Lost Job but I have a Roland Versacamm VP540

[damaged45]

Hello All,

I hope somebody here can help me out. I just recently lost my job and wanted to start a business making banners and signs. I just got lucky to have inherited a used Roland Versacamm VP-540 without catch not sure what it is called. Anyway, is there any other equipment I need to get to start making banners and signs. Is there any tutorials on how to do it? Any advise on how to start banner making business. All I know on how to use the machine is making shirts.

Thanks,
George

 

[Gino]

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

 

[BigfishDM]

First thing to do is buy the premium membership, you will get loads of useful information on what you need.

 

[Red Ball]

Welcome from the Kingdom of Texas!

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Welcome to a outstanding forum and people.

1st I'd go to Roland"s website and get what ya need.

What software do you have. ? since shirts is what ya did start there maybe.

Start teaching yourself advertising design / layout. how much do you already know.?

Just because you have a great machine, you only have a cracked the door opening.

 

[trik]

Welcome from Cali. I don't think any of us could type what all it entails, but without any experience, honestly it is going to be a long road for you! Not saying it can't be done, but you need a lot more than the printer.

Good luck!

 

[jiarby]

Sell it and go find a job you are qualified to do. Obama says you don't have to work for almost 2 years (if you can afford to live on unemployment)

Hey... go to a chef/restaurant forum and make a post like this:

I got laid off recently, but when my wife's dad died last year I inherited a skillet & a microwave oven. Can you guys tell me how to cook with these things so I can open a restaurant?

 

[damaged45]

Thanks all for the warm welcome. I do know basic design using Corel Draw. Just to start out the only thing that is stopping me is how to make banner using my Roland Versacamm and do I need a laminator? When printing banner how do I make sure that the vinyl does not misalign from the printer (that is leaving equal white border around the print area) because when I'm printing vinyl for the shirts they tend to misalign after like 3ft.

 

[TheSellOut]

Welcome...I think...Do yourself a favor and find out who the previous owner used for his service of the VersaCamm, and then spend some money to have them come down for a couple days of training! It's your best bet...Good Luck

 

[Brandon708]

You will need to $$$$$ spend on Programs, matarials, computer and laminator ect...

It takes more than just printer to run a business. You say you just lost your job right? Do you have at least 15k+ saved up for the other stuff you need?

Save yourself a load of money and sell it. You should be able to live off the money from the printer for a few months.

 

[JulieD]

I use a Roland VersaCamm vp540 for a printer and Flexisign for the software. I also have rip software from Roland, VersaWorks. The largest banner I have printed was 20 ft. I had to stay there the entire time it printed and hold the material taunt so the heads didn't get caught up. Also helpful to unroll part of the material so it is not being pulled so hard by the rollers. I will usually put in more "feet" to hold the material in place. Good luck, I mostly taught myself the machine and software so it can be done.

 

[briankb]

Why on earth would you want to be in the business of selling banners and signs? It's crowded and even if you have decent design skills it's a PITA to deal with customers.

What were you doing before you lost your job? I would sell that printer you "inherited" and use it to better your existing skills or go to school and do something else.

 

[The Big Squeegee]

Welcome from OK. Good luck!

 

[firesignz]

As you can see, not EVERYONE here is a DBag - just a small percentage. Find your niche and give it a go. If you have design experience and some tech ability, then use it to fill a need that may be going unanswered in your area.

There is much competition in this industry and between the small shops (like me) and the larger franchises, there is very little wiggle room. I have found the key to survival especially in the start up phase is to seperate yourself from the rest and run with that.

Good luck and don't get discouraged. There are still those of us here who would prefer to see someone help themselves out of a bad situation then see them sit back and siphon money from the US Govt.

 

[tattoo.dan]

wow...good luck and welcome to the forum! just start googling...plenty of help out there...

it can be done, it will just be tough.

plus not a lot of money in the oversaturated, cut-throat banner and sign business. before you get too exited about this, I would check the cost of material and ink then look on ebay and see what a banner sells for there. have to sell a lot of banners to make it worth it, and that is for someone who is very experienced with the equipment..a lot of maintenance should be figured in too.

i would suggest selling the printer and buying a guitar and going on a music forum and learn how to play....a lot more money in that industry and a better chance to make it! heck i may do it! good luck though!

 

[ddarlak]

$1 a sq ft. should do you fine for pricing. print out flyers and paste them all over town. hit up the churches, i here sometime you can get banner orders in the hundreds.

 

[Marlene]

sorry to hear that you lost your job. who did you get the machine from? can they help you? plain, simple, short term and cheap banners have a market. I get calls all the time for a cheap banner that needs to last only for the weekend and I can't help them as we do only the more expensive type. I don't realy have a place to send them and really hate telling them to try Kinkos. ddarlak might have been being a smartass but really, churches and palces like that would be the place to hang a flyer.

 

[Mosh]

I inherited a hammer from my grandfather when he died. What else will I need in
order to start building houses for a living? I have made some bird houses, so it
can't be much harder than that...

 

[CentralSigns]

Sorry to hear you lost your job. Did you get the printer in Aug 2009 when you joined or just now. The difference can cost lots. Too bad you didn't start learning a year ago. The printer will get messed up if it doesn't get used, if thats the case have a tech go over it. Otherwise keep heavily in what you know and use the money you make there, to finance your transition into signs. It is possible to learn, just enroll in design courses at a local college, that will help lots. Good luck

 

[BobM]

I would start right here with Signs 101. Read, read, and read. Use the search funtion, take notes, sort out the information, create a plan and run with it. Learn from the experts who have taken the time to help all of us out. A premium membership would be a good investment.

Good luck and welcome from Cape of cod.