john!

$271.50 completed, includes vinyl cut and applied and the substrate cut to size That may seem high but you need to buy a 4x8' sheet and have it cut down and even though the customer isn't using all of that 4x8', you still are charged for it so it is what it is

Totally AGREE. But, to each their own.

its all fun and games 'till someone loses an "i" LOL! no doubt! Yea that is the release tape not letting go and my not prepping the surface better! The font is in fact Chancery also. Yea I know the computer is a boat anchor but Sign Blazer works on it and if I save my files as AI 8 I can import them but I still need to get rid of the nag screen! once I get going and sell some product I plan to upgrade. I cant put CorelX3, Inkscape or Adobe CS4 on it so I do a lot of thumb drive flipping. The machine is a 2005 VE Ultra GRC76s and has new blades finally but I need to replace the cutting strip next. so far even with the bad strip I can cut that star circle test fairly well but its not getting the really small stuff, only 4 rows in is the best so far. That is using that 3M stuff with the x pattern on the backing paper. doesn't seem to want to hold still very well. I understand you need to get going but you can buy a brand new computer for a few hundred anymore that will support all the programs you need. No worries about crashing or if the files are too big. It's not going to be that much money out of your pocket in the long run because it will make things much easier on you.

Nice, Bookmarked!

I'd be $380 for the vinyl to be cut and applied onto the sign face. I would add in any additional time which is unknown at this point depending on your approach, ladder or rent a scaffolding setup etc Added hourly rate time for.....removing any vinyl and adhesive, reinstalling the sign face, cleaning out the box area (from what i understand), sign layout and travel if it's not local Sometimes if the job isn't something in your ballpark you need to let it go, The customer will appreciate your honestly and you won't possibly make a fool of yourself and company name by goofing a job up.

There are several legitimate Sign Companies (Earl MIch for one) that sell on ebay..and name brands. I use MAGNUM magnetics...I've heard some bad things about ProMag. ANY brand will damage the paint if you do not remove it for cleaning on a regular basis. IT's not the quality so much as following simple instructions . I didn't say eBay didn't carry name brands but most here are looking for the cheapest and alot of the materials on eBay are not even named which means it's brand named and they aren't telling you or they are some no name chinese junk. ProMAG is the same thing as Magnum....They are model of magnetic material in their line up. http://www.magnummagnetics.com/promag/ You can buy blanks at any supplier just about, signwarehouse, fellers, beacon etc

Ebay is a place i never get materials from. Alot is no name and yes most have no issues with or hear about any but i buy all name brand materials. ProMAG is a great manufacture of magnetic material and i think a 23x15 or 25' roll is only like $36 i seen somewhere. Watch using the cheap mags because I've heard of them taking the clear coat off easier than if you let a brand name magnetic sign sit on the paint without removing for cleaning...

Yeah but what i don't get, people say double it and all this but how does he know REALLY how much profit he will make and time it's going to take as well as materials? You cannot shoot from the hip to whatever looks good. You need to know YOUR COSTS and figure in your time with mark up on materials.

Your giving work away at $200. I just checked and in translucent vinyl, a 30" x 30' (10yd) roll alone is $142 roughly. Not counting app tape if you don't already have that in 30". I have a 30" print/cutter so i would buy the 30" material to make installation easier. I honestly would turn away this job if i had to get up on the ladder or tell them you can install the vinyl onto the fresh sign face only for $XXX.XX, Just because i'm not experienced and it looks to be your not either with this type of work. I can do the vinyl on the blank but i'm not going off the ground that high with just a ladder.

Just buy a roll man, No offense but this is why they make rolls. So you can buy in bulk and save money on your end. You can buy some 12x24" or 18" blanks and cut them down too.

Wheres the i in "graphics" lol

Seriously, Please get the big squeegee. It will help you so much you won't believe. I'd get the laminator tool which i have incase you ever get a printer and need to laminate your prints. Hey, you really never know.

make sure your using a nice squeegee. If your using a old one or one thats chipped up on the edges this will create bubbles in between the chips too. This goes with any vinyl application install too.

You can use medium-high tack R tape application tape instead of the HT55. I do and it works perfectly. I just did a 30" tall x 18' long graphic using it. For masking i use the big squeegee. Google that and you will find it's great for tape application, laminating prints, mounting vinyl to sign substrates, applying vinyl to windows and other flat areas. It's pretty much your technique because i can hand lay tape no problem most of the time but the big squeegee tool makes that job and others very easy.

I use alot of the time sign craft pricing guide. It is a great guide to help anyone who needs pricing in a pinch and really helps you understand the value of your work. What i do is round up to the nearest foot so 41" is 1" shy of 3.5' so i did 2.5' (30") x 3.5" (42") and it's 8.75 square foot of material used. Signcraft recommended $12 psf for that so bam that's where i got my price. There are many pricing categories to use depending on your shop rate. I happen to use the $66/hr section since it's the closest to my personal rate at $60/hr. The lower one is at $45/hr and is $75 for that graphic. http://signcraft.com sign up, it's the best $39 you will spend and you get a online pricing calculator similar to the guide they send you and 6 issues a year of their magazine.

For the graphic alone i would be $105, take the board and add the raw cost by 100% and add in your installation. I would be at $30 to install it (half hour) So we're looking at $135 + the boards cost (doubled of course) Lowest i would go down would be $75 for the graphic and that's if the customer complained.

I understand wanting to be not too high and not too low but don't base it on 20 different people who are in 20 different areas on a forum. Do it for what YOU need to make on them. I say $40 for the pair is a fair price, lowest i would go really.

Sorry but you need to raise your pricing. Not trying to be rude but what would you charge for a 5x5" one if one this big is only $10

I'd be somewhere around $40-60 for the pair. Chrome is a pain in the rear plus these are a decent size.

Just buy a cutting mat to put on top when cutting, simple.

Personally i subscribe to signcraft http://signcraft.com it's $39 for 1 year and you get 6 issues and a 2011 pricing guide as well as a online price guide to help you if your lost sometimes. Another one i am subscribed to is signs and digital graphics magazine.

Listen, There is great money to be made in this industry without having to cut these "nonsense stickers" with brands on them. When i first started i thought that was what i had to do to make money, Now i turn away copyright work because it's not worth the risk of getting in trouble over. Ford is VERY touchy on their logos as well as many others. In fact, If your into the import auto parts business you probably hear of a domo-kon. I actually was selling them on my website and gotten contacted personally by Domo USA to take it down before i was getting into legal trouble. Not everyone will be this kind. Just because some are getting away with selling copyrighted material does not mean you are going to be. If someone is doing drugs, are you as well because they are? I don't think so. Read up on this business, subscribe to some magazines, forums and learn how to truly make signs and graphics. You can also continue to want to do this flea market thing but it's a race to the bottom from there if you ask me, It never really comes out to be much at the end from what i have seen over the last half decade. Now, I hardly get approched for anything of this nature because changed what i focused on and didn't become part of forums where people wanted this kind of business and wanted everything for $5 shipped because they seen it on ebay or what not. Good luck, These are my suggestions to you

It's perfect sense to use someone to retails and wholesales. Simply shops who do this such as my own, Take what i would retail it for and give a % off so you can make money also. Even though areas differ it should get you in the ballpark still. There is nothing wrong with using someone who retails and wholesales.

Looks good. Only thing i would suggest changing would be a thicker outline on the REFLECTIONS and a black outline on the bottom sub copy but other than that it looks good

I really dislike shipping outside the USA, You gotta fill out customs forms and you can't insure things if they aren't packaged a certain way and blah blah