[Mike Brown]

…flash yank! 😉

[Mike Brown]

Norman – open a new page in Corel, import your piece of clipart, then edit/copy it to the clipboard…now Open Signlab, and simple edit/paste it into the page…done!

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mikethesign

P.S. You could also export in from Corel as an .AI file and then import that into Signlab…

[Mike Brown]

Norton here also…it works! 😀

As regards your question Gavin:

quote :

What’s the most cost effective antivirus program on the market….?

I suppose it’s the one that stops the next virus! 😉

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

I dunno…you come on here after weeks without so much as a ‘hello’ or ‘how are ya’ and just casually demand this and that eh! 😉 😛 😎 😀

how are ya’ – how’s business?

give me a ring some time.

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[Mike Brown]

Paul,

Can’t help with the plotter type I’m afraid – heard of them but never used one.

Regarding ‘tangential emulation’, imagine cutting a square…

An actual tangential blade machine will cut one side of the square, lift the knife, turn it in the direction of the next cut, place it down ‘bang-on’ the corner and continue on its way…

The dragknife tries to emulate this but, as it cannot turn the blade (only drag it around), so it lifts the blade after the first cut, then lowers it a short distance outside the start point of the next cut. As the blade begins its next cut, this small distance allows the blade time to ‘pull-round’ facing the direction of cut – and intersect the corner with a clean cut.

SignUpDate Magazine…

In the meantime, the Editors name is Roger Hinchliffe, they’re based in Banbury, the phone number is 01295 660666 and the email address is: magazine@sign-update.co.uk

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Hello Phillip! 😎

luv the stuff on your web-site, nice one! 😀

Glad you found us and I look forward to hearing a lot more from ya’…

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Hi Michael!…(Michael what? – please fill in your full name in your profile) 😉

Good luck in your new venture. There are numerous suppliers of a whole range of products from all over the country. I’m sure others will suggest various suppliers and supply their numbers etc. – but in the meantime, the best hing would be to click on the ‘SignUpDate’ magazine link on the main page and contac them to receive your monthly trade magazine. That’ll give you a fabulous amount of information of who does what and from where!

Alternatively, use the ‘Search the boards’ feature at the top of this page and get readin’…there are thousands of previous topics and reference posts right here already.

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Hi Richard – and welcome to the madhouse! 😉

Sounds like you’ve a lot of experiance in quite a few fields…I look forward to hearing more about what you do, seeing examples of your work perhaps and anything else you can bring to the site!

Thanks for finding us – how did you hear of this site?

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Hi Gray!…and glad to hear you’re safe and sound back home.

We’d luv to hear about the highlights of your ‘Walkabout’ 😎 and any oiccies too – but realise you’ve probably got a million things to do right now! 😉

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Andy! – nice to see ya again… 😉

The very very best of luck with this new venture, it’s got to be a winner!

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[Mike Brown]

…I use a dragknife Graphtec – it’s brill!

Always found the tangential blade machines – especially the earlier spandex machines – were so noisy! Sounded like some contraption!

Dragknifes are beautfiul, simple and quiet…GET ONE!

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[Mike Brown]

I second that…and how do I get my link on the top of every page too??? 😉

[Mike Brown]

Hi Mark…and welcome the UKSignBoards!

Clicked on the link and was suitably impressed with what I saw! 😉 – a real beauty!

Look forward to hearing all sorts of stuff from ya’ and to seeing your web-site as it builds…

welcome once again. 😀

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[Mike Brown]

Dare I suggest that this problem of ‘finding stuff that’s gone before’ is a common one which all sites face sooner rather than later.

I remember me and Rob having a conversation about this many moons ago and that one idea was to simply ‘edit’ all posts after each 30 day period to remove the chitchat and leave the core information. The problem with this is the sheer effort such cataloguing takes in just one thirty day period!

Most of us don’t mind chatting over stuff again and again – over time that is! – but if we could ‘distill’ the most valuable information it would be another massive benefit to this site and one which would reflect our status as the UK’s No.1 Signmaking site for both comment and reference alike!

I do edit my own forums regularly. I clarify title descriptions, delete incidental posts, compress images to reduce page loading times, shorten reviews and comments made about them and so on. Hopefully, this will ensure they remain focussed, concise and rewarding to browse.

I can’t help feeling that at the end of the day – this type of stuff is well worth it – BUT – it takes a lot of man hours to maintain! You may not be able to do it on your own Rob…perhaps we need a few ‘librarians’?

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[Mike Brown]

no more forums PLEASE!!! – or it’ll start lookin’ like that other site! urgh!:wink:

I also think that more forums just means more confusion…what’s needed is simply more policing. Perhaps it’s time to enquire if anyone else fancies a spell as a moderator – even if it’s just as the ‘Post Police!’ 😎

Everything on site is fab! – this is by far the most professional and the best UK based sign site – period! Like so many, I tend to just follow the ‘most recent posts’ listings and don’t take too much notice of which forum they’re in…unless they’re in one of mine! 😀

Carry on mate! – and if you need any help – then just shout!

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[Mike Brown]

…yep Rob – there is a setting which emulates a tangential blade. As the job proceeds, the head repeatedly lifts and then touches down just to one side of the next cut, it then ‘jogs’ slightly, which pulls the blade around – facing the right way for the next cut…

It helps when cutting reflective, blast mask and other thick materials.

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[Mike Brown]

you’ll recall – we managed to cut text at 1.82mm high using a dragknife GRAPHTEC plotter! 😉 😎

waddaya mean ‘so what’! 😛

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[Mike Brown]

if it helps…

a ‘dragknife’ is like the front wheels on a shopping trolley – wherever you push to the trolley, the wheels just twist and follow… 😕

a ‘tangential’ blade is like the front wheels of a car – in order to change course, the wheels must first be turned to point in that direction… 😀

and so on…

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Andrew,

Welcome to the UKSignBoards. I’m sorry to hear of your situation and hope ou find gainful employment real soon – maybe even from someone on the boards? Or are you considering doing your own thing?

I’d never had any dealing with your previous employer though I’m aware of the name. How did it all come to this. If they were that busy was it bad management or was the customer base shifting?

Anyway, good luck and you’re very welcome to keep in touch here.

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Paul…welcome to the mad house! 😛

[Mike Brown]

WELCOME Tommy!… 😉

We’d love to hear plenty from ya’ and hope you learn lots being here too!

good luck in the signs side of things and make sure you show us stuff as you go – we love a good ‘nose!

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Here’s one for the album…NOT! 😉

From the left: Dave (Gray’s bother-in-law(standing)), Clare (leaning nervously away from ‘the nutter’ sat next to her!), Gray (“don’t you think I look just a little like Gary Cooper!), ‘the nutter’ (mikethesign – “how d’ya like the slippers!?), Daniel-son-of-gray (offered me money to digitally remove ‘dad’ from the photo), Steve (pay or I’ll slap ya’) Broughton, Bab’s (long suffering wife of Dave – and Gray’s sister), and finally our Bob (Fat Bob) who’s losing weight like a droppin stone so he’s gunna have to come up with a new name soon! 😉

Thanks to Bob for the pressies, Thanks to Steve for making such a long journey, thanks to Clare for a lovely spread and a BIG THANKS to the Hodge clan – you’re all quite certifiable!

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[Mike Brown]

…but just be aware if he asks if you wanna ‘see some puppies’ 😉

great spirit Becky!

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[Mike Brown]

can’t see anything ‘uninspirin’ about that layout – it looks nice and balanced and does exactly what it’s supposed to… 😉

nice money to earn in under two hours…unless you charge £37.50? 😛

great work Steve and another satisfied customer – just tell him not to leave it so late next time eh!….lol

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Martin, are you using clear application tape for the various layers??? – should be easy enough…

also, where you say you have a blue piece to ‘butt up’ to the lettering, why not edit this blue bit to go under the lettering – then simply plonk the letters on top of it?…

you could email me the item quickly and let me see if I can edit it to make it easier to apply…

email: mikethesign@btconnect.com

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…cya in the mornin’…. 😉

[cock-a-doodle-do]

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[Mike Brown]

…I also seem to have a name sharer?…welcome Lee…enjoy 😉

[Mike Brown]

Hey Steve – now Luke’s at it too…’technition’ indeed 😛 😀 [grin]

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[Mike Brown]

Welcome Philip!…

we’re all glad you found us and look forward to finding out all about ya’ (we’re nosey that way :wink:) so get postin’ and join in the fun – your advice, opinion and questions are just as relevant and valued as the next guys or gals’ 😀

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[Mike Brown]

…just for reference Rob…

about three years ago I paid around £300 for a mear silent benchtop compressor with all the whistles and bells on it like Lukes and paid summut like £110 for the airbrush, a ‘Hansa Classic 301’…

the first thing I learned was clean, clean, clean, clean…every time you use it – clean it…lol

they’re great fun (though often a little frustrating to begin with) and if you get fed up at any point you can just take yourself into the booth, turn the extractors off and let rip with a loaded airbrush…within a few minutes you’ll feel great from the fumes and it’s a lot cheaper than Southern Comfort too!… 😛

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[Mike Brown]

😉

[Mike Brown]

…funny that – my wife Clare calls me ‘irksome’ on a regular basis! 😛

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[Mike Brown]

…just a quickie Rich…When I was starting out, the single most important tool I had for getting new work was my van!

tart your van up to impress big time – and it’ll get ya work hand over fist…

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[Mike Brown]

…I had a demo for the Edge II at my place at the beginning of the year and I found the actual rep’ the most objectionable, arrogant and patronising person I’ve met in a long long time…turned me right off them, their machine and the whole Spandex experience!

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Shane!…and welcome to the UKSignBoards.

Glad you found us and look forward to reading all about what ya’ doin’, what yuv’ dunn and what yood like ta’ be at! 😉

get stuck in and, once again, welcome!

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…you ‘ol rocker you! 😉

what is it about signmakers – we’re all just lads at heart (oh, and ladesses).

nice van – nice car – nuff said…

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[Mike Brown]

Sorry to hear of your trouble Marty… 🙁

There but for the grace of God eh!

A lesson to us all – back up yur’ flippin files OK!!!! – [note to self, ‘practice what you preach’ 😕 ]

Now where did I put that removable hard drive..mmm?

Hope all comes real good – real fast Marty.

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[Mike Brown]

Fantastic work Terry! – I just love it!…and what a crying shame that someone should do that to it. Great news that you were able to save it.

I always get a buzz from seeing your work, there’s so much detail, you can see every brush-stroke and the colours are superb…more please! 😀

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[Mike Brown]

thanks Phill! 😆 😆 😆

I enjoyed that over a cup of coffee 😛 I can see your a man who’s had dealings first-hand with ‘homo-knobheaduss’ the direct decendant of homo-tightwadius 😉

There’s an old saying: “oft’ a true word said in jest’…and that’s certainly the case here.

brill stuff!

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Hi Norman and Susan!…a BIG WELCOME to the UKSignBoards (hot)

From what you’ve told us about yourselves it would seem you have a lot to offer on banners, curtains and decorating them – I’d be more than happy to help answer any questions of yours that I can…I do a bit with Signlab 5 you know 😉 …

I look forward to chewing the fat with ya’ on loads of stuff!

welcome once agaain to the best independant signmakers site in the UK!

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[Mike Brown]

…good point Mark – though most paint-shops will be using two-pack which is fine – but it would be good to ask first!….[grin]

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[Mike Brown]

…one I’ve fallen fooul of a few times is…

when the customer hasn’t furnished the tel number for a new business (waiting for British Telecom to supply a number) then I use my own (or a made-up one) to ‘fill-in’ the blanks on the drawings…then I forget to update this nearer completion date – the drawing file becomes a cutting file and the van ends up with either my own (or a fictitious) number on it!…duh!!!

…havn’t made this mistake for years now – but it’s never too late eh!

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[Mike Brown]

Martin,

I’d get some aluminium plates, cover them in vinyl (white) and then cut vinyl lettering (blue), take ‘um down the local body shop and have the lot laquered and baked in the spray oven (probably £30 or so) and then apply a layer of grip-fil builders fixative to the back along with some double sided carpet tape (yes carpet tape – have you ever tried to get this stuff off the floor!) to hold them in place while the gripfil goes off!

..only make sure they’re level and in the right place before you leave them! – cus they’re not gunna’ come off!

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

WOW!!! 😎 – what imagination…and a job well fitted by the looks of things too! 😉

thanks for sharing – this is something we don’t see too much of over here.

can’t make out quite what the red egg-timer shaped element is over the ‘O’ on the bonnet…? – just nosey.

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Phill…it’s been a pleasure to know you from ‘back then’…

you and other Jedi’s are, without doubt, part of the fabric of this site.

though you may not be the prettiest thing to log on and see first thing in the mornin’…your work is always a joy to see and you’ve helped so many here – who, I’m sure’, will join me in saying a big “thank you” and we all look forward to the next 1000 posts 😮

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[Mike Brown]

Fantastic John!!! 😎 – what a right corker…

Beautiful flowing lines and a very traditional feel to the texts.

sure, the phone numbers a little lonely – but who’s lookin’ at that anyway! 😉

cheers for sharing.

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

welcome back Alex! 😎

…NOW GET STUCK IN!!!! 😆

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[Mike Brown]

just so you know Gray – you’re still expected! 😎 …we’ll be here 😉

look forward to meeting you.

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Martin – glad to see you posting more of your stuff again!

The van graphics above have great impact and dark blue on white is a classic combination – always looks so smart 😎

would like to see more from you – more often 😉

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

sweet Gray – sweet! 😉

nice combination of colours and a strong geometric shape giving it impact!

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Johhny,

King’s Plastics in Bristol will do it – you’ll have to check the trade press for details – I’m in the middle of a workshop re-fit and can’t find anything! 🙁

Also, my local company Cherwell Sign Supplies will do it – Brackley or Banbury in Northants I think?…again , nothing to hand! 😥

hope it helps in some way…

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Steve,

I’m always surprised at just how cheap it is to get one-off steel brackets made at your local metalworkers!…something like a couple of stand off brackets to support such a sign would probably cost no more than £30-40…

screw them into place and then fix a piece of ‘waste’ 10mm foamex to these using countersunk screws leaving you a flat 10mm foam face to fix to – either using nipples and studs to stand proud or simply bond to it flat with either VHB tape (very high bond tape – use only the very best stuff, £30+ a roll) or bond it with a plastics glue (ask your supplier) or builders fixative such as ‘Gripfil’…put some spring clamps on it while it sets and remove them in the morning…or , if you’ve room you could get behind it and screw through the ‘waste’ 10mm board into the face board – being careful noto to break-through!

I’ve no doubt there are numerous other ways – just can’t think at the mo’…!

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Sorry not to have gotten onboard with this earlier – but the end result you have arrived at is smashin’! 😎 Peters points were the key and that shaped profile added last of all was a real inspiration!…well done.

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mikethesign

P.S. Don’t forget to charge them for the new logo and for anyything you gove them on CD for their future use in printing etc.!

[Mike Brown]

Welcome Justin!

It’s great of you to join in from so far away – we’ll try to make you feel as ‘at home’ as possible! 😉

I look forward to your different perspective on things – being a ‘jolly wrotten foreigner’ and all that – ‘what what!’… it’ll be great!…but then we’re all just ‘brothers in arms’ eh! 😎

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Marty – and welcome to the UKSignBoards!

Look forward to hearing from ya’

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[Mike Brown]

great use of colour and shape Eddie! :wink:…sometimes just words are enough.

Do we get to see the other dsigns you did them?.. 😎

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[Mike Brown]

nice one Rob! 😉

I luv the efect of the White over Blue – then the printed logo…and then the cut vinyl. It gives the piece a foreground and background with emphasis in all the right places!

The two lower signs are also beautfully laid-out…

cheers mate

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Hi Andie and welcome to the UKSignBoards!

Sounds like you have a lot of experience that we could all benefit from…and I for one would love to read more of what you have to say!

look forward to chewin’ the fat with ya… 😉

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

as you say Mike…

“some days you get the bear, and some days the bear gets you!”… 😀

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Gee! – Welcome to the UKSignBoards 😀

you should be able to jump straight in with your experience – what kind of work do you major in? Have you a premises? What software d’ya use? and what is the capital of Peru? 😛

Look forward to hearing all about youa dn your business and to chewing the fat with ya real soon!

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…Robert – Amari also do a range of this ‘frosted acrylic’…the one I like, a kind of frosted minty green colour, os called ‘Satin Ice’ and though this and many of the range are rarely available ex-stock in anything other than full (very expensive) sheets…

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[Mike Brown]

…well not only am I impressed with the job Alan – but I read and took onboard what you said about certain paints and the process…rest assured it’ll get used in future!

thank you! 😉

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[Mike Brown]

…nice one Mark 😎 – and how’s that for a first post!!!

Thanks for jumping in the deepend and I hope to see and hear a lot more from ya’! 😉

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[Mike Brown]

Hi darryl! 😀

Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out there 😕

We’ll all help as much as we can and the rest, as they say, is down to you! 😉

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[Mike Brown]

…what a colourful fun piece! – spot on Simon! 😀 are the letters made from foamex type board or acrylic?

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[Mike Brown]

it’s from an early 1980’s program called ‘WOT’… 😎 …sorry couldn’t resist it! 😀

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Alistair 😀 and welcome to the UKSignBoards!

…I couldn’t make it the the show – had a rush of work last week – legs and back still aching now! 😕

The last time I went (2 years ago I think) it was virtually all digital even back then. The demo area was good on that occasion, but I take it it wasn’t this year? – I remember reading the flyer for this years show and thinking ‘oh dear – where have all the live demo people gawn?’ 🙁

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[Mike Brown]

…well I watched a bit of the Eurovision Song Contest and…is it just me or was our girl singing in a different key to her backing music and her ‘fella’… 😕

…either that or she just plain can’t sing!!! 🙁

We were crap and got exactly what we deserved – ‘nil pwargh’ 😀

The only good thing about the entire show was, the winners dance routine, the Austrian nutcase and Terry Wogans’ comments about all them ‘jolly rotten foreigners’… 😆 😆 😆

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[Mike Brown]

all the very best to you and your husband Lorraine… 😀

enjoy your honeymoon – it sounds fantastic…

look forward to hearing all about it when you return.

safe journey

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Steve – I know I’m probably being a muppet – but is it so he/she can advertise their business on the roadside?…

If so, be carefull – people have been prosecuted before now for using these without authority…I understand such ‘official’ signs have to be applied for and granted by planning etc…

just thought I’d say – else we may have to have a new photo of you in ‘bracelets’…lol… 😀

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Martin…glad you found us! 😀

There are a number of edge users here and cetainly a few Rollo’s too!

Get stuck in – show us your stuff (if you like), get your photo emailed to Rob Lambie (admin) and rest assured your comment, advice and opinion is as vaild and welcome as the next guys and gals!

great stuff! 😀

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Jom…

I agree with John about the software – Corel would have been my first suggestion – you can get recent versions for next to nothing (free with breakfast cereal sometimes) and there’s an ‘add-on’ you can get (cheap) to output to cutter/printers too?…not sure of the name but it’s been mentioned here before.

With regards to the hardware – the problem is that advice will always be biased to some degree – itf it’s a dealer talking then they need to sell their gear, if it’s a user talkin’ then chances are theirs is the only set up they know and they have adapted and evolved their work around the gear they have…

Why not put together a small sample run and output it to several other trade supply companies. First ring around to determine what set-up they have, make a note, send the job and when you get them back you can compare the output and the costs?…though costs will very depending on the establishment. You could at least decide about the quality and finish.

Or…get each of the suppliers of these machines to demo it for you at your premises – many will do this – or – invite you to bring a sample file to their showrooms where they’ll run the item before your very eyes…

good luck and watch for more advice below…

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[Mike Brown]

brilliant Steve! 😀 – I love it!

That butterfly is so…so…so gorgeous! I understand why you used the icon on the left to balance the text and it does help – no question. I looked at it for a moment or two and thought ‘I really like the way that ‘peach’ section wraps under and along the lower edge of the lighter panel – it’s kinda like there’s more than one thing going on, almost like ‘a sign within a sign’.

very very nice indeed – one for the portfolio!

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[Mike Brown]

Hi Jom – and welcome to the UKSignBoards 😎

I’ve done paintball a couple of times, a few years ago now, back when the guns were single shot and a bit feeble! But I remember what a great buzz it was and have always vowed to do it again. I remember one incident in particular when my team were ‘storming an enclosure’ and I rushed up the embankment towards them, dropped to the ground for cover and put my elbow straight on a ‘mine’ – BANG!!!, straight in the face…NOT NICE!…apart from being deafened I ended up with a mouth full of sand and grit!… 😀 GREAT FUN!!!

thanks for joggin’ the memory and, again, a BIG WELCOME to the site!

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[Mike Brown]

yeah – bigger photos please Paul 😀 – looks great, just can’t see the detail…

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[Mike Brown]

…I mainly work within about a 15 mile radius or so – so this never really comes up, but, don’t I recall somewhere that both the AA and the RAC produce what they call ‘mileage guidelines for business’…then again maybe I just forgot my medication?…

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[Mike Brown]

R6? – isn’t that some sort of ladies bike?… 😎

Cracker of a job Paul…was it done on the deck or in situ (as it was so close to deadline)?…

Banner vinyl?

and that’s gotta be worth a few ‘frogskins’?… 😉

(for those not old enough to remember – old one pound notes were green coloured – hence ‘frogskins’)…feelin’ me age right about now!

Hey Steve – do you remember thrup’nee bits and ‘tanners eh!…lol – those were the days eh!

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[Mike Brown]

…well that shold catch their eye – as surely as if you’d picked um up and slapped um down on one of those spikes!!!…lol

One thing so badly missing in so much of todays signwork is….shape!

Everything’s so bloomin’ square, so predictable, so boring! You can make something fabulous from a square or rectangular sign but the fact that a sign has a unique profile means that feature alone gets ‘noticed’ long before the words can be read and ensures it stands out from the crowd – a great way to increase both the effectivness of the sign and the value to the customer (and therefore the cost too!)…a good lesson for all Paul!

a crackin’ piece of work

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[Mike Brown]

sweet as a nut Paul – a good composition and ‘brave’ enough to know when it’s quality not quantity that a job requires 😉

I, for one, would be interested to know about such lettering please…I’m in the middle of refurbishing ‘the shed’ and when finished intend to have several classic new pieces on the walls inclusing gilded champfered (sp?)lettering…

Just remind me why it’s 23 1/4 carat gold and not 24 carat?…I’m sure I read somewhere there’s a reason for this?….

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[Mike Brown]

WOW!!! (<(

just what of this set is yours Steve – all or some?

how much?

how long?

how come?

you can’t just say ‘look at this’ and then leave it at that! – surely, we wanna know more…lol

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Hi Simon and welcome to the site – you’re VERY welcome here…

we could do with some router stories and examples so any chance you get – get the camera out and maybe throw something into the pot…

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

beautiful Alan…simply beautiful 😉

what a perfectly wonderful thing to be asked to do…

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Steve – what a fabulous array of wheelcover designs…

The Maplethorpe one looks even more impressive in real life – so I can only imagine how great some of the others looked when made-up!!!

My eye is particularly drawn to the dreamscapes one…was that cut vinyl or printed? – it’s beautiful!

Great idea, very reasonable prices and some great examples too – more please. 😉

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…not that you’re bias or anything jon ‘m’ = what’s the ‘m’ for anyway? 😉

more soon

mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Hi Geraint,

I would second everything the others have said…

It’s a great profession to be in and is full of folk who stumbled into by chance…like me! 😉

Go for it and enjoy it – even the mistakes you’re bound to make 😀

more soon

mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…Hi Danny…

I use Signlab Version 5.12 also…havn’t bothered with evil6 yet!

It’s not cheap but it’s worth every single penny!

buy it as soon as you can!

more soon

mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

Martin,

I’d just do it in Oracal 751 and then maybe frog juice it afterwards (never used FJ myself but it seems to be the thing in these situations?)…

It’s simply a case of ‘do what you do’ and explain to the customer that if it’s vinyl he wants then it’s vinyl you’ll do – but it may not last more than ‘a season’!….

I suppose you could use Spandex 220 or 110 series ( I think that’s what they’re called) – great stuff, top of the range – would stick to an igloo – though the initial tack of the 220 is weird 😕 and it costs…BIG TIME!

more soon

mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…fabulous work Scott – fabulous! 😉

[Mike Brown]

…hello Lynn…you’re very welcome!

There are all sorts of folks here doing all sorts of wonderful stuff right across the board…excuse the pun!

give it a day or two and I’m sure many will chip in and voice an opinion or give you some guidance…in the meantime a very BIG WELCOME!

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…welcome indeed Danny!!!… 😉

This has to be the number one resource for uk based signmakers on the web…thanks for joining in!

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…FUCK OFF IS IT!…

[Mike Brown]

😀

[Mike Brown]

…great piece Steve… 😉

I like the large blue vertical ‘straps’ on the sides and back – bit like large ribbons wrapping up a parcel…sorta’ 😕 …well I like it anyway…

smart effect on the main initials and a pleasant blue theme troughout – smart indeed!

more please…

mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

a BIG BIG WELCOME Ken! 😎

it doesn’t matter what you wanted to do – you’re here now 😛 …

most of us started out intenDing to do (or be) something else. Rob Lambie use to be an exotic dancer called Beryl and Steve Broughton started out his career as a cocker-spaniel!

just go with the flow!…

look forward to talking to you more

mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…I agree Martin…

what started out as a good idea, now surely ranks amongst the best sign sites on the planet!…and it’s all down to the enthusiasm, dedication and downright friendliness of everyone here!

I do my bit – but, there are a great many days when I just enjoy visiting and catching up on all the gossip, views and ideas that are the trademark of this fabulous site.

Thanks to Gray always being here to help others and join in – even though he’s often asleep when we’re awake!…thanks Gray!

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…STUNNING!…

[Mike Brown]

brill!!! 😀 😀 😀

thanks Alan, items like this just kinda make yur’ day! 😎

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

that’s not bad at all! 😉

if not then print…oops!, did I really just say that!….lol

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mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…use a ‘proper’ heat gun everytime.

the temperature needed to soften vinyl into recesses is, apparently, about 200-250 degrees…and to ‘cook’ it afterwards, about 600-650 degrees!!! You can’t get this kind of nozzle temp from a hair dryer.

more soon

mikethesign

[Mike Brown]

…the technical term for this is ‘delamination’ and it is caused by the blade cutting too deep – right through the vinyl and into the paper backing too!

Different vinyls from the same supplier and indeed from the same range will vary in thickness. For example, the Europoint red vinyl receives two lots of pigment to ensure it has enough opacity (covering power) – this and other differences across the range mean that the blade will often achieve varying degrees of penetration depending on the colour/material. Of course, this is most noticable when you switch from thicker ‘calendered’ vinyls to the thinner ‘cast’ ones…

All you can do is cut a sample first and weed it – or set the machine running and then pause it after a minute, peel back the unwanted vinyl to the edge of the nearest cut line and then lift the cut letter/item at one corner to see if the blade has sliced into the paper.

An alternative method is to pause the cut after a minute and then look at the reverse (underside) of the vinyl/paper to see if you can see ‘score-marks’ in the paper backing…if so, then turn down the bladde pressure!

more soon

mikethesign