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Vehicle wrap start up inventory and products?

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Its About Sign

New Member
Opening car wrap and full service sign business. Any advice appreciated.

I used to be a neon sign bender slash sign shop owner back in the day.

It's been a while and a different medium so I'm sure that I will be asking some basic questions here, so I appreciate your patience.

I am aware of the gravity of the undertaking that I am about to embark on, never the less, I have too much opportunity in front of me not to jump on in, these opportunities range from four vehicles waiting to be wrapped, a 6000 sq ft warehouse that is mine in return for monies owed. Previous sign related experience as well as several years of web design and graphic experience. Several powerful computers and a fully outfitted office and a share in a newly opened sports complex that will be getting all of its wall space sign ads sold; made by me. Also an in house licensed electrician and welder and 55' foot bucket truck.

All that being said, I know this wont be a cake walk.

Next week I am taking the Avery / Mutoh car wrap training and certification.

I am purchasing the HP DESIGNJET L26500 next week as well.

I would greatly appreciate any advice that anyone has, and in particular to the following questions.

What laminator do you recommend?

What cutter do you recommend?

It is my intention to use 3M products, I understand that they are on the $$high end but I've always been a believer in buying the best materials possible.

I am very familiar with Illustrator and Photo Shop. Do you see any reason that I should migrate to another program such as Corel?

I am trying to get an idea of start up inventory, vinyls? Laminates?tools? additional equipment that I might not be thinking of?

My first vehicle will be my own, my second two vehicles will be vans for a family member and the fourth will be for a friends truck, so I'll have the luxury of being able to take all the time I need to get the job done right.

I intend on speaking with my local competitors as well, although I have an incredibly favorable start up situation, I don't wish to be cut throat. And as I've already stated, I believe in only using the best materials available so as to give the customer the best service/product possible and not to give an industry that I'm involved in bad press.

So with that being said, thanks for any advice you may have to offer.
 
jkdbjj

jkdbjj

New Member
Well congrats, sounds like it will be a labor of love for you.

My only advice, would be to structure your day developing new business, or hire someone to do that for you. Unless as you put it, you have the luxury to have lots of down time.

I love the seal laminators, and graphtec or summa cutters. Can't go wrong either way.

I prefer Wasatch over Onyx RIP program, even though I am using Onyx right now. Wasatch is more intuitive. Onyx has several modules, that make it quirky cause you have to bounce from one program to the other, and Wasatch has everything on tabs, so you get to stay in the same interface.

Look forward to seeing your progress!
 
4R Graphics

4R Graphics

New Member
Laminator would be a matter of personal choice as well as a plotter but if you go with a seal or royal soverign laminator and a graphtec or summa plotter you will be fine.

As for other tools there are lots of little tools that make wrapping a lot easier and less stress thumb through some catalogs and you will see. The Fellers catalog has a lot of new wrap tools from a company called yellow tool they are pricey but do come in handy.

After you are finished with the wrap trainning you will ahve a better idea as to what tools you will want and need as again this is personal preference.

Its a little short notice and a little far for you but you may want to go to the ISA show in Orlando it is the 22nd -24th of March and would be a good place to see the equipment and some of the tools first hand and talk with manufacturers of equipment and materials as well as you can usually get a little discount if you buy stuff at the show.

You can register for the show here http://www.signexpo.org/
 
SightLine

SightLine

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I'd also strongly suggest the ISA show in a couple of weeks. If you do want to go and just see the exhibits only PM me - I have several codes from distributors for free passes to the exhibits only. That being said you would probably benefit greatly from some of the educational sessions. On cutters I'd personally go with a Summa S-160T. Excellent machine, gives you the full width to contour cut anything you might print, excellent excellent manufacturer support if needed. Laminators - Seal or GBC.

Materials, some 13oz and 16oz banner stock, 3M 180CV3, Oracal 290GF laminate, maybe some cheaper calendered vinyl for short term flat stuff like Oracal 3165. Definitley going to want a nice big flat table like 60x120 with a cutting mat for the top. 60" safety edge ruler is nice. Olfa knives, rivet brush or two. Some Geek Wrap squeegees, tape measures. Definitley get Pro Vehicle Outlines http://www.provehicleoutlines.com. Going to need a good RIP that handles print/cut workflow - lots of opinions there but I personally think FlexiSign Pro has the easiest print/cut workflow. Rags, Rapid Remover, Rapid Tac.... so much.... Get a Fellers catalog and go nuts. :)

Also - if you want to swing it - SignVox will make your life a lot easier.... We are not using it but only because I'm still very resistant to monthly subscription software and I cannot justify or really afford it.
 
A

airborneassault

New Member
Definitely with SightLine here...get the Summa S160T. Great machine & paired with our L25500 we're very happy. Get ahold of BigFish here as well he was some awesome deals on banner material that run great with the Latex.

Laminator wise we run a Seal and we're satisfied but if I had it to do again I'd look at the AGL's, top of the line laminators from what I hear.

If you aren't opposed to trying materials besides 3M I'd suggest getting a sample roll from a few different manufacturers and testing them out on the mentioned vehicles then you can draw your own conclusions on which prints the best right out of the gate, which installs the easiest and probably the biggest worry...which is going to last!

Keep reading around here there's a huge wealth of knowledge and lots of very helpful folks!
-Nathan
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
tsgstl said:
25% of your "can't pass up opportunity" is wrapping your own vehicle?

welcome to signs101
Click to expand...

Another 50% is a family member.... and they're never good pay. :covereyes:

I imagine these will be more for getting his name out there as advertisement.
 
SignManiac

SignManiac

New Member
Unless you are well versed in digital printing, be prepared for a huge learning curve. I'm assuming that since you plan on being a full service shop, you intend to hire additional employees? When you say full service, what does that entail? Electric, vinyl, any carved dimensional signs? How about monuments?

Each and everyone of these facets will require quite a bit of specialized tools and most importantly, knowledge. It sounds like you have a good start but just trying manage all of these responsibilities will be a full time job unless you plan to delegate and trust in your employees to do a good job so you don't have to watch every move they make.

I started out a one many operation several decades ago and now have quite a few employees. It gets quite a bit more complicated as you grow, but it does have its benefits. Good luck in your endeavor!
 
kylebrk

kylebrk

New Member
We have a Seal and love it. We also had a summa and loved it!

I would wrap two of your own vehicles first. The hands on will help out a ton! Even the designing is a new thing that has quirks to work out. Get some wrap geek squeegees too!

Um....good luck! If you're in the right market, you'll do great!
 
WrapCut

WrapCut

New Member
itsaboutsign -- Congratulations on your new endeavor!

You might want to also have a look at adding WrapCut Fine Filament Edge Cutting tape ( www.wrapcut.com ) to your tool arsenal.


WrapCut Fine Filament Edge Cutting Tape has been introduced as the problem-solving tool and method of trimming for the vehicle wrap industry. It is a very cost-effective alternative to using a knife and eliminates all risk of marking, scoring, or otherwise damaging the paint or glass of a vehicle.


WrapCut was created by the makers of WireTrim Edge Cutting Tape which revolutionized the spray-on truck bed liner industry over a decade ago by eliminating the use of a knife for the trimming process on polyurethane coatings.


Good luck on your new business!
 
I

Its About Sign

New Member
Again thank you to everyone for being so helpful.

I have already started putting much of your advice to good use.

Hello Siteline and bearwen, I will be going with the Summa S-160T, I may have to sell a kidney to pull it off but it sounds like the way to go.

Also, I have been in contact with BigFish and he has been extremely helpful. I am in the final stages of gathering up my funds and as soon as that's complete I'll start placing orders, I was there until I decided to go with the s-160t.

I am in Florida for the Mutoh/Avery carwrap classes and have decided to stay down another week for the ASI show in Orlando, Great heads up on that, I'm signed up for events from the 21st-24th.

Hello airborneassault I will do as you suggest and try out some different media to see for myself how I like it.

Hello Gino from up the road a bit.

Hello tsgstl, I barely regard the several vehicles lined up as part of my can't pass up opportunity, although I am pleased to have them for a start. Although I hope to make a few dollars on these few vehicles, I'd be more than content cutting even for the opportunity to cut my teeth on these particular cars and trucks.

The can't pass up opportunity pertains much more to the tremendous lack of overhead that I referred to as well as some professional synergy that I've got going on at the moment.

Seems that the consensus is that signvox is the way to go as well so I will definitely be looking in to that.

Hi Jkdbjj, I will definitely look into Wasatch.

Hello SignManiac, As far as being a full service sign shop and exactly what that will entail; it's funny that you should mention monuments. Firstly, my plan it to concentrate on vehicle wrapping, however I have quite a bit of space in my shop and constant access to a 55' bucket truck as well as licensed electrician/contractor and steel fabricator, so I'm pretty much in a position to take on a variety of work.

But back to my monument, as part of my interest in the sports complex that I mentioned I will be creating a fiberglass 13' lion/human hybrid attacking several sports figures. I have done some work like this in the past, nothing anywhere this magnitude. I expect the project to take about three months but once completed there will be no doubt as to the level of my insanity:) and if all goes well a pretty good example of I'm able to handle a variety of signage and occasional monumental needs.

Wrap cut, I checked out your videos looks cool. I will as it to the 100,000,000 really cool things to look into.

Thank you Cheap vehicle wrap, eight38signco, Mgraphics, sar bossier, tsgstl and everyone else, Colorado Signs.

If anyone is going to be at the ASI expo in Orlando hit me up.
 
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