Hugh Potter
Forum Replies Created
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Morning Simon, I hope you’re all good?
I don’t think the slats themselves will flex, they just hook into one another and roll around. I’d think you could probably use a good polymeric, you need only cut it where it goes over the gaps.
Just be absolutely fastidious with the cleaning as the amount of crap that hides in the joins is monumental! Or it was in the case of a small single door size shutter I did some years back. Just did that in oracle 551 as it was going black.
The only issue you may find over time, is that at certain points it will make contact with itself and wear through / damage the print, though that’ll still look better than a metal shutter!
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I’d be charging that as a full panel. 300mm offcut is of no commercial value to me, so they’d be paying for it, along with the same linear mtr of print.
2440 x 1220 (or close to) would be £270+vat here. that’s for good quality .3mm skin composite, not cheap hoarding.
+design.
+ installation
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I use the blue 3M felt strips, get them from William Smith, very nice to work with.
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Hi Simon, Hope you’re keeping well.
we’re the same in as much as we’ve never advertised, other than some A5 flyers in the early days.
We do some work for a local radio station and were considering running a short campaign, it’s pretty inexpensive to be honest, around £100 a month for 4 plays a day, and around £60 for a 15 second / £90 for a 30 second voice commercial, and x amount if you want some kind of jingle.
I was thinking that a simple voice ad would be a bit pants but, he suddenly broke into “Do you want more potential customers to see business? Need new signs for your premises? Why not get in touch with Dragon Signs to se how we can help you with visual branding, from private and commercial vehicle wraps and livery, to shop signs and embroidered workwear, come on down and see us on the A22. Dragon Signs, Signs that build business”
He spouted that (or along those lines) off in about 15 seconds, it was sharp, snappy and to the point…
Having recently spent around £8k on improvements to the workshops (expanding floor space, adding another fitting bay etc), and with a couple of grand more still to finish, we do need to be bringing a bit more work in.
Despite what most companies will tell you, it’s definitely gone quieter out there! I’ve spoken to a number of reps recently and they’ve all said the same, it’s picking up but has been very quiet. We’re still busy, but we’re not “6 months ago busy”, now that all the grants and free money have stopped flowing to them who’d spend it with us.. and the cost of vehicles is through the roof.I think it’s telling when every sign shop in the area is flooding facebook with sponsored adverts…!
I also think that customers are just being cautious with their money. I know we are, our electric contract ended and the new one has jumped over 10p a unit (after 3yr fixed contract), that’s an extra £200 a month. With our additional rent, utilities and higher costs in general, we need another few vans a month in!
Anyway, I digressed.. Radio.. my wife used to be in media advertising, so is taking a look at their listener figures & demographic, and advising (instructing / telling / ordering) my next move on the matter!! If it’s not too expensive, I guess it can’t hurt to try. Just trust the guys making the advert, like we want our customers to trust us, hopefully we know what we’re doing… “who you are, what you do, how to get in touch”, it may not need to be any more complicated than that, maybe a tagline for people to remember at the end.
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Are there any distinguishing features?
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I’ve done it loads, but nothing too small lettering wise.
Don’t try making lettering from the brushed steel films, not unless they’re big. N Ight Mare!
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3M & Avery both do wrap films like Rob mentioned, though small text is an absolute sh*t to lift off with paper app, you need some seriously high tack transfer paper.
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My only concern with using this stuff on floors is the thickness of it, it could potentially be a hazard in itself. I’d be tempted to use an oversized non slip laminate to effective smooth the edge out.
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Love the van!! I’ve had mine over 2yrs now and still haven’t wrapped it and put the No. plate on!
Jacks Shack looks very cool, so refreshing to see decent money going into a shop front.
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re illuminating inside, my custom has upgraded LED interior lights, they work a treat and are very bright. I added some extra from a spare power supply in the back too. Easy and cheap if you use left overs from a job!
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My Transit Custom (sport) came with a 200w mains plug between the front seats!
I recall the salesman telling me how useful it was for making a quick cup of tea on site, I’m guessing he felt a bit of a twat when I pointed out that 200w will do for charging a laptop or batteries, but not running a 3kw kettle!!
Anyway, I always go out with 3 or 4 fully charged batteries (18v metabo) and have never run out, so never really used the power point. As others have said, you need an inverter.
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I’d love to do more of this kind of signage, but lacking the skills, equipment and time, I have to buy in and that’s often too costly!
These look great BTW Rob!
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me too, but I never know what to look for!
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4mm of stretch over 4m is pretty good, I tend to hinge after lining it as best as poss (similar to Rob) and work upward first. You can manipulate film to match whether stretching a little or, more often, rucking it up a little and using plenty of heat to almost shrink it in, a bit like wrapping!
I always use proper wallcoverings though, my preferred is Wallmark, by General formulations, available from innotech. Very high tack but with a repositionable adhesive, very user friendly. Very conformable and thick, so hides a multitude of filled plug holes etc.
I have previously used the Arlon covering with great results, and metamark, though the latter I moved on from when there were issues with strange finishes that only appeared on that film, it may have been sorted now though.
I have some mactac wall covering materials, and some Neschen wallpaper (to be pasted) which I have yet to print and test.
Proper wallcoverings are not cheap though, which is why many firms use / send out high tack vinyls.
Ideally, seal the wall first, something like Zinsser Gardz, or Bullseye. I know some use a pva water mix first. I rarely do this on smaller, regularly changed installations as I go over the top of the old, but sooner or later you need to take it off and that’s when you’ll find out how much damage can be done, especially if the first was a rush job onto a new bare plasterboard wall!!
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Hey Warren,
Dig the hair mate, you were buzzed last time we met! Hope you’re all good.
I can’t tell from the photo’s but wondered if it was something fairly generic like Venture banners sell?
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Oracal Oralite 5400, as Rob says, I print on lots of this.
Be cautious with laminates, I don’t know why but, regular mono laminate, that is used on hundreds of generic signs a year, with no complaint, just doesn’t like printed reflective, always use a decent poly or cast laminate.
Oralite 5600 is no better. I think it’s meant to be more removable but, that’s BS!!
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I assume only the lettering needs to be reflective? you can either cut the lettering from solid, or print white reflective, contour cutting if necessary.
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I’ve had the floor down a few weeks now, such a huge improvement. Not only aesthetically, but more comfortable to kneel on, warmer, and easy to clean without bits of paint getting stuck in the broom or mop!! When the other bay is properly finished – around 16m2 of mezzanine and steels need coming out to open it fully for large vehicles, I’ll update again!
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Holy shitballs batman!!
1), stupid product.. unless you’re doing multiple small size signs alllllll day long, then you just buy a printer. How long before the surface of the re-usable tape is… err… not re-usable due to dust etc.? AND, why was she using a metal decorators filling knife as a squeegee….?
2) WHat? great idea if you’re working solo and want a seamless wrap.. is a seamless wrap that in demand? so, he pulls out the arms and the first thing the do is sag an inch… add the weight of 5-6m of vinyl and boom, it sags 2″ at the ends, how the hell is that gonna help you, and how can you possibly check to see whats going on behind the film? By that, I mean… how often have you been merrily wrapping away and come across an unexpected / forgotten obstacle that isn’t where you thought it was, with this thing you have to walk 20ft around it to check what / where /how! Nope!!
3) I stopped watching when he was levelling up a 3m x 500mm graphic, using a 30mm long bubble 🙇♀️, nope nope nope nope nope!!!
I’ve been saying for a long time hat people are overthinking this stuff, it’s getting ridiculous. Just look at yellotools / signgeer / etc, with the exception on a handful of tools, I can’t see the point in much of it. Tools for the sake of tools… reminds me of a saying regarding the pleasure Fishing industry… all these fancy products are mainly designed to catch anglers, not fish!
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Nice work, as always, Shane!
Can I ask, the rusty food van design, did you create that? I’m trying to find a resource for such effects to create something!
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Hi Darren,
Print in reverse onto clear vinyl, then back with white, the print will then face out of the window with the white backing giving the vibrancy. If contour cutting, make sure the white backing is smaller than the reg marks printed on the clear.
If you need to see from both sides, you’ll need to mirror the clear print, and the print of the white face, use print film with clear adhesive, laminate the white onto the clear and contour cut.
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always enjoy seeing your work Kevin! Is that a clear wrap on the wyatt van?
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I thought I’d explain better…
My 610 dispenser sits raised on the end on an 800 wide glass topped bench – partly because I can’t screw it to glass! the bench is approx. 4m long. I can lay a cut vinyl on the bench, or extra long can run off the bench and under the dispenser.
I roughly line the graphics up on the bench, with the dispenser. Pull out the app paper and keeping it in the air, allow it to sag and relax a moment, reducing tension, then lift slightly and lower the mid to rear section so it lays down on the print, keep it taught, just lay it along the length and onto your table… I then apply from the glass toward the dispenser. Don’t use to much tension or force it down to finish applying, try and lay it on.
When I build me new 5.5 x 1.8m bench, I’ll be making a much larger version of this!
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I buy in more than I make these days, however, of those I make in house, I always hem them. You can get a tape as Jamie says but the cost of it (in my opinion) is more than the customer would save by you not spending 5 minutes hemming it with regular d/s tape.
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I’m with Kevin, Supply it. I always show installation as a separate part of the job, a throwback to when I used to be asked to ‘supply only’ a lot. Make decent money on it and send it away!
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I can wrap, but I’m very slow and don’t think I’m really that good at it.. 95% of the wrap work I do here (part or full) is done with one of a couple of freelancers I use. I’ve only ever had one issue on a wrap failing, that was a satin chrome which kept delaminating where we’d plotter cut it, but we’d charged sufficiently on the first job and didn’t lose.
Freelancers: They’re anything from £160-£200 or so a day, not a problem as I charge a full day ‘our money’ at a minimum £360 a day +vat, or double their day rate – whichever greater. Both know I charge them out higher that they earn as, well, it’s my job, my premises etc. All wrap colour change is at least double the cost +vat, and printed wrap film (3M / SLX) is put out at £80 a mtr on short runs. we make great money of regular poly digi print and cut vinyls so no issues their if they want stuff added.
In short, we rarely touch a part wrap under £1250+vat, and full wraps from £1700+vat. Pretty good money to be fair… a transit custom “commercial colour change” might use 25m of wrap film at £20 per mtr, £500. double it and a bit for hassle to £45 a mtr, £1125 (£625 profit), then the wrap guy, a full wrap I’d usually book 3 days, say £600 max, I’ll be charging that out at £1200, another £600. Design time etc. on top if required. plus a “ballache” fee, to cover those bits that will break, the additional cleaning because they haven’t bothered, etc. etc. call it another £200 to be safe. including the cost of my building, salary etc. etc, it’s cost me around £1300 max. and retails at £2425 +vat.
If the customer doesn’t like my pricing “cos I can get it done for a grand down the road”, I don’t care, I’ll use my time better.
That’s £1200 profit for three days work, of which I will have minimal input – maybe helping to help some vinyl now and then, I’m also then free to deal with customer enquiries and get on with other work…
A part wrap is cheaper but only pro-rata, I still usually book a minimum of a day + materials.
Vehicle graphics are obviously much more profitable, I think I’m doing about 8-900% mark-up on cad vinyls (oracal 551, avery 900 etc.) and around 6-700% on most print.
Absolutely no point underselling yourself or your business. I probably lose 50-60% of web enquiries, but will get about 95% of walk ins, and those I get through the door to discuss their options. I talk them through materials, show them examples of work, etc. and there’s usually a deposit in my hand before they’ve left. I see some local competition doing 10x the amount of work I’m doing, some of it I’ve lost to them on price, they’re wildly cheaper, but good luck to them – I earn more doing a lot less, and just doing what I do well.
My only real issue with freelancers…
When they do their own jobs… they still only charge £160 or so for a days work, they never mark up the material properly, and as a result, undercharge massively. This means that if they’re advertising locally, even if only word of mouth, they stop being a tool in my effort to offer premium wraps and become competition.. lines will blur and squeegees will get thrown!
Also, Insurance, typically they have the cheapest liability insurance there is. Go compare or whatever and it’s probably not covering them in any proper way. I am discussing with my insurance company now, how we address this with the freelancers we use, to ensure they’re covered properly.
Anyway, I’m rambling, and giving away all my secrets 🤣
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I am with sign elite… I’m not sure what you need that they can’t do..
I have “manufacturers combined” which is Public liability, plus contents, tools (on site, in van, in workshop etc.), printers, computers, machinery, vehicles while in the building / inside overnight etc. etc. etc.
Also Motor trade, tailored to us, two drivers. our van, customer vehicles, road risk to X amount with top up as required for motors over £50k.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by Hugh Potter.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by
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Bit of an update.. we’re now in the swing of refurbing / expanding the unit(s), building a dedicated wrap ‘clean-room’. Electrician has been in while we’ve been on hols and rewired the place, new sockets and LED lighting throughout – lighting is switchable on either side, just awaiting the Ecotile rubber floor and to build the new wall to finish this bay, then we can start on the larger bay. A little more tricky as there is about 1800kg of mezzanine to take out, to allow for vans over mwb, to a height of up to 3.75 mtrs!
Will update as more happens!
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Awesome!
I once put up a 8m x 1m ali tray for a customer, removing a perfectly good 5.5m x 700 tray.
I recovered and sold that tray to a phone shop, they went bust a couple of years later and I took it down (stole it) when working on a shop next door – to save their blushes of course.. I sold it a third time to another tight ar5e customer. I’ve since seen it’s been re-covered and used again on the same building!
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That wording looks familiar 🤣
For the record, I still had someone taking the rise with the £200 release fee so i changed it to the following…
“If any of the design, layout or content is used without payment or consent, consultation & design time accrued will be invoiced at £45p/h. Additionally, an annual user licence fee of £299 per use, or a one time fee of £749 to purchase the copyright in full will be invoiced. ** ‘per use’ means each vehicle, print use, embroidery etc. Prices exclude vat at current rate.
Upon completion & full payment of the job, design time & any logo design fee’s, copyright transfers to the customer.”
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I seem to recall upgrading from 12 to 15 (X5) because it wouldn’t work on my new win 10 machines.
Have a look on eBay, you’ll pick up an old X5 / X7 for very little. You’ll notice little difference between X3 and even the newest 2020 version I’m using now, many improvements too! -
I just tell them that they need to make an appointment, to come in and discuss requirements, it soon sorts out the messers.
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I had Monday off, we live on very high ground on the Kent Sussex border and we had around 4-6″ from Sunday afternoon and overnight into monday afternoon. We got the discovery out easy enough but, I didn’t even try moving the van! We’ve just had the driveway re-tarmac’d a couple of months back so it’s as smooth as, not to mention a 10ft rise over around 50ft with a blind exit onto a main road… so close yet so far!!!
I walked the dogs and then jumped in the hot tub for an hour or so while checking emails!
In all honesty, I got more work admin / workflow stuff done in a few hours in the afternoon, than I would ever do in a day at the office! Then back in the hot tub!
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I’m not sure there is an industry standard, maybe there should be as there are far too many people out there doing it for peanuts!
Me personally… Double the cost of the wrap film you need, I always round it up by a couple of mtrs, too. price your signwriting how you normally would. then the labour, to full clean all the nooks and crannies properly you’re going to spend an hour + chemicals, something often overlooked.
I’d have to agree with the previous comments, materials, plus signwriting and a day on the van, £8-900 +vat.
If you’re clever about it, there’s more profit.. My hourly rate is (for argument sake) £50/hr, I can have a wrap subby in for £150-200 a day… charge your rate but get the a sub in and you can get on with other stuff!
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Don’t be offended RIchard, but group rules expressly forbid the swapping of copyrighted vehicle outlines which are licensed to the owner of the disc and book only.
I just upgraded my impact outline books with http://www.vehicleoutlines.co.uk for around £125. worth every penny.
Hugh
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Pretty sure mine is onyx11 too, I use it because it came with the printer I bought! I have no experience of other rips, and to be honest, I probably don’t use this to the best of it’s ability.
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Typically 4mm is what most will sell as standard, I buy 100, 610 x 815 every few months or so. I charge £25 each + vat, based on buying a pair to make it more economical, excluding set-up / design. If it’s simple text then a nominal set-up only.
Face covered with unlaminated monomeric print, I don’t bother with cut vinyl unless very simple single colour.
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I haven’t used it but, there is a 3M one. I don’t think it’s air release though.
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#gamechanger!
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What frame system have you used on the purple Aussie Flagstone sign? Looks (from my phone screen!) like some sort of flex face?
Pretty substantial ground frame too!
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‘wasted 10mtrs of wrap film’… That’s exactly my point… usually laminating it is the most risky part of wrap film, with a laminate like clingfilm there’s just too much to go wrong. Might as well give the low-ballers £50 euro’s and tell ’em to go away.
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Martyn,
110% what Shane has said here. I mean everything he has said!
We quoted for a coach not too long after UK lockdown 1,full wrap and they spec’d 3M IJ180, Not a massive bus but still around 60mtrs of printed wrap film… That Ij180 costs around £20+vat per linear mtr (50mtr bundle) before print, lam and handling, typically we’d retail a small amount around £75 a mtr. For this bus, due to quantity we came down to £50 a mtr + vat, that included all printing time, laminating time, trimming and prep. So a little over £3k in materials plus two guys for three days (lots of prep involved), we came in around £5k +vat in total.
Oh how the guy laughed and told me he’d had a quote for £2500 cash. I explained it was highly unlikely to be 3M wrap at that price, and was there any kind of guarantee with it… he didn’t care! He asked me to drop my price and see if I could match it… I simply said no thanks, I’ve paying customers to look after.
I have yet to see the job he’s had done, if it was ever done at all, but I’m not buying £2k worth of 3M wrap, to have nearly half sat on the shelf, and thus make only £500 for two solid days printing / lam and trim, and three days for two people…
Stick to your guns on pricing – unless it really is ‘that easy’ but also, sub in some help, put a mark-up on and add it into the job, no shame in that, I do it regularly for wrap or big installations, I simply explain to the customer that the Installers rate is cheaper than my rate by £80 a day, and that the installers are probably quicker too! That way you make money on the install and can carry on with other work while they’re doing the job.
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Guys,
Just so you know for future reference… it’s against group rules to share licensed software and outlines.H
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Hi Josh,I don’t have it but, group rules prohibit sharing of licensed outlines anyway. I’m pretty sure it’s not in my impact book (it’s at work so I can’t check) but, you could try them and see if they have it, they sell individual outlines I think. http://www.vehicleoutlines.co.uk (?) Impact Vehicle outlines.
Spandex also offer an outline service but, i think it’s subscription only.
have you looked on blueprints.com? you might get lucky there and find something with enough info to get you going.
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Hi M Brown!
I could run these off tomorrow for you, drop me a quick email dragonsigns@hotmail.co.uk or call 01323 818181.
Hugh -
Hexis HX20, Oracal 970ra, or if you’re confident enough, a good calendared would probably work. I’d be looking at one of the wrap films personally.
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Met him a couple of times – lovely guy, we installed a load of window manifestation once too, kept vaguely in touch via facebook and knew he was Ill last year, such a shame to hear this news though.
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I think you’d be hard pressed to go wrong with a Summa, as long as it’s not too old I guess. Go and have a look, take a few test cuts and some of your own vinyl with you to check it out properly.
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I worked from a timber workshop for about 8 years, it doesn’t cost that much to insulate and plasterboard (or ply) a garage, and use a simple convector heater or stick an extra radiator in there.
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Can you not load up as a vector based PDF?
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Welcome to the forums Chris, I’m sure you’ll get plenty of questions and, no doubt pick up a thing or two too!
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Using Sign Elite (Real Insurance brokers) for our Commercial combined (everything except vehicles… so Liabilities, stock, tools, computers etc.) and our motor trade policy – which every signmaker should really have if they’re moving customer vehicles.
Both policies are with NIG and come to around £2100 a year.
I used to think SE were expensive, having received a quote previously but, when you actually check what you’re covered for, it’s worth the extra. We’re not properly covered.
Things to consider…
Are customer vehicles insured when left in your unit overnight?
Are your own vehicles at retail indemnity, not trade value?
Do you have enough cover to fully replace that £45k Mercedes truck you’ve just driven?
Are your tools covered whether let in the van, workshop, or on site?
Does your insured amount actually cover you for everything you may lose in a fire?
I think as standard we have £5m PL, £50k road risk with option to increase on an individual vehicle basis, ie we get a £200k lambo we can up it for the duration of the time it’s in our care for a measly sum. Also worth considering… if you lose everything and submit a claim for £70 to replace everything (stock, pc’s, printer, cutter, tools, fixings, etc. etc. ) but you’re only actually insured for £35k, then you are 50% under insured (for eg.) you’ll be penalised for under insuring and they’re within rights to only pay out 50% of your insured amount, so you’d be lucky to see £17.5k.
Think about it! Too may people scrimp on the insurance. I know a few ign shops running on personal business vehicle insurance, and an £80 PL policy from go compare, or the like!
It’s one of those things that just isn’t worth getting wrong.
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I also use unique art services if it’s something I have neither time or inclination to do, from £6 for something fairly simply, to around £40 for a family crest that took some poor sod around 20hrs! I then charge the customer accordingly, generally £20 upward.
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Ha, my reply was too late I see!! Still, the Arlon PCC is worth looking at for future ref.
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Martyn,
Have a look at the arlon pcc film, a nice matt black and lovely to work with 🙂 Cheaper than3M / Avery, low initial tack, WS had it on offer recently too.
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Sit down and have a hot sweet cup of tea at the ready…..
Last time I bought the blue avery chrome (4-5yrs ago) a couple of mtrs was around £105 a mtr. it may or may not be more or less now, but that was mega!
Hexis superchrome is around £70 a mtr. Be wary of cutting the satin superchrome though, we park wrapped a van and used large lettering in the satin superchrome, constant delamination of corners over a year, to the point where we asked the customer if we could simple replace the superchrome, we had to re-do the part wrap too, it the chrome pulled it from the van!
Nice film other than that!
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That’s awesome news 🙂
Fingers crossed it’s in one piece.
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Thanks guys, I got a price for now that enabled me to at least get a quote out, I’ve no idea who competitive it was so if you don’t mind, I’ll be in touch if the customer comes back. I’m not bothered about getting it mega cheaper than the price I have, would be nice to give it to a member here though.
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I know what you mean abut the reg blocks no aligning properly on larger graphics, I suspect that this is due to different thicknesses of different colour films (even within the same range), that’s what I have in my head but now I’ve just tried to think how to explain what I think… I have realised I can’t explain it 😂
@Leslie-Anderson As the guys above said.. use the registration marks, make sure they’re outside the boundaries of the text so that when you trip up, you can trim to the edge of the squares to align them when fitting. Though I’ve just realised this post is from July so, You’ve probably worked it out by now!
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Hi Jeff,
Bought from Ecotile, more expensive than the big dug tiles but I preferred the feel. They have a few options, and a recycled material (just trimmings from their own tiles) if you are ok with just black, that’s about 30% cheaper.
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wrap some teflon bbq sheets around the tyres 🤣
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Hi Rob,
I used Ecotile rubber flooring tiles, a hard wearing rubber, a finished surface a little like an old hammerite paint finish, easy to clean and pretty hard, though much nicer to kneel on than concrete.
I haven’t tried turning a wheel on them, I don’t want to try it as, while I don’t think it would damage an individual tile, it may pull at joints etc.
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ha, me too, especially when the daughter was testing the new floor!
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It’s well worth it! I put black tiles in the middle as the manufacturer said that if you leave cars on it for length periods, the rubber compounds from tyres/tiles can mix and discolour, so this was everything parks on the black and, typically does so straight!
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Yeah man, my new wheeeeeels!
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You mean the take up roll on the back of the Easymount laminator? I feel another video coming on!! In fact, I think I have one on the phone somewhere that I did for someone!
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You’re welcome, I find the extra height works well for me, it gives you a bit more leeway when aligning paper to vinyls, it also lets you drop excess material out over the end of the bench, once you do the first bit, pull it through and gently let it drop on to the vinyl before applying further. I’ve done around 10m in one stretch before now.
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We all started somewhere and, if you haven’t the benefit of having worked with experienced old hands in a lager company, you’re starting from square one! It’s long road but, I wouldn’t change it!
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I had to go back and look again… I like that! I’ve used clear on sliver / white many times for silly accreditation logos or things I don’t have vectors for / can’t be arsed to cut out, but I don’t think I’ve ever thought of doing large panels in poly. Works really well!
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I’m with you on this, Karen. 610 always done by hand with dispenser on the bench. much quicker than setting the laminator up.
On rare occasions I’ve taped up with 1220 app tape, but I find it stretches / is tensioned and is more prone to rucking up. By hand it’s a simple case of pull it out [ more than required], then gently lay it down from the centre to the end and apply,
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It’s the landlords ST, it was hiding in the unit when I punched through the wall into next door, I let him have it back! He has a 400hp RS ST too, not my cup of tea but it’s scary fast, without all the whizz poppety pop pop bang farty noises the yoof seem to like on their corsas these days 🤣
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It would be interesting to see, if we as a collective, could fund a Legally binding, Generic care sheet, along the lines of the stuff discussed above.
The most I’ve done before now, was 6 signs on top of each other, in my home town, this was around 2008, my mother remember the last sign I got to as a Travel agent that moved further up the High St… in the late 60’s! Needless to say I removed the lot and built a new frame, I also had to buy a new SDS drill as my hammer drill burned out after using 8 bits to drill three holes in the rendered façade!!
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Thank you!
In Oct 2004 I started (officially) in a 12x8ft timber (chalet style) workshop at the end of my garden, a simple 610 Summa plotter and about 0.5% of the knowledge I now know – which isn’t much 🤣 So you could say it’s 15 years in the making!
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Thank you!
I’m looking forward to having it finished and getting some work in there!
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My timber studio down the garden? They’re all the rage now, I do believe I was ahead of the game 🤣
This new workspace will be awesome when it’s done. It’s primarily so I have a more professional looking space for wrapping, we’re on a busy main road which is usually chogged with bored yummy mummies in their Q7’s that need wrapping! We’re going to push for that market but, to offer the premium service, we need premium looking premises!
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Due to contamination on the concrete (rubber from years of forklifts and fine oil spills), paint just doesn’t last, if I park a car inside when it’s wet, the tyres adhere to the paint and take it with them when the car is moved a day later!
I’d love a ramp, but can’t afford two of them, rubber flooring will hopefully help retain heat in the winter too.
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Do you have a link to an example of the type you mean, Gary?
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Good question, I’m not sure if it will affect anything if you don’t register. You may ‘have to’ to use it but I’m sure I just used to tell it to remind me in 30 days!
You can have a single disc on two pc’s and it’s unlikely the previous owner is still using it. I had mine on two pcs and two laptops for years when I had it. You can’t do that on the subscription service though.. two copies only, you have to delete the old before upgrading the new !
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Design is always a separate fee. I think I’d be more like £1200 plus vat on that one. possibly a little more.
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Totes agree!
Also, of course, once they’ve chosen the basic colours @ x amount, there’s the old “leave the fancy wrap swatch colours on show” element… almost guaranteed to catch the eye and upsell, despite the fancy colour being £20 a metre more than the one they chose!
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Completely agree, I’ve had 5 customers come in over the past week and a bit, all with little idea of what they want… all have left having increased their budget and it’s been a good start to the year. Once they’re here they can see various wrap swatches for some trick colours / colour combo’s, idea’s can be fleshed out there and then with real time changes in reaction to their reaction! I get a far higher conversion rate with a customer that comes and sits down for an hour, than those you spend equally as long chatting with via email.
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Happy New Year Myles,
Thanks for the reply, I’ll take a quick look into it!
Best
Hugh
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How did you get on with this Myles? I need to purchase some now!
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If they don’t go to you they’ll probably go elsewhere, and are probably driving about anyway, by the end of next week we’ll have done £5k in a handful of vans, some customers seem to be spending again and if not for them, we’d have very little to make.
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Having taken the time to fully read this now, Shane, I am most certain of one thing… You, Sir, are a true champion and role model of this industry and our peers. One of the nicest Human Beings I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. You’ve truly gone above and beyond what 99% of others would do and if this doesn’t reap some kind of rewards, be it karma, or on the other side – wherever that may be, than you’ve suffered an injustice!
Top Human’ing Shane.
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Hi Rob,
I don’t suppose you’ve had chance to check yet?
best
Hugh
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Hi Rob,
Yes, pretty much that, a good strong blue, I have a good range of light and dark blues that I’ve made myself and added to the palette but getting decent mid blues is hard!
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good to have an update on it, a shame the garage ruined the popped vinyl though.
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No problem Dan,
I thought that might be the case!
Hugh -
Thank you Shane.
Always nice to have the opinion of those who own both!
Best
Hugh
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No problem Mark.
I’m not properly set-up for trade but will help out if I can.
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Hi Ryan,
OK, Problem No.1 is the MD100, it has a craft liner and reacts to the heat – I bet you can never get an accurate contour cut when using it for labels, right?
I have the earlier L26500 but I suspect I’m correct.
1) switch to the MDL100 – it’s still a basic short term monomeric film, and it costs more but your contour issues will cease for one.
2) turn the heat down on it, I tend to use the MD3 profile for it but, it has a cure setting of 115°C!! turn that down to around 102 ish. You shouldn’t need more than that to cure any ink load.
If using MD100, then it’s really only for flat panel floods like site boards etc. it’s our budget option. I only use it in short runs too, maybe 8×4 panel floods, those I laminate half and half with a section of lam cut to fit.
It’s rare I do any large print jobs with MDL100 also. I can’t ever recall doing roll to roll on it.
Metamark MD5… I use this as my go to polymeric, on smaller pieces I will usually cut lam to fit and apply 50/50. If I am doing roll to roll then I have the take up and the laminate VERY LOOSE on the spindles, you don’t need tension there. On shorter runs of up to 5-6mtr I’ll usually hold the print feed and and tension on the roll in hand. For larger runs I mount the roll on a spindle below the front, pull it up over the bottom roller and attach to the take up, it is essential that the loaded roll of media is square and tensioned up well, I usually make sure to have a few feet of blank media to feed through, ensure the laminate is square to the media too.
Once you’re going you shouldn’t have any buckling issues but, if you do, I tend the take the media spool from it’s holder and walk back to let around a mtr out, keep it tensioned in your grip and the buckle seems to just vanish.
I’ve never found a perfect way (after 5yrs!) but the above is about as good as it gets. I rarely have issues these days… except for that super nasty wrap laminate which is like clingfilm and has the integrity of warm chewing gum… hate it hate it hate it!
oh yes… ensure not to wind the rollers down too tight, that causes it 100%. I’d rather a bit of silvering that buckling film. so.. rollers ‘just’ tight enough, media spindle… tight, laminate and take up spindles… loose!
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This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by Hugh Potter.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by
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Yup! when I bought it 5 yrs ago, the cost of the carts was around £80. they’ve gradually gone up, but around £20 a cart since HP said they were stopping production.
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The 360 and 365 are the same machine, and as the 365 is still current I can’t see them shutting that one down so soon. The 26500 was an ‘old model’ 5-6 years ago, there were a handful of new ones still floating about but not mainstream. My own 26500 was 3-4 yrs old when I bought it, just mega low miles at around 3000 mtrs or print. I bought it with the windows laptop / rip, 1400 easymount laminator (not the cheapy one) and a brand new summa cutter, so my repayments weren’t just on that HP, spread them a little longer than required but that’s pretty much paid off now.
I didn’t buy the 360 after all. Gut feeling and all that.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Hugh Potter.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by
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Seller was asking £6000 including an old 1600wide heated laminator.
I’ve pretty much given up looking for genuine inks, they’re there but at nearly £120 + shiping and VAT a pop, getting ridiculous. I bought a job lot of reputable 3rd part ink and have to say, it’s great. Though I’ll continue with genuine where I have it. I also have a stock of heads so, all being well, I should have at least 6 months worth of consumables. By the time they run out, I expect to have bought a replacement printer.
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Hi Rob,
I decided to wait a little longer, the machine was low miles at only 8000m and 90ltr of ink but I wasn’t convinced it was the machine for me. I brought some test prints home and did identical prints on my 26500 and actually felt the 26500 was better!
I very very nearly just went for it but gut feeling held me back…. someone will snap it up and get a bargain, I know, but..!!
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Thanks Colin,
I really can’t find any difference in the written specs.
Best
Hugh
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Glad it worked for you!
I generally request files from customers in PDF, I have an older CS£ AI installed on a laptop but day to day I use Corel, pdf works across all design software generally. Yes, you can import it to plot or send the pdf to print via a rip.
best
Hugh
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I agree, though I’m still using those doc enclosed wallets… I bought them about 10yrs ago and still have a couple of thou left. I doubt they can be recycled so I’m just using them up!
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Is the 360 not like the 26500 – by that I mean head config of 2x K+Y, M+LM, C+LC
Mike.. you’ll need to go into the menu and run some test plots. sometimes head cleans will sort it out, other times you’ll need to replace the head. typically I replace all the heads in the course of a 12 month period – usually only ever due to quality rather than the head throwing a terminal fault. That said, if you’r machine is under warranty, I’m pretty sure you need to swap out “out of warranty heads”, details can be found under “printhead information”
H
