Business is picking up and I need to upgrade & a few newbie questions

[Warbs87]

I have read hundreds of different posts and reviews and honestly can't decide what plotter to upgrade to. Currently I am using a 15" craft cutter a KNK Zing. It has served me pretty good paid for itself multiple times already in small sign jobs. I just started a sign business last August and its going well. Starting to get pretty busy now that my name is out in the community. My cutter isn't big enough and accurate enough to do some of my jobs. I have spent so many hours trying to find the perfect cutter its not even funny.

I have considered a few different ones from US Cutter. The Titan 2 is a fairly cheap cutter but doesn't seem to bad. Graphtec I was pretty set on but then I couldn't decide between a 24" or a 48" 6000 series or just go all out and get the 8000. Pretty big price jump but it adds a lot of features. Since then I have looked into Summa cutters. I haven't read a bad thing about them yet. If I plan on doing this for years to come should I just get a 48" Summa and not have to worry about ever having to upgrade?

I don't think I can afford getting a wide format printer at this time. Hopefully in the next year or two I will be doing enough business to justify it.

I am hoping to get into vehicle wraps at some point if I can find a course to show me how to get started. Will a 48" cutter be sufficient to wrap vehicles or golf carts?

For applying vinyl i always do a dry application. Should I teach myself how to do a wet app? I have the application fluid I just have been able to install all my vehicle decals and signs without needing to use it.

Sorry for so many questions but thank you for answering any questions you guys do. I really appreciate any input before I go out and spend $4000 on a new plotter.

 

[player]

If you have the business it would be a mistake not to get a print/cut machine. Plus a laminator.

 

[klingsdesigns]

I have had my graphtec since 2005 and no problems

 

[visual800]

Keep in mind your business may be picking up but please give thought as to it could alow down and you are stuck with thousands of dollars of machines that are not running. We have owned a 24" plotter since 99 and it gets us thru everything. Bigger plotter means bigger sollars and larger space needed for it.

as far as a printer i would wait and make sure you can justify getting one. We use signs 365 and every end of year I add up what we spent and it does not justify me personally having my own, it would be nice, sure but dont get caught up in growth and feel you need it all

 

[Bly]

We had a 48" plotter and it was a pain having to trim down printed 54" rolls to fit in it.
If all you plan on cutting is 24" rolls then no problem.
We wound up replacing it with a 64" and never looked back.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

Keep in mind your business may be picking up but please give thought as to it could alow down and you are stuck with thousands of dollars of machines that are not running. We have owned a 24" plotter since 99 and it gets us thru everything. Bigger plotter means bigger sollars and larger space needed for it.

as far as a printer i would wait and make sure you can justify getting one. We use signs 365 and every end of year I add up what we spent and it does not justify me personally having my own, it would be nice, sure but dont get caught up in growth and feel you need it all

I agree with everything you say.

While this is only our third year in business, we use a Roland 24" cutter and have only needed something slightly over 24" cut one time in 3 years. Another local sign shop was more than happy to help us out and cut it for us. For all of our digital printed stuff we outsource and we make huge profits without the need to own a printer, laminator, and larger cutter. With our 24" inch cutter, we have $2,500 invested. With a large format printer/laminator/cutter you're looking to invest somewhere in the neighborhood of $30-40,000. If you were going to become a shop that specializes in wraps, you could justify the investment, but as a general purpose sign shop, I don't see the need for at least a few years.

 

[player]

New 54" Roland printer/cutter for about 16K, a USTech laminator for 2.5K.

 

[Warbs87]

Thank you for all the input guys. Pat I will definitely be talking to you and getting you to help me on any big projects I can make with my equipment. My budget isn't there to buy a laminater & printer. I will have to wait for a couple years I think on those.

Everyone says go as big as you can afford so I am thinking either a Summa Cut D120 48" cutter for $3995 USD directly from Summa. Only place I have found in Canada is ND Graphics and for the same one its $4700 CAD. I live 10 minutes from the border so its easy to get the American one. Do you guys have any advice where to purchase this from other than these two options?

I would be happy with a refurbished one but haven't found any that offer them.

Another question I need to make a box sign and can't for the life of me find a place to buy them. I don't need anything illuminated just a plain metal/aluminum frame to hold a 2'x3' sign.

 

[GB2]

I would definitely get a 54" plotter at a minimum and not a 48". I have an excellent Mimaki 54" plotter that I might be selling if you are interested.

 

[Z SIGNS]

If I was just starting out I would get some lettering quills an airbrush and some skills that were above and beyond anyone with a plotter and printing machine.

If you want to make sticker signs you could sub that out.There are thousands of people out there that will do it dirt cheap for you.

Be different and offer something that no one in your hood can compete with and you will do fine.

 

[mark galoob]

Keep in mind your business may be picking up but please give thought as to it could alow down and you are stuck with thousands of dollars of machines that are not running. We have owned a 24" plotter since 99 and it gets us thru everything. Bigger plotter means bigger sollars and larger space needed for it.

as far as a printer i would wait and make sure you can justify getting one. We use signs 365 and every end of year I add up what we spent and it does not justify me personally having my own, it would be nice, sure but dont get caught up in growth and feel you need it all

if you are only adding up what it takes in 1 year of business, that does not give you a realistic idea of the value of a full setup. large equipment usually depreciates in 5 years. you should be taking what you would of done in 1 year and multiply by 5 years. if the numbers work for 5 years its a good value...if not, you know where you need to be.

im not a high volume sign shop, prob more of lower volume, however when you look at my numbers over the course of 5 years, its totally worth buying my equipment rather than subbing out.

 

[player]

Get a used SP540V for $8K. Simple laminator for $1500.

 

[royster13]

Thank you for all the input guys. Pat I will definitely be talking to you and getting you to help me on any big projects I can make with my equipment. My budget isn't there to buy a laminater & printer. I will have to wait for a couple years I think on those.

Everyone says go as big as you can afford so I am thinking either a Summa Cut D120 48" cutter for $3995 USD directly from Summa. Only place I have found in Canada is ND Graphics and for the same one its $4700 CAD. I live 10 minutes from the border so its easy to get the American one. Do you guys have any advice where to purchase this from other than these two options?

I would be happy with a refurbished one but haven't found any that offer them.

Another question I need to make a box sign and can't for the life of me find a place to buy them. I don't need anything illuminated just a plain metal/aluminum frame to hold a 2'x3' sign.

With duty, shipping and exchange, it will be close to the same price buying from Canada.....

And no permit required (Commercial Truck Permit to go down to USA) and no paperwork (B3) to come back into Canada....Do you have an Importer# from Revenue Canada?...Now I know lots of folks bring back stuff as "personal" but if you get caught you are "toast" for using the border for years....

 

[Warbs87]

Got 2 final prices after tax from ND Graphics

30" is $3390 + $250 for stand and $250 for media basket

48" is $5146 w/stand and basket included

I can drive to Winnipeg and save $200 freight. So I might do that.


Not sure what to do. I honestly don't think I would need to do many 48" graphics at this time. I think I will mainly use 24" vinyl. Is it worth getting the bigger one for future its basically $1000 more in the end if i get the stand and basket.

Where is the best place in Canada to order vinyl. I use Express Sign Products right now. They seem pretty good on some of it but others it seems very expensive.

 

[GB2]

Don't get the 48"...get a 54" or even larger. It is more useful for your future and will hold it's value better as it is more useful to anyone else too.

 

[Warbs87]

I really cant afford the 54" right now. Having a hard time making the 48" work might just get the 30" and use it until I can afford a 54" if i ever need one.

 

[Warbs87]

I have found a used SUmma D60 for $1500 plus shipping. I think I would rather have a new one though.

 

[Warbs87]

I ended up going with the 30" its more than big enough for the jobs I am doing now. I love it so far! So much better for small details and love the different options in Win Plot.

Trying to find out if there is a plug in for Make the Cut that will work with Summa so I can cut some of my old design files. No luck yet.

 

[player]

There may be a way to send HPGL files to the plotter. Can you save or export your old files as HPGL?

 

[J Hill Designs]

you can export from make the cut as pdf, then open in whatever program you use now

http://www.scrappydew.com/mtcclassroom/quickguide/exporting_pdf.htm?ms=AAA=&mw=MjQw&st=MA==&sct=Njc4

 

[Signet]

Graphtec 7000

I have had my graphtec since 2005 and no problems

I have a Graphtec bought in 2006, I just had my first problem and have found out they do not have parts for a machine that old anymore. So, if you plan on keeeping your cutter for a while Graphtec is not the company to do that with.