If i had to qualify all of my experience, it would have been a lengthy mechanical answer
that would give a tooth drilling a better experience... I don't think I could have said
it better Gigi.
As for me... I was never thrilled with producing ADA signs. I've produced them too,
it can be a mind numbing experience cranking out hundreds of signs a day especially
when you are working for one of the biggest advocates of compliant signage. I got it
"drilled" in my head all the requirements and methods available. I liked the work
of running an engraver, but I really wanted to design at that time. Eventually I became
their main designer. But this woman taught me too well. Gigi can attest to my tirades
as I see subpar ADA signs with poor translations, non-compliant type and color contrasts
on other projects. I care about the product I design.
The main use for the machine is ADA signs, but we are going to make office signs like
these...
http://artsigns.com/ and dimensional stock and custom art/wall products.
Later we will add a printer and larger CNC if the work can support it. My main client
prints miles of barricade banners, sales banners and leasing office graphics. So who
knows where this takes us.
Gigi has been working on drafting, location plans, and sign schedules. She's a quick
study. So quick that she asked what the signs retailed for. Gigi noticed the amounts of
signs being designed, so when I showed her proposals with all the pricing, she saw an
opportunity that I had thought about... but way over analyzed and dropped the idea.
Of the projects we worked on where braille was used, all were raster/engraved.
All mid to high end close to the level of Takeform... I have some old history with a
founding employee of that company as well as Doug's old boss, as well as a few in the
Access Board, the people who make the ADA standards, geez I can read most braille.
I've used routers, engravers, photopolymer machines, hot stamping, painting and installing
metal etching and screen printing and ran large format printers. Oh and we can design, survey
message schedules, specify and project manage these jobs. I would think if anyone
could do well in this business, it could be me and Gigi.
I believe her inexperience works for her (and for me) She impressed my clients and
she's been invaluable in making our survey and design process work more efficiently.
Simply put, her strengths are my weaknesses... now it might be a girl/boy way of
looking at things. But her way of convincing me of getting a potential 3-400k of just ADA
signs a year was brilliant. So good that it could generate more money than me and her
would bring in combined just designing. That would make her my equal, not in "experience"
but having the idea, working it out in a way I can see things because I might be too
experienced, asking if the boys were interested, then presenting it. Now, there are bugs
to work out... and who knows, it may not happen all that soon, but I would be a complete
idiot if I didn't try.
This may take our work to place where I may not enjoy it as much for now. I have done
design work all over the world for Pete's sake and design work all over the country now...
but I also like making things. I'm confident that Gigi's system she is setting up will make
it easier to give us choices of working in the office, in the shop, or installing. Most of the
work we are looking forward to designing is her making. Gotta run with what's working.
I like having choices and something I'm looking forward too.
Gigi, this isn't buttering you up, you were going to make the grape leaves anyway.
Anyway, thanks for the responses. Hoping we get more on this particular machine. Seems
like a solid machine.
I just wanted to show you I read to the end! (& reminisce the old days of alerting each other to typos)
for the job.
