So call it a momentary lapse of sanity, attribute it to excessive solar flare activity, or weather change messing with the significant pressure inside of my head, but I decided to go printer shopping without doing my due diligence first. Thankfully one of the salesman's lack of product knowledge grossly exceeded my own and I snapped out of it before I made a horrible mistake (relative to the type of printer that I actually need - not dis-in' any particular brand).
So as I'm attempting to come to grips with just how little I know, and starting to have doubts about whether this whole business expansion idea isn't just a train wreck lookin' for a bridge or what, I at least settle on a brand (at least until somebody suggests otherwise and I start all over again). Googlin' around looking for something other than sales blather and happened upon 101. T'was light a light shining down from the alien mother ship.
I'm not a graphics guy per se, studied architecture back in the dark ages of T-squares and ink pens, but I've acquired a few skills along the way in spite of my Luddite heritage. Right now I'm involved in a relatively new, small business, that actually started as an outgrowth of having worked in the trade show biz for a while. Went semi-retarded, er...retired and discovered that the stock market can be a very cruel place. Not a problem for some...but I really love being able to eat, and the noise of the cars runnin' over the bridge would keep me up at night.
So now it's me, a cabinet maker bud, my 3D Animation student son, and avid - but not too terribly ambitious - photographer daughter, working out of my little cabinet shop on the back 40. Started with custom wood working and a few subcontracts from trade show contacts. Built a CNC and sold it ('cuz if you can't write the code it makes a dandy door stop), and now am replacing it with a little CNC carver that's more idiot friendly.
We had a few light boxes, signs, and specialty items that started to sell well at car shows, bars and billiard retailers, so we thought that adding our own graphics capabilities would open new vistas. Immediately we only need to print up to 24" disc and >1/4 sheet rectangular graphics for the light boxes. In looking at the variety of gear available I thought that even though we don't need vinyl plotting, it would be a nice feature to grow into with the sign carving and promo stuff - we also have a bunch of older Knight presses and transfer kit left over from my older kid's brief stint in the T-shirt, mug and hat printing business. That's kind of where I'm stuck at the moment...somewhere between a new 42" H.P. latex machine and a used Roland SP 300 or 540v and laminator.
So, in for a penny, in for the price of a nice beach house I always say. With any luck, I have an old work associate that is really great at producing graphics and running all of this equipment. The plan is to eventually lure him into our little co-op, since he's had a long history of working too hard for knuckleheads that pay him crud and treat him like dirt. In the mean time, I need to get my GED and begin some undergrad work in the black arts...so here I am.
Pardon the satire...it's some kind of personality disorder that's always conspired with my cynicism to keep me from running for King. Actually,... it's just how I keep sane.
So as I'm attempting to come to grips with just how little I know, and starting to have doubts about whether this whole business expansion idea isn't just a train wreck lookin' for a bridge or what, I at least settle on a brand (at least until somebody suggests otherwise and I start all over again). Googlin' around looking for something other than sales blather and happened upon 101. T'was light a light shining down from the alien mother ship.
I'm not a graphics guy per se, studied architecture back in the dark ages of T-squares and ink pens, but I've acquired a few skills along the way in spite of my Luddite heritage. Right now I'm involved in a relatively new, small business, that actually started as an outgrowth of having worked in the trade show biz for a while. Went semi-retarded, er...retired and discovered that the stock market can be a very cruel place. Not a problem for some...but I really love being able to eat, and the noise of the cars runnin' over the bridge would keep me up at night.
So now it's me, a cabinet maker bud, my 3D Animation student son, and avid - but not too terribly ambitious - photographer daughter, working out of my little cabinet shop on the back 40. Started with custom wood working and a few subcontracts from trade show contacts. Built a CNC and sold it ('cuz if you can't write the code it makes a dandy door stop), and now am replacing it with a little CNC carver that's more idiot friendly.
We had a few light boxes, signs, and specialty items that started to sell well at car shows, bars and billiard retailers, so we thought that adding our own graphics capabilities would open new vistas. Immediately we only need to print up to 24" disc and >1/4 sheet rectangular graphics for the light boxes. In looking at the variety of gear available I thought that even though we don't need vinyl plotting, it would be a nice feature to grow into with the sign carving and promo stuff - we also have a bunch of older Knight presses and transfer kit left over from my older kid's brief stint in the T-shirt, mug and hat printing business. That's kind of where I'm stuck at the moment...somewhere between a new 42" H.P. latex machine and a used Roland SP 300 or 540v and laminator.
So, in for a penny, in for the price of a nice beach house I always say. With any luck, I have an old work associate that is really great at producing graphics and running all of this equipment. The plan is to eventually lure him into our little co-op, since he's had a long history of working too hard for knuckleheads that pay him crud and treat him like dirt. In the mean time, I need to get my GED and begin some undergrad work in the black arts...so here I am.
Pardon the satire...it's some kind of personality disorder that's always conspired with my cynicism to keep me from running for King. Actually,... it's just how I keep sane.
