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dirtrocker

Ya'll are enablers.

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Each and every one of you.  :lol:

 

What did I get myself into?
I was talking with some folks about the sublimation stuff, one guy wants 24 mugs done up with a simple design as soon as I get set up and comfortable.

Then he wants more for his business and thinks his business partner will want some.

Told him that I'd have to charge a reasonable rate for them. 
He tells me how much the last ones cost him, with image set up charges, shipping and all that.

Evidently, some promotional places charge a vector and per color charge for the image to print to mugs?
Granted, his old ones look really good, but man he paid for it.  :blink: 

I haven't even got set up yet.
And then wants to know when I'll have the heat press for mouse pads and stuff.

Wait. What? 

I have no idea how this happened. 


Now I have to figure out how many mugs I have to order and good grief, I'm not telling them about the shot glasses yet. Who knows how many of those they'll want.

I am so sunk.  :huh:

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You have NO idea what the made me buy.   

 

I'll debut it in another week or 2.  It's top secret till then.  

 

True enablers.  

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Didn't I warn you all about these enablers?:huh:

They're everywhere.....

 

Great to hit the ground running!

It's just the the set-up & LEARNING CURVE you have to

worry about now!

 

Why not go take a look at them 3D printers...

you could offer custom designed logo teaspoons to go

with the mugs!

 

;D

Sue2

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Do yourself a favor.  Buy some extra blanks - buy some extra transfer paper - play with all the gear and turn out a few successful items before you even think about trying to do work for a client.

 

When I see a post that starts out "HELP - I just bought all this gear and have clients waiting for a big project that is due in 2 days and I am stuck and don't know what to do!", I am far less likely to help out..  Maybe (OK, definitely) that makes me a jerk, but people shouldn't put themselves in that situation and then ask for free help to bail them out...

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Agreed OW.

 

Which is why we've agreed that I will get comfortable with it, before he makes the order.
He knows me well enough to know I won't start on something like that until I'm happy with the results.
He is a person I've done a few bike tanks for, so he knows my work already.

 

So it's likely that I won't start on his stuff until late summer.

I have to make sure that everything is the way I want it, before I make anything for anyone else.
I mostly started this as a way for me to make what I want for gifts, things for friends and the like.

So making money on it is not my priority.
I have my regular job as my main source of income and painting as my side work.
For what I consider a nominal investment, if I don't make money on this, I'm ok with that.

Plus the fact that I've already owned 3 side businesses and really don't want that headache again. 
They consume your entire life and I'm old enough to be at that point in my life where when I am not at work, I like to enjoy my time. Making things is something I enjoy though. LOL!

 

And my accountant will probably have a fit if I start another business, cause my record keeping leaves a lot to be desired and post it notes are not for record keeping. At least that is what he tells me.  :lol:

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And my accountant will probably have a fit if I start another business, cause my record keeping leaves a lot to be desired and post it notes are not for record keeping. At least that is what he tells me.  :lol:

Post it's may not be but after this years bill dry erase board may be better  ;D

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So it gets better. Wife comes up and asks when I'm ordering the heat press.

The what? 
The heat press, when are you ordering it?
I didn't know I was yet.
Oh, Well, are you going to?
Wait, are you telling me to go ahead and order it?
Well, I want a shirt for work. 
Oh, so do I go ahead and order it or what? Don't mess with me like that.
Good grief, just order it, will you?

OH YEAH!!


And she says I'm the dumb one.  :lol:

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So the heat press is ordered.  :D

I went with a swing away, because it seemed the best way to go right now.

I can see that the wife now has an interest in making things with it, so later on, we might step up the size of the printer and heat press, but I'm good with what we are getting right now.

This only started out to add to my airbrush work on bikes, but I can see that potential in the amount this can do, so it may turn into a family deal. LOL! ;)

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You can make some serious money with shirts. I assume you went with the basic swing-out from USCutter? I used that one for a number of years until business got brisk enough to warrant a bigger fandancy one. The swing style are more versatile and a little easier to use IMO. Just check the temperature with an infrared temp gun and you'll be is great shape. If it's the one I'm thinking it will have a set of 4 springs that push on the platen when you lock it down. I always used the springs to judge my pressure. 1/3-1/2 compressed for light, fully compressed but not quite smashed for medium and completely bottomed out with some effort to lock the handle over center for high pressure. 

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Yes, that's the one.
I figured I would start with that one and then later, once I am comfortable with all of it, I could move up to something more substantial.
Since I'll basically be a "weekend warrior" on the sublimation stuff, I'm starting small.

I have no delusions of thinking I will make this into a business for myself, but I can see my son trying to make a go of it, once I get things figured out, so I might as well make it so he and I can learn and then I'll buy the "proper" equipment.

I'm going at this with the mentality that this is a "hobby" for me, even though I'm willing to spend the cash on decent equipment and products. 

 

My sons will likely use this stuff more than I do, just like my 2 vinyl cutters. They get used more from them, than from me.
I have one bought solely for paint masking vinyl, but it rarely has it in it. 
So if they can make money with it, I'm ok with that, as long as once they get going, they get their own. 

Wait, what am I talking about, as long as Dad will keep buying things like that, they'll never get their own stuff.

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Wait until your wife and/or daughters find out you can make sublimation jewelry, then you'll need to buy even more gear...

 

http://www.laserreproductions.com/Sublimation-Jewelry-all.html

 

http://www.dyetrans.com/products.php?webmaincat=sub_prods&websubcat=jewelry&websubcat2=unisub&websubcat3=sterling_silver

 

Gee thanks. Why you gotta go and do something like that?

That was just mean.  :lol:

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Wait till you order from Conde the first time and you get their catalog oh man, you will be wanting to print on everything they have till it consumes you and your bank book and .. and.. Does anyone have any loose change, change,, do you have any change lol (south park reference)

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I realize that press isn't a $1500 unit but it's as good as a lot of presses I see at some events I have been to so don't feel like you are wasting your money. Sublimation is pretty neat but the vinyl shirt end is huge. 

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I realize that press isn't a $1500 unit but it's as good as a lot of presses I see at some events I have been to so don't feel like you are wasting your money. Sublimation is pretty neat but the vinyl shirt end is huge. 

ROFL! I was looking at the Siser heat transfer vinyl a little bit ago and the glow in the dark vinyl is really interesting.

And if I understand correctly, the heat transfer vinyl can go on any fabric, like 100% cotton?

 

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My sons will likely use this stuff more than I do, just like my 2 vinyl cutters. They get used more from them, than from me.

I have one bought solely for paint masking vinyl, but it rarely has it in it. 

So if they can make money with it, I'm ok with that, as long as once they get going, they get their own. 

Wait, what am I talking about, as long as Dad will keep buying things like that, they'll never get their own stuff.

 

dirtrocker,

PERFECT time for you to start teaching your kids how to budget their money to buy their own gear :) !!! I was like 7 years old when I opened up a lemonade stand. Used the 1st 2 cans of lemonade concentrate, then treated all my friends when the ice cream truck came... Then went to grab another can and mom said WHOA!!! USE THE MONEY THAT YOU MADE TO BUY MORE!!! oh great....NOW she tells me that ;) !!!!!!!!!!!! I THOUGHT EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE WAS FREE ;D  ;D :huh:!!!!!!!!

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ROFL! I was looking at the Siser heat transfer vinyl a little bit ago and the glow in the dark vinyl is really interesting.

And if I understand correctly, the heat transfer vinyl can go on any fabric, like 100% cotton?

 

Yep, Each HTV should tell you what it's made for because there are some types made for other materials like nylon but they are less common. Most of the regular stuff is great on 100% cotton, 100% polyester and any sort of blend. 

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So now I have a new computer, cups, shot glasses, wraps for cups and shot glasses and convection toaster oven.

Heat press "out for delivery" on Fraud Ex. So I'm hoping they find the house by 8:00 pm, but not holding my breath.
And a printer and transfer paper scheduled for delivery Monday.

Do you have any idea how hard it is for someone with zero patience to have everything but the printer and transfer paper?


And loading all the programs to the new computer is a pain.

Deep breaths, Monday will be here soon. LOL!

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