Staying competitive

[Deaton Design]

I was wondering how many of you do cut vinyl signs versus digitally printed signs now.

 

[ova]

For us it's probably 80% print.....20%cut. When we first got the printer about five years ago, we did more cut than print. Now if the simple signs
(text only} are more than one color, we print.

Why do you ask?

Dave

 

[SignManiac]

John I'm out of the poll as I do none of the above. My mainstay is dimensional signs, both blasted and carved. But... I do print when I have to and rarely cut vinyl.

 

[signcrafters london]

Been doing cut vinyl since 1996. Picked up a 63" printer and plotter on a great deal in Aug. Now I'm slowly (but surely) incorporating them into my work.

 

[Jillbeans]

I wish there was an option for both cut vynull and hand lettering cuz that's what I do.
(if I do need a print I sub out but I rarely do that)
Love.....Jill

 

[SignosaurusRex]

I think that the poll needs more options.
A large part (probably the majority) of my work is still cut vinyl which is required by a big chunk of my client base.
Printed work is a smaller portion of it, yet very necessary.
Hand lettering is also a very necessary portion, although not nearly as much as I would like or once was, it is still in demand and a good money maker as well as a key component or requirement of some jobs.
I still do a reasonable amount of dimensional work as well as some sandblasted and carved work.
In some cases projects include a combination of some or all of the above.

 

[Farmboy]

We still seem to do quite a bit of cut since I just ordered 3 full rolls and the guys are telling me they're about gone. I would say 60/40...more print than cut. Heat apply keeps the plotter going most days.

 

[Mosh]

50% print, 20% cut, 20% screen print, 10% other...does that add up?

 

[TheSnowman]

If I'm doing a vehicle, I try to as much cut as possible, because I feel like that lasts longer (but like I said, maybe it's just a feeling) but anything temporary, we print. We do a LOT of temporary things that only are out a month or so, then we remove and update for auctions, so most stuff doesn't even end up laminated.

 

[gabagoo]

I have increased my printing as I lost an employee and have not replaced them for over a year now. I now have taken on their responsibilities which leaves me little time and patience for weeding and masking coro signs. I now realize the value of print simply in the time savings to my work day.

I still do a lot of vehicles but on that side of the business I have stayed almost 100% vinyl cut as I am not to sure I even want to start learning how to wrap at this point in my life.

 

[Mosh]

This is how I deal with competition!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PQ6335puOc

 

[Deaton Design]

My reason for this poll is I see so much stuff out there, which is digitally printed, and wondered just how many shops have added that to their services. Ive thought about adding to mine, but havent made the jump yet. I didnt include other choices because I was trying to guage mainly how many do vinyl versus digital. And, I appreciate the responses.
Thanks!

 

[klemgraphics]

I still use a lot of cut vinyl but digital printing taking over more and more of that as time goes by. I couldn't successfully run this shop without digital printing, just too many things that it either saves a ton of time weeding & masking or you just simply cannot achieve using cut vinyl only. I tend to use a combination of both on a lot of projects.

 

[Gene@mpls]

I still use a lot of cut vinyl but digital printing taking over more and more of that as time goes by. I couldn't successfully run this shop without digital printing, just too many things that it either saves a ton of time weeding & masking or you just simply cannot achieve using cut vinyl only. I tend to use a combination of both on a lot of projects.

I will second this thought- 2 -30" Summas and an Edge with enVision
cutter probably 30% and Vp540 70% now. I can count about 120 rolls
of colored vinyl on the wall in this (main) room right now- and probably
30 rolls of print vinyl (30" & 54"). If I could cash out for what it is worth
I could *actually* retire instead of *pretend* retire. But then I would
have to start a sign shop. Sigh... I am doomed.

 

[cartoad]

For us 90% or better of the flat signs we do are printed, vinyl to weed and tape is just too time consuming. Banners are 95% printed, even just one color simple, again, labor time is a massive reduction when printed vs. cut vinyl. Vehicles we are about 75% cut vinyl and 25% printed, with a large percentage of some printed material on the vehicles. We are only replacing the red, blue, white and black vnyl with 50 yd rolls, everything else is going to 10 yd rolls, or only ordering what we need for a project as we just do not see a need for a lot of the colors we were using just a few years ago.
We have a lot of vinyl on the shelf that is just not being used.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

I'm the one who still hand letters lol yup only a small percentage is vinyl cut, most of my work after window splash and rough surfaces is redoing what printers screwup

 

[visual800]

My main jobs are dimensional and architectural signs. i still run my plotter though dont get me wrong