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Hi! I'm learning that there are many substrates to choose from and some work better for one thing and not for another. And then there are the same products made by different manufactures, so different names. What brings this up was my search for black powder coated aluminum and our local supplier doesn't have it. Is there a general rule of thumb here? What works best for what? Could I have offered them something else in black? Sometimes I've found if a customer is offered too many thing, they get overwhelmed, so I try to go with two, like, wood or aluminum, sir? I'm thinking maybe I'm not offering enough. Thanks in advance!
-------------------- Pat Foley Foley Signs 35812 Wells Road Coarsegold CA 93614 foleys@sierratel.com (559) 642-6264 Posts: 73 | From: Coarsegold, CA | Registered: Jan 2002
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Hey Pat, Sometimes you do confuse the customer with too many choices. Remember that they are expecting you to be the "expert" and they trust your judgment. Offer a normal type M.D.O. painted sign, then offer a aluminum panel for an upgrade, for more money of course! I have often added the full amount of the panel for an upgrade, and get it. That is even better profit than priming, sanding, and painting a panel. The words you use to them may not be correct, "Powder Coated black", it should be "factory baked on enamel"on aluminum. Customers tell you what they want, but they don't really know what the right names are. John Arnott
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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Yep there sure are lots of choices! I have been using a lot of 'polymetal'. I just love that stuff. Then I use alot of intecel for temporary signs....and also spray paint it when needed. It sands very well also. MDO is still ok.....but getting to be less and less my choice.
Posts: 3729 | From: Seattle | Registered: Sep 1999
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I stock and use coroplast, sintra, foam core, gator foam, and for outdoor use mdo and 4mm dibond. Since I've been using dibond I've hardly used any mdo at all. The customers like it and are willing to pay a premium for it, I love it as I make more money with it in much less time as it has zero prep time. Dibond is made by alusuisse who are nice enough to be merchants here so you can find info about dibond on teh merchants page.
-------------------- Mike O'Neill
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value. - Arthur C. Clarke
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Hi Pat, We just recently fabricated our new sign using Black Dibond. It turned out great. We back scored it with our router and fabricated it into a 3 dimensional "pan". Dibond is also available in Silver, Duranodic Bronze, White, and I believe some new colors too. After fabricating the "pan", we bonded dimensional letters to the face. The blue bar shape was fabricated from acrylic then wrapped with metalic blue vinyl.
Powder coated? Does anyone offer this? How well does that work with vinyl letters? I suppose it would but sometimes it seems as if powder coats have a slick feel to them. I would stick to the substrates that are available and THERE ARE TONS OF CHOICES... and colors. We have a company that does powder coating here in town. They work for a lot of different people, mostly small to midsized equipment manufacturers. Items like automotive aftermarket parts and accessories. I would imagine that there are others around the country that could powder coat a panel for you. Should hold up forever but I would think that the additional cost might be prohibitive.
-------------------- Jeff Vrstal Main Street Signs 157 E. Main Street Evansville, WI 53536 1-608-882-0322 Posts: 670 | From: Evansville, Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2001
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Powder coating is usally done on 18 gauge Steel pre cut,radius corners. Vinyl won't stick very well or very long. I use AlumaCore to replace MDO Giving the customer a longer lasting sign with no prep time involved. Hope this helps
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I do NOT typically ask the customer what they want. Instead I tell them the best way to do the job, and if price gets in the way, we start to compromise from there.
I let the customer know that THEY are compromising quality/longevity for price. I don't want them blaming me when problems happen.
This has worked for 20 years.
Once in a while a customer will have me redo a failed sign (the right way this time) with their tails between their legs, because they know it was their fault the sign was substandard.
-------------------- Dennis Keeley Giraphics Tucson, AZ denkel@msn.com Posts: 14 | From: Tucson, AZ | Registered: Mar 2002
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Thanks everyone! Duncan, those Comsigns are really cool! Good job! Fortunately our supplier does stock Dibond. I asked our supplier about these various substates and what applications they are best suited for and what they stock. They only have Alumilite and coroplast in color; everything else is white. Oh, and for the powder coating that my neighbor said was on the aluminum; it is not... just like ya'll said... enamel! I now have a much better understanding of what to recommend to our customers.
-------------------- Pat Foley Foley Signs 35812 Wells Road Coarsegold CA 93614 foleys@sierratel.com (559) 642-6264 Posts: 73 | From: Coarsegold, CA | Registered: Jan 2002
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