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Hello,I was invited to join you here on the board,by Steve and Barb ...to be honest I've been apprehensive because I'm not to well liked on the other boards...perhaps you saw the article in the latest Sign Craft.I stripe volume at dealers.And as a hobby I stripe diecast,my favorite things to stripe are HotWheels to scale.If you would like to see a video of me striping please feel free to visit my web site at www.steves-pinstriping.com I'm also open to questions that will help my peers.Thankyou
------------------ Stephen Michael Robinson Steve's Pinstriping Houston, Texas
Posts: 71 | From: Spring, Texas USA | Registered: Aug 2001
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Welcome to Letterville Steve! I was fastinated when I read about you in SignCraft. Your striping looks great, no question about your skills, but many are going to question your pricing. I'm sure you will hear many ask " Why not charge twice or three times as much and not have to work so hard?"
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Steve, Here's my question did I get my math right? 60-70 cars a day at 20-30 dollars per, 4 days a week. At the the low end that's $1200.00 per day/$240,000.00 per year. At the high end $2100.00 per day/$420,000.00 per year.
In my area (PHILADELPHIA) my largest Mercedes Dealer only sells 100 cars a month on a very good month. I charge between $70-$80 for a double stripe to my top dealers who give me on average 4 cars a week (20 cars a month or 20-25% of thier total sales).
I do what I do because I love the craft and most importantly I love to do a job that carries a piece of my heart and soul with it. Volume and Money are the last thing I'm into.
So God bless you, just hope the IRS doesn't read our trade journals
DeWayne Connot-DOA Flatliners-Pinstriping to Die for! ------------------ Valerie Connot DOA Flatliners North Wales, PA
[This message has been edited by Connot (edited August 09, 2001).]
Posts: 138 | From: North Wales, PA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Steve..i'm familiar with you and your work from other boards and i wouldnt worry about jumping in here...you're a talented and not egocentric guy with alot to offer people here,most of those other guys who dog you on other boards are legends only in there own minds...and Steve is right,many here will question your pricing...let em,and take advice when you can.... but remember take it with a grain of salt...what people post and what they do in reality are usually two completely different things
------------------ Gavin Chachere aka Zeeman Miller Supply Co./Ozone Signs & Grafix New Orleans La. www.millersupply.net www.ozonegrafix.com
Posts: 1223 | From: new orleans.la. | Registered: Mar 2000
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I read your article in Sign Craft magazine and I was impressed. I don't think they make enough cars to keep up with you. You had better watch out or the vinyl company is gonna make you disappear just like all those the big three did to those 100 mile per gallon engine parts. LOL
------------------ Kevin Landry KnL Signs Halifax NS knlsigns@hfx.eastlink.ca
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Here in Houston,if you haven't been here it's huge.There are close to 400 new car dealers,and probably 10 times that many used car dealers.The one thing everybody needs to understand is I run a route.I don't do the public and I won't run across town ,they have to wait till I show up next week.I know my prices bother people....but what can I say I wouldn't make the money I do, if I did it any other way!Also I can't deal with the public...you might wonder what I mean,but I can't stomach stupidity,every time I do a custom job for the public it's the same routine....well I don't know what color ...oh I don't like that design...one side is a half an inch longer than the other side.My hats off to you who endure these people!I wanted to let you know I don't take work away from my competitors,I feed them in the body shops.I never attack others accounts,I can't say I haven't ,but it's been years.Oh thanks for the kind words so far!
------------------ Stephen Michael Robinson Steve's Pinstriping Houston, Texas
Posts: 71 | From: Spring, Texas USA | Registered: Aug 2001
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Steve, My question is ...what do you do in your spare time ?????????HAHAHA. Seriously... welcome to this Board ,at least on my behalf. I havent been here very long. But have been made to feel more than WELCOME. I am 66 years old and have been in the "Business" since 1955 and I learn at least one new thing every day from this Board. I thought that I had witnessed some fantastic pin striping in my day, Such as Jim Norris from SC and John Mc Nally from St Pete Fla. etc.etc. But you "Blow" me away..
Shep'
------------------ Arvil Shep' Shepherd Art by Shep Oak Island, NC shep@ec.rr.com http://artbyshep.homestead.com/index.html " As long as they say your name, you will live forever"
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Thankyou for the kind words.....To those who just don't quite get it,like Butcher in Phoenix,who called me a whore to my face!I'm not in this for glory,it's all about money.There is no glory in standing in a parking lot when it's 105 with 98%humidity.I don't like it when people ooh and ahh me.I do thoroughly love the trade though....I believe it's the challenge,I don't think there is anything out there that requires so much skill. I do wish I didn't hurt so many egos though.Isn't anyone interested in Hot Wheels?I'm done debating my prices.
------------------ Stephen Michael Robinson Steve's Pinstriping Houston, Texas
Posts: 71 | From: Spring, Texas USA | Registered: Aug 2001
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Steve, You're the man. For those not aquainted with Houston, it is B##ls to the Wall work. The Heat and humidity will drain you. The cars and freeway system go in every direction. If you can spend your 5-6 hour days striping at dealerships to support your family, then you are earning every dime you make. I've seen your work, and you are providing a quality product. You got a bad rap on the other boards, but I think that jealousy was the root cause of that with certain individuals pushing the issue. You'll find that you have friends here. Welcome to the board.
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I agree with Steve on the subject of pinstriping and the price of whatever the market will bear. Doing so many cars as he does in that kind of heat takes a special talent. I think alot of people are also missing the point when someone who does this his own special way including the few colors that one uses in order to put out that many vehicles. I believe that colors have alot of say so when striping high dollar German, Japanese and American vehicles as the use of greys and tans don't always make it.
Sorry I wasn't here sooner but my computer is down for the count and I'm at a friends home, and I only replied to stay in touch.
Pardon me if I say that It seems like some persons who run this board play both ends against the middle in order to sweep out the out and in with the new, but if we are to believe that magnetic tape is going to be the wave of the future as the automobile manufacturers lessens the weight of their vehicles by using more composites rather then metals, where does this leave magnetics?
I just hope that the trade I have chosen doesn't go the way of the trade you have chosen, as I'm sure it won't, at least not in my time
------------------ HotLines Joey Madden,47 years in the Classic Art of Pinstriping Grants Pass, Oregon Learn something...... http://members.tripod.com/Inflite
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