zappaclay

Looking for a mentor or consultant

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Hey guys,

Ive been running a small hardwood company for over a decade and although it pays the bills i no longer find nearly as in it anymore.  I have been wanting to get into the vvehicl vinyl graphics game for a long time now.  I finally have a decent chunk of startup money i can invest and already own a small warehouse space.  I am well aware of the fact that this new endevour will be a labor of love and will take years and years to learn.  we all have to start somewhere right?  Looking to hear back from anyone with a positive feedback. THANKS!!

 

Joe

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Spend time reading thru the posts here, Years and years of info put into this forum.  Buy a good cutter and get going.   If you have the funds get a Graphtec.  It takes practice, practice.  Buy some vinyl and start. Check out your area, colleges, etc for graphics classes.   The biggest thing is to find your own niche' or else your going to be be doing what every one else is doing, And nothing will stand out except who is the cheapest. Stay away from copyrighted graphics, Just because you see someone else doing them, doesn't mean they are legally doing them.  You must have permission from the graphic owner to reproduce them. 

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"... will take years and years to learn."

Not really, Joe.
My first cutter was unboxed, assembled, and cutting within 30 minutes after the delivery guy dropped it off at my front door.

I had never used a graphics program prior to loading SignBlazer (at the time, it was the standard program for USCUTTER).
Figuring out the steps to create a cut file was not especially hard.
I remember my first work --- a 4' x16' job (two sheets of MaxMetal, butted together) installed on an exterior wall for a Car Wash place. Heck, that sign actually paid for the equipment.

Yeah, Roland, Graphtec, Mimaki, Summacut,  and all the other high-end cutters are great, no question.

But in my humble opinion, grab the LP3 34" and add a few rolls of vinyl 30" x 10 yards (Blue, Black, Red, White, Green), a roll of 30" app tape (transfer tape), cobble together a basic tool kit (picker, squeegee, scissors, masking tape, utility knife, xacto, ruler and tape measure) and rock & roll.

Add some banners (hemmed and grommeted), maybe a few magnet sheets, and whatever other substrates you feel will be easy to sell to local businesses who are doing their best to Re-Open, they NEED signs, and fast.

Here, I'll provide you with a head-start, my JobSheet that I use to this day ---

 

And one last thing, remember the SixSteps of Sign Making. They never change, same steps always.

 

1] Client interview/JobSheet (and cash deposit 50%)

2] Design (and Approval of Proof)

3] Cut

4] Weed

5] App Tape

6] Drop

(well, there's actually another step -- Getting Paid the remainder of your Invoice)

Job Worksheet.doc

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I agree with the rest. Just get a good machine and start your education. It's a blast so not hard to be motivated. I spent my whole first summer doing free work for friends and relatives so I could get some practice and a little exposure. I chalked it up to the cost of learning. Funny thing is I slid sideways and now mostly do tee shirts and other apparel work. The market is better for me than the vehicles. 

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