Business Cards

[Russell Ludwick]

I have finally made my first round of business cards on some free samples from some companies. They came out real good, but after taking a second look at the pricing, they seem so expensive.

Does anyone have great suppliers for either anodized aluminum or fine wood business cards?

My current suppliers charge about 70 cents a card for the aluminum and about 50 cents a card for the wood, in a quantity of 50-100

[Gary Hair]

in a word - chewbarka - I get all of my anodized parts from Frank. They have the best prices and quality that you won't find anywhere else, guaranteed.

Gary

[Russell Ludwick]

I found some anodized aluminum cards on chewbarka, but they were .050 thick, do they have the thinner ones? I can't find anything thinner, can this Frank help me order some thinner cheaper cards?

[Jakob Franz]

For lower budget customers, gold and silver laminates look pretty good. I've made them for a couple of people and they were impressed. And in America for a 1/32 laminate it would probably cost < 30 cents per card.

[Russell Ludwick]

that looks pretty good actually, where do you get those?

Also has anyone used laser able plastic for their business cards?

[Jakob Franz]

That is laserable plastic. Its IPI laminate. I think rowmark makes something similar. The one i used was IPI lasershop series 1/32" (I'm not sure if that is the correct way to type it 0.032 of an inch, we call it .8 mm here).

Means you can cut out any shape with almost any laser. So makes for some unique cards that are pretty easy to make.

[Gary Hair]

I found some anodized aluminum cards on chewbarka, but they were .050 thick, do they have the thinner ones? I can't find anything thinner, can this Frank help me order some thinner cheaper cards?

The cards I have are .020, fairly thin. Call Frank, he'll hook you up!

Gary

[John Noell]

I have two cards, one paper and one in Flexibrass. Both have laser cut designs. The Flexibrass one has extensive cutouts and is for when I really want them to remember me. Never fails to get a comment!

[rich shepard]

I cut mine from 1/64 inch plywood so they are around .015 thick as the ply is not all the same but close. It engraves nice and they do last a long time.
rich

[Jakob Franz]

That sounds like a pretty good idea.. I'll have to check what the cost is and make some. I wonder how balser wood would work. Probably snap too easily.

[Dan Hintz]

Jakob,

I like the non-traditional outline to those cards... just enough to set them apart without being obtrusive or annoying.

[Jakob Franz]

Thanks. Having a slightly different card can be a determining factor in whether it gets thrown out during a wallet clean!

[Joe De Medeiros]

Jakob,

I like the non-traditional outline to those cards... just enough to set them apart without being obtrusive or annoying.

business card video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YBxeDN4tbk

[Jakob Franz]

business card video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YBxeDN4tbk

Rofl. I was not trying to sound like that. But he has a point!

[Dee Gallo]

I'm glad he loves his business card, but in my opinion, it's a promotional item, not a business card any more than a giveaway item like a pen or calender would be. It might do what he wants, make people remember him and his business, though... maybe less than a pen or calender. When I see things like that, though, I always look at them for info as to how it was made, etc.

~ dee

[Chuck Stone]

(the guy in the video) I don't know if I'd keep his business card, because
at $4 a pop, he wouldn't give me one till we talked. and if he talked to me
the way he does in the video, I'd have walked away before we got to that
point.

judgmental, ain't I? :p

BTW.. if you watch that video, be sure to watch the other parodies

[Keith Outten]

Clear cast acrylic cards made from scrap.
Very elegant and very cheap :)

[Michael Kowalczyk]

I make my/our biz cards out of our 3mm Baltic Birch (the same stuff donated to the FREESTUFF) and we always get the WOW look from whom we hand them to. When they look at it, at a later time, they remember our conversation and what we offer with vivid clarity.

Your average paper biz cards would never make it through a washer and dryer. Ours do and they look as good as new. I have first hand experience to prove it :o.

Keep it simple- first name, email address, website if your email does not have it, phone# and a simple but clever saying is all you need. The more you put on it the more time it takes to laser and your true cost per card goes up.

So material cost is about .02 per 1.5" circle and I get 112 out of a 12x28 sheet and it may take up to 20 minutes to do a full set. So even at the wholesale rate of 1.00 a minute it only costs .1785 cents a piece. So add it up and they run about .20 cents each and they almost never get thrown away, absolutely will be remembered and just in case they are at least one complete Maytag Neptune laundry cycle proof :eek:.

Disclaimer- Obviously material costs and engraving time will vary but the above are what mine/ours are approximately :D.

Hope this helps and ...

[Lee DeRaud]

(the guy in the video) I don't know if I'd keep his business card, because
at $4 a pop, he wouldn't give me one till we talked. and if he talked to me
the way he does in the video, I'd have walked away before we got to that
point.He says he spent 25 years to come up with that design. Seriously? Dude needs to get a life.
It looked to be about 4" square...I'd use it as a coffee coaster, just to see the look on his face.:cool:

[Chuck Stone]

He says he spent 25 years to come up with that design. Seriously? Dude needs to get a life.
It looked to be about 4" square...I'd use it as a coffee coaster, just to see the look on his face.:cool:

LOL .. and then you could see if it holds a crease or if it will tear.

[Randy Walker]

Thought I’d toss in my nickel in here too (about the cost of my cards). I have been using poster board. Regular discount store el-cheap-o poster board. I burn off the top layer to show the white inside, then cut to size. The bright colors always get a reaction.

Randy Walker

[Bill Cunningham]

That card screams narcissist :D

[Robert Walters]

Director's Commentary to the above video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z25zzX6hVOg

[Mike Null]

Bill's got the line.


No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

[Lee DeRaud]

That card screams narcissist :D
Plus several other words forbidden by the TOS. He makes Gordon Gekko look like a well-rounded personality.

[AL Ursich]

Worth a Look..... http://cardsofwood.com/

AL

[Terry Swift]

Dan had mentioned in another thread that he had made a glass business card. He said he used some glass tiles for it. I had looked at some of the glass tiles over at H.D. / Lowes and wondered if these would be useful (as I'm always looking now in stores for items that may register in the "UNIQUE" factor if lasered).

Turns out those tiles do a pretty good job and my wife has already gotten a few orders from people at work as they did the "WOW!"

At only $1.46 per tile and a few cents for tape and paint - what's not to like about them.:D:D:D

P.S. - A trick I was told about for lasering glass & mirrors was to put a piece of newspaper underneath the item and wet it with water. Helps dissipate the heat and keep the glass from cracking.

The backing on these tiles are a bit thick, so maybe 2-3 passes will get you to the glass without to much problem.

[Mike Null]

In my filing system, now more than 40 years old, all cards get equal treatment. They are filed alphabetically by company. I carry only my own cards on me.

You can spend $4 a piece if you want but I can't figure out what it gets you after the first impression.

I have mine printed by an internet company for pennies. They are inexpensive enough that I include one with each invoice and give them out freely.

[Joe De Medeiros]

In my filing system, now more than 40 years old, all cards get equal treatment. They are filed alphabetically by company. I carry only my own cards on me.

You can spend $4 a piece if you want but I can't figure out what it gets you after the first impression.

I have mine printed by an internet company for pennies. They are inexpensive enough that I include one with each invoice and give them out freely.

I agree, I use to make my own but now I just buy from an online vendor, usually get them in 3-4 days full color gloss double sided. I do a lot of art shows so the last thing I need is to make cards, too buy doing other things. I have seen Joel Bauer at a Industry trade show, and he draws crowds and keeps them captivated, he is a total showman.

Funny story, I was at a art show and there was this amazing wood carver, so I asked him for a card, and he replied in his French accent, "why so you can throw it on the floor when you walk away from my booth".

[Adam Orton]

for my wooden card collection I use the cards from Lee Valley. 50 cards for 3.50 and they are clean cut no blemishes maple. I do some fun relief cut cards, cheap and catches the eye..

[Jakob Franz]

for my wooden card collection I use the cards from Lee Valley. 50 cards for 3.50 and they are clean cut no blemishes maple. I do some fun relief cut cards, cheap and catches the eye..

Would be cool to see some of these cards! If people have time to scan/photograph their cards.

[Martin Boekers]

In my filing system, now more than 40 years old, all cards get equal treatment. They are filed alphabetically by company. I carry only my own cards on me.

You can spend $4 a piece if you want but I can't figure out what it gets you after the first impression.

I have mine printed by an internet company for pennies. They are inexpensive enough that I include one with each invoice and give them out freely.

I do basic cards now to, and give them freely. If you make something that is difficult
to file, it's harder to find you.

In my commercial photography days, I laser printed them with images that
fit the work I was trying to get from the client. I even have a nifty trimmer
that I bought just to trim them cost about $40. I still use it from time to
time if I run out or want to print "raffle tickets" or something.

Now if your pushing design work you better have a really cool card!:D


Marty

[Marc Myer]

I'm a designer. I love doing oddball lasered business cards, from wood, cardboard, sometimes clear acrylic to attract attention. But I always use the stock 2" x 3.5" size, as do most designers.
Why? People don't want oddball sizes. Bigger cards? They'd better have intrinsic value, because if people can't file them with other cards, they'll throw them away. Smaller cards? They get lost.

Want to do a bigger card? Great. Just make it into a something people will keep on their desk. I seem to recall someone here on the creek made cards that have working gears. Now that's cool, but time intensive. Or a card that can be broken apart and assembled into a cool 3d item. Time to get really creative.

[Jakob Franz]

I'm a designer. I love doing oddball lasered business cards, from wood, cardboard, sometimes clear acrylic to attract attention. But I always use the stock 2" x 3.5" size, as do most designers.
Why? People don't want oddball sizes. Bigger cards? They'd better have intrinsic value, because if people can't file them with other cards, they'll throw them away. Smaller cards? They get lost.

Want to do a bigger card? Great. Just make it into a something people will keep on their desk. I seem to recall someone here on the creek made cards that have working gears. Now that's cool, but time intensive. Or a card that can be broken apart and assembled into a cool 3d item. Time to get really creative.

I agree. I've done several cut outs of cards for people on different materials. Generally they need to fit in your wallet, or be useful like a calender.

My attempt tonight at making a semi interesting card. Based on a filing cabinet and a fraction smaller then the standard business card, but holds 3 business cards. 10 cents per A4 page of 9 cards (or 3 sets) + some inkjet ink and alot of fun! Once i get a decent idea for a business card, it might be worth doing professional printing.

[Darryl Jacobs]

for my wooden card collection I use the cards from Lee Valley. 50 cards for 3.50 and they are clean cut no blemishes maple. I do some fun relief cut cards, cheap and catches the eye..


Yup, same here, and I liked the price to when I looked elsewhere. I really like the material and fairly tough for veneer as well.

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

Here is a 3D buisness card I made.

Sorry for the size.
Its already on the creak you can see the whole thread here
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=112777



http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=119013&d=1242989373

[Keith Outten]

My best customers receive my best business cards. I make 6" carpenters squares from clear acrylic and engrave my company information on the square. I vector cut the primary scale so a pencil will automatically stop at the indent.

These aren't designed to go in a wallet, they are supposed to stay on top of their deak so my company name is right there when they need it :)

The Corel File for the square in in our archives if anyone wants to give these a try.
.

[Keith Outten]

Michael,

I cut one of the cards like yours a couple days ago but I haven't had time to assemble it yet. I made mine from 1/16" blue over white engravers plastic.
.

[Mark Ross]

A business card that is also a storage device...people might still toss these out but it is more than just a piece of paper...

t4f.org/projects/business-card