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Gerber 4B
- Thread starter CP Signs
- Start date
SignManiac
New Member
My very first machine was the Gerber Signmaker 3. I had it upgraded to a 4a and then again to a 4b. It served me well for a few years and then I sold it to buy an Anagraph system running off a 286 pc with a separate monochrome monitor and black and white scanner. I was dreaming back then of the technology we have today.
letterman7
New Member
Same thing here for almost the same amount of time. Amazing the things we started with! Nothing like typing out a line of text to cut on a 1/2" x 3" screen!
Jillbeans
New Member
After painting signs for 12 years I bought a used 4B in 1998, with an LMK module and a PC/Graphix Advantage for $15K.
When that 4B needed a $2500 repair I snagged a 4E off a local gal for $400.
I used that until 2 years ago (designing in GA and later, Corel)
Tony Q's kid is looking to buy fonts for his.
http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98523
Love....Jill
When that 4B needed a $2500 repair I snagged a 4E off a local gal for $400.
I used that until 2 years ago (designing in GA and later, Corel)
Tony Q's kid is looking to buy fonts for his.
http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98523
Love....Jill
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
We started with a SM 3 in 1983. Like Signmaniac, we upgraded to a SM 4 and then to 4B. We had three of them running before we upgraded the lot to SuperSprints which were five times faster. We were fortunate in that we had a customer in Australia (where SM 4Bs were selling for $20K each) who was willing to buy our used machines for more than we paid for them new.
Marlene
New Member
I started on one of those! I used to have to do by hand all the graphics for signs with a pounce table, (loved getting zapped if I leaned on it) and an overhead projector. for fonts, we didn't have many as they cost about $300 or so if I remember right and that was a lot back in 1986. I remember my first 'puter with a screen so I could see what I was doing. it was an Anagraph. after that, we went with Gerber programs and have every since.
CrabbyOldGuy
New Member
Times change
We started with the Signmaker 3 then moved up to the 4B and eventually to a Sprint. After that we moved up to a Sign-Tronic unit with a Wild flatbed. That was a world of change. Still kept the Sprint for vinyl work but shifted all of our other work to the new system. Abandoned the Sign-Tronic software in favor of Flexi and Illustrator. Still use the Wild flatbed though. Sprint was replaced years ago as well. Good machines just took too much time to make them do what we needed.
We started with the Signmaker 3 then moved up to the 4B and eventually to a Sprint. After that we moved up to a Sign-Tronic unit with a Wild flatbed. That was a world of change. Still kept the Sprint for vinyl work but shifted all of our other work to the new system. Abandoned the Sign-Tronic software in favor of Flexi and Illustrator. Still use the Wild flatbed though. Sprint was replaced years ago as well. Good machines just took too much time to make them do what we needed.
Cross Signs
We Make Them Hot and Fresh Everyday
I too started with a 4B.
Stanton
New Member
SignManiac
New Member
I upgraded mine with the font extender when that became available so I could have 21 fonts online and not have to plug or unplug font modules as necessary. I also added the inline/outline module along with the special effects module. I had about $20k in my box before I sold it to a guy in Florida for $10k. It made a ton of money that's for sure. Especially since I was the only shop around for three years that had one. All my competitors were at six weeks for delivery while I was at two weeks. Customers were willing to pay a premium price for service. Most could not believe I could get their signs done in such a short time. Those were the good old days. Unfortunately now, everyone wants instant gratification and think we only push a button and out pops instant sign. Oh the times they are a changin'.
TammieH
New Member
I can't believe some of you paid so much for those tiny little plotters
But our first computer/vinyl setup was in I am guessing 90'
...A brand spanking new 48" (can't remember exactly the width) Ioline plotter converted to a cutter, a 386 PC with a whopping 2 megs of ram, a scanner and printer, I believe our new owner leased the equipment for something like $20,000 LOL,
Oh and he also got a brand spanking new copy of Corel Draw 3
Just think what that would cost today in a equivalent system,
a decent Plotter $5000
Corel Draw $500???
PC with an All-In-One $1000 at the most?
But our first computer/vinyl setup was in I am guessing 90'
...A brand spanking new 48" (can't remember exactly the width) Ioline plotter converted to a cutter, a 386 PC with a whopping 2 megs of ram, a scanner and printer, I believe our new owner leased the equipment for something like $20,000 LOL,
Oh and he also got a brand spanking new copy of Corel Draw 3
Just think what that would cost today in a equivalent system,
a decent Plotter $5000
Corel Draw $500???
PC with an All-In-One $1000 at the most?
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
It's called a barrier to entry. It worked out very well for those who jumped in early. At one point in the mid 1980's we had five people working and three 4B's turning out an average of $30K a month in sales.
TammieH
New Member
Fred, I realize that...that is why I mentioned what equipment we had, the plotter was a piece of junk, but it might have been because
we were not trained on how to use it, something I wonder about still today...also how much in general, the hardware has gotten so much better
and the cost in comparison of today.
we were not trained on how to use it, something I wonder about still today...also how much in general, the hardware has gotten so much better
and the cost in comparison of today.