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Basic Essentials to start a Signage Business

ddarlak

ddarlak

Go Bills!
looks like another phantom thread started by the hitman...

there has been numerous threads like this where the guy posts the same topic and never returns, i still think its a member here who likes to raise a little cain.
 
Fred Weiss

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
ddarlak said:
looks like another phantom thread started by the hitman...

there has been numerous threads like this where the guy posts the same topic and never returns, i still think its a member here who likes to raise a little cain.
Click to expand...

Insomuch as you come immediately to mind on reading that description, one might ask ...
 
D

Delgado87

New Member
ok for the guys with the smart *ss comments f*ck you and get off my thread. Now let me rephrase my post. I worked at a sign company so I have a good grasp of doing the printed stuff such a coroplast signs, banners, vinyl, plotting and laminating but little knowledge of the cnc router and accubend for channel letters that we did as well. I did the graphic work and made the finished product and dealt with customers from start to finish. so I have a fair bit of knowledge. My question really should have been I have a partner that is willing to invest in equipment for me I want to grab some good equipment to continue the kind of work I was doing. I know i need a laminator, plotter, printer and good size work table and material as well as my computer. I was going to get my materials from grimco. I was really trying to see a list of basic things i really need other than the ones i listed and maybe some brands that would be good to look at. at my sign company we had mimaki and hp equipment but I was only using what he had and i would like to know what other people prefer and also if they had an ideal setup what it would be thats all. so if you have any negative or smart *ss comment to make dont even post on here because I am trying to be serious and i dont need your crap.
 
wildside

wildside

New Member
Delgado87 said:
ok for the guys with the smart *ss comments f*ck you and get off my thread. Now let me rephrase my post. I worked at a sign company so I have a good grasp of doing the printed stuff such a coroplast signs, banners, vinyl, plotting and laminating but little knowledge of the cnc router and accubend for channel letters that we did as well. I did the graphic work and made the finished product and dealt with customers from start to finish. so I have a fair bit of knowledge. My question really should have been I have a partner that is willing to invest in equipment for me I want to grab some good equipment to continue the kind of work I was doing. I know i need a laminator, plotter, printer and good size work table and material as well as my computer. I was going to get my materials from grimco. I was really trying to see a list of basic things i really need other than the ones i listed and maybe some brands that would be good to look at. at my sign company we had mimaki and hp equipment but I was only using what he had and i would like to know what other people prefer and also if they had an ideal setup what it would be thats all. so if you have any negative or smart *ss comment to make dont even post on here because I am trying to be serious and i dont need your crap.
Click to expand...

why not go with equipment your are familiar with, if you know a mimaki, get a mimaki, if you know accubend, get one, no reason to reinvent the wheel, stretching out on your own is a experience in itself, go with what you know and tried and true, and once your feet are firmly planted, then start venturing off into new equipment and technologies

p.s. your attitude will do wonders here, granted, others make a living here on attitude...:rolleyes:

good luck
 
Pro Image

Pro Image

New Member
Why in the hell didnt you say all of that in your first post......???????

P.S.

You are still going to need a SHARP knife...........
 
Mosh

Mosh

New Member
Kind of a dumb question when you put it like that...get the equipment you know how to run...SIMPLE!!!
 
FatCat

FatCat

New Member
If you're being honest, then I would focus on the tools and equipment that you have some knowledge about and forget the rest for now. I don't know how to make channel letters, bend neon, or the first thing about running a CNC router table - therefore I don't have that equipment. If the need arises, I sub it out to someone who does.

If you know printing and cut vinyl then you need to figure out which tools to buy that you can operate and afford and will do what you need them to do. Top R2R printers IMO are Mimaki, Mutoh, Roland and the new HP Latex units - buy any one of those based on your knowledge and local service availability. Top cutters are Summa, Graphtec, Mimaki and Roland. Laminators are a bit more limited but lots of people sing praises for Seal, GBC, Royal Sovereign, etc. Again, only YOU will ultimately be able to decide what fits your needs and budget the best.

Lastly, and most importantly your business plan, marketing strategy and finances will make or break you. Spend most of your time in this area to get a solid plan together before even thinking about buying equipment. Honestly, you can sub most of your work out in the beginning to see if you will be able to generate enough business to support your own shop with your own tools.
 
D

Delgado87

New Member
I could go with the equipment i am familiar with but I was looking for opinions of equipment and if anyone had an ideal small shop what it would consist of. I have a good basic idea of what i want because of what i used daily but that was only because it was what he had in his shop and i never worked at another shop and maybe other shops did things different and better but i wouldnt know soo that i why im asking to figure out what works best what equipment is the best.
 
D

Delgado87

New Member
ok my partner has ideas of signs he wants to make and sell and has people interested his only problem is he doesnt know howto make it that is where i come in. He is willing to put up the money to set up shop I am just the person that will run it and he will generate sales. I am just trying to grab the best equipment I can get so we can do it right. all i know is mimaki and hp and personally i didnt like mimaki but i did like hp.
 
Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
Delgado87 said:
ok for the guys with the smart *ss comments f*ck you and get off my thread.
Click to expand...

To quote the great American physicist, Jack White "You can't take the effect and make it the cause."


Here's a list of what you need to get started:
A business plan.
A reworked, effective business plan.
Business license
Business liability insurance
Business Checking account
business phone
business internet
business email
business location
business power
business water
business tax id number
business building lettering
business interior displays
counter for taking orders
cash register to keep all your money in
cash to go in the register
couple of pens
stapler
extra staples
work orders
catalogs from suppliers for things you can sell but won't stock
garbage can
color charts
work table, the bigger the better
cutting mat or glass for table
tool caddy or bucket or box
x-acto knife
x-acto blade
rulers, assorted lengths
tape measure
squeegees
alcohol
rapid prep
rapid tac
rapid remover
towels
box cutter
box cutter blades
first aid kit
grommet press or setting dies
grommets
masking tape
scotch tape
transfer tape, assorted
basic set of small hand tools
toilet paper
toilet cleaner
toilet
soap
paper towels
one of those blue things you put in the toilet tank to keep things pretty
computer
computer monitor
computer keyboard
a better attitude
computer mouse
computer scanner
computer printer
cables for above
surge protector to plug it all into
accounting software or accounting system
word processing program
sign design software (you already bought Flexisign)
photoshop
lots and lots of photoshop plug-ins
A couple of discs from Dave Dorsey...the president of Auroura Graphics
a few extra lightbulbs, they don't last forever
stack of blank cds
paper for printer
a business plan
desk or table to put computer stuff on
radio...need some tunes to get rich
chair to sit in and pimp out some design work
rolls and rolls and rolls of vinyl
trash bags for the trash cans
dumpster service
business cards
did i mention work orders to write all these orders down on?
corrugated plastic, assorted sizes
pvc
polymetal
acrylic
double stick tape
roll of banner materail
spool of rope
mini-fridge for snacks!

That ought to at least get the door open for you.
 
sar bossier

sar bossier

New Member
If I had the money for a do-over, I would get:

HPL26500 latex printer
My used Roland SC-545EX (a keeper!)
Royal Sojourn 64" laminater
a NEWER graphtec plotter (mine is a dinosaur!)
A wider and longer production table (current is 48" w x 16' l)
a MUCH bigger bay area for wraps!!
New, rather than used, design computer (2)

These are just the basics, off the top of my head ...
GOOD LUCK on your new venture!!
 
allamericantrade

allamericantrade

New Member
I will say I LOVE my HP. Due to the amount of pinch rollers going from one side to the other and it never goes off course I get the most bang for the buck out of my material. I can buy a 62" roll of banner and sell a 60" wide banner at any leanth. the only other printer I have used was a rolland but with a lack of pinch rollers its easy to go off course. I can set up the printer to print a 150' and leave the shop for the night without worrying therefor I can make money while I sleep! The machine is a work horse.

Good luck and like everyone said it is always best to go with the equipment you know.
 
Fred Weiss

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
An indoor vehicle application area with overhead door(s) of a sufficient size to accommodate the largest vehicles you plan to wrap or letter. Air conditioning optional. Can also double as a shipping and receiving area. Adequate lighting.

  • Hand truck(s), fork lift(s), tow motor as needed.
  • Heat lamps, torches and various application tools.
  • Work tables, stools, ladders and lifts as needed for sizes of vehicles to be serviced.

A fabrication area for working with dust and dirt creating materials. Air conditioning optional.

  • A 10" table saw
  • A panel saw
  • A drill press
  • A band saw
  • A 52" or larger metal shear
  • One or more shop vacs
  • Various portable power tools
  • Sanding and shaping power tools
  • A corner rounder
  • A metal punch
  • An air compressor
  • Assorted painting tools and supplies
  • A good size rick for storing sheets of substrates
  • An assortment of 4' x 8' and larger substrates
  • Adequate lighting

An air conditioned fabrication area for working with clean materials and procedures.

  • One or more 4' x 16' (depending on sizes you plan to work with) or larger workbench with suitable surface for weeding, application and finishing
  • One or more laminating machines, premask applicators and mounting devices
  • Banner hemming and grommeting machines.
  • A Keencut cutter bar with work bench at least 8' in length
  • A Premier 24" or better paper cutter
  • Assorted knives, tweezers and other hand tools
  • Optional screen printing, sublimation, embroidery, DTG printing, engraving equipment, etc. to suit your inclinations, your market and your budget.
  • Exceptional lighting

An air conditioned print and cut production area for printing and cutting of films. Air filtration and ventilation as needed.

  • One or more wide format solvent, ecosolvent or latex printers.
  • One or more vinyl cutting plotters of a sufficient size to match your printer(s).
  • One or more computers suitable for design and ripping of large format print jobs.
  • Storage racks for vinyl, media and other materials to be printed and/or cut.
  • Assorted cast and intermediate rolls of film for cut production.
  • Assorted adhesive backed rolls of media for print production.
  • Assorted rolls of banner stock for print production.
  • Excellent, color corrected lighting.

An air conditioned design area for design and job setups.

  • One or more computers for design.
  • Various sign making, graphics, color management and RIP software.
  • One or more scanners, desktop printers, copiers etc.
  • Desk(s), drafting table etc.
  • Good lighting.
An air conditioned customer reception, sales and pickup area.

  • One or more computers for estimating, order taking, invoicing and other accounting.
  • Software for same.
  • Counters, desks and furniture to suit your taste.
  • Adequate lighting.
And throughout your facility

  • An adequate telephone system
  • Networking of all computers including internet connection, backups, redundancy and security.
 
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