gvgraphics
New Member
Hey OP supervises, don't that count?
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New Here, Doin' Vinyl Since 1998
- Thread starter signedmylifeaway
- Start date
Geary
New Member
Wow. I have just read this entire thread for the first time tonight. Haven't been on much lately. (my wife and I are taking care of a greiving widow...for my best friend who suddenly died last week of heart failure) And I have to tell you guys the truth, I honestly didn't see any baiting or wrongful "troll-esqe" posting by Mr. "Signedmylifeaway". I truly believe where he was coming from right off the bat. I'm not saying this because I think I'd just be clever as hell going against what most of you, including some of whom I consider my friends, would say about this. I do understand the angst though as well.
But, the point is well made by the guy. This is INDEED the way the regular sign business is going.....price wise... with regards to quick-down-and-dirty-simple work. It's been that way for years out here on the west coast. I'm serious. His prices are exactly in line with about three of the commercial shops right here in my hometown. And, no, I don't think he has any special secrets to share or blazingly fast skills. You really don't need them to "just make a living."
To be sure, there is some portion of the market left for "trick & killer" custom design and fab...but, this is not where this guy is coming from. This is all just about where the lion's share of the sign market is at and/or heading. Coros for real estate and fast ads for chains, quickie open house banners, and cheap mags with no borders....all that stuff is just going to just get cheaper and cheaper and CHEAPER. Might as well face it.
For me....as far as the sign industry is concerned.....I'm just going to keep on honing my fine art skills for hand crafted stuff. It's still there, and certain folk are and will pay the higher prices for "slick" work.
~Gear
ps.....Oh, yeah, welcome "Signedmylifeaway" !
But, the point is well made by the guy. This is INDEED the way the regular sign business is going.....price wise... with regards to quick-down-and-dirty-simple work. It's been that way for years out here on the west coast. I'm serious. His prices are exactly in line with about three of the commercial shops right here in my hometown. And, no, I don't think he has any special secrets to share or blazingly fast skills. You really don't need them to "just make a living."
To be sure, there is some portion of the market left for "trick & killer" custom design and fab...but, this is not where this guy is coming from. This is all just about where the lion's share of the sign market is at and/or heading. Coros for real estate and fast ads for chains, quickie open house banners, and cheap mags with no borders....all that stuff is just going to just get cheaper and cheaper and CHEAPER. Might as well face it.
For me....as far as the sign industry is concerned.....I'm just going to keep on honing my fine art skills for hand crafted stuff. It's still there, and certain folk are and will pay the higher prices for "slick" work.
~Gear
ps.....Oh, yeah, welcome "Signedmylifeaway" !
skyhigh
New Member
Player, maybe he's smarter than you (and me)... I've often said, a 40 hours work week is bullchit, it shoud be 20 at the most
The other 2 weeks would be for vacation, silly.
I should state, for the record... my normal work week is usually 60 hours.....of course not as of late. Still not back to work from the accident.
The other 2 weeks would be for vacation, silly.
I should state, for the record... my normal work week is usually 60 hours.....of course not as of late. Still not back to work from the accident.
Bigdawg
Just Me
We have a lot of people like signedmylifeaway around here. It is the main reason I am getting out of cut vinyl as much as possible. As it stands, it would be almost cheaper to have him (or someone like him) do my vinyl for me and buy it RTA instead of weeding vinyl myself.
I don't have any issue really with the pricing he offers - each one has to set their own price and I am usually at the lower end myself. If he can make a living on what he is earning then who am I to tell him it's wrong? His McDonald's comparison is probably valid - shows he would rather do jobs at a quantity price instead of a quality price.
My attitude is from the intro provided... it's just pushing for an argument (which he has gotten!). I think it's iSign that posted somewhere - we all have our arguments and we get past them so if you really are interested in being part of our community (almost family) then quit pushing everyone's buttons and let's move on.
I don't have any issue really with the pricing he offers - each one has to set their own price and I am usually at the lower end myself. If he can make a living on what he is earning then who am I to tell him it's wrong? His McDonald's comparison is probably valid - shows he would rather do jobs at a quantity price instead of a quality price.
My attitude is from the intro provided... it's just pushing for an argument (which he has gotten!). I think it's iSign that posted somewhere - we all have our arguments and we get past them so if you really are interested in being part of our community (almost family) then quit pushing everyone's buttons and let's move on.
signedmylifeaway
New Member
I have no intention of continuing this silly thread. Feel free to continue without my participation.
My only two secrets: Don't use "easy weed" unless absolutely necessary. With banners, this should be rare, as most text is 12-28" tall. If you need a weed box around 12" text, there's something wrong with your technique.
Number two: Dry works great 90% of the time once you get the hang of it. Knowing when to do it dry and when to do it wet helps a lot.
I speak from the large volumes of work I've done over the past 9 years. Some of it pretty nice, more of it mediocre. More often than not, mediocre is OK with most customers.
My only two secrets: Don't use "easy weed" unless absolutely necessary. With banners, this should be rare, as most text is 12-28" tall. If you need a weed box around 12" text, there's something wrong with your technique.
Number two: Dry works great 90% of the time once you get the hang of it. Knowing when to do it dry and when to do it wet helps a lot.
I speak from the large volumes of work I've done over the past 9 years. Some of it pretty nice, more of it mediocre. More often than not, mediocre is OK with most customers.
Pro Image
New Member
Well if that ain't something...........Your the one that started this "SILLY" crap to start with................If you want to charge peanuts for your work charge it...It isn't any skin off our asses but why in the world would you come to a forum and introduce yourself the way you did and now when you get the flack for it you want to quit.............
From a quote from the movie Braveheart........"Your not right in the head"...........
I guess I am in the wrong business now.
I don't think the sign biz will respect or pay for designs.
For example I design a nice image/logo for a business, print, laminate, supply the sign board and cut it, edges, etc. finish the sign, and install it.
I do all this for less than a graphic artist would charge for just the design.
It reminds me of the music biz. I play in a band of top players. WE did a Xmas party this year and they also had a DJ. He got $800 for the night to play records. The band of 5 with PA and all our gear--$600.
Cheers,
P
I don't think the sign biz will respect or pay for designs.
For example I design a nice image/logo for a business, print, laminate, supply the sign board and cut it, edges, etc. finish the sign, and install it.
I do all this for less than a graphic artist would charge for just the design.
It reminds me of the music biz. I play in a band of top players. WE did a Xmas party this year and they also had a DJ. He got $800 for the night to play records. The band of 5 with PA and all our gear--$600.
Cheers,
P
Flame
New Member
HAHA, 128 posts before I finally stepped in.
Mr. Signedmylifeaway..... you started this thread with saying everyone will probably hate you. You have already accepted that, I don't need to drill it into your skull anymore.
You also admitted to being a bottom of the barrel guy with your pricing, so no 6 paragraph post I put up will do anymore than to just call you what you've admitted to being. And there have been plenty of people trying to set you right, and you just skip right over their words, so why should I try?
So, while I'd LOVE to tear you and your business ethics apart, you've already done it for me. So for that, you have my gratitude.
Mr. Signedmylifeaway..... you started this thread with saying everyone will probably hate you. You have already accepted that, I don't need to drill it into your skull anymore.
You also admitted to being a bottom of the barrel guy with your pricing, so no 6 paragraph post I put up will do anymore than to just call you what you've admitted to being. And there have been plenty of people trying to set you right, and you just skip right over their words, so why should I try?
So, while I'd LOVE to tear you and your business ethics apart, you've already done it for me. So for that, you have my gratitude.
Just Another Sign Guy
New Member
wow Flame i'm truly impressed maybe an old dog can learn new tricks
Westcoast Sign Guy
New Member
you mean the puppy that refused to be potty trained finally scratches at the door now? 
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
The topic for a whole new thread:
The Maturing of the New and Improved Flame Master
(coming soon on DVD to a BlockBuster store near you) :Big Laugh
The Maturing of the New and Improved Flame Master
(coming soon on DVD to a BlockBuster store near you) :Big Laugh
gvgraphics
New Member
Hey signedmylifeaway, There is living proof you can change, flamey did!!!!! LOLOLOL
gvgraphics
New Member
gvgraphics
New Member
Am I drunk or was flameys post that of one I have never seen before from him?
Hope the coffee helps me sober up, LOL!
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
There is also a PBS American Experience documentary on it to be aired in March. I fully expect there will follow a full round of interviews with Oprah, Jay, Dave, Dr. Phil and Rosey O'Donnell followed by a more serious analysis by Lou Dobbs and Bill O'Reilly.
We can all say "we knew him when...".
We can all say "we knew him when...".
