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All that matters is making a decent living/profit from your expertise and labor if you cant make a decent profit why even do it. I worked for a friend that was a contractor many years ago he would, only pay me 6 bucks an hour but would let me work a hundred hours a week if I wanted I finally grew a brain and figured that I should not have to work a100 hours to make what I should in 40 so dont price just to get a job but to make a decent living at the same time.

Photoshop is a raster art program (bitmaps, jpgs, etc.). Cutting software like SCALP needs vector files - .EPS, .SVG, .AI, .etc. It is possible to save a file from PhotoShop into a pseudo-vector file, but it's not really a vector - it's just a vector file that contains raster information. You can try and import your image into a free program like Inkscape and tracing it as a vector in that, or if you have access to Illustrator or CorelDraw, you probably want to do your design work in one of those vector based apps.

I'm sitting here at Mickie D's having breakfast before heading home. I spent yesterday over at Mr.300's house shooting the breeze and learning different techniques of our trade from each other. You know, you can learn a lot from old farts(I should talk). He was talking about knocking out a wall to make room for all his phone cases because he is not allowed to store any in tbe bedroom anymore. He gave me pointers on getting back into making cases and showed me a few new tricks. If you need blank phone cases, he's the one to contact. Anyway, my 10 day drive about through Florida is coming to an end and it's back home to the old grind. I don't know who I miss more, the wife or my cat, lol.

Just a side-note, when using a script font like that, make sure you apply WELD, because otherwise the overlapping letters will cut into each other.

I get $5 a sf. 18 sf would be $90 and it applies just like anything else just make sure you clean it good. I 7 usually wipe it down with app fluid or alcohol

3 color Matte vinyl on coroplast, 2 styles of the Zodiac symbols plus text. Seemed like something handy to have around.

I have used it to wrap strobe lights for a snow removal truck, they sent all clear LED's and he needed some yellow/amber. It required heating for some of the curves and it went on with no trouble. It seems to be thicker than normal colored vinyl.

Saw a sign for a new thrift store that opened on the outskirts of town... As I drove up to the storefront, I could see that they were trying to get by with making their own signs... Above that was a matching sign that read "We reserve the right to refuse anyone"... Refuse them service, I presume. At the register was a sloppy, handwritten note that reads - and I quote, "nothing bigger than 50 dollers". Which I assume means "No bills larger than a $50, please"... And yes, they spelled "dollar" with an "e"... They're in a location that has a reputation for businesses that don't last very long... Not sure if it's worth my effort to go back with a business card...

Not worth it -- they will just tell you "No budget for signs" This is the Chicken-and-Egg type business. They don't have good, attractive, impressive signage, which can draw in more customers. Because they don't have enough customers, they aren't making enough money. Without money, they can't afford better signs. So, they don't have more customers who take them seriously and want to come in. And that results in not enough income, so they can't afford better signs. etc etc etc Lather Rinse Repeat

Sounds like too much blade exposed, or it would not pick up the vinyl.. Set blade like this below Also now that you have gotten into the adhesive, clean your blade with alcohol or similar. Slow down your speed for detailed designs. You bought the least expensive value cutter there is, so expect to be tweeking the settings on every run.. The Silhouette is made by Graphtec, a great name in vinyl cutters. You bought the opposite end in vinyl cutters. Don't expect it to cut nice and clean like the Silhouette What brand of vinyl are you cutting? Make sure you don't have duplicate layers, that is a good reason it is cutting 2 times. Where do you have your blade offset set at? To start with, you should set your blade depth correctly, by taking the blade holder out of the machine, and firmly cut across a piece of scrap vinyl, you will be cutting. You should only be cutting the vinyl and barely a mark on wax paper backing, Adjust blade to get there, Then put the blade holder back in machine, and use the force of the machine to get there, same results, only cutting the vinyl and barely a mark in wax paper backing.

LOL Good seeing you again Arty Until next time :laugh:

That's up to you. It's YOUR business. For reference, walk into any franchise sign stores (Sign-A-Rama or FastSigns) and see how they operate. In my shop, the only sign regarding pricing was one that said "$50 Minimum Order"

++++ Most times making SOME profit is better than making none. If you are too high and lose the job Profit = $0 Finding the balance point in YOUR AREA is the trick. Time for the Secret Shopper! Find out what the local prices are. Call around or have a friend shop. People don't mind paying a LITTLE more if they feel they're getting more...friendly help, advice, better quality, etc. What do YOU offer that your competition can't or doesn't? Sue2

For that design you will need the jpss full color Heat Transfers If you can't print them yourself there are several here that can. Or design it, have someone print direct to garment and mark it up. Sue2

I think you took it wrong, making a fair profit had already been established. He probably has to pay more for supplies than a company who orders in bulk, doesn't have all the tools they have available and hasn't been doing it as long. So can he still beat their price? Only he knows what he wants to make. If you try to get every penny possible every time, customers will be few and far between. Sometimes making a few dollars less upfront pays off down the road with repeat business and good recommendations. Freebies should only come with a tax deduction receipt.

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Save the brain cells.

Just to give you an idea. I had real good luck with memorial mirrors. You know the in memory of type. I would do the standard name and dates,and include something personal. If he was into hunting,fishing,sports etc. Many larger mirrors were used at the funerals. I made smaller mirrors for the family members. I have several funeral homes displaying these for me. People love them. They are a pretty easy sale,as long as you can produce the mirror in time for the funeral. Even if you can't,they sell well.

I would give sales a call and let them know what you are doing and expecting from the machine - not sure if the sillouette is the same way but the sc is a manual contour cut machine - meaning you have to point it to each registration mark before contouring - unlike the graphtec. roland and gcc cutters that automatically find the registration marks.