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ebay vinyl cutter kit?have around $1000. to spend

A

AdamRmr

New Member
After many years of designing/painting cars and bikes, I have come to the conclusion that doing flames and other designs free-handed is just too labor intense. After seeing how much vinyl grafics templates cut down the time and effort, along with enabling me to do more difficult and elaborate pieces, I have come to the conclusion that I need to purchase a vinyl cutting machine for my shop.
I've never been around these machines enough or in that type of field to know the least bit about them, but I could justify purchasing one for my shop alone due to the fact that there are so many things that the grafics and templates could be used for. So here are my questions to anyone who knows more about this type of machinery.
I have 1,000.00 to spend but I don't know if that is a realistic price for a half decent cutter with a start up supplies kit.
I found one on ebay (the link below) but I'm not sure if this is good quality or if this is another ebay junk.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vinyl-Cutter-Cutters-w...1QQcmdZViewItem
Is this something that could be learned easily or is the software very difficult. I am very experienced with many different computer programs and have a couple good computers, but will I have to purchase a new, separate computer for the kit.

Lastly, what size is recomended dor decals for bikes, cars, and some small trucks. I will not need too big of a machine because I will not be doing this as a full time job, I just want it for assistance on the things I already do in my shop. Also i would like to find a disk that has a lot of flames and skulls pattern to go a lomg with the cutter
Thank you
Adam
AA Collision
 
Techman

Techman

New Member
you would be much farther ahead to find a local person who already spent the money. Team up with him and do co-op work. The day of vinyl signs as a living and making good money are over. Let that other person worry about the software, the supplies, the prober material selection, and cutting what you need.
The time you spend trying to do this would be better spent marketing your shop to a higher level of income. You cannot make money doing this in trade fo the time you spend operating your shop.

This is fact. I've personally observed it more than a few times.

All that flash and gliter on ebay is nothing but a come on to a place so they can tget into yoru pocket.
 
Kysparky

Kysparky

New Member
Seems to me if you are doing flames that what you really need would be a printer and cutter or a combo.
 
A

AdamRmr

New Member
It’s not like I’m going to open a sign shop or using it to make a living
.I have tried to team up with local vinyl shop but is never works out. It’s hard for me to run back and fourth to the vinyl shop to make changes to the paint template when the cars is the spray booth. Also the sign shops are 30 miles from us and they wont make templates the same day .I spend around 450 a month on paint templates and around 450 a month on labor time doing graphics free hand when I could have used a plotter.
I was thinking if I could invest $1000 on a basic cutter that could cut out flame, skulls and other paint templates with in 2 months I would make a profit

Ps i just use the vinyle as paint templates
 
steve b

steve b

New Member
Welcome aboard Adam!
I purchased a start up combo from Sign Warehouse about a year ago for around $2300.00 and it has worked out great for templates/paint masks and a ton of other things. Like you, I am not in the sign business either, but I have found a plotter to be very valuable to my business. I will admit it has been a slow learning process though....So just learn to be patient and go for it.
good luck,
steveb
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
my old saying stands:
A FOOL AND HIS MONEY ARE SOONE PARTED.
you can find a used plotter, of a better brand and manafacture......for way less money....if all your gona do is cut mask.
 
Lunatic Taskbar

Lunatic Taskbar

New Member
Welcome Adam, from Nova Scotia,

OLDPaint a quick question, I have heard the saying that a fool and his money is soon parted, but my question is how does a fool get the money in the first place?
 
GK

GK

New Member
Lunatic Taskbar said:
Welcome Adam, from Nova Scotia,

OLDPaint a quick question, I have heard the saying that a fool and his money is soon parted, but my question is how does a fool get the money in the first place?
Click to expand...

It's amazing what fools are capable of getting their hands on in the first place!

Adam,

I personally would search around for a better brand plotter, most likely a used one. You really wont need anything extravagant either in terms of software or anything like that. You could probably get away with buying Corel or Illustrator and using the plug-in that most plotters have available to you.
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
Lunatic Taskbar said:
Welcome Adam, from Nova Scotia,

OLDPaint a quick question, I have heard the saying that a fool and his money is soon parted, but my question is how does a fool get the money in the first place?
Click to expand...

let me think about that......MOMMY, DADDY, GRANDMA, GRANDPA..........you want to name SOME FOOLS?????
paris hilton, hulk hogans kids, ossie osborns kids, nicole ritchie, and a lot closer is the ones here with $30-50k PRINTERS sellin their work for $2-3 sq ft........and think they are graphic designers....))))))))))))))
 
flisk

flisk

New Member
Techman said:
The day of vinyl signs as a living and making good money are over. Let that other person worry about the software, the supplies, the prober material selection, and cutting what you need.
The time you spend trying to do this would be better spent marketing your shop to a higher level of income. You cannot make money doing this in trade fo the time you spend operating your shop.
Click to expand...


Not sure that I agree with this at all.

I do about $2000.00 a week in nothing but RFP (ready for pickup - where we just weed the vinyl, premask it, and let the customer pick it up) vinyl sales. I consider that to be good money, especially considering the low cost of the vinyl itself.
On some stuff we do have to install it, but we always charge to install.

"The difference is, if you install it and you mess it up and you still want it, you have to buy it all over again. If we install it and mess it up, we remake it and do it until it's right at no extra charge."

No, I don't agree that one cannot make good money at doing vinyl.
 
Just Me

Just Me

New Member
I have had the JSI cutter for almost 3 years now and havn't had ONE issue yet, while my Summa sits in the corner needing parts (scratches head) if you dont plan on using it for long-runs this cutter will be fine!:thumb:

I also believe JSI is a merchant member here if i am not mistaken.
 
gpzjack

gpzjack

New Member
I just got a package from signwarehouse...while the jury is not out on the customer service i can say that i am happy with the cutter and they give you tons of stuff in the start up package to get going. I think the enduracut with package 3 would be great for a start. I started with a ebay cutter for $399 by the time i got vinyl and other stuff to get going i was easily up there so i would recommend it. As far as buying used ...me personally for my first machine i like the idea of something new. Its bad enough dealing with a learning curve but trying to deal with repairs seems like it would be a real pain if needed.
 
Techman

Techman

New Member
Not sure that I agree with this at all.
Click to expand...

You may disagree all you wish. You are the extreme exception. $2 grand a week comes out to over $104,000 grand a year in just cut RTA vinyl..

There is no way the average garagee dude is goona do that in a year. Lets see here.

104,000 grand / $8 a sq ft = 13,000 linear ft of vinyl or 6500 ft of 24" vinyl. Thats 2166 yds or 44 rolls of 24" plastic a year in just cut vinyl. You are running two cutters a day all day every day? YES?
 
flisk

flisk

New Member
I just closed out 5 4'x8' pieces that were just over $500.00 each. That was done on aluminum, the vinyl portion ran at about $12.00 a sqft ($252.00 average for vinyl - about 21sqft on each sign), the rest was for the substrate and labor. I did not install them. That works out to be $1260.00 for that 1 order on this Monday. I also got in an order for 4 business doors, 3 colors, that I have to go an install. They measure 36"x24" (I'm getting $100.00 per door (not including the 45 minute drive to install it), so on this one I'm charging $12.00 a sqft, plus 20% for each additional color. That's another $400.00 right there to add to the $1260.00, that's $1660.00 and it's only Monday. I'm sure I'll get at least another 400 by friday.

We run one 36" plotter.

Some stuff, say for example, a small 2" website, www.blah.com to be put on a car, we'll charge $15.00 for that. Gotta have a shop minimum on some stuff.

Heck, even our Car Tattoos (butterflys, tribal art, 8" stripes, etc.) we charge $15.00 all day long, and it's almost never ever more than a square foot. We will get about 9 or 10 of those orders a week, which we turn out within 10 minutes. ALL the other shops around here tell em it will be 24 to 48 hours. I'm happy to take their $15.00 for about 10 minutes worth of work.
 
Craig Sjoquist

Craig Sjoquist

New Member
well welcome to a outstanding forum and ppl
good luck the learning curve will amaze you but don't give up ...doing signs by hand for 33 years software barely learning so far still need cutter here so ...good to see others trying to update production

font crazy
 
Z

zigns62

New Member
I have a Gerber fastrack 1300 for sale. I'm asking $1000.00 comes with software and software key and a few partical rolls of viny. It's cuts 48" wide and as small as 3". I'm the first and only owner and have all the books. I can be reach at aviso1@cox.net if your interested
 
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