JohnnyChopps1

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Posts posted by JohnnyChopps1

  2. Posted

    I have a 30"x30" area. 17x17 red square with state of California shape cut out of it, 7" black letters to the right reading "so cal" and three lines under it measuring 30" long. Already made just need help with price. I can't post a pic because files are too large but will gladly email them if needed. I want to beat the price my boss paid, but don't know what that would be quoted. He doesn't remember. Please help.

  3. Posted

    I have been interested in downloading free fonts from the innynet. YouTube has links to mega packs for free and vectorial a dot com has some also. Is this a good idea? How free is free really? Are there copyrighted materials you can't use although they are free? Fonts will be for commercial use.

  4. Posted

    Okay so I have a question, once again. It has been said, "you have not because you ask not" so here I go- 45 degree and 60 degree and whatever else degree, what is the difference? I am cutting vinyl only, do I need a variety yet or should I worry about it later when I know what I am doing?

  5. Posted

    I ordered 2 rolls of oracal 751 white and black, and a roll of 631 to practice. I got the 4076rla tape in 24" and a cheapo 12" application tape to see the difference. I didn't order squeegees yet but I am gonna use a couple of Home Depot ones to start because I have them around from work related jobs and I will add from there. Thank you again to all of you on the forum! I can't wait to post some of my art once it's produced to see what you guys think. My soon to be wife is bad to the bone at graphic design and already had made up some awesome art. I'm looking forward to merging from work to graphics. I can't stand being so far from home.

  7. Posted

    Ok! You guys are helpful. I am gonna un shun the internet and use it for info because I just learned how to find stuff on uscutter website and I like it. I am gonna buy 631 to practice on because it's cheaper and I'm gonna get 751 to do my final work on. Thank you guys for pointing me in the right direction, it helps to have a place to ask people before i point click buy my way into things. I'm still in a hotel room waiting for my shift to start but when I get home I should have a little pile of goodies to play with waiting for me in neat little fed ex boxes. :-)

  16. Posted

    Hello Johnny I run a handyman service in southern West Virginia and do a few signs and install a crap load of flat signs,lighted ,signs, plastic formed letters, channel letters and digital displays. If you price right there is good money in signs and banners and working in construction you already have a potential customer base the contractors, plumbers, electricans, hvac and landscape guys and the list goes on. Buy the very best you can afford that being said the co-pam is a decent mid grade cutter and everything I have read about them has been positive. one of our members Rodger ( I havent seen him on here in a while ) has two and has had good things to say about them. From what I have read they track well and can cut fairly small. The Roland would be my first choice then the graphtec but if I could not afford them the co-pam should be a good starter machine.
    i had similar thoughts myself. Do you buy metal and plastic and frame the signs yourself? This has been an interest of mine ever since retrofitting LED signs in multiple locations. In a sense it would be similar to building thin cabinets wouldn't it? Although permits may be required for outdoor solid base installs that may be an awesome thing to advertise. Most outdoor signs I see are fairly old and could use upgrades. . .

  17. Posted

    Thank you all for your feedback! I got my hard earned tax dollars back today (sadly, I am 400+ miles away from the check. Check? I specified direct deposit!) and am starting to do my final homework before making purchases. I will never again do my taxes with unfamiliar companies, I feel like I was somehow unknowingly violated in my wallet. But aside from that, Mzskeeter I read and compared the CE and FC models. I think I am gonna start with the CE model and get familiar with it. The FC seems like it has way more to offer but by getting the CE I can get my foot in the door and also go through with licenses, tax ID, etc.

    Every time I read reviews or specs about higher end models I wanna get the better one of the two but at the same time all of the extras may as we'll be Martian to me because I am a noob and will not start off utilizing the higher end features. I am comfortable with "good enough" so long as it is a servo driven machine and has decent durability. Any recommendation as to what kind of vinyl will be suitable for outdoor store-front use in a high heat area? We get blazing hot summers here where I live and am gonna start mainly advertising to store-front businesses in the area and such. I will see what else comes up but my main concern is that my work will not peel off the first summer of its life. Also weeding kits, does it matter how much the little picks and hooks cost as to their quality? I'm sure some are more expensive than others but I know sometimes that's just a scheme. Thanks again.

  19. Posted

    Thank you for your reply. I will probably purchase a 24 inch to start. I have been debating the size thing in my head and I suppose it wouldn't hurt to sub out what I can't handle until I get a good grip on things. Is graph tec better than Roland, are they about equal or is it a snap-on vs. matco preference difference? I don't know much except what the dealers say on various websites but does anyone have on hand info? Sorry if I am starting an off-topic thread, this is a tad more than an introduction now... I am new to the forum on an iPad while on our way home from up north so I'm kinda chatting it up. Sorry, long drive...

  20. Posted

    Hello all, my name is John and I live in Southern Cali. I worked in a screen printing/vinyl shop as a teenager and am now ready to start venturing forth on my own. I have absolute zero knowledge of plotters aside from online research and even with that, you don't know until you get your hands dirty. I am in construction right now and have realized that cheap tools usually fail and you end up buying better ones when they burn out. I am expecting a tax return any day now and I have set my mind on starting a graphics company to eventually support my family and not have to be out of town for weeks on end. Long story short, if I buy a copam or similar model, will I regret not buying a Roland or graph tec model? I am not pro yet but I also don't want to buy a half good piece of machinery and find out I am limited or end up frustrated by poor quality.

    Size is also a question. I have maybe two grand to spend on a plotter and I don't want a tiny one but I don't want to have a big one that can't do quality work if I need it to. My soon to be wife is an awesome artist capable of anything on illustrator and I am the business minded one so together I think we will make a good shop. Should I save more and get a top dollar one or could I start with something not so hot but not too shabby and work my way up? I don't want to be disappointed with my very first buy so any input would be helpful.