they might come around and you'll make a lifelong friend. Sometimes they will be gnarly and rude...oh well, their loss! You could have help each other.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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<<<Out of curiosity, where in the Catskills? We have a place in West Shokan, town of Olive.>>> We are over in tiny town of Gilboa - about 45 minutes from Shokan.
OH! And by the way:First - I gotta tell you - I am feeling much more optimistic about being able to do this sign business stuff after finding this sit and all of you helpful people! Suggestions/Advice on pricing this sign: It's going to be a 4' x 8' sign, both sides painted, 3 to 4 colors used, pinstripe border, large logo with 12 or so letters in it, and 82 letters throughout remainder of sign. All hand-painted. I'm so new at this pricing thing...I get all a'twitter about it! I would So Absolutely appreciate some thoughts... I figured and figured - and am coming up with around the 785 to 800 mark... Your thoughts? Oh yea, and there will be an arrow shape 6' long with 17 letters painted on it, both sides painted... Any advice would be so appreciated!!!
-------------------- Lorna A. Herman RiverStone Signs RiverStoneSigns@aol.com Posts: 29 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: Apr 2003
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Welcome. I don't think anyone told you about the Letterhead meets but there will be one in Mass. this summer. As a newbie 2 years ago, I have learned so much when I attend these meets. Then on top of that we have met some really wonderful people.
<p>I have a 24" Roland vinyl cutter for sale if you are interested.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Lorna, if you own a computer, get the estimate software to help with pricing. Mark is a merchant here, and you can find the link on the merchants page. Also, signcraft has the signwriters pricing guide which is also a very helpful tool for pricing. You can find it on their website which is signcraft
-------------------- 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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Thanks, John! And Thanks everyone else, also!! I tried downloading the free trial version on that site - but I have an iMac computer - so my computer couldn't read the program... Well ~ the guy went for my price ~ so now I'll make the sign, keep track of my time & expenses & see how I came in!!!
-------------------- Lorna A. Herman RiverStone Signs RiverStoneSigns@aol.com Posts: 29 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: Apr 2003
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Hi Lorna, Welcome. You might want to send your address and request application fluid samples, etc. from Roger at rapidtac@cdsnet.net and squeegee samples from DAXRAY@cs.com. You'll need them to apply the vinyl. Best wishes.
-------------------- Dawn Ellis Signs by Dawn Long Beach, CA signsbydawn@aol.com
Trust yourself. Listen to the voice within. It is always right. Posts: 456 | From: Long Beach, California | Registered: Jan 2003
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Hi Lorna, look to the purple frame at the left side of your screen. Click on Future Live Meets to see whats coming up, then click on Past Meets to see all the fun that was had at previous meets.
If you are so taken by Letterville, get to a live meet and you will leave with your head spinning!
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gee, and some people think the Letterheads are a cranky bunch! i guess if you have the right attitude coming into this, you'll meet lots of happy people here. welcome.
you can buy cut vinyl graphics from Gregory. They are set up to do it, and they have very simple pricing. i suggest you try a few things for yourself, first, so you can get used to applying the vinyl. the cost of the vinyl cutter isn't that great, but the cost of the vinyl starts to add up -- you start with one or two rolls, and next thing you know you've got fifteen rolls of different colors and each roll is $50... Gregory has all the colors and types of vinyl (economy, high performance, reflective, etc) so you don't have to. you'll find the vinyl is handy for people who already have a logo designed.
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