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Part of my business is making custom pin-back buttons using equipment from Badge-A-Minit. Each month they have a Hot Button contest and people submit their button designs for a chance to win prizes. One of my designs was selected as the Hot Button of the Month for May 2014. This is the 2nd time I've won the big prize, and I once won a runner-up prize. The first two times I won, I held on to my gift certificate for when I "really needed it" and ended up letting them both expire, so this time I had it spent within an hour of receiving it, wasn't going to waste it again! The trick to winning, I've found, is to include a good story about how the buttons are an inexpensive marketing tool and easy to sell to people - each time I've won, the design itself wasn't anything special but had a good story with it - some of the more elaborate designs that didn't have a good story didn't even get recognized...

Did this while on "vacation" for my mother in law's new business. It is my first window sign.

Alright, I am up and running, pretty straight forward.. I hope. I left the machine on Condition No.1 and just adjusted the blade tip it seem to cut vinyl pretty good. I still have to figure out all the other conditions. I am using this with SignBlazer with the below settings. Here is my first cut.

Well I came back to America for vacation but couldn't stay away from any type of work so I brought a cricut with me and bought an air eraser from Harbor Freight and started to test things out. So here are my first glasses I did for my parents. I think I'm screwed because now I'm hooked to this blasting thing and need to find a place that sells this stuff in Japan because I want a true blaster and cabinet.

Congrats! I use graphtec's cutting master 3 software with mine. Do you use Illustrator? If so, there is a plugin for Illy that spits jobs straight out to CM3 that is pretty friggin fantastic.

Here's one I did... File contains both, a 5 color stacked and an outline. BowlingScene_06.svg BowlingScene_06.eps

My problem was the last time I used a local guy they called my customer and tried to cut me out. I prefer to work with people several states away since then. They seem less inclined to try stealing my clients.

Every time I see a c 600 it makes me want upgrade. Love the display compared to the 5000. Congrats.

I can guarantee with the amount of cutting I do that a big aluminum t-square for drywall would be straight less than a day cutting against it ( the safety rulers are thick, have a gurard and many have a hardened edge you cut against - the reason i have the big blue SAFETY ruler - one jump across your thumb using a thinner one will make you well away of why everyone should have the safety version. mine came years ago on a roof with a square and a utility knife doing shingles. knife came across the thin square, across thumb and when I went to get down the schnauzer had wrapped his cable around the ladder and pulled it down. makes me shiver to just remember it - but like any good handyman I wrapped the thumb best I could with my handkerchief and went back to roofing until someone drove by that could put the dang ladder back up to the roof. blood went well with the desert tan shingles. since then a safety ruler seams cheap. PS Yes I have a big one for drywall - so can make a good comparison. now why do these stories always include a dang dog.

oh yah US Cutter sent me this for Free... Very cool..

Nice yeah I am scared to try already hooked on to much and its not drugs

Try Candice ef LOL Same time

I have done them using 651 with no problem. The trick is to heat the rock slightly with a torch, blow drier, heat gun etc. Not to get it hot, just warm then apply the 651. A lot of times its easier to put it on as a solid sheet then weed it on the rock (or glass or whatever you are blasting)

You have to remember that SignBlazer is an older program, and was developed at a time when file formats were different than those being created in today's application environment (especially with regards to .eps files). Since there is no longer any development & upgrading, SignBlazer is liable to 'choke' on things that are beyond the scope of its software coding.

copy them from the windows/ fonts folder from the drive on the computer you have them one and place them in the same folder on your laptop - sb is just pulling the fonts from that folder on your computer

Sounds like filing as Sole Proprietor is all you need, Jesse. ...and debt doesn't "just happen".... It's a decision, every time.

your welcome. I have also been looking at them for some transfers.

http://www.dzgns.com/blast2013/emails/15_PAL2_041213/server.html

Illy CS6 with the pen tool and lots and lots of patience. IMO nothing beats the human eye and a little bit of skill. If this is a business for you and not a hobby, invest in a good design software like Illustrator or corel. and take some time to learn how to use it. We all have money invested in our own endeavors, now invest the time in yourself to learn how to use these programs to the best of your abilities and set yourself apart from the rest.

and at some point you will - then after a while you will again

I run sole prop and if you think LLC holds you harmless you might want to do a little more investigating. There's a reason they don't call in a no liability corporation.

Don't go to Vista print. Find a local print shop to do it. Keep the money in your neighborhood. Support small local business.

If you have Illustrator CS3 you just need to do a little homework and you are good to go. Illustrator is tough to learn at first but well worth learning. There are a bunch of upgraded versions but most everything you need to start with is all there. Once you are opened up in the program use the white selection tool (quick key a) to work with individual nodes. If you need to modify, add, remove nodes there are specific node tools in the node tool (pen tool) array. I don't know exactly the look and feel of CS3 because I have CS5 but you should be able to click and hold on the pen tool and it will show you the other three options which are also accessible by quick keys (the key shortcuts are listed beside each option so you can gradually learn them)

I hate how everything has went to cloud based programs. I lived in the Englewood area for a little while then moved down to Middleburg for a while too. Middleburg was awesome, redneck heaven! I'm from Idaho so I fit right in.

Will one like this work? Fire Helmet.eps