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Hi. I just registered! I've been checking out this site over the last couple months and find it very informative.
I'm currently looking to expand my business to a mobile unit. There are a few local race tracks and fairgrounds here, where I think I can make a lot of money and build good relationships.
I would like to purchase a small cutter/printer where I can make decals on the go! Also, when not mobile, I would like to use it to create larger decals...the size of car hoods, doors and roofs!
I've been looking at the PC-600. It seems to be good for small, short run decals. I know someone who has a Gerber. I'm confused about what I should ask about the machine and eventually what I should buy for the purpose I intend.
Any advise would be greatly apprecaited.
Vipul
-------------------- Vipul Chitania Owner, The Advertising Specialists Your Ultimate Source for Signs, Banners N' Custom Apparel Posts: 24 | From: Southern California | Registered: Jul 2002
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Gerber....there is not another machine that can do what this baby can do! Ask Glenn Taylor for the Gerber verses Roland results. It speaks for itself!
Can ya do magnetics on a Roland? Nope! There are more materials for the Gerber than anything else, plus Gerber is a sponser here.
More money at 1st, but worth it all!
Just my .02 cents.
-------------------- Mike Berry New England Posts: 534 | From: New England | Registered: Jan 2002
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Gerber owners are going to say "Gerber" and Roland owners are going to say "Roland". I'm not a digital printer, I just know human nature when it comes to brand loyalty. Try asking guitar players whether Martin, Gibson, Taylor, etc are better, you'll get the same result.
ps, I have purchased printouts from a local vendor who has the new Roland, (not sure the exact model, it's the 1200pdi one), the prints are outstanding! I think the purchasing decision has something to do with your volume. My understanding is that Gerber will be less expensive in the long run if you are a high-volume user, but much higher up-front costs for the unit and a base inventory of ribbons. Other opinions will vary.
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I wouldn't personally carry a Gerber Edge or a PC 600 to a race track or a fairground. I myself have a BIG 24" machine/stand that I have carried several times and NO MORE! A smaller size table top 24" machine like a Roland CX 24 is the perfect machine to carry AND it is cheap. I personally use a STIKA 12" just to carry to flea markets and festivals BUT I mainly do car tags and calvin type stickers, it'll do that stuff fine. They do make a 15" STIKA now so you may want to look at one of those. I just can't see getting enough EDGE/PC 600 business at a Fair or racetrack. Plus that is way too much of an investment and to much involved to work at a fast pace required at those kind of situations. Ain't nothin like having 25 orders to do RIGHT THEN! Things can happen to your stuff at those places too. I had firecrackers thrown in at me one time, would have died if I had had an EDGE. I would get two machines: a cheapie like a STIKA or a CX 24 for the Fairs and if I were wanting a PC 600, one of those or the like. We are looking into getting a laptop for our fair setup, it and a STIKA make for a comapct sticker and tag making setup. STIKA is slow but I design the next job while it is cutting. ALSO something I am looking for, a way to avoid having to carry my dongle key! That is really scary having that thing around. I have a chain and a padlock on mine. I know that in a trailer, you won't have to face as many problems BUT there is still the chance. Just my .00 cents.
-------------------- John Thompson JTT Graphics "The big guy with a little sign shop!" Royston/Hartwell Georgia jtt101@hotmail.com Posts: 626 | From: Royston Georgia | Registered: Feb 2002
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My first concern over any digital print machine in a truck at a track is dirt and dust!
These will kill your machine, prints & profit. If you can keep your environment clean, then go for it!
Having an Edge machine, I can only say that it is a smaller footprint than the roland, it also can print while your plotter is cutting, in a busy situation that can be key!
Also Gerber has the widest range of colors for foils that I've seen not to mention the available printing ready materials and /or items. You could equip yourself with a heat press and do some digital magnetics then print off a t-shirt print and a few mug prints as well all from the same machine. Now I have an Edge so maybe I am more partial to it, but I do hear the roland newere machine has a higher print resolution.
But all in all for diversity the gerber machine has it all covered, yes the price is high for overall purchase price but the profits come quick and as it has been said before the return on investment comes quicker. Not to mention Gerbers track record on machine stability and support has been more consistant. Any good search on this board can yeild you that info.
Good luck and keep it clean!~
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Well have no brand loyalty since I don't own any printer/cutter machine but I have used most of them as a production designer. First off I have to agree lugging a Gerber or ColorCamm to a racetrack or outdoor event is probably not a wise thing to do, the other thing is the time it takes to whip out a 4 color sticker on the fly and make money at it, each process takes time to create a decal, and most customers are not that patient, especially waiting around for someone elses color print. Be carefull of the salesmen seling you this equipment or you will end up like Cal and get a machine that for what he wanted to use it for was worthless plus the fact he had no training. I recommend a Gerber, or if you cant afford that, find a good subcontractor. As far as mobile event stuff, there can be rewarding days, but for the most part if your happy wasting a precious day off making at the most 200 bucks, then it's really not that worth it. I mean cutting other peoples clip-art, is not my idea of fun. And since you are in California, people are getting over the peeing calvin, stuff like that, the guys doing it here are a dime a dozen. Also if you have never used Gerber Omega of Graphics Advantage, and the Edge, you will need to take time to master it. I find graphics Advantage to be a decent software, but clumsy at first. The mobile unit I worked in had a battery pack that lasted around 10 hours, he had a generator and could plug-in, but he was pretty self contained, I helped layout, cut, and weed, and he sold the stuff, He had a desktop computer, Graphtec plotter, printer, and a full weeding table in a delivery truck, we had fun, but made little money, at car shows in the area, good luck with it. Rick
Posts: 1540 | From: Hemet,CA U.S.A. | Registered: Jun 2001
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Like Rick said, decals aren't where it's at as far as the times I've been to fairs and stuff like I said earlier. We make bucks off of car tags. We get $20 for a mirrored car tag at a fair, it takes no time to do it (if you have them all layed out like a template beforehand where all you do is insert a name and you have them organized where you can find the files right off hand. we've done a $1000 plus at a festival before and it sure wasn't off of stickers. Some fairs do %uck though. I can make a car tag in just about the same amount of time it takes to make a Calvin but I make WAY more!
-------------------- John Thompson JTT Graphics "The big guy with a little sign shop!" Royston/Hartwell Georgia jtt101@hotmail.com Posts: 626 | From: Royston Georgia | Registered: Feb 2002
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You can bypass your dongle LEGALLY. There are a handful of companies on the internet that will build a software "workaround' to those stinkin' dongles. You're looking at anywhere from $300 - $500. Just type in www.donglefree.com or do a search on "dongle replacement".
Good luck John.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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Yeah I've seen one before but didn't ever fololow through on it. Somebody sent me a address for one too. Thanks you guys. I have a USB one and it is so easy to pull out PLUS it is purple with this cute little light on it, sure does catch the eyes of one of those DEVIL children running free at public events.
[ July 16, 2002, 01:42 AM: Message edited by: John Thompson ]
-------------------- John Thompson JTT Graphics "The big guy with a little sign shop!" Royston/Hartwell Georgia jtt101@hotmail.com Posts: 626 | From: Royston Georgia | Registered: Feb 2002
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CD burners are legal too, but not everything we can do with them is, so I think the dongle encryption topic may be venturing into a questionable area like.... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SHARING CLIPART !!!
I'm not sure about that so thought I'd go with email, but now that it's on the table, what's the take on this from others? Steve?
[ July 15, 2002, 07:00 PM: Message edited by: Doug Allan ]
Go the the site mentionned above donglefree and you will get answers to your question.
-------------------- Desire Rusovsky SDG Signs rue du Lac 24 1342 Le Pont Switzerland desire@sdgsigns.com http://www.sdgsigns.com Posts: 218 | From: Le Pont / Switzerland | Registered: Mar 2002
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Sorry Doug, didn't know it was hush, hush. I was a bad boy again. I tried to e-mail you but it was sent back? Todd Gill's post said it is legal so what is the scoop. Sorry to drag this topic off subject but ......
[ July 16, 2002, 01:43 AM: Message edited by: John Thompson ]
-------------------- John Thompson JTT Graphics "The big guy with a little sign shop!" Royston/Hartwell Georgia jtt101@hotmail.com Posts: 626 | From: Royston Georgia | Registered: Feb 2002
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We'd like to take this opportunity to welcome Vipul to Letterville. It's always a thrill to see a new face here and hopefully soon at a live meet.
Couple of thoughts on the clipart/dongle topic. First of all the legal issue. Is it legal or isn't it?
To Barb and I, this is much like a hen approaching the pig with an idea to surprise the farmer with a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs. The pig is not so excited. He has much more to lose!
When it comes to the legality of messing with copywritten materials and/or dongles, we are entering a grey area of the law. It might make for a fiery debate on forums like Letterville, but the legal risks involved for the owners are huge.
Who knows what is right and wrong in the eyes of the courts these days. We're not about to risk the loss of Letterville, and indeed our future, based on the opinions of armchair Lawyers. That's reason number one.
Number too is more personal. As a small business owner running a small sign shop for 25 years, I put great value on original ideas. Many of us here have felt the anger and frustration that comes from our designs being used without compensation for our ideas. It's not a nice feeling to discover some consider your ideas, not to mention you investment of time and money, to have no value.
Even if some jury suddenly decided to toss existing copyright laws out the window, we would still prohibit the practise here. I don't want to leave the impression that I am some sort of goody two shoes. We've all sinned at some point. That don't make it right.
We hope this explains our position on this matter and puts it to bed for good. Whether you agree or not, please respect that this is our online Letterhead meet and we reserve the right to make the rules.
[ July 16, 2002, 01:42 AM: Message edited by: Steve Shortreed ]
-------------------- Steve Shortreed 144 Hill St., E. Fergus, Ontario Canada N1M 1G9 519-787-2673
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