Must Have Accessories?

[Moseye]

Do any of you guys recommend any must-have accessories, hardware, or equipment (eg: long reach cutters, air gun, ect.) that you wish you would have had right away instead of learning about them later down the road?

 

[2B]

that all depends on your budget.

a big work table that is PERFECTLY FLAT.
a dust free substrate cutter
the big squeegee

 

[T_K]

a big work table that is PERFECTLY FLAT.

HEAVY emphasis on the words "PERFECTLY FLAT". Nothing worse that having to reprint a job because you hit a freakin dip in the table while cutting.

 

[signbrad]

I worked 20 years before I bought a panel saw and a bucket truck. I should have bought them at the beginning. Even before I bought my first computer.

 

[AKwrapguy]

HEAVY emphasis on the words "PERFECTLY FLAT". Nothing worse that having to reprint a job because you hit a freakin dip in the table while cutting.

Worked for a company that had huge work tables. One of which was like 10'x20' had some crazy dead spots. I was cutting out some graphics and had the graphic slip, the boss was a little pissed, I told him the table was full of dead spots and needed to be fixed. I ended taking a 60" safety ruler and slid it down the table and found spots as deep as .5".

 

[2B]

the next table we build is either going to be a torsion box or 2x4s that have been jointed and planed then laminated together.

 

[Marlene]

This window scraper. Spent a lot of years with the small little ones with the razor blade that close up on you if you press too hard.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

A KeenCut (or similar brand). Shaves off SO MUCH time over the course of a day. A lot of the YelloTools stuff seems like it's gimmicky until you use it. Then you're kicking yourself wishing you'd bought it years ago. The LongReach is amazing.

 

[rjssigns]

Wallpaper steamer for removing vinyl. Went without for years.
Ridgid rolling box and one of their crates for mobile install kit. So nice and way more professional looking. I used to carry a storage bin in the truck. PITA carrying it when I couldn't park close to the job.
Like this: Professional Tool Storage System | RIDGID Professional Tools

 

[Gene@mpls]

The first expensive thing I bought 22 years ago was a 6' tall Safety Speed Cut saw. It doesn't make as much money as the wide format printer, but it is just as important. And safe. And the first straight cut I ever made.

 

[AKwrapguy]

Maybe not a must have accessory, but just taking care of what you do have. Keeping cords clean and properly coiled up, not putting away wet/dirty tools. Keeping stuff as organized as possible in your tool kit so you know what you have and don't have.

 

[Martin Denton]

Ceramic tile drills. Brilliant for drilling holes in acrylic with no risk of the acrylic splitting regardless of hole size or closeness to the edge. Spade drills for drilling large holes in dibond. Cut a neat circle without the ‘bullet’ affect you can get with a standard HSS drill

 

[Pauly]

Spectrophotometer - Being able to colour match prints instead of looking and guessing. Also calibrating your printer.
D50 Lights - Going from generic fluorescent lights to D50 lights in the print room changed a lot of things. Being able to see true colours is a lot better when looking at print quality. D50 lights can get expensive, so i only have them over the printer (1/3 of the room) the other 2/3 i have LED d65 (daylight) lights which are ok, but a lot better than the generic fluro lights (generally purple)

 

[Active Sign]

- laminator
- panel saw
- good rotary hammer (not hammer drill)
- 24ft extension ladder
- spirit level
- stud finder


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bob]

Architect's paperweights which are flat leather bags filled with shot. Better than a third hand for holding stuff down.

Handheld infrared thermometer for checking platen temperatures on both heat press and printer. About $9 at most hardware stores.

Forstner bits for drilling everything from wood to aluminum laminate. A perfectly clean hole on both sides.

4' and 6' long, 2" wide drywall rules.

 

[Jackpine]

the big squeegee

 

[fresh]

For all the people saying a perfectly flat worktable, can you make any recommendations? i freaking HATE our tables and I'm ready to upgrade.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

For all the people saying a perfectly flat worktable, can you make any recommendations? i freaking HATE our tables and I'm ready to upgrade.

Build one with a torsion box top.

Here's an article/video on how to make one.

 

[gabagoo]

This site!!!! invaluable source of info

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

The RIGHT employee...