randalle

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content Count

    282

  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by randalle

  1. Posted

    DAX is great if you are into shirts.  Take a stack of business cards too.  I was at the one in KC last week and many of the vendors asked for cards so they could jot down the things I asked them about so they could follow up with me.

     

    That was my 3rd DAX show, and I will keep on going.  Good info and, I learn more and more every year.  

  5. Posted

    How did you secure the PVC rig to the board?  I have a similar setup, but I use large spring clamps bolted to the bottom of pvc and can then just clamp the roller setup on and go.  It works very well, especially with the beefier clamps... but I got industrious and tried a 3-high design and those clamps can't quite hold it secure enough.  

  7. Posted

    I'm 0-3 on Hats turning out well right out of the gate.

    1.) I am pressing a 6 panel cap on a chinese press. The seam right in the middle of the front "creases" the sides adjacent to it when I press it. Which creates a poor final product. Any tips? These are the $7 flex fit hats from jiffy. I can't afford much of a learning curve on these things at this price.

    -I was going to try and put a couple socks on the lower platen to hopefully create enough cushion that the crease doesn't happen. Anyone try this?

    -I did try placing some thin strips of cardboard on the inside of the cap (under where it is being pressed) but that didn't help much.

    2.) Anyone have any luck with Siser 3-D Explode? Initial observation is that it is as big a pain in the arse to work with as it is expensive.... So I'm not sure about any sustained use of it in my shop, however it does make a neat effect on 'stuff', in my case - hats.

  9. Posted

    Did you get it figured out yet? In case you haven't...

    Print your work, with your reg marks in place. I'm assuming you have a contour cut capable (laser) cutter. Then save your img as a copy and create that larger square you want that will include your 1/4" offset of white. Delete everything else.

    Open the 'new' image that is just the outline / square in your cutting software.

    Contour cut the new image you created. Easy.

  11. Posted

    For something as simple as that, I'd re-draw it in AI. You should be able to knock that out in <5 minutes. I'm not being snobby by saying this... just giving you my most honest opinion.... I don't even consider tracing 99% of the stuff I need to redo. I want the lines perfect, and I don't want to waste time fiddling with other software. It only takes you a few times to get the process down very well and you will be much better off for mastering it.

    Just copy the image into your AI doc.

    Put it on it's own layer and set it's opacity to something lower... I use anywhere from 25% to 60% depending on whatever feels better on my eyes.

    Lock that layer.

    Create a new layer.

    Select the pen tool, pick a color that is bright and obvious... for redraws I use HOT PINK. It sticks out.

    Make sure you are drawing as a stroke, not a fill.

    When using the pen tool... make sure you know the 'alt' trick. It is the best 'command' in AI that I use.

    alt trick, as best as I can describe it...... take the pen and make two points and on the second point drag it a bit to make a curved line. THEN go to that second point (it will be three points). Hold down the 'alt' key and click on the middle point. It will delete the last point. This makes all the difference when drawing with pen in AI.

    • Like 1

  12. Posted

    I don't stream. I got bored with that. I have my old mp3's that I can tap if I need something older. For new stuff I am 150% amazon. I dl it to my phone and my pc and I'm good to go. I would rather spend $1 for a song and have it outright than deal with the bs associated with subscriptions and / or 3rd party software.

    And if I'm reaaalllly being a cheap A, I just play the song on youtube. : )

  13. Posted

    Here is a quick helper outer on the skull. You can see a few subtle differences and a few pretty noticable differences. Especially the teeth. For my $, this is still a little more complex than I care to cut / weed / apply.... but it is closer to manageable.

    email me if you want the .ai

    post-8651-0-59887600-1331049100.jpg

  14. Posted

    Weeding that is going to suck. Really. If I were you, I'd find out what size, quantity, and price he'll pay for these and then take the project in the needed direction. If it is a smaller sticker, I'd remove a lot of the detail in the guns. If you try to mass produce this as is... you are asking for a lot of work and headache. If he insists on the gun detail, I'd redraw them... They aren't clean to begin with.

    Oh, and find out what font he is using. Absolutely, ZERO point in tracing a font. Require him to provide you with the font name. If he don't, and you put out a sub-par quality product because you fiddled around trying to trace a font.... that looks badly on you.

  21. Posted

    Wet worked, only thing about it was I applied it, squeegee'd it, rolled it up and delivered it. When I unrolled it at the client site, some of the wet applied had bubbles in it (were not there before rolling it up to xport). I will need to do some more testing but it seemed like I would have wanted to give it more time to cure before rolling it up and going. I asked the client to lay it flat overnight and hit it with her drivers license.

    I checked back the next day and she said it was all good. Hooray for working in a rush.

    Thanks again John. It was a big layer,and complex too. Wet saved the day.

  23. Posted

    I'm in a rush and have to do a banner tonight. It will be a layered job and is 2x6'. Can I put the vinyl on and layer it wet? I have the proper tape for wet install, just wanted to see if I could avoid a catastrophe before hand.

    sorry for the goofy question, in a rush.

    Thanks!!

  25. Posted

    Getting ready to do some lettering for a FD. Any suggestions for a font?

    Sorry, I know that is a vague question... and frankly, I would never ask for a font suggestion as it is generally a creative thing. BUT, I was curious of people that have done work on FD, PD, ambulance,etc.... jobs have some suggestions for fonts that are great for that line of business.

    Thank you!