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Ed Lang
10-20-2007, 7:18 PM
Sign maker and he was right. I am cutting signs for other shops. Today I was cutting letters out of 3/4" Extira for a customer.

Yes, there is good money in signs.

Keith was right.

Keith Outten
10-20-2007, 7:40 PM
Ed,

I was just reinforcing what ShopBot has been saying for years...that if you own a ShopBot sooner or later you will start making signs :)

I knew that you would come around but I didn't think it would take so long :)

I also heard through the grapevine you have been cuting Corian lately :) :)

I don't know how you are hanging the large letters in your picture, I place 1/4" holes in the drawing and use a 1/4" router bit to drill the holes in each letter. Then I plot a full size drawing that I lay on the surface that the letters will be mounted on and drill through the paper in the hole locations. This provides perfect spacing and hole location.

If you don't own a plotter possibly there is someone close by with a vinyl cutter, they will plot large drawings using a pen instead of a knife.

Welcome to the sign mafia Ed, your a Member for life and you can never leave the brotherhood now.

"Da Da DOT Da Da I'm Lovin It"

:)

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Scott Shepherd
10-20-2007, 8:36 PM
Ed, I think you're spell checker was broken, I can't read a word on that sign ;)

Good to see you making some signs and putting the shopbot to good use.

Kevin Johnson
10-27-2007, 1:19 PM
I am seriously looking at getting a Shopbot and was wondering if doing signs would help pay for it. I read where Keith said that there was plenty of sign work, but was not sure how to get it. Ed, it sounds like you may have gone around to sign shops that did not have a CNC and filled a need. Is that true? Thanks

Ed Lang
10-27-2007, 4:19 PM
Kevin,

That was one of my many plans that never have happened. The work I am doing, and for other sign shops, is because they heard of me and came to me.

I have no idea what might happen if I went out and looked for work.

Keith Outten
10-27-2007, 6:18 PM
Kevin,

Is there construction of new commercial buildings going on in your area?
If so visit the local construction companies and ask to get on their bidders list for sign work. Tell them you can also do custom machining jobs that may come up as well.

You also visit local sign shops as you have suggested, many won't have CNC capability and would welcome the opportunity to add it to the list of services for their customers.

ADA door signs will be much easier to make when you add a laser engraver to your shop and use both machines. You can be innovative and do ADA with just a ShopBot with a bit of experimenting to get the technique down pat.

Ed has figured out what I meant about the profit in the sign business :)

Don't low bid commercial jobs, stand tall and give it to em with both barrels :)

You might want to purchase the ShopBot and learn to run it first.....then hit the road looking for work.


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