American & Proud
New Member
Edited.
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Long intro, but it needs to be.
- Thread starter American & Proud
- Start date
American & Proud
New Member
I was planning on it but wasn't sure if I would be excepted here or not. I am in an Unusual circumstance but do want to do sign work for my living.
OldPaint
New Member
welcome, as one of the "old(64) sign painters" here.........from what iam seeing in the posts you put up is someone who has made a good living and built a "woodshop" so he could produce wood products.
correct me if iam om the wrong tack here. so you got a garage full of stuff most only wish they had.........and now you got another room full of "stuff"......to make signs, BUT seem to not know much about production/selling such.
also your sitting on a workmans comp suit, on your 25 years trade you liked, but cant work at anything untill its settled. iam i close. what was this trade, and do you have many contacts within it, so you can sell them signwork?
now with a kid in college, and all this "stuff"......why not get him to set up the SIGN SHOP? i would bet he is quite computer saavy and ill bet he can work most of the programs you got.
this way its not your business, BUT HIS. this way you can help, and still not interfere with your settlement.
also with all the WOODWORKING equipment........can you make "stuff" to sell in there? seem to me it is a "higher profit" product then signs would be at this time. vinyl signs are are becoming less & less profitable with the advent of and the availability of large printers. but good woodwork is still a PREMIUM PRODUCT.
unless your disability impedes your working the woodshop, but the sign business is going to require about the same physical abilities.
you dont say what the wife does or if any of the older children are living at home.
before i bought all that "stuff" for signs(big dollars spent)i would have looked around the area you live to see how many sign shops you will be competing with, and ill bet they "undercut to sell", so you jumpin into a saturated market............and with high prices.......guess where that will go.
maybe you shoulda bought a 4x8 cnc router.....wood signs of this type are still a PREMIUM PRICED PRODUCT.
correct me if iam om the wrong tack here. so you got a garage full of stuff most only wish they had.........and now you got another room full of "stuff"......to make signs, BUT seem to not know much about production/selling such.
also your sitting on a workmans comp suit, on your 25 years trade you liked, but cant work at anything untill its settled. iam i close. what was this trade, and do you have many contacts within it, so you can sell them signwork?
now with a kid in college, and all this "stuff"......why not get him to set up the SIGN SHOP? i would bet he is quite computer saavy and ill bet he can work most of the programs you got.
this way its not your business, BUT HIS. this way you can help, and still not interfere with your settlement.
also with all the WOODWORKING equipment........can you make "stuff" to sell in there? seem to me it is a "higher profit" product then signs would be at this time. vinyl signs are are becoming less & less profitable with the advent of and the availability of large printers. but good woodwork is still a PREMIUM PRODUCT.
unless your disability impedes your working the woodshop, but the sign business is going to require about the same physical abilities.
you dont say what the wife does or if any of the older children are living at home.
before i bought all that "stuff" for signs(big dollars spent)i would have looked around the area you live to see how many sign shops you will be competing with, and ill bet they "undercut to sell", so you jumpin into a saturated market............and with high prices.......guess where that will go.
maybe you shoulda bought a 4x8 cnc router.....wood signs of this type are still a PREMIUM PRICED PRODUCT.
American & Proud
New Member
Grew up with my father making every cabinet in the house, and other projects.
It was natural for me to set up a nice hobby woodshop once I bought my own home. I had a home shop setup before my injury.
Some things you are correct on, and some not so much, but I really can't get into much more details.
As far as setting up anything , that would be considered Fraud and Not in my best interest, at this time I will just continue to practice. As I said befor, I will Not be bidding on nor selling Anything, or setting up anything, practice makes perfect they say and for now that is what I am doing, who knows were it will lead too one day, or not lead too.
Practicing at home on my own time Could help land me a job in a sign shop, so that is benificial to me. Giving me some desired experience.
Gotta have whats in a sign shop to get any experience with it.
It was natural for me to set up a nice hobby woodshop once I bought my own home. I had a home shop setup before my injury.
Some things you are correct on, and some not so much, but I really can't get into much more details.
As far as setting up anything , that would be considered Fraud and Not in my best interest, at this time I will just continue to practice. As I said befor, I will Not be bidding on nor selling Anything, or setting up anything, practice makes perfect they say and for now that is what I am doing, who knows were it will lead too one day, or not lead too.
Practicing at home on my own time Could help land me a job in a sign shop, so that is benificial to me. Giving me some desired experience.
Gotta have whats in a sign shop to get any experience with it.
OldPaint
New Member
It was natural for me to set up a nice hobby woodshop once I bought my own home. I had a home shop setup before my injury.
thats my point.......this is SOMETHING YOU CAN DO and make better money then vinyl signs.
and again i make a point of all the $$$$$$ you got in woodworking tools, that you KNOW HOW TO DO..... and then spent more $$$$$ on sign equipment........that you KNOW NOTHING OF, but want to learn...........so you can make money after the settlement.
BUT, the woodworkers(good ones) make BIG $$$$$$$. i have a freind in sarasota fl that makes Doors,
and his starting price is $3-5000.00 per door. and he is always backed up.
so practice away.........learn corel draw, all the photoshop you made referance to wont help.
vinyl signs need to be VECTOR GRAPHICS.... not BITMAPS...........1st lesson.
thats my point.......this is SOMETHING YOU CAN DO and make better money then vinyl signs.
and again i make a point of all the $$$$$$ you got in woodworking tools, that you KNOW HOW TO DO..... and then spent more $$$$$ on sign equipment........that you KNOW NOTHING OF, but want to learn...........so you can make money after the settlement.
BUT, the woodworkers(good ones) make BIG $$$$$$$. i have a freind in sarasota fl that makes Doors,
and his starting price is $3-5000.00 per door. and he is always backed up.
so practice away.........learn corel draw, all the photoshop you made referance to wont help.
vinyl signs need to be VECTOR GRAPHICS.... not BITMAPS...........1st lesson.
cmaxdesigns
New Member
Welcome from CA
Dave Drane
New Member
Welcome from Down-Under A&P!!! Are you able to tell us a Christian name?
Mader Design
New Member
Going under your wife's name wouldn't be fraud, you could just volunteer your time to do all the work. Just like car insurance, just cause you list your name as primary driver on a crappy car when really your driving that brand new corvette doesn't mean it's fraud, you're just taking advantage of the system in your favor.
I never knew you were so into wood working on the other forum. I'd be wanting to make some money any way I can, even if it's just "freelance" work and I'm thinking you do not have to claim that as income. Don't quote me on that though.
I never knew you were so into wood working on the other forum. I'd be wanting to make some money any way I can, even if it's just "freelance" work and I'm thinking you do not have to claim that as income. Don't quote me on that though.
Dan Antonelli
New Member
Welcome. Congrats on going after what you believe in. Sounds like you are taking the right steps to build a better life, rather than laying down, and giving up, or worse, settling.
You might be interested in downloading some of my articles in SC also, as they may also give you some insight on how you choose to pursue this career. http://www.graphicd-signs.com/html/articles.htm
Good luck -
Dan
You might be interested in downloading some of my articles in SC also, as they may also give you some insight on how you choose to pursue this career. http://www.graphicd-signs.com/html/articles.htm
Good luck -
Dan
astro8
New Member
Hey A&P welcome from a hot&humid Sydney..
I've seen your nick on the forum a lot and now I know who you are. I read through your intro and also the responses you received. iSign's business plan is the right way to go about it, but we don't always do what is right for one reason or another and I can understand that you're in a 'no man's land' at the moment...I applaud you for getting off your arse and doing something about it. I see all that equipment you bought as good thing, as it makes you want to use it and learn it...it's only a bad thing if you're going to back out and I don't think you're going down that path.
I've seen people over here start in the sign game at around the same age as you/me, with a lot less than what you bring to the table succeed.
I'm in a different boat, I was born into it, like my father and his father and my son's and brothers and uncles and nephews as well...(for me there is no escape!)
If you have the drive, you will succeed, take out a Premium Subscription, take in everything you read or told on here, no matter how harsh it may be...over time you'll be able to tell the wankers from the pros....the wankers will mock your work and move on. The pros will beat you into the floor, but then be the first to help you improve....just like when you were an apprentice...just the way it is.
Good luck..
I've seen your nick on the forum a lot and now I know who you are. I read through your intro and also the responses you received. iSign's business plan is the right way to go about it, but we don't always do what is right for one reason or another and I can understand that you're in a 'no man's land' at the moment...I applaud you for getting off your arse and doing something about it. I see all that equipment you bought as good thing, as it makes you want to use it and learn it...it's only a bad thing if you're going to back out and I don't think you're going down that path.
I've seen people over here start in the sign game at around the same age as you/me, with a lot less than what you bring to the table succeed.
I'm in a different boat, I was born into it, like my father and his father and my son's and brothers and uncles and nephews as well...(for me there is no escape!)
If you have the drive, you will succeed, take out a Premium Subscription, take in everything you read or told on here, no matter how harsh it may be...over time you'll be able to tell the wankers from the pros....the wankers will mock your work and move on. The pros will beat you into the floor, but then be the first to help you improve....just like when you were an apprentice...just the way it is.
Good luck..
Magnetletters
New Member
I'm not a sign pro but I do understand what it takes to start a business. All that "practice material" ... that should be converted into free business samples to be passed out. Your DBA/Addr/Number. (Tax right off as well). Many, many other things come to mind but first things first, be careful.
Good luck and welcome to the boards.
Good luck and welcome to the boards.
The Big Squeegee
Long Time Member
Welcome From OK
You have some pretty good tools there to get started with!
You have some pretty good tools there to get started with!
Cadmn
New Member
this is not a possibility untill he gets his DBA, Tax Number & such & as long as he can't have a business this is Not possible No tax write offs without tax number/business ID. he will have to check what He can do as per his lawyer I know on disability you can make up to $$ per month, but any more & you get the Ax.
iSign
New Member
with all due respect, where disability is concerned, the concern should be if someone is disabled or not & if not, the reason to not work or make an honest living is not a decision, it is an unfortunate reality. If an opportunity presents itself to make a living through doing work that one enjoys, this should be far more beneficial on many many levels, over turning down that opportunity to ensure a disability eligibility.
Now, an insurance claim another matter, I'm all for a guy recovering fair compensation for being shut out of his former $40/hr occupation.. but still, I admire his interest in learning a new trade to feed his family & hope the legal matter doesn't sap the life out of that ambition...
Now, an insurance claim another matter, I'm all for a guy recovering fair compensation for being shut out of his former $40/hr occupation.. but still, I admire his interest in learning a new trade to feed his family & hope the legal matter doesn't sap the life out of that ambition...