Am I being stupid???

[OldPaint]

maybe this is a dumb question.........you say your doing small signs right? would it be possible for you get a flatbed printer, that will accept up to a 5x10 sheet of .040 white aluminum,
print all you can on that sheet THEN CUT EM? makes sence to me...

 

[john1]

Good question.

We sell about $30000-$60000 per month. We sell direct to consumer online, and to many retailers. We are also licensed for about 20 products with General Motors.

Holy lord, I am in the wrong business if you are selling that many of a single product. *sells all machines and buys street sign blanks*

To answer the thread title, no your not, i am the stupid one for making cut vinyl and digitally printed graphics and NOT street signs lol

 

[jdwilliams1]

Holy lord, I am in the wrong business if you are selling that many of a single product. *sells all machines and buys street sign blanks*

To answer the thread title, no your not, i am the stupid one for making cut vinyl and digitally printed graphics and NOT street signs lol

lol...keep in mind I have been doing this for over 10 years and it has taken a lot of sales and work to build up to this.

As you know things do not happen overnight.

 

[jdwilliams1]

maybe this is a dumb question.........you say your doing small signs right? would it be possible for you get a flatbed printer, that will accept up to a 5x10 sheet of .040 white aluminum,
print all you can on that sheet THEN CUT EM? makes sence to me...

Yeah, I have been told that a few times, but it is the cutting part that gets me. For one I would probably scratch the aluminum in a shearer (if I owned one), don't you think? Also, it would be more labor on my end. I kind of like getting them ready to go.

 

[omgsideburns]

I would avoid an older Colorspan unit. I love mine, but I've had the pleasure of getting it back up to spec after two or three other people who worked here before me ran it in the ground.

 

[jdwilliams1]

I would like your thoughts about the Vutek 200/600.

I have my eye on a couple used. One a 2004 one a 2006, both between $25,000 and $30,000

I have put traveling with a uv printer to festivals on the back burner.

what I like about the Vutek, is it will allow me to expand the wooden sign division of my company.

Any opinions on this machine?

 

[royster13]

I sell enough custom street signs, decorative tiles and caution signs at Christmas to pay for most of my winter vacation....I do a couple local craft fairs....

 

[d fleming]

Yeah, I have been told that a few times, but it is the cutting part that gets me. For one I would probably scratch the aluminum in a shearer (if I owned one), don't you think? Also, it would be more labor on my end. I kind of like getting them ready to go.

Cover with transfer tape, then shear

 

[MikeD]

Direct Color Systems does have great support; over the phone, or by accessing your computer remotely. Their machines are also very well built and extremely accurate in regard to registration; say if you need to print additional passes on clear acrylic.
DCS's rip is also very powerful, and gives you lots of control in regard to profile adjustments.
Most substrates do not require any pretreatment besides a wipe down. However, DCS also sells blanks that have been specially treated to give final prints extreme durability.
I work with licensed art in all of my printing, but today I am going to print some of my own fine art on some poplar wood just because the printer is such a fun tool to use.

Good luck with whichever printer you choose!

 

[jdwilliams1]

Direct Color Systems does have great support; over the phone, or by accessing your computer remotely. Their machines are also very well built and extremely accurate in regard to registration; say if you need to print additional passes on clear acrylic.
DCS's rip is also very powerful, and gives you lots of control in regard to profile adjustments.
Most substrates do not require any pretreatment besides a wipe down. However, DCS also sells blanks that have been specially treated to give final prints extreme durability.
I work with licensed art in all of my printing, but today I am going to print some of my own fine art on some poplar wood just because the printer is such a fun tool to use.

Good luck with whichever printer you choose!

Thanks for the info Mike...

Do you have a solvent printer or the UV printer?

 

[MikeD]

I am using DCS's 1324 solvent printer. the ink dries pretty fast, although UV is instant.

 

[MikeD]

sorry,
i'm currently using the solvent 1324

 

[MikeD]

1324 solvent

 

[OldPaint]

Yeah, I have been told that a few times, but it is the cutting part that gets me. For one I would probably scratch the aluminum in a shearer (if I owned one), don't you think? Also, it would be more labor on my end. I kind of like getting them ready to go.

why would you scratch them? if you had a metal shear to accept up to 5 ft wide material, its cuts very clean especially on .024 to .040 aluminum. how many of your small sign can you get stacked into 4-5 foot strips? cut the 4-5 long and then cut each sign off that. are you doing DOUBLE SIDED? then you may scratch some unless you put down a soft non abrasive serface on the cutting table. when you make the cut have someone on the other side to catch the cut off. the time you would save printing all them at one time on a 4-5 ft x 8- or 10 ft single sheet would far outway time spent cutting, if signs are 12-18" and you print em on .024-0.32 you can cut them with a big paper cutter.

 

[jdwilliams1]

why would you scratch them? if you had a metal shear to accept up to 5 ft wide material, its cuts very clean especially on .024 to .040 aluminum. how many of your small sign can you get stacked into 4-5 foot strips? cut the 4-5 long and then cut each sign off that. are you doing DOUBLE SIDED? then you may scratch some unless you put down a soft non abrasive serface on the cutting table. when you make the cut have someone on the other side to catch the cut off. the time you would save printing all them at one time on a 4-5 ft x 8- or 10 ft single sheet would far outway time spent cutting, if signs are 12-18" and you print em on .024-0.32 you can cut them with a big paper cutter.

Yes they are quite often double sided. tjhis is nice but keep in mind my blanks also have rounded corners and two holes drilled in them. Not something I want to take on at this time.

 

[10sacer]

Even if you can roll a small hybrid UV printer around - and if you were able to get good clean 220V power. you would fight a massive problem with static, humidity and dust.

what is your quality level expectation for direct print?

 

[Hzone15]

Look into the Mimaki UJF-3042FX is sprays a primer for better ink adhesion, competes directly with DCS. Bed size is only 11x17, but the quality is fantastic from what I seen at SGIA.

I too would stay away from the ColorSpan based on part availability and its a 4 color printer. Is your customer going to be happy with that type of quality?