New Guy Hello World!

[Dudewhatzup]

Hope some of you with programming experience would appreciate the joke.

Its nice to meet you all. I don't have any experience in the sign making industry, but I've been looking to find a side-gig especially with the economy as is and I've been looking break into the industry and figured large format printing would probably be a great place to start making canvas, photo and vinyl prints. If you have time, I'd love to get your feedback on another thread I started in the Roland Subforum since I've got an opportunity to buy a used Roland VG2-640: https://www.signs101.com/threads/used-roland-vg2-640-need-some-validation.167233/

I joined the forum to learn more from all of you after stumbling onto some threads about Roland printers during my research and thought I'd try and soak up any advice you folks have on printing, business, etc. The goal would be to get away from my full-time job and move into sign making in the future, but baby steps to start.

I hope you all have a wonderful day and I'll see you around the forum!

 

[Stacey K]

Hello! Do you have any experience with creative software or printing or photography? I would start by using a wholesale printer first so you can learn about design, software, color management, contour cuts, materials, etc. There's a mountain of information to learn before anything even hits the printer. Most people start that way to get their feet wet then go on to purchase machinery.

 

[MNT_Printhead]

Welcome, brah!

 

[Dudewhatzup]

Hello! Do you have any experience with creative software or printing or photography? I would start by using a wholesale printer first so you can learn about design, software, color management, contour cuts, materials, etc. There's a mountain of information to learn before anything even hits the printer. Most people start that way to get their feet wet then go on to purchase machinery.

Hi Stacey!

Yeah, I play with photoshop, illustrator (drawing vector images by hand), and do 3D virtual staging with 3D modelling software as a hobby. I'll be honest though, I haven't done much printing or photography though I have some basic knowledge of photography (ISO, white balance, image format), I played with the cricut/silhouette machines so I have an idea how cutting vinyl works. I haven't done any commercial work though, but I'm trying to learn everyday, it blows my mind how many types of vinyl/adhesives there are - keeping stock of vinyl seems to be one of the challenges I'm going to face!

 

[Stacey K]

Hi Stacey!

Yeah, I play with photoshop, illustrator (drawing vector images by hand), and do 3D virtual staging with 3D modelling software as a hobby. I'll be honest though, I haven't done much printing or photography though I have some basic knowledge of photography (ISO, white balance, image format), I played with the cricut/silhouette machines so I have an idea how cutting vinyl works. I haven't done any commercial work though, but I'm trying to learn everyday, it blows my mind how many types of vinyl/adhesives there are - keeping stock of vinyl seems to be one of the challenges I'm going to face!

Great! Then what are you waiting for? Get yourself an account with FireSprint or Signs365 and start playing around. At $2.99 a square foot it's a small price to pay to send some photos and artwork to see how it all works. Make yourself some stickers with contour cuts, print yourself a banner, find a new business or a race car or something to give you a shot at a discounted rate.

It only takes one job to post on FB to get you more clients!

 

[Dudewhatzup]

Great! Then what are you waiting for? Get yourself an account with FireSprint or Signs365 and start playing around. At $2.99 a square foot it's a small price to pay to send some photos and artwork to see how it all works. Make yourself some stickers with contour cuts, print yourself a banner, find a new business or a race car or something to give you a shot at a discounted rate.

It only takes one job to post on FB to get you more clients!

Oh thank god, I was so scared you were gonna tell me I wasn't ready (I dont get very much encouragement as you can tell haha). You don't know how much your encouragement means to me! I'm constantly surrounded by doom and gloom so I'm thankful. I've got more to learn about the business but I think I have a good platform to get started in this industry, colour management confuses me, so I'll definitely have to study up a bit more on that.

Thanks again for the welcome!

 

[The Big Squeegee]

2 from OK

 

[rjssigns]

Oh thank god, I was so scared you were gonna tell me I wasn't ready (I dont get very much encouragement as you can tell haha). You don't know how much your encouragement means to me! I'm constantly surrounded by doom and gloom so I'm thankful. I've got more to learn about the business but I think I have a good platform to get started in this industry, colour management confuses me, so I'll definitely have to study up a bit more on that.

Thanks again for the welcome!

Nobody is ever really ready for anything. Thirty years ago I got strung along on what should have been a simple job.
Got so angry I went out, bought a plotter, computer and software. Bumpy ride to be sure but I'm still around.
Wide format is nothing like the DeskJet in your office and it is worlds away from plug and play.

Stacy K has good advice send some designs to Signs365. You'll soon find if you have what it takes for the sign business.
Plus you won't have to buy a printer or go through the steep learning curve of owning one.

 

[Dudewhatzup]

Nobody is ever really ready for anything. Thirty years ago I got strung along on what should have been a simple job.
Got so angry I went out, bought a plotter, computer and software. Bumpy ride to be sure but I'm still around.
Wide format is nothing like the DeskJet in your office and it is worlds away from plug and play.

Stacy K has good advice send some designs to Signs365. You'll soon find if you have what it takes for the sign business.
Plus you won't have to buy a printer or go through the steep learning curve of owning one.

Thanks for the advice, unfortunately I'm from the Great White North so shipping is a headache. I understand what you're saying for sure. I'm less about the sign business right now and more about the printing business. I'm not sure if that makes sense, I just want to buy materials and print for people to start with, I can't do that if I farm out the work... I understand there are other print shops out there, but it seems to me they charge an too much for large prints. I did some math and a 2' x 3' print job shouldn't cost what the retailers are selling it for. I'm going for high volume lower profit printing - I dont have to do much except print and ship.

Does that make sense? I'm not trying to argue, just trying to convey what I'm trying to accomplish at this stage.

Edit: Can you also expand by what you mean by steep learning curve of owning one? I'd love to know more about maintenance or running one

 

[rjssigns]

Thanks for the advice, unfortunately I'm from the Great White North so shipping is a headache. I understand what you're saying for sure. I'm less about the sign business right now and more about the printing business. I'm not sure if that makes sense, I just want to buy materials and print for people to start with, I can't do that if I farm out the work... I understand there are other print shops out there, but it seems to me they charge an too much for large prints. I did some math and a 2' x 3' print job shouldn't cost what the retailers are selling it for. I'm going for high volume lower profit printing - I dont have to do much except print and ship.

Does that make sense? I'm not trying to argue, just trying to convey what I'm trying to accomplish at this stage.

Edit: Can you also expand by what you mean by steep learning curve of owning one? I'd love to know more about maintenance or running one

Steep learning curve:
You will become intimate with the age old issue of "looked good on my screen but the print looks like crap". Now how do I fix it?
You will need to learn a RIP package to drive your printer.
You will need to learn proper file prep and what software best fits your design needs.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There is also printer maintenance. Also best have a good tech available within hours of a printer issue you can't fix.
Because until that rig is back on line you get to sit and look at a very expensive brick.

You will also have to babysit the printer meaning load media, make sure it's squared up then watch the first foot or two of the print to make sure you're getting the colors you expect.
After that you can attach the lead edge to the take up reel, walk away and hope there isn't a head strike or media buckle.

You will need a laminator and with that learn the phrase: "Five hours to print, five seconds to F it up".
You will not bend the laminator to your will. It will tell you how it likes to run and you will work within those limits.
It is an art not science.

You will need to learn how to correctly set up files for contour cutting and the issues associated with such.

Contrary to what some on this forum think there is no easy internet fix that will give you mastery over the equipment.
All this takes time, lots and lots of time.

Best advice I can give it when you run up against an issue try to figure it out on your own. That way the solution/answer tends to stick in your memory.
This is fact. I teach at a local college and it does the student no good if I fix every file/RIP issue for them. Struggle is good. It is how we learn and grow.

 

[Dudewhatzup]

Thanks so much for elaborating. There's no worry about the last part! I'm a masochist and struggle on my own for way too long and often don't know when to ask for help.
I found a shop nearby with roland tech so I have that covered.

This might be a stupid question but what would the laminator be used for? I'm having a hard time imagining.

 

[rjssigns]

Thanks so much for elaborating. There's no worry about the last part! I'm a masochist and struggle on my own for way too long and often don't know when to ask for help.
I found a shop nearby with roland tech so I have that covered.

This might be a stupid question but what would the laminator be used for? I'm having a hard time imagining.

To get any type of outdoor longevity you need a laminator to apply laminate to your prints.
Laminate is also used on prints used indoors. Depends on what the client needs. It also opens up another profit center.
As a rule I don't wrap but I print wraps for another shop. I also sell outdoor durable graphics to other businesses.

SEAL Graphics | GBC

The SEAL portfolio offers a choice of wide format laminators, laminates, adhesives and media for the novice or experienced print and finishing professional.

www.gbc.com

Laminating films are diverse and you can really go down a rabbit hole trying to figure out what's best.

 

[Dudewhatzup]

To get any type of outdoor longevity you need a laminator to apply laminate to your prints.
Laminate is also used on prints used indoors. Depends on what the client needs. It also opens up another profit center.
As a rule I don't wrap but I print wraps for another shop. I also sell outdoor durable graphics to other businesses.

SEAL Graphics | GBC

The SEAL portfolio offers a choice of wide format laminators, laminates, adhesives and media for the novice or experienced print and finishing professional.

www.gbc.com

Laminating films are diverse and you can really go down a rabbit hole trying to figure out what's best.

Wow, so much to know. I always assumed signs outdoors were made of vinyl or encased in a lightbox so you don't really need to laminate it, I did read on some other threads about others not laminating prints. I just assumed people used the wrong type of media (ie vinyl)

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

You'll find nothing but encouragement and love on this forum.

 

[Stacey K]

Thanks for the advice, unfortunately I'm from the Great White North so shipping is a headache. I understand what you're saying for sure. I'm less about the sign business right now and more about the printing business. I'm not sure if that makes sense, I just want to buy materials and print for people to start with, I can't do that if I farm out the work... I understand there are other print shops out there, but it seems to me they charge an too much for large prints. I did some math and a 2' x 3' print job shouldn't cost what the retailers are selling it for. I'm going for high volume lower profit printing - I dont have to do much except print and ship.

Does that make sense? I'm not trying to argue, just trying to convey what I'm trying to accomplish at this stage.

Edit: Can you also expand by what you mean by steep learning curve of owning one? I'd love to know more about maintenance or running one

Print and ship is exactly what Signs365 is doing. They print and ship and we do the installation. That's why I encourage you to send some files out for printing because you need to know how to set up files. You also should know the difference in materials and how to explain the difference to customers. If you're doing some kind of Ebay or Etsy shop of tailgate vinyl or cornhole board wraps - you still need to know something about installing it.

They charge a lot at these shops because there is more file set up involved than you think. People will send you a screen shot from their phone and expect you to create a wall mural from it. You can't...and you need to be able to explain why to them. 95% of people have no idea and that's why these shops have to charge what they do...lots and lots of labor behind the scenes. All of us on here get artwork from Graphic Designers and much of the time it's worse than dealing with Joe Blow from down the road.

This is why there's no time like today to start sending out files for printing...there's a lot to learn!