tlzimmerman

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Everything posted by tlzimmerman

  1. Hello everyone. I think most of us here are big UScutter advocates for no other reason than they give us this great forum to be on as well as their unequaled customer service (at least in my experience). They seem to ever be expanding their product offerings.....so I thought it might be a good idea to place all of the things we want/need uscutter to sell so we can quit ordering from those other sign places. Hopefully it will give them an idea of the things a good portion of us want so that they can better serve our needs. My big wants right now are coroplast and stakes. Also on the list is the seal it pens, or some products such as frog juice that are sealants and uv protectors. I also would love to see some adhesive mats for cutting papers and other things without backing paper. Other sign substrates would be welcome as well. On my long term wish list would be some of the laser printable papers (papillo or something of that sort) that can then be contour cut. Other long term items could be sandblasters and sandblast masking for those of us who want to do etching. While I am at it airbrushes and airbrush supplies would be great as well. So come on guys n gals, what products do you use that uscutter should carry so we can buy it from them!
  2. I love the support and information that can be found on this forum, haven't been a member long but I figured it was time for me to make a contribution back. This is a desktop recording of how to vectorize a simple image in Inkscape...hope everyone enjoys! Requires flash player to play. http://www.thomasandjayme.net/flashpresentation/2ndtry.htm
  3. I love the support and information that can be found on this forum, haven't been a member long but I figured it was time for me to make a contribution back. This is a desktop recording of how to vectorize a simple image in Inkscape...hope everyone enjoys! Requires flash player to play. ***** Dead link removed by mod - rest of thread left for info **********
  4. Decided to take all the videos I have made so far and put them in one place. I am going to redo the first too in the next couple weeks hopefully, and am open to more ideas on videos. I am putting this same post in a couple forums, not sure if one of the admins wants to make it a sticky or not. The first two will be remade soon so they don't use the jerky wink program. They will all require a player plugin to play .wmv files (windows media player normally) All these videos use inkscape because its my favorite program to design in, plus its free and open source so EVERYONE has access to it. Simple Vectorize in Inkscape http://www.thomasandjayme.net/flashpresentation/2ndtry.htm Thumbsup Lesson 1 - Simple manual trace in Inkscape http://www.doublezdecals.com/images/forumposts/VectorChallenge01/VectorChallenge.htm Lesson 2 - Stroke, Path, and fill basics http://www.doublezdecals.com/images/forumposts/lesson2/TeachemtofishLesson2wmv.html Lesson 3 - Simple From Scratch Design - No food or drink Sign http://www.doublezdecals.com/images/forumposts/lesson3/TeachemtofishLesson3wmv.html Lesson 4 - Text how to - Vectorize and Manipulate http://www.doublezdecals.com/images/forumposts/lesson4/lesson4.html
  5. Hey guys, I thought it would be fun for the members of the forum to sound off a little about themselves related to cutters only. Tell us what equipment you have, how long you have been in business, what your business specializes in and your best sales avenues (local, website, and such). I'll Start! Double Z Decals from Hays KS. Have a 34" Refine at the moment, and aspire to buy a Copam when I can afford it. Been doing decals on my own for a little over a month now (I think) but have had a little exposure to vinyl cutting before that through a cousin with a cutter and my brother who use to work for a sign company. My main sales avenues for now is www.doublezdecals.com and word of mouth advertising here locally. I work in my day job as a Technical Lead at an Internet/Technology helpdesk for a small ISP. I have extensive computer hardware/software experience, so I have come by this part of the process pretty naturally. Doing this as a side business for now out of my basement but hopefully someday can justify doing it full time one my wife gets out of school. Mostly am doing custom outdoor themed hunting decals. I use oracal vinyl, right now have 651 and 751, going to get some 631 for wall decals here soon. I do all my decal designs for the website custom and so far have not used a clipart eps yet! Am not an artist, but I am getting pretty good at taking inspiration from photographs and such and being able to trace a vector design on the computer to cut. I have done a racecar for a friend of the family, and am working on the designs for a couple dog trailers for a breeder in our area. One of my more interesting projects I have been working on is doing some arcade cabinets for friends who restore them here locally. We have a couple doing restorations, and then several "MAME" cabinets which can pretty much play any video game ever made, from the original playstation to the first atari and all the arcade games ever created. Its a pretty interesting project. When we get some of them finished I will be posting pictures! Once I get a little more money in the bank think I am going to order a T-shirt press and start adding shirts to the website as well. So there you have it, my infant decal/sign business in a nutshell. Lets hear from some of you other guys. I think it would be especially neat to hear out of the ordinary things you make for customrs (like arcade marquees).
  6. OK guys here it is lesson number one on how to manual trace. I am going to hopefully do 1 or 2 of these a month for awhile to build of a knowledge base on how to trace with Inkscape. I use inkscape in the video because it applies to everyone, but these same principals and tools can be applied with other vector programs as well. Attached are the original gif so you can try yourself, as well as my .eps and a png so you can see what i came up with. The idea here is to NOT use an auto trace program, do it manually. The idea behind this is to learn and be able to do this type of thing yourself. Here is the Video link http://www.doublezdecals.com/images/forumposts/VectorChallenge01/VectorChallenge.htm . It is a large file and will take some time to download you have to be patient, this is also effecting the performance of my personal & business hosting service. If you would like to I would accept donations for doing these and hosting them, though I want to make them free for everyone. If you would like to donate send me a private message and I can give you my info. So the idea is do it yourself, save it as an eps and a png and post it up, so we can all learn from eachother. If you have other ideas how to do it other than what I posted in the video.....please share! Remember experience guys, this is lesson one so I am just trying to get a basic starting one before we try things harder. Hope everyone enjoys it and learns from it, the video may not be perfect but I think it should help a whole bunch. Any questions let me know!. funnysun.eps funnysun.eps
  7. Hey guys, Decided to take all the videos I have made so far and put them in one place. I am going to redo the first too in the next couple weeks hopefully, and am open to more ideas on videos. I am putting this same post in a couple forums, not sure if one of the admins wants to make it a sticky or not. The first two will be remade soon so they don't use the jerky wink program. They will all require a player plugin to play .wmv files (windows media player normally) All these videos use inkscape because its my favorite program to design in, plus its free and open source so EVERYONE has access to it. Simple Vectorize in Inkscape http://www.thomasandjayme.net/flashpresentation/2ndtry.htm Thumbsup Lesson 1 - Simple manual trace in Inkscape http://www.doublezdecals.com/images/forumposts/VectorChallenge01/VectorChallenge.htm Lesson 2 - Stroke, Path, and fill basics http://www.doublezdecals.com/images/forumposts/lesson2/TeachemtofishLesson2wmv.html Lesson 3 - Simple From Scratch Design - No food or drink Sign http://www.doublezdecals.com/images/forumposts/lesson3/TeachemtofishLesson3wmv.html Lesson 4 - Text how to - Vectorize and Manipulate http://www.doublezdecals.com/images/forumposts/lesson4/lesson4.html
  8. tlzimmerman

    Repectfully requesting some guidance

    No...Thats on the list when i get some time to do multiple color tutorials, time has been tight lately though because my first kiddo should be here any day.....so you can imagine. I am working at my real job today trying to get ahead so I can take some time off. To answer though, no you shouldn't have to do that each time, a couple things to watch for. 1. Don't import an svg into flexi.....it doesn't support that type, the only reason I save it as an svg is so I can edit it again in inkscape because once its exported as an eps inkscape will not edit it anymore. 2. Make sure all the raster images you traced and such are removed from the document before you save. Everything should be a vector when you save, grab the node edit tool and click on everything, make sure the nodes show up. Also zoom way out, sometimes you leave something off screen when you work and that can cause your problems. My flexi won't import things unless its all vector. 3. Keep the file names short, my flexi won't open anything over like 8-10 characters in the file name....and I have no idea why. Not sure if this is across the board or if its just me on that one though. Good luck, keep working, looks like you are getting somewhere!
  9. My family dose not like the "sound of money!" When im cutting late at night LOL mine either, but I just tell them if they would come help....it wouldn't take as long.... ZING!
  10. tlzimmerman

    100 small decals

    And I thank you for your viewpoints as well, I enjoy conversations with differing viewpoints where things don't get personal or nasty. Viewpoints like yours can make me look at my models sometimes as well and wondering if I shouldn't charge more.....like I said its a fine line to walk, for all of us.
  11. tlzimmerman

    Repectfully requesting some guidance

    On how to vectorize, here is a thread with several videos I have done showing you how to create a vector file(eps) from a raster(jpeg, png, gif..etc). They all use inkscape, which is free. Its another program that does the same thing as illustrator, I have both and prefer inkscape actually for vinyl work. Even if you don't use inkscape watching the one about path, strokes, and fills, will help you understand the difference between a vector file and a raster file. http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,27470.0.html I would keep the cutter you have, it will work just fine for getting started. Then if you want to contour cut in the future you can cross that bridge when you get there. Flexi is great software......you'll get it figured out! I also second the advice, go grab any .eps file from the graphics sharing thread, import it and make that cutter go, it will get you inspired!
  12. tlzimmerman

    100 small decals

    Hey, I completely understand where you are coming from as well and respect it, and alot of people misunderstand me when it comes to pricing philosophies. I understand overhead, and I understand that you have to cover your overhead, and make a good profit. Don't get me wrong, thats what we are all out here to do, but I see a profit in that job priced where I priced it, I will make $35 an hour on that job (estimate, if I could knock it out in an hour, heck thats closer to $50 an hour), my average is somewhere around $60-75 per hour, which after taxes and expenses leaves me with take home around $25-30 per hour or so, which to me is good money for the work I do. Sure some jobs come in lower (like this one), but this customer is going to walk out of my door thinking he got a square, or even a good deal, customers who leave my door going "dang that was expensive, but this is really nice stuff!" Don't come back as often in my experience, or give as glowing of referrals. The problem I have is just because I have good prices, doesn't meant that I use lesser materials or have inferior service, to assume that or make that correlation is just fundamentally wrong. Sure an outsider comparing the two will think "how is he so much cheaper?" Thats where my reputation for good communication, fast service, good prices, and a quality product come in. Most of my customers were referred by someone who is very happy with the final product. You ask me why i would want to be the guy who cuts corners for price....but I'm not that guy, far from it actually. I am the guy who does quality work at good prices......and I am the guy who consistantly has customers who say "man XXX company down the street did these for me last year, and they were 3x as expensive and I like the ones you made better...thanks!". I do want to be that guy, and it makes me proud to be that guy. I also counter with being higher than the other guys can give customers the perception that he is high priced, and too proud, and doesn't want to work as hard for his money..etc etc. It goes both ways. As far as eroding the industry......I am not in this for the betterment of the industry as a whole, nor do I want to make it easy for the guy down the street to compete with me. I am in this for myself, and to make money.....if the other guys have a hard time competing, or I put sign shops out of business or hurt their bottom line.....then I am being a successful businessman. There may be a time that I am so busy that I can't keep up any more and actually get more than 5 hours of sleep in a night....when I hit that point I will look at my prices again, and probably think about raising them, maybe you are at that point, but I'm not yet. I am trying to walk the line to grow my business as fast as I can, while still making money, and I am doing pretty good at that so far. You say "I would rather do one $300 job than four $75 jobs to make the same profit. Leaves me with way more time to do more of those $300 jobs in that day and/or spend time with my wife and kids more. Does that make sense?" And I don't disagree with that, its a good philosophy, but I am willing to do that $300 job your doing for $200....and my 3 other $75 jobs as well making a solid profit on all of them, and I am willing to do it because I know it competes with you as my competitor. Sure I worked harder maybe for the same money, but that doesn't bother me I guess. All I can say is its working for me, my business is growing, and I'm making money....for anyone who is reading this.....both ways can work, there is not one of us who is right or wrong in this discussion, find what works best for you and your market, and go with it.
  13. tlzimmerman

    punch text into object

    Put the text on whatever it is you are punching out of, make sure the text is a path (choose path union to do this). Highlight both, choose path, difference.
  14. tlzimmerman

    100 small decals

    I'm not undercutting myself IMO, I am undercutting the sign shops in town that overcharge. Thats probably around $35 an hour after expenses from what I figure doing them at .75 ea. Sure thats not getting rich, but its work, and the fact of the matter is the guy I did them for for .75 would be much happier than the person you did them for for $2 each....word of mouth and return customers are my bread and butter, and they don't brag about you unless they feel like you do good work at a good price, thats what I strive to offer. There is a fine line between underpricing, overpricing, and hitting it perfect, and .75 ea might be a little on the low side, maybe $1 ea might be closer to perfect, but I just don't feel like the work I do is so special as to require $50-$100 an hour for my labor for every job, some I can make that, others I can't, especially these small jobs where guys are looking for quantity discounts. At the end of a day, charge a price that makes you money and keeps you busy, that may be different for me than it is for many others. I would take my $75, and knock it out in an hour and a half, deliver to the customer with a handshake and a couple business cards, and wait for the next set of referrals to come from him. You can also bet the next time he needs anything done, this job or another, he comes straight to me. If I charge $2 ea, he probably pays it, but he might also do some shopping around next time he needs something done, and who knows that might be a $2000 dollar job. Referrals and return customers keep my business going, not an extra $50 for every job I do by raising prices. Please keep in mind this is only one guys opinion, there are lots of ways to run a successful sign business.
  15. tlzimmerman

    kimmy from Cali

    Or it gives me the benefit of having to stay up all night after I finish work at my real job, heehee, but yeah at least I'm cumfy.
  16. tlzimmerman

    Vinyl lifting off duriong cutting

    How big is the letters that are lifting, and what type of font. I have a feeling you are trying to cut something very small?
  17. tlzimmerman

    100 small decals

    My quote was for a non friend customer. If it was a friend that wanted a deal I would make them weed them, but I would cut them for a good price! LOL
  18. tlzimmerman

    kimmy from Cali

    Welcome from the middle of freaking nowhere Kansas . And people wonder why all my business is mail order .
  19. Pretty sweet looking. If you don't mind me asking, who and how is someone going to cut the mirror for the inside, I am not that great with glasswork but I assume you are doing it somehow? Would love to see how you cut curved glass to fit like that.
  20. Cover over the ridge with vinyl or app tape, the ridge on a refine is the front ruler...hate that thing and peeled it off right away, couldn't stand the vinyl snagging on it every time forwards and backwards.
  21. tlzimmerman

    Good type of vinyl for PRINTING decals??

    If its a roll printer, I would look into sihl vinyl, they make inkjet printable. MacTac also makes rolls of it. If you are looking for sheets, look into papillo. Those are the ones I have seen used on here.
  22. I've been doing it about a year and a half. Always remember for the refine, if you get one with issues, you have to pay to ship it back to USC for service/return, weigh that in your decision when you buy, thats a chance you always have to consider when dealing with these machines. I think the vast majority of users are happy though. I notice they don't have the 24" refine on the website right now, wonder if they are out or something....I think they sell a ton of them.
  23. Funny enough, longer lasting vinyls are thinner (if I remember correctly), a calendared vinyl(5 year) and a cast vinyl(7-10 year) are actually very similar chemically, the big difference is how they are manufactured. Calendared basically pressed out repeatedly with rollers until its flat, and as such wants to rebound and return to its original shape which is why it shrinks and cracks quicker when heated, cooled, heated, cooled, and blasted with UV. Cast vinyl is liquefied with solvents, cast into its desired width, and then the solvents are evaporated, which is why it holds its shape better even though its thinner, and also why it conforms better to compound curves. Interesting to know, but makes complete sense when you think about it. The difference in price is due to the manufacturing, not the materials involved. That said these refines I have will cut cardstock (I do it rather often for custom wedding invitations), and sandblast mask...which is very thick, as well as reflective and metallic vinyls which are much tougher than standard calendared or cast. If you did all those tasks all day every day, I am sure they would take their toll on a lesser built machine, but I have done them all on occasion without incident. Yes....I tend to give a dollars worth of advice with a pennies is all thats needed.....but hey its all free to you so what do you care...haha.
  24. Here is my .02. There are 2 options I would personally go with. Either a Uscutter refine or a copam. I have 2 refines, and they have made me a ton of money, but there are risks involved with cheaper cutters. Some people have problems with jagged cuts, mine does this at times but I can usually work them out, or they are small enough to be not noticable. Also if you are running it out of an RV....I assume you are using a generator? I would be a bit worried about the quality of the power from the generator, these are not shielded or grounded extremely well as they are cheaper. I have run mine for over a year, almost every day, and they are hanging in there strong. They have their quirks, and their problems, but overall how can I complain, a $400 machine has payed for itself at least 10 times at this point in profits alone, well worth it. Not everyone has good luck with them, but dang mine have been good to me, I keep sinking money into other pats of my business (more vinyl, shirt stock, heat press, vinyl, etc etc) and the refines just keep cutting. All that said, if you can scrape up the extra cash, I would go with a copam. Its a better machine hands down. It will cut nicer, you will have less adjustment, it will track better, its grounded and shielded better, and it will stand up to more load. The people who have them on here pretty much universally are happy with them, and they are a nice step down in price from a graphtech or roland, but still a bit above your $500 budget (they are $700 and change). The following is just blatent opinion and advice: I would get a 24" cutter, a good compromise of size and portability (I have 30" and am glad I do, but if I was wanting portability I would want the smaller size). No matter what cutter you get, make sure you get a stand if it doesn't come with one. Don't skimp on vinyl, buy and use the good stuff from the start (Oracal is what I use, great stuff), same goes for app tape (R-tape is my favorite). No matter what cutter you get, invest in some clean cut blades for them....www.cleancut.com. Great people, and an even better american made product, makes my cheap cutters work way way better, single best upgrade I have made so far by far. Sign blazer is great to start, but I found it wanting in the end and found a used version of flexi 8.1 pro, and I love it. I would start with sign blazer....and upgrade in the future if in your opinion it calls for it. I do all my design in inkscape(free) even though I have illustrater($$$), for vinyl I think it is a great great program. It has its quirks as well, but I am faster in it than I ever have been in illy. Some things i design in flexi too, like text changes and stuff, but the bulk of everything starts in inkscape for me. Good luck!
  25. tlzimmerman

    100 small decals

    I woulda been at .75 ea probably, 2 hour job tops, probably quicker if they weed as easy as they look, not a get rich job but money in the bank!