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first time so be gentle with me

TyrantDesigner

Art! Hot and fresh.
I wish you people would stop being such buttheads about this. You know how valuable it would be to have an electrician participating here?

He might be valuable participating here if he doesn't cause me to stab my eyes out with a soft tipped baby spoon trying to get the weak sauce designs out of my head when all he's wanting is positive praise while he's trying to 'clean' our 'clocks' in this business. ... as you can see he's already been asked legit questions in posts 13, 14, 18, 22 & 41. ... I don't see answers. Sorry, I don't sugar coat a turd and try to call it a cake.
 

Mosh

New Member
I in fact an certified to do electic work in the state of Nebraska and in Iowa....not that much to it. Seriously, not that big of a deal to do.
 

Dakotagrafx

New Member
someone hit it on the head with "How much experience do you have with graphic design?
How much experience do you have with design software?" I have been doing this for 4 years and still consider myself green . . . I didn't even think about a printer for 3 years.
 

DizzyMarkus

New Member
I'm no-one per say and after, well in the 4th year of cut only, am now just getting a printer next week :O) Its alot of money to just dump out-- have you priced the RIP and graphic design softwares? You can't just print and send it out without protecting the print -- more machines and cost. Certainly quite a process to jump into. Nice to meet you :thumb:

Markus
 

tiredcreations

New Member
Hey wirenut (if you're still around). I think the hard part for people to understand is why you would switch your focus from a decent paying, respected trade, to one that's in a sense unrelated, very competitive, and although no apprenticeship -has a very steep learning curve. Maybe not, but if you're anything like me, the challenge of learning new things gets me every time. I too come from an electrical background but always had a hunger for something a bit more creative. Although they sometimes forget how to say it nicely, a lot of good points have been made. I have a flaw in my thinking - "if you build it they will come" - meaning, if you buy all the equipment and call yourself a sign company, the work will start rolling in. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

IF I were you, I would seriously consider easing into it. Buy a vinyl cutter first and sub out the printing, get used to design & basic signage. All the while keeping electrical your bread & butter. Focus on illuminated signs & service while slowly building your arsenal of other design & graphic services. :Welcome:
 

wirenut

New Member
Hey tiredcreations......thanks for the input. Appreciate your points as well as the others who had good input. It is a lot of money (of which I can spend it where I xxxx well please) but good points have been made about the learning curve which I do realize changes yearly. I recognize as well that just because I build it they may not and probably will not come as easily as I would hope. I have (what I believe to be) some good ideas and concepts that would work and do have access to graphic designers (my son is 1) and good people who have experience in this field. Not planning on going into the "sign business" per se but came here to get some understanding from others who started somewhere and didn't come out of the womb as a GREAT sign expert as some have come across believing they are. I do realize that that type is in every trade. Sad thing is yesterday it was the minority. Today it looks to be the majority. Says little for the character of many. Shows me that's why our nation is where it is.
Thanks again for the advice.
 

fmg

New Member
Hey Wirenut most people here had to start somewhere so nothing wrong in what you are doing.Good luck and need any advice let me know.
 

fmg

New Member
I tried to tell him too!!!
 

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fmg

New Member
You know.I have just started to get into electrical Border lighting and LED neon flex signage so having someone like Wirenut around these forums could be a great asset.
Sometimes I just don't get the intelligence level of some of you here.Pathetic!!!
 

Speedsterbeast

New Member
Hey wirenut (if you're still around). I think the hard part for people to understand is why you would switch your focus from a decent paying, respected trade, to one that's in a sense unrelated, very competitive, and although no apprenticeship -has a very steep learning curve. Maybe not, but if you're anything like me, the challenge of learning new things gets me every time. I too come from an electrical background but always had a hunger for something a bit more creative. Although they sometimes forget how to say it nicely, a lot of good points have been made. I have a flaw in my thinking - "if you build it they will come" - meaning, if you buy all the equipment and call yourself a sign company, the work will start rolling in. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

IF I were you, I would seriously consider easing into it. Buy a vinyl cutter first and sub out the printing, get used to design & basic signage. All the while keeping electrical your bread & butter. Focus on illuminated signs & service while slowly building your arsenal of other design & graphic services. :Welcome:


This is probably all you need to take from this thread.
Both the inspirational advice and the advice on easing into the business if you have other skills to make a living with.

If this change in your life makes it so you and your son can work together then it's certainly worth any financial risk you can take.
My business plan included working with my father (who was a carpenter and boat builder) but I lost him less than a year before I started the business. I miss him immensly and only wish I had the means to start earlier.
To hell with all the bitter people here. There are plenty of people here who aren't threatened by others who are more than willing to share their knowledge. Just expect to have to weed through (no pun intended) a bunch of narcissistic put downs to find the answers that you seek.

A few people here will tell you "Well I'm just tired of" to defend their rants against newbies, but I think their just tired with their own lives, not yours.
Good luck.
 

SignosaurusRex

Active Member
Wirenut, You came here looking for info and you asked everyone to be gentle. I think they have been for the most part. The room you walked into is much more gentle and tolerant than it used to be. For the record...I for one did not mean any offense with my question/s. I think they were very legitimate. Could I have asked differently? Sure...If I had thought much about it before posting, but, we don't all do that as often as maybe we should. Sorry about that, you are not always gonna hear exactly what you want. It seems pretty clear that you have made up your mind about what you are going to do and that is that. That's perfectly fine and does not threaten anyone here. You have been given some great advice here and what you do with it is up to you. If you stay or go, it makes no difference to anyone here. If you stay around, you will have access to the best of info, experience and resources. Yes...some of the best in the world are here (myself not included) so do yourself a favor, lose the attitude and don't take so much offense at what is said. Grab some salt, you will need it as the rest of us do from time.
As far as a printer...and additional equipment/accessories, you are going to need to do your own research to determine what will be best to fit your needs and what you intend to use it for specifically. There are plenty of Merchant Members here representing equipment manufacturers and suppliers as well as for the softwares and other supplies you will need. We even have some rock'n industry specific computer suppliers. If you look around enough...you will find everything you need.
 

wirenut

New Member
hey signosaurusrex, you need not apologize, you said nothing offensive, and for the record I realize what's out there. Been dealing with "people" in business for coming up on 30 years. Believe me, I haven't any attitude and I have taken much from what a few of you have given to me. My mind is not made up yet! I am taking much in and weighing everything. Thanks for your input any more you have will be appreciated. Yes, some of what I have heard wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear, yet it is reality and we all need that. Thanks again!
 
This is probably all you need to take from this thread.
Both the inspirational advice and the advice on easing into the business if you have other skills to make a living with.

If this change in your life makes it so you and your son can work together then it's certainly worth any financial risk you can take.
My business plan included working with my father (who was a carpenter and boat builder) but I lost him less than a year before I started the business. I miss him immensly and only wish I had the means to start earlier.
To hell with all the bitter people here. There are plenty of people here who aren't threatened by others who are more than willing to share their knowledge. Just expect to have to weed through (no pun intended) a bunch of narcissistic put downs to find the answers that you seek.

A few people here will tell you "Well I'm just tired of" to defend their rants against newbies, but I think their just tired with their own lives, not yours.
Good luck.

+1
 

rjssigns

Active Member
Welcome wirenut.
As far as buying equipment and doing your own thing I say Go for It!!!
Life is too short to wonder: What If!

One thing though. Be ready for a steep ugly learning curve.

No matter how much you learn or how good you get, you will always get the job that will humble you.
 

SignManiac

New Member
No matter how much you learn or how good you get, you will always get the job that will humble you.

Thirty eight years full time in this biz, and I've got one kicking my a$$ right now. The older I get, the more I realize how little I know and that I will never be close to knowing even half of what I should in one short lifetime!
 

artbot

New Member
yes wirenut aka grasshopper, you do have an attitude. you should start again. this message board could provide you with hundreds of thousands of dollars and tens of years advice. graphics and sign making is more complicated than being an electrician there are several different technologies (printing, cnc, vinyl, color, substrate compatibility, weathering, adhesives, fabrication, sales, graphic design, graphic design software). in order to get a fantastic project on a wall you have to be a master of many things. and each of these things takes time and experience.

to assume that we are threatened. we are laughing at the thought, not threatened. be humble. see yourself and painfully green and inexperienced in a sea of millions of hours of experience.

take tiredcreations advice and assume that this will take at least 3-5 years of 100 hour weeks to become anything that can pay the bills consistently. until then keep your day job.
 

Speedsterbeast

New Member
yes wirenut aka grasshopper, you do have an attitude. you should start again. this message board could provide you with hundreds of thousands of dollars and tens of years advice. graphics and sign making is more complicated than being an electrician there are several different technologies (printing, cnc, vinyl, color, substrate compatibility, weathering, adhesives, fabrication, sales, graphic design, graphic design software). in order to get a fantastic project on a wall you have to be a master of many things. and each of these things takes time and experience.

to assume that we are threatened. we are laughing at the thought, not threatened. be humble. see yourself and painfully green and inexperienced in a sea of millions of hours of experience.

take tiredcreations advice and assume that this will take at least 3-5 years of 100 hour weeks to become anything that can pay the bills consistently. until then keep your day job.


Ya, Wirenut's the one with the attitude. (eyes rolling for effect)
 

mikefine

New Member
Your question about size is an interesting one. I don't believe bigger is necessarily better -- particularly for someone starting out. Smaller printers are easier to manage. Keep in mind, a bigger printer requires more work space, more ink, and more inventory (smaller roles and larger rolls of material). Maintaining supply inventory and material waste are the "silent killers" for a lot of shops. You don't want to print a 3 foot sign on a 5 foot roll of material. So it really depends on what you plan to make. And if you need to go bigger, you can always outsource.

I hope you stick around here; sounds like you may be able to offer a unique perspective, given your background.
 
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