Equipment for Vinyl Signs

[ryandavid]

Hi all I am trying to get this small sign company started and I was just checking to see if anybody had any recommendations on a 42" plotter. Like I said a small company so I have a budget. Also I have been looking at a few different softwares to use, and I think I am leaning towards the LXI 8 program... Some advise or opinions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

 

[SignTech]

Hi all I am trying to get this small sign company started and I was just checking to see if anybody had any recommendations on a 42" plotter.

Great question! Unfortunately it is asked about 5 times a day. What research have you done so far? On average at least on this forum, there are approximately 5-10 Vinyl sign "companies" and I use that word loosely that are starting up. Mainly without market research, a business plan and a short term and long term goal. There are many vendors out there that sell 42" Plotters and LXI software, by the way LXI is a good software.

Like I said a small company so I have a budget.

Your not a "company" yet. Yes everyone has a budget, but if that is the main concern, you are already on the wrong track. To be serious in the sign business you will have to invest in the "better" equipment for the long haul. If you budget is tight, then invest in a cheap low end cutter and do this as a hobby.

Also I have been looking at a few different softwares to use, and I think I am leaning towards the LXI 8 program... Some advise or opinions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

LXI is good Flexi is very good.

You gave very limited information in your post, so it is hard to expand on where you are heading and what direction.

You need a business plan, and a marketing plan.

How many people do you wish to reach? What area? Store front? In home? What is the saturation for your area (sign shop wise)? Are any of the local sign shops any good? If so which ones? Why? How can you compete with them? What is your start up capital? Do you have enough to cover you for 6 months to 1 year without profit sales? Can you design? Have you ever? 42" plotter? Why? Why not a 30"? and the list goes on and on and on ..........

Hope this helps give you some things to ponder during your start up.

~M

 

[jscarl]

Welcome from mid Michigan. Take a trip to a sign company out of your general area. Talk to the owner, Offer to work for a while for FREE to gain the knowledge that you need. And pay close attention to the reasons for not under cutting everyones prices, just to get a job.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Welcome Aboard. If you are set on a 42" plotter, go with the Graphtec. Just my $.02

 

[Air Art Girl]

welcome, glad to see you are doing research and this is a great place for it.

 

[high impact]

Welcome fellow Hoosier! AND you can never do enough research! Take your time and ask a lot of questions -

 

[imaSIGNr]

If you're just starting and are not printing, just cutting, why do you need such a large plotter ? Maybe you are doing print, but why not go with a 24" or a 30", ?

 

[ryandavid]

Here is how this deal is going to work... I am already part of another business that is getting ready to purchase a plotter to do its own signs because we need signs so frequently. So the plotter is going to be there. We are not going to be a store front, it is more or less going to be my connections, in which I was in Insurance sales for the past 6 years, and have made quiet a few connections, and as soon as I am able to create these signs I will have the business so the competing with other companies really isn't going to exist initially. This is going to be very small and more or less a word of mouth thing just to start and if it gets big great, that is when we will get more into the marketing sign for our business. I also have 10 years of design experience as far as using AutoCAD, so I am hoping that my familiarity with that program will somewhat help with my design success here. Honestly there is a good amount of capital that can be put into this once we are up and going. Does this help at all?

 

[SignTech]

Here is how this deal is going to work... I am already part of another business that is getting ready to purchase a plotter to do its own signs because we need signs so frequently. So the plotter is going to be there. We are not going to be a store front, it is more or less going to be my connections, in which I was in Insurance sales for the past 6 years, and have made quiet a few connections, and as soon as I am able to create these signs I will have the business so the competing with other companies really isn't going to exist initially. This is going to be very small and more or less a word of mouth thing just to start and if it gets big great, that is when we will get more into the marketing sign for our business. I also have 10 years of design experience as far as using AutoCAD, so I am hoping that my familiarity with that program will somewhat help with my design success here. Honestly there is a good amount of capital that can be put into this once we are up and going. Does this help at all?

Yes it does help and makes perfect sense. Actually ... crystal clear!

 

[ryandavid]

Also I agree that the 42" might be a little excessive as far as our needs now so I am going to shoot more for a 24" or 30" to start. Thanks to all for that it is very much appreciated!

 

[ryandavid]

We are looking at the Vinyl Express Q Series. Any reviews on this product?

 

[high impact]

I'm not familiar with the Q series.

I'd recommend a Professional FC series Graphtec they make a 30" that rocks!

I don't know how much auto cad will help you but learn a vector program quick. Any of the big sign programs are worthy contenders. If you ask 10 sign makers which they like you will get 10 different answers. I own, signlab, corel and Flexisign-Pro but find myself always using Flexi-Pro.

 

[ryandavid]

Thanks, I will look into that.

 

[cleanmywound]

I don't know how much auto cad will help you but learn a vector program quick.

High Impact,

Auto Cad is vector only.

Just to inform you,

Adam

 

[Gino]

Welcome from PA................

 

[signage]

As far as software you can go with something like Corel or a sign specific program, one I would recommend is Cadlink/Signlab.

And another welcome to the forums from PA

 

[onesource]

Good luck

 

[Flame]

Autocad is vectors, but doesn't really have any real world sign purposes, so doesn't help all that much. Sorry, it simply doesn't.

Q series is made by Graphtec. I currently own one and it is not a bad machine. Some features are dumbed down, but it works very well and is incredibly reliable.

You are not going to get much help with your intro. We get intros like this daily, people who just want to make their own signs and stuff. Sooo.... just play nice, listen, learn, and grow. Welcome to the boards.

 

[GAC05]

Autocad is vectors, but doesn't really have any real world sign purposes, so doesn't help all that much. Sorry, it simply doesn't.

Welcome new guy.

Flame you are completely wrong in this.

But I have explained it in other threads already.




wayne k
guam usa

by the way Autocad is a bit more than vectors.

 

[Flame]

Welcome new guy.

Flame you are completely wrong in this.

But I have explained it in other threads already.




wayne k
guam usa

by the way Autocad is a bit more than vectors.

How so? How does autocad help you become a better designer? It gives you an idea of lines, but it does not make help you become a better designer IMO. Very few of the functions cross over. I almost went to college to learn CAD design, I got a good look at it. Not for the sign industry.