Mark Johnston
Forum Replies Created
-
Mark Johnston
MemberApril 17, 2024 at 3:32 pm in reply to: fixing plastic locators to composite, help?we buy ours in with the locators already fitted but in the past we have used some sort of black silicon adhesive to fix some in place for a job that had them missing.
-
Hi Jean
you can sometimes buy short rolls of banner material on eBay and here is a quick find on google. http://www.wjleech.com
wjleech.com
We specialise in tensioned curtains for both dry freight and refrigerated vehicles and trailers, security curtains, tarpaulins, covers, tilts and bespoke products.
-
about time, logging in drove me nuts! ๐คฌ joking, much better matey. ๐๐
-
sounds like there are some annoying limits but this is definitely the way forward for van graphics and wraps. ๐ the bit about not being able to rip off the designs. could they not just pause the video and take a screenshot?
how long from start to finish would something like you have done in this video take to do in zeno david? -
leslie, ebay has loads of sublimation stuff on it like heat presses and mug presses and cheap too!
-
Mark Johnston
MemberMarch 25, 2024 at 11:53 pm in reply to: Badly made free-standing signs. what do you think?thinking they were trying to save some money is probably giving them too much credit. ๐คฃ
i think this is a classic cowboy who thinks this is probably the way to make one of these signs. -
Mark Johnston
MemberMarch 17, 2024 at 9:42 pm in reply to: Caldera RIP Software, views and advice needed, please.I have never heard that one print can be suitable for all different materials. ๐ค
banner material
vinyl
contravision
glass etch
roll up stand material
paperThats six and i am not even trying!
-
๐คฃ๐คฃ
i thought that i was opening this to a damaged print head or burst ink cart or something. ๐ณ
-
another nice job david. ๐
we do not print it all in one go in case we bugger up aligning the wrap. so adding the text afterwards give me another go at it. ๐
-
canvas printing and stretching around a hidden wooden frame seems to be the “in thing” at the moment. Tescos and ASDA do them. i think it is a simple enough thing to make with no expensive tools needed.
-
well done mate, it is always great to have some new kit or tools to play with. ๐
-
always outside for me.
@DavidHammond is it not going to want to curl off at the top and bottom easier than push out mate?
-
brill, thanks lads.
john, do your signs come blank so we can change the text and colours?
just asking because the ones i found online are engraved and i want to add the text and stuff for my customer. -
can i leave thinking about it, until the 4th of January, my head is still sore! ๐ค๐
we are going to discuss things when we start back. but like you, no massive changes. but we do need to sort out some bad habits.
-
i like the idea of 3d scanning and tracing vans and stuff. and I have seen some budget scanners being advertised. but reading this post has opened my eyes a bit ๐ค so i think i will hold fire and see if anyone has some success. ๐
-
Mark Johnston
MemberNovember 10, 2023 at 12:45 pm in reply to: Signmakers underwear, what do you wear? -
Mark Johnston
MemberOctober 17, 2023 at 9:01 pm in reply to: Wrapping my new van. How would you do it?the van looks really good martyn. nice one mate. what vinyl did you end up using?
-
Mark Johnston
MemberOctober 3, 2023 at 10:11 am in reply to: ONYX RIP Software, forced upgrade, Rant.there must be somewhere you can buy an old disc online. have you tried ebay?
-
Mark Johnston
MemberOctober 3, 2023 at 10:05 am in reply to: Oppertunity to get into liquid doming of graphics.I used a doming kit from Grafityp a while back. it came with multiple nozzles and liquid and a small dispenser gun.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberOctober 3, 2023 at 10:03 am in reply to: Sometimes you have to just laugh and shake your headโฆit looks like most of the signs i pass these days. ๐
-
Mark Johnston
MemberSeptember 18, 2023 at 11:18 am in reply to: N-Gage Graphics: Some of our recent workamazing work Iain. looks like you have been busy, bud! ๐๐
-
We are not designers as such.
we include a bit for the design work when we quote but if something looks very design involved we just add something to cover the costs. -
Mark Johnston
MemberAugust 21, 2023 at 1:46 pm in reply to: A Ford Transit Custom van wrap, or is it!that looks cool. really smart rob. ๐ but those moulds look terrible to fit over. ๐ณ
-
Mark Johnston
MemberAugust 16, 2023 at 1:40 pm in reply to: Looking for a trade / wholesale supplier of Berghaus garmentsi have never heard of Berghaus mate.
just googled them, would they not offer you a trade account or point you in the right direction for a trade supplier?
https://www.berghaus.com -
@Hugh-Potter it is signwaves we use also mate but i am willing to vote with my feet and find another supplier that isnt selling to joe public.
-
the main thing is you have successfully performed the part you have been paid to do, and that is to wrap the vehicle to your customerโs specifications. the job looks great based on what they asked and that for me, is all that matters.
Peters is correct mate, your work is all that matters and you have done a great job.
i like it and the only thing i would have added was to maybe bring the light blue stripe from the back around onto the side at the back. just one. ๐๐ -
-
Perfect David, that’s very helpful mate. ๐
-
Thanks for the picture david, that makes sense now mate. ๐
Who is it that offers this? -
Sorry if I have missed this, but who do you use to send these pallets?
I could lie down the panels over two pallets, and pay for two pallet spaces, at the risk of having other pallets stacked on top.
How does this work David? do you load the signs on top of the pallets once in the truck or do you have to join the pallets with the signs on it? I can’t see how a forklift would lift that though. Sorry if I am being dim. ๐ค
-
thanks for the details rob, ill add andys company to our supplier list. ๐
-
ยฃ200 for the gas torch??? ๐ฏ that is steep seeing as you have to continually refill it with gas.
what did you pay for your cordless gun rob? -
Obviously the vinyl catches fire if you leave it on a second too long
๐คฃ๐คฃ
Exactly why I never got around to trying one of those blow torches.
I have always thought they looked very awkward to hold. ๐คจ -
thanks very much Andy, thats the advice i needed mate. ๐
-
It will be an impressive job for your portfolio if you get it and would be great to hear how you get on with it mate.
best of luck Hugh. -
We buy regularly from Amazon. ๐
Buy British yes, but “British manufactured”.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberJune 26, 2023 at 3:51 pm in reply to: Tips and advice for applying large graphics onto a concave wall?the finished job looks great myles. ๐
-
hi charlotte
I dont know what Jeff is referring to but i think some Metamark issues have been discussed a few times on this website recently. i don’t know if its the same problem you are having though. -
Yes that makes sense Andy. every day is a school day! ๐
cheers
-
Mark Johnston
MemberJune 2, 2023 at 11:37 am in reply to: How long you wait for your wrap prints to dry before laminating?we are the same peter. 24 hours for our prints.
-
I realise you will know what you need, “better than me” ๐ but are aluminium posts a good idea?
I always thought posts need to be steel? -
some really nice jobs there david. ๐
did you do the grass wrapped car also?
-
Mark Johnston
MemberMay 25, 2023 at 9:52 am in reply to: Thinking to only offer matt finish lamination on digital, daft or good idea?We have matt in stock just now but seldom use it. mainly always gloss.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberMay 25, 2023 at 9:41 am in reply to: We really do have it easy compared to signmakers back in the day -
Mark Johnston
MemberMay 18, 2023 at 10:54 pm in reply to: I bet you didn’t increase your prices accordingly compared to the auto industrywe have been putting extra ยฃยฃยฃ on here and there but as you say it is difficult. i would be really interested to hear tips by any of you on how you manage to convince your customer to pay more than he normally does or worse, pay more than he can get it along the road from the next sign company. ๐
-
brave leap of faith but i think you made the right choice. ๐
-
this is really cool, i like that. cant have been easy to fit though. ๐คจ
-
Mark Johnston
MemberApril 11, 2023 at 8:12 am in reply to: Vehicle graphics, what would you do different?the colours are not good and everything seems to merge into each other.
the Scotland flag thru the logo just makes matters worse! -
Mark Johnston
MemberApril 11, 2023 at 8:09 am in reply to: Whats happened to the price of heat guns?thanks for the replies guys.
by the looks of it i think i will try amazon the next time. still plenty of junk brands but if i spend ยฃ35 i am at least im getting something like Bosch rather than the Chinese cheapo ones. -
Mark Johnston
MemberApril 6, 2023 at 4:01 pm in reply to: Staff wage rates, views and opinions please?wages are one thing, try finding a sign fitter or wrapper worth paying anywhere close to these prices. no end of problems!
-
Mark Johnston
MemberApril 5, 2023 at 9:54 am in reply to: Do you charge by the linear meter or by the square meter?that sounds like a pretty good way of doing it rob. i am going to try that mate! ๐
-
Mark Johnston
MemberApril 4, 2023 at 11:30 am in reply to: Do you charge by the linear meter or by the square meter?we work the price out at a square metre but I don’t think that is the best way. i think it should change but most appear to do it this way also.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberMarch 27, 2023 at 4:11 pm in reply to: Making your own reflective chevron kits?fair enough mate, but we occasionally get asked to do batches of vans and machines. it would be good to just stick them on the machine and do them ourselves.
is there nowhere to buy artwork for them or is that a daft question? ๐
-
from those recommended which supplier gives a proper warranty on “black” composite?
Iain are you looking for a new composite supplier due to cutting services or are you having issues with your composite, like me? ๐คจ -
we stripped a van a few weeks ago and it was an absolute pig to get the vinyl off. you could see where the primer had been applied. it was caked in adhesive. wish i had taken pictures because all that the customer was want to know was “why it took so long???” this was only because we had to charge more than quoted, and still it was not enough to cover our grief. ๐ live and learn.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberMarch 7, 2023 at 9:04 am in reply to: What temperature should i heat the surface when I am post heating?that workshop is really cool. ๐
if post-heating then the gun is up full, if very little heat is needed, then the little heat setting it is. ๐
i hate the term “post heating” just wanted to get that off my chest. ๐
-
Mark Johnston
MemberFebruary 15, 2023 at 9:28 am in reply to: Best long term outdoor Mirror vinyls for cuttingwe have used the stuff that rob has linked to, good to work with and no complaints but not cheap!
-
Mark Johnston
MemberFebruary 6, 2023 at 1:03 pm in reply to: vinyl colour samples, do you pay for them?we are not a customer of Papergraphics but they also gave us a cool sample box like this free of charge but like David said it is pointless unless you have a need. i think it is more of a promotional type thing for some suppliers rather than just giving it to anyone at any time for nothing.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberFebruary 2, 2023 at 2:16 pm in reply to: vinyl colour samples, do you pay for them?you may have to pay for wrapping colour swatch books but not the colour cards. at least we haven’t.
-
good point colin. i wonder how many are chancing it, and doing the same. ๐คจ
-
we have put our prices up but the problem is how often they go up! it is one thing trying to tell a customer the prices have gone up, but try telling them that for the third time, when his three vans he has had done in the past 10 months, all the same size, are different prices. ๐ฌ๐คฃ
-
Mark Johnston
MemberJanuary 22, 2023 at 12:58 pm in reply to: Wrap Fest at Silverstone, Northampton.have to agree with karen. this would make more sense at the Birmingham sign show. i would like to go but there is no way i would get my boss to attend both. ๐
-
amazing, just shows you when you think wrapping is cool, this comes along. ๐
i don’t think BMW will have spent all this time and money on something like this without taking the legality into account. plus, the UK is a tiny market in comparison to most other countries.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberJanuary 5, 2023 at 11:45 pm in reply to: Vehicle graphics. Fitting advice please?happy new year Leslie!
i think the obvious is that the wind and rain plays havoc on the installation for the fitter and the cold stops the vinyl from sticking properly. i know what you mean though, customers think that as long as it is not raining then “what’s the problem?” ๐
-
-
-
Mark Johnston
MemberDecember 13, 2022 at 8:55 pm in reply to: Can i cut magnetic roll in a vinyl cutter?perfect timing karen!
i have just made a post about magnetic signs. i didn’t know you could do this either. ๐๐ -
what about using LED neon flex leslie?
-
Mark Johnston
MemberNovember 1, 2022 at 5:15 pm in reply to: Martyn Heath: Recent Work, Lorry Fest.all great work mate, i agree with karen. The wolf graphics are the nutz! ๐
-
is Metacast not the “cylindered cast” that many think is inaccurate or wrongly promoted because it is not a real cast?
-
Mark Johnston
MemberOctober 11, 2022 at 9:27 am in reply to: wrapping digital vinyl around a board?we tried this in the past. like the others have said, it doesn’t stop it from shrinking it just hides it.
it is a bit time consuming doing it properly so there isn’t a sag left down the edge. it is fine for one or two boards but when you have lots it is a tedious task to save a few quid. ๐ค -
i dont think you can ever be too careful, David. we have put disclaimers at the bottom of invoices and emails, still you get customers trying to pull a fast one. all they want is cheap cheap cheap or fast and cheap until something goes wrong and you are to blame.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberOctober 6, 2022 at 7:15 am in reply to: Are you still doing the same amount of vehicle graphics as before?thanks guys!
this gives me a bit of reassurance it is not just us!
i have heard about van shortages but you know what it is like these days. as soon as something goes wrong, covid is blamed.we thought, surely if things are tough then more people would try and promote their company more with van graphics. even on old vans because you start looking at any way to get your name out there or maybe thats just me. ๐ค
-
we did two of these a bit like rob has said.
a 10x5ft sheet cut to two 5x4ft
the extra foot we cut at an angle making it come to a point like a house roof.
then a wooden bead around the edges and a decorative edge inside that. stained and varnished and then letter it. the customer loved them. -
Sweet. thats the dogs nuts David. nice one!
-
Hoarding is mega cheap. cheaper than pvc foamboard these days.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberSeptember 15, 2022 at 9:35 am in reply to: Digital Signage Billboard. The Queenit is defo the way things are heading, but the cost of one of these digital screens is nuts!
surely these things can’t be considered eco-friendly compared to a paper pasted bill board? -
Mark Johnston
MemberSeptember 15, 2022 at 9:30 am in reply to: Energy Crisis effect on the signage industrywe do not have a lot of options. we use only what is really needed to power machines and things.
the heaters are off, thermals on! ๐คจ -
Mark Johnston
MemberSeptember 6, 2022 at 11:22 am in reply to: Ergosoft PosterPrint 12, install cd…looks like all the downloads are here.
https://www.ergosoft.net -
Mark Johnston
MemberAugust 5, 2022 at 7:41 am in reply to: Mactac printable wrap film. Any experience?My understanding is that mactac is aimed more on the budget side and not comparable as such to the top makes of wrap. I havent used it though, we have only used it for cut vinyl work.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberJuly 11, 2022 at 10:41 am in reply to: Ford Transit custom, wrapping advice needed, please?That looks great mate, very smart! ๐
how was the mactac to wrap with? i have never used it.
-
Do you think it would be possible to use a hand held router and be accurate enough to follow the outline of vinyl letters. or am i being silly? ๐ค i mean if i traced the letters i would then want to then insert the neon in the groove i routered.
-
wow Kenya! thats a cool story and interesting to read mate. ๐
-
Mark Johnston
MemberJuly 10, 2022 at 9:27 pm in reply to: RYDELL HIGH SCHOOL – Stage Set floor graphicsnice work leslie. ๐
what size are the letters on the floor? -
we have folded acrylic using a couple of clamps to hold it in place because it gets hot and heat it with a heat gun.
we cut a piece of card to the angle we want and held it to the side so that we bent them all at the same angle.
this wasn’t curved like that though. this was for small desktop signs but worked well.
-
i have never saw either of these joining strips but they look like they would work great!
the tongue and groove one looks more like what we currently do but using double sided foam tape and cuttings of composite or ally. -
rob i saw an old post once saying that you use denim on your squeegee. is this something you would still use? i thought that was a good idea.
-
Mark Johnston
MemberJuly 1, 2022 at 8:04 am in reply to: PVC Free vinyl. does anyone think they will change over to this?we are the same David. had some reps in our place but the price is higher than normal and has a shorter life?
i struggle to get the boss to buy a quality wrap vinyl so i doubt he will look at paying more for non PVC. -
same here jeff. imagine having this type of work all year long. ๐ขโด๐
In 2019 I won a small contract for a UKSG-accredited vinyl installer for a global cruise liner company.
so can you put my name down for the next job like this rob? ๐คฃ
-
๐คฃ sounds like me
-
cheers john. ๐
-
nice video. we do something similar but masking tape it first then fold the paper back to make the hinge and apply it.
-
so are you actually using the scanner for this job then. are you cutting the panel infill using the scan?
-
i think this has happened to everyone at some point karen. ๐
-
agreed ๐
-
Mark Johnston
MemberJanuary 5, 2023 at 11:47 pm in reply to: Thoughts on wrapping windows in cold temperatures / rainy dayHi Martyn
do you do anything different when you have to work in those temperatures?
-
great tip with blazeback Colin. i have just been looking there and they are really well priced.
we are winding down for the chirstmas and i have been wanting to sort this out for a while now. ๐ -
Mark Johnston
MemberDecember 19, 2022 at 10:39 pm in reply to: Magnetic signs on vans, help needed?that pricing sounds straight forward enough mate. i will do that!
i am with you on the warranty. how can we really be liable for it not being fitted correctly or blowing off? ๐คจ
-
Mark Johnston
MemberDecember 19, 2022 at 10:37 pm in reply to: Magnetic signs on vans, help needed?wow! i have never heard of that, do you mean sticks like vinyl after a while? ๐ฎ
thanks Gordon. ๐