Proven media for the SP300V?

[JAMEY]

For all of you Roland SP300 owners that have found what works good and what doesn't. I am working on a 3 year financial spreadsheet for my business plan and want to include supplies.

I realize that some media is probably great for a lot of different things. Which media and size are you using for different applications and where you get it?

Media for transfers:
Size:
Source:

Printable Media for banners:
Size:
Source:

Printable Media for auto and graphics:
Size:
Source:

Laminate for auto and atv graphics:
Size:
Source:

Printable Media for decals:
Size:
Source:

Printable Media for signs in general:
Size:
Source:

 

[mark in tx]

A business plan??

You are doomed!!!

Just kidding, you should probably start with the Roland materials catalog, then call a few suppliers and ask their pricing on those materials.
Then get the Avery catalog and do the same.
Then the Neschen catalog, and the 3M catalog, Mactac, Arlon, GFI, GMI, etc... and don't forget to ask the suppliers about their house brands of material.

Overly broad answer you might be thinking, but you asked a broad question, that really comes down to opinion and experience. Opinion and experience that may come from years of trial and error in some cases, and more often than not, whatever material is cheapest to buy at the moment.
It's kind of like asking is Mac or PC better.
I could give my usual choices of material, and some people will reply that I'm crazy for using that stuff.

IMHO a business plan is generally made up out of whole cloth anyway, how can you justify a material purchase based on a projected sale? I think I will sell X amount of banners, X amount of vehicle wraps, so I need x amount of material.
Much of this business is based on ordering material as you require it, and unless you are producing for term contracts, you won't be able to project material usage.
Now, most people do keep some rolls of material on hand to get the quickies done, but generally you don't want to tie up your capital in material that might not get used for significant amounts of time.


All that being said,

Media for transfers: Don't use it

Printable Media for banners: LG Vizuon

Printable Media for auto and graphics: Wraps- 3M controltac w/ matching Laminate

Printable Media for decals: GMI 501

Printable Media for signs in general: GMI 502

Since you have an SP300 you'll need 36" sizes.
And sources should be someone close to you.

Good Luck!

 

[hoppers]

Cant say there is a "proven" media since these printers print on so many different types. Just stick with the big name brands (no off name brand chinese imports) and you should be fine.

Decals, intermediate signs in general etc - I love Oracal 3651 with matching 210 laminate. Its good stuff and not too much $$ at about .30 cents a sq ft for the vinyl and .33 cents per sq ft for the 210 lam.

I have heard Oracal 3165RA is really good too for air release, but havent tried it yet. Only .33 a sq ft too.

Auto and things that need a longer term cast vinyl, I use Oracal 3951 with matching 290 lam

Get mine from fellers.com and they have warehouses all over the country so I order and my materials get here the next day for free...

Go get their catalog with prices, they are really good but always good to shop around as Mark in TX said. But not sure why Mark said for 36 inch material...our SP300's only handle up to 30 inch material....maybe it was a typo

But I do agree with Mark as well with that you can't figure out materials cost on a yearly basis since so many variables change (as do the prices every year). I have in stock maybe a few rolls that I print on and if I need something else, I buy it when I know I get the job. Storing rolls upon roll of digital material is not the way you want to go esp since so many suppliers ship the next day so let THEM keep the inventory - not you!

Oh and plenty of places will ship samples, so that is good to ask and allows you to try out new material without buying a whole new roll.

 

[JAMEY]

Thanks guys.

I just need to get my profits down a little as they want me to be really conservative. I have ink/materials figured into the cost on the items. I figure that by throwing in some restocking material, I'll have a better model and profits will be down more.

I hears yas on the whole business plan thing though. It's not for a bank, it's more for myself. I want to monitor my progress and adjust where needed to meet my goals. I have some pretty sweet spreadsheets and a real nice plan going IMO. I've been studying for a couple years now.

Pretty soon, I am hoping to have a new SP300V bought and paid for for starters.

 

[kustomkoncepts]

you serious??

 

[JAMEY]

Being the numbers man I am...100% serious.

The spreadsheet in my plan is a great tool and I will use it well. When I finally start selling my work to my customers, I will plug in my actual monthly sales and have great insight on my actual cash flow and much more. It is a very comprehensive spreadsheet developed by the New York State Small Business Development Center. It consists of multiple pages. I have tweaked some of them as well.

The plan itself is for my grant. I need it for that. It also has forced me to think everything through more. It's a work in progress.

 

[zmatalucci]

Thanks guys.

I just need to get my profits down a little as they want me to be really conservative. I have ink/materials figured into the cost on the items. I figure that by throwing in some restocking material, I'll have a better model and profits will be down more.

I hears yas on the whole business plan thing though. It's not for a bank, it's more for myself. I want to monitor my progress and adjust where needed to meet my goals. I have some pretty sweet spreadsheets and a real nice plan going IMO. I've been studying for a couple years now.

Pretty soon, I am hoping to have a new SP300V bought and paid for for starters.

why do you need to get your profits down?

 

[kustomkoncepts]

well we all had to lie to get our first loans but if you think your business is going to land in your spread sheet artinarary My hats off to ya. it never will. take what you think you are going to make the first year and cut it in half and you will be close.

Don't take me wrong but you sound very excited yet very nieve about how you think your shop is going to work like clock work accrding to your spread sheet.

Its going to be more like the National Lampoons Vacation Artinarary!! you get there the park is closed but you will figure out how to make it all work and it will change from day to day.

I for one started and failed 3 times before I got here and 8 years later I still only make 10,000 a year and paid myself nothing the first 3 years and still work 12-16 hr days. I could work at McDonalds for more money but I will keep taking a asskicking here because it is my asskicking mess and I like it.

Thank god we have a Pracs Institute here (medical testing) I did Pracs studies where they pay you to stay there and take experimental drugs and draw your blood samples.

did one study paid $6,500

Just don't do the Viagra tests!!

 

[JAMEY]

well we all had to lie to get our first loans but if you think your business is going to land in your spread sheet artinarary My hats off to ya. it never will. take what you think you are going to make the first year and cut it in half and you will be close.

Don't take me wrong but you sound very excited yet very nieve about how you think your shop is going to work like clock work accrding to your spread sheet.

No worries, I read you 100%. You are very naive in how you assume I believe my business will work according to my spreadsheet. You say to go with about half my numbers to maybe be close. Well, I went with about 1/3. So no, to cut what I have in half would be foolish. I am trying to be as conservative and realistic as possible. In all actuality, I will be plugging my actual business into my spreadsheet as I go to analyze my cash flow over 3 years.

I for one started and failed 3 times before I got here and 8 years later I still only make 10,000 a year and paid myself nothing the first 3 years and still work 12-16 hr days. I could work at McDonalds for more money but I will keep taking a asskicking here because it is my asskicking mess and I like it.

I am not expecting an instant gold mine. I have other sources of income as well. This is a side thing for me. I believe it will grow given the resources I have and how well I am networked in the specific niche I have.


Finally, I started this thread to get ideas on media so I could put some numbers in on my spreadsheet for resupplying. Please keep to subject so that I do not have to weed through the BS.

Thanks,

Jamey

 

[Sign Works]

Oracal Media w/Oracal Lam Films & Vyjet Banner Material have been working well for me with my SP-300V.
Size - 30"
Source - Fellers

 

[spectracolor]

Oracal Media w/Oracal Lam Films & Vyjet Banner Material have been working well for me with my SP-300V.
Size - 30"
Source - Fellers

Same here.

Oracal 3165 w/ 210 Lam
and sol media for banners

 

[JAMEY]

Thanks guys

 

[Jackpine]

I use Oracle and Arlon for the most part. Arlon makes an air egress material known as Xscape that is excellent in intermediate and cast. Oracle has a large line that can be mind boggling but 3651 and 3621 are two I use with 210 laminate. I get mine from Gregory and Fellers. I buy more from Gregory.They are very good and have free shipping over $100.

 

[Dave L.]

What type of output do you want to focuse on?

 

[JAMEY]

Motorcycle graphics.

 

[kustomkoncepts]

Motorcycle graphics.

Harleys, street sport or off road Dirt Bike/Quads, sleds?

street sport bikes use 3M 180C v3 wrap vinyl.

Dirt bike and Quads use Convex.

I use the 6Mil High Bond Convex and the 12 MIL Pro Sheild Laminate for number plates and such. it works great for low energy plastics found on dirt and quads.

12MIL prosheild laminate is very thick and only good for numberplates and flatter aread NO FULL WRAPS!!

Use Moto Wrap (from Convex also) and 8Mil lam for full wraps on parts.

I got mine at www.graphixMS.com Scott Rose Sales just tell them what you want to do and they will suggest the product for the application.

 

[JAMEY]

Harleys, street sport or off road Dirt Bike/Quads, sleds?

street sport bikes use 3M 180C v3 wrap vinyl.

Dirt bike and Quads use Convex.

I use the 6Mil High Bond Convex and the 12 MIL Pro Sheild Laminate for number plates and such. it works great for low energy plastics found on dirt and quads.

12MIL prosheild laminate is very thick and only good for numberplates and flatter aread NO FULL WRAPS!!

Use Moto Wrap (from Convex also) and 8Mil lam for full wraps on parts.

I got mine at www.graphixMS.com Scott Rose Sales just tell them what you want to do and they will suggest the product for the application.

Yeah...dirt bikes and atvs man. Maybe some sleds too.

Thanks for the info. I've been eyeballing convex and motowrap for a while now.

 

[kustomkoncepts]

The one problem I had was the 12 MIL Pro Sheild is so thick My 540 Roland had a problem cutting through it. I had to slow it way down and use the 60 DEG blade and even leave the heat on a little to soften the material.

You can't beat this stuff it that is what you are doing. I used normal 3M, Oracal, Avery for dirt bikes before and it just don't stick well or hold up. the High bond is made for the low energy plastics and has worked great for me.

I have not used the MOTO WRAP and CONVEX Lam for full wraps but had a guy want to wrap his quad so I might try it.

 

[JAMEY]

Where you from man?

 

[kustomkoncepts]

Frozen North Dakota