Help getting started, looking to buy stuff.

[jplacki]

Hello,
I'm a dirt racer looking to do my own lettering on my cars. I'm looking for some "good" advice with what I'll need. This will not be some big fancy lettering job with 6 layer's. I'm in the market for a good used plotter and the software I'll need for some different fonts with dropshadows and or outlines, 3 layer's tops.. I also will need to design a nice number 7 that I like. I have very limited computer experiance but I'm eager to learn what I can. A freind put me onto beacon graphics web-site and I did alittle shopping around. I've looked at those $350 dollar plotter's on e-bay and I'm very skeptical they work? Another freind in my area has one and he say's it works fine, just alittle slow.
Sorry i got long winded I just thought it would be good to explain my situation. ANY advice would be highly appreciated...
JOHN
jplacki@stny.rr.com

 

[Shovelhead]

race sponsor: "I'm tired of paying you (insert sponsorship fee here)...here's half"!

$10K to start up....#7 should pay for itself by 2199.


Where in the world is Sinclairville?

 

[Pat Whatley]

My biggest advice would be to seriously think this through before you do it. Stickers don't make the car go faster. Drop shadows don't add horsepower. Wouldn't your time be better spent working on the car than fighting your way up the steep learning curve you'll have to climb before it even becomes apparent whether you'll be any good at designing your lettering?

If you still want to entertain this idea then by all mean jump in. A simple search (use the SEARCH button at the top) will show you that this topic comes up about once a week. A little quick research should tell you all you need to know!

 

[Poconopete]

Welcome from PA.
You can get a Cricut or a US Cutter or a good pair of scissors and a couple rolls of vinyl
cheap enough to do the job. If you don't have the knowledge it's all a waste of money.
It amazes me how guys that dump 25K into their engines want to save a few hundred on
lettering.

 

[coyote]

Just a friendly heads up: This forum is by and for the people who you don't want to pay for the lettering on your vehicles, so don't be surprised if you get some sarcastic and/or hostile responses to your query.
C

 

[jplacki]

Wow

WOW,,, Easy everyone!
There's nothing wrong with someone looking to do they're own stuff! I'm new on this site and will drop it if everyone's going to get all "huffy"! I will edit my original post as not to offend everyone. As for the 30K motor's, not on my wildest dreams dudes!!

 

[Poconopete]

ANY advice would be highly appreciated...

Hmmmm, you did say ANY
Hey, ya got a friend in the area that has a cheap cutter, why not pay him a few bucks to cut and apply it yourself? Or does he charge to much too?

 

[jplacki]

That's what I've been doing and I'm just ready to do it myself. Alot less aggravation and traveling to pick stuff up. Maybe I need to get someone to do my artwork and load it on a disc. Then just cut it at home with my own plotter and material? I'm going to do this one way or another! I was just looking for some help and alittle advice. Oh, by the way, I'm easily not going to have to spend 10K on my own equipment!! But I will say it's that kind of attitude that has lead me to this dicision!!

Thanks-

 

[Fred Weiss]

When you registered, you answered ...

I am, was or want to be in the sign making profession.

What part of that did you not understand?

Signs 101 is a forum for professional sign makers of all experience levels. The meaning of the word "professional" in this case is that we all earn our livings, in whole or in part, making signs, related graphic products and services.

This is obviously not your intention.

 

[totalimage]

Fred not to be a ass but, I undertsand what everyone is saying to this person and everyone has a right to their opinion. What you did was shared what this person wrote and annonced it to everyone. What he wrote is not displayed on his profile. I feel then it should have not been displayed to everyone. I hope there are no bad feelings for me writing this. I, myself found that to be wrong. I feel you have the right to read it as a admin. but to broadcast to mock the guy is wrong in my opinion. I am not sticking up for this one person but for everyone on this forum. If I am wrong I do apologize for writing this.

 

[TheSnowman]

You really wouldn't have an attitude from anyone if you walked in to a sign shop and just paid what it cost to have it done right, and look good. I'm not sure where the "attitude" was other than when you said you wanted to save money and do it yourself, while we all helped you through it. The biggest problem I see right now is that we've already had like 4 or 5 other guys like you come in this week, and we're all tired of telling them all the same stuff, and them sayin' that we're wrong.

The other is, race car drivers are notorious for spending a crap load of cash on their cars, but want us to "sticker" their cars for $100. It's just a joke among the industry. So when you started looking because you wanted to save even more money, it just struck a bad chord w/ all of us. The best thing you could do is use the search function, and it wouldn't destract from anything, however, like Fred said, you registered saying you were looking to be in the profession, and you clearly stated that wasn't your idea.

 

[TheSnowman]

Fred not to be a ass but, I undertsand what everyone is saying to this person and everyone has a right to their opinion. What you did was shared what this person wrote and annonced it to everyone. What he wrote is not displayed on his profile. I feel then it should have not been displayed to everyone. I hope there are no bad feelings for me writing this. I, myself found that to be wrong. I feel you have the right to read it as a admin. but to broadcast to mock the guy is wrong in my opinion. I am not sticking up for this one person but for everyone on this forum. If I am wrong I do apologize for writing this.

Pretty sure he didn't type that. It's just something you check when you register. We all did it.

 

[totalimage]

I undertsand that and I went though the same process. I just feel it should have not been displayed to smear someone if it is not shown in the open forum...I dont want this blown out, just wanted make a statement and in the rules if it says it can be used open in the public then I do apologize.....And what a way to use my 500 post....

 

[MVIP]

I would suggest you do a search for a professional circle maker. I am almost positive that they also specialize in custom 7's. They could provide you with a vector cd of 7's that you could use to make your race mobile look good!

Oh and welcome!

 

[Fred Weiss]

Fred not to be a ass but, I undertsand what everyone is saying to this person and everyone has a right to their opinion. What you did was shared what this person wrote and annonced it to everyone. What he wrote is not displayed on his profile. I feel then it should have not been displayed to everyone. I hope there are no bad feelings for me writing this. I, myself found that to be wrong. I feel you have the right to read it as a admin. but to broadcast to mock the guy is wrong in my opinion. I am not sticking up for this one person but for everyone on this forum. If I am wrong I do apologize for writing this.

As already stated, this is just a checked off item. Had he checked

I have no interest in sign making as a profession.

he would not have been approved in the first place.

So it isn't quite the same as if I published his real name or address. No privacy right was breached and it was the best way to make the point to him and anyone else in his position that might read it later. It certainly wasn't done to mock him. It was done to make it clear that he had not been truthful and that he had joined a group that is generally not friendly to his goals.

 

[zmatalucci]

I would suggest you do a search for a professional circle maker. I am almost positive that they also specialize in custom 7's. They could provide you with a vector cd of 7's that you could use to make your race mobile look good!

Oh and welcome!

Did you see the cost on that package!! Holy santaclaus sh-t!

 

[totalimage]

As already stated, this is just a checked off item. Had he checked



he would not have been approved in the first place.

So it isn't quite the same as if I published his real name or address. No privacy right was breached and it was the best way to make the point to him and anyone else in his position that might read it later. It certainly wasn't done to mock him. It was done to make it clear that he had not been truthful and that he had joined a group that is generally not friendly to his goals.

Well Fred I might have read it wrong cause I don't think your the type of person to mock anyone. I think you would help all. I feel your a straight shooter. I just stated my opinion...

 

[Si Allen]

It is guys like him that caused me to quit doing race cars!

 

[Fred Weiss]

Well Fred I might have read it wrong cause I don't think your the type of person to mock anyone. I think you would help all. I feel your a straight shooter. I just stated my opinion...

Just to be clear ... I will help (if able to do so) anyone who who joins this forum and seeks to earn their living as a professional sign maker. I am absolutely opposed to helping anyone who seeks to remove the professional from the equation by acquiring his or her own equipment and software and then turns to this forum for help.

 

[kustomkoncepts]

Some of these drivers think they can buy the equipment and do their own cars. Let them, you don't want that driver as a customer anyways they are going to be the biggest pain in the a$$ customer.

I letter 70 cars across 3 states and one Province. My cars start at $450-$900 and I still turn away guys every year.

what is funny is when these guys can't even make a drop shadow with there equipment and come out to the track with one color numbers and crappy looking cars. to each his own.

these are the racers who will respect your work and appreciate you but I draw the line with what kind of cars I letter. you don't want not the Hobbie Stock, Road Hog, Street stock or Durby car guys.

And jplaki you will find you are not going to get anyone to help you from this site with your obvious intenentions of not needing US sign shops anymore. This is a site of business owners who do this for a living why would we show you how to do our job?
go to eBay buy, a sticker machine and the proriatory software it comes with like all the other HACKS. Good luck.