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Dean Fowell
03-24-2011, 7:11 PM
hey all I was asked to quote a job like the sample picture its going to be a high traffic area , not sure how long it will last its out side a Bar in town. Any suggestions size is 26 inch by 44 inch


188096

Bruce Volden
03-24-2011, 7:17 PM
Dean,

I have a sign on stainless steel I did back in 1997--looks like day one. It sits on the east outside exit door for a local business. In this area I would be happy to get $75-$90 for a piece that size.

Bruce

Gary Hair
03-24-2011, 7:31 PM
It you mean that it gets foot traffic, walked on, then you'll be very disapointed with anything besides a chemical etch and epoxy paint fill. Cermark is amazing stuff and I use lots of it, but being walked on isn't something I would consider. If I misread your post and it's a hanging sign then Cermark would work perfectly. On stainless steel I would get about $250 - $300 for that job, including the stainless, double that if you need chemical etch/epoxy.

Gary

Dean Fowell
03-24-2011, 8:07 PM
I also have thought about doing it recessing the stainless and top with 1/4 inch clear acrylic, Problem solved right

Mike Null
03-24-2011, 11:01 PM
Gary's price is in the ballpark. If it's going on the ground forget it. If it's going on the wall forget the acrylic.

Bill Cunningham
03-26-2011, 2:42 PM
Gary's price is in the ballpark. If it's going on the ground forget it. If it's going on the wall forget the acrylic.

Yup! I charge $3.50 per sq inch for cermark on stainless (10 sq inch minimum).. Plus the stainless..

Ross Moshinsky
03-26-2011, 4:49 PM
Make sure you mark up your materials at least 2 times. If you don't and the laser goes nuts, you lose money on the deal. Personally, I think $250-300 sounds light, but I'm used to NJ prices. Off the top of my head I'd say its $150-200 materials and $300 for engraving. That way I know if I screw up, I break even. The way I see it, cost of material will be $100 (cutting included). Then you have 2-3 hours in the machine/getting the material ready/cost of Cermark. If you had to run the job twice, then you'd be out of pocket about $200 plus a full day of machine time. Personally, I think that is a $400-500 sign, but again, I'm used to NJ prices.

Gary Hair
03-27-2011, 1:47 AM
Off the top of my head I'd say its $150-200 materials

Wow, that's high! I had my local source make a stainless dedication plaque with a 4" square pedestal about 36" tall, an 18" x 18" plaque and an 18" x 6" side plaque, fabrication and all - $485.00. The plaque itself was about $35 including 1/4" studs welded to the back. Either my guy is really low or yours is really high - or a bit of both...

Gary

Ross Moshinsky
03-27-2011, 8:56 AM
What kind of stainless are you using? I'd use 16 gauge ss304 with a brush polish. That stuff is expensive. Metalsdepot quotes a 4'x4' sheet at $206. http://www.quickshipmetals.com/ wants $217.94 for 3'x4'. I know online pricing is normally way too much but considering it is a custom shape, I'd expect to spend at least $100. As a result, my customer pays $200 for the material. The lightest gauge I'd feel comfortable going is 18 gauge. With weather changes, the property of stainless, I'd want something not very flexible. I'd hate to see a sign bend and flex in a good wind.

As I said, on a sign like this, if you screw up (which is always possible) there is no reason why you should go hungry. You (should) charge 2-3x markup on materials on a $20 JDS plaque. Why wouldn't you do the same for a sign like this?

Gary Hair
03-27-2011, 1:41 PM
What kind of stainless are you using? I'd use 16 gauge ss304 with a brush polish.

The piece I mentioned was 1/8", 304, brushed, or grained as he calls it. I am sure that buying online will be much more expensive than through a local shop, especially if the local shop does the volume that this one does. I know that he buys most of his material un-grained and runs it through his timesaver, maybe that's how he gets it so cheap? Based on other pieces I have had him make, I would guess that piece would run me less than $50 - 3 times and I'm at $150, $150 for lasering and I'm at $300. I don't think it would take more than about 45 minutes to laser though so I still think I'd be closer to $250. Oh, and one nice thing about my vendor is that if I screw up a piece I could have him run it through the timesaver again and I have a fresh piece to work with - last time I did that he didn't charge me anything.

Gary

Dean Fowell
03-27-2011, 3:58 PM
Well I was thinking I was expensive, but if they want it they will do it if they don't they can go somewhere else, I was thinking $800.00 for engraving and shipping, we are talking 1144 SQ/IN Brushed Stainless is expensive I had brought A 1/4 inch sheet for $600 6 months ago and I brought a 48 x 96 sheet, but some are saying 100.00 dollars ? for engraving if you were to by a can of cearmak for 80.00 + shipping that leaves you with some lunch money, I am charging with out cost of metal or shipping 0.466 per SQ/IN then I add cost of steel and then add shipping , im happy and they are happy but it depends on the person,

Dean Fowell
03-28-2011, 5:00 PM
Hey is there anyone here that does chemical etch and color fill if someones interested pm me , thanks