Advice for starting local print shop

[RC_Barf]

I bought a cold laminator to start with before forking out several thousand bucks. Turns out, it's just fine for my purposes! Others on here have this also...I have the 50 or 52" so with my printer I don't print anything over 48" if it needs to be laminated because my printer is 54". I cut 2" off one edge so the sheet can be laminated or turn it, etc. I've got it in my head that 48" is the widest I will make a panel.

VEVOR Cold Film Laminator 50.4" Manual Laminating machine Vinyl Photo Roll | eBay

VEVOR 29.5" 750mm Manual Laminator Cold Roll Laminating Machine. VEVOR 25.5in 648mm Manual Cold Roll Laminator Vinyl Photo Laminating Machine. VEVOR 39" Cold Laminator Laminating Machine Manual Roll Laminator Vinyl Photo.

www.ebay.com

Would you mind sharing your vendors? I want to sell my printer (old Roland) and start focusing in Designs and delivery anly too, mostly for my local market in Brandon FL

 

[Stacey K]

Would you mind sharing your vendors? I want to sell my printer (old Roland) and start focusing in Designs and delivery anly too, mostly for my local market in Brandon FL

I got mine off of Ebay, it was several years ago so not sure of the seller but they should all be the same if you get the Vevor brand. Other than that, I use Grimco, NGlantz and Fellers for substrates, vinyl and ink needs. If I order printed goods such as high quantity coro signs I use Signs365 or FireSprint. Small tools...Amazon or store direct. I've gotten quite a few smaller tools from Harbor Freight.

 

[RabidOne]

A little advice...if you don't want people coming in for one 2" sticker then stick to the website and don't open up a storefront. Keep it by appointment only. Definitely get a laminator. I think you could get away with not doing installs. I don't do any sign installs but I sell a crap load of them. You could join a B2B group or the local chamber of commerce. In my town when you join they put a post on FB and they send an email out to all the members about your new business. It was $25 a year.

Be prepared for a lot of calls for small jobs and don't get caught up in that small stuff. Have a minimum and stick to it. The biggest time waster when dealing with the public is the small jobs and the people that want those jobs have no problem wasting 20 minutes of your time trying to convince you to do them. And they tell their friends and before you know it, you have 100 of them banging your door down. Have a minimum and stick to it.

We used to run into that. Shop minimum is $115, even if its one sticker. Keeps the time wasters away.