Opinion Cheapest Way To Get Into Print Vinyl

[Chris...]

I have had several customers ask me about print vinyl. Basically for decals. I have researched some online vendors
and have come to the conclusion that it would be cost prohibitive to farm out this kind of work. Am I correct or are there some vendors that have better pricing that I don't know about. The prices on online seem reasonable until you add contour cut, which is something I will need. Before I started out on my own I worked at a sign shop. I am familiar with mimaki printers. Are there other options to be considered that do not have the $10000 price tag. Throw in a laminator and you could be talking $15k-$20k investment.

 

[ikarasu]

Outsource... Its not as cheap as doing it yourself, but its the only other option. If you do it yourself you're going to need a printer, laminator, cutter... Printing + laminating, then loading it back into the mimaki is a pain in the ass. It's ok to start with, but you have to realize you're stopping anymore print jobs while you laminate and then reload into the printer again.

If you can't afford a printer/cutter/laminator, your only option is to outsource until you can. If you go the cheapest route, with the cheapest options, you'll regret it down the line. Vinyl business is a huge investment... Everytime you need to call in a tech to fix something, you're also looking at a couople hundred dollars just in labour. So research, and do more research... be sure you know what your getting into before you get into it. You can't just see it as vinyl + ink costs you $5, so you can sell it for $7 and make a proffit... theres tons of other costs involved, which is why online pricing probably seems higher than you think it's worth.

You may be able to get it cheaper by finding a local company and outsourcing to them. If you bring a lot of work their way, they generally give you cheaper prices.

 

[TrustMoore_TN]

I have had several customers ask me about print vinyl. Basically for decals. I have researched some online vendors
and have come to the conclusion that it would be cost prohibitive to farm out this kind of work. Am I correct or are there some vendors that have better pricing that I don't know about. The prices on online seem reasonable until you add contour cut, which is something I will need. Before I started out on my own I worked at a sign shop. I am familiar with mimaki printers. Are there other options to be considered that do not have the $10000 price tag. Throw in a laminator and you could be talking $15k-$20k investment.

What about outsourcing the vinyl printing and doing the contour cutting yourself. A plotter would be a much lower investment. You could setup the file with the registration marks and cut lines, have someone print it, then when you get it back to your shop do all the plotting/trimming. Good Luck!

 

[Chris...]

What about outsourcing the vinyl printing and doing the contour cutting yourself. A plotter would be a much lower investment. You could setup the file with the registration marks and cut lines, have someone print it, then when you get it back to your shop do all the plotting/trimming. Good Luck!

This sounds like a good idea. I have a Graphtec 8600 cutter with ARMS so I could try this route.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

Outsource...if you don't already have orders your outsourcing for this stuff they there is nothing to justify the purchase of the printer. Build up the business till it makes sense to have a $10,000 printer. What about a Gerber machine. Smaller but perfect for decals. With the paired plotter its perfect for those contour cut decals. Should be able to find a pair under $10000

 

[k.a.s.]

I always disagree with most people's advice on this question. If you are full time in the business and are layering vinyl, you already have the work you need. You print everything more than single color and never look back. There are plenty of good vendors, but I still found outsourcing a pain. If I want to do a rush job at midnight I can, if something gets screwed up I can re-print and not look like an idiot. So, beg or borrow the money, buy a 54" mimaki with a plotter & a laminator, it is about the same price as a decent car and will be way more profitable.

But that's just my opinion.

Kevin

 

[WrapYourCar]

$10k? That's cheap.. this machine is going to make you money. If you are going into a business and can't afford $10- $30k you might wanna stick to working for someone else.

 

[BigfishDM]

I have had several customers ask me about print vinyl. Basically for decals. I have researched some online vendors
and have come to the conclusion that it would be cost prohibitive to farm out this kind of work. Am I correct or are there some vendors that have better pricing that I don't know about. The prices on online seem reasonable until you add contour cut, which is something I will need. Before I started out on my own I worked at a sign shop. I am familiar with mimaki printers. Are there other options to be considered that do not have the $10000 price tag. Throw in a laminator and you could be talking $15k-$20k investment.

What is your current budget?

 

[Solventinkjet]

You could easily get a used SP300V or SP300i for around $4000 and be up and running a contour sticker business. Add a simple not frills laminator for around $1500 and you have bomb proof stickers for the people who want them. I have so many customers who run this route. They go for a couple years and then they come back looking for a 54"/64" brand new printer and expand to car wraps and bigger signs etc.

 

[Gino]

Your current and past job load is what might help determine what you need. If your budget doesn't match it, you might hafta reconsider developing a better business plan.

As mentioned, it always helps to do things in house, then you have far better quality control and timing of deadlines. For the quick fix, VanderJ's suggestion is really good. Find a a good tech and your set.