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I thought I'd share this to show what can be done with a vinyl plotter.
It took me 5 hours Saturday to cut, weed, and tape the vinyl. Then Sunday, with 4 hours help from my son, it took 6 hours to apply it all to the 20' truck. Much of that was spent on a ladder with a heat gun conforming the vinyl to the rivets.
In the last couple of months I also did a 16' truck and 5 vans for this customer.
Great work Joe, I really envy you pros that know what you're doing. You're the kind of guy I would like for a neighbor. If I knew what a vinyl plotter was, I'd probably want one.
Hey Joe, where ya going with..... Never mind, you probably have heard that line many times, but I always wanted to say it.
Nice Job. Just for grins and giggles, what does a job like a 20 ft box truck run. Round numbers.
I know the number of times I have played with vinyl, not only does it not come out straight, but the bubbles....
If you dedicate your self to projects like that every weekend, you won't have any time to get in trouble.
This one was $2,300, and that was a deal, discount priced along with their other vehicles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Bosworth
Bubbles are a problem anytime, but with rivets to go over it's a whole new experience. I've had probably 12 employees over the years and none of them ever got the hang of it, so I do these myself.
Wow Joe, you never cease to amaze me, great job again and that is a reasonable amount even in UK!
Joe I was hoping this day would come when you opened up that vinyl door:D . I have had many questions about vinyl cutting and applying, but was not sure if this was the place to ask. I hope its ok to ask a few questions.
1. What kind of vinyl do you prefer to use for both indoor and outdoor?
2. What is your opinion of application fuids, clear coats or protective coats. Have heard good things about Frog Juice.
3. Have not heard of using a heat gun on rivets. Does this work better than using a rivet brush or do you use one?
4. How often do you use your larger cutter. Can a person get away with just having a 24" cutter for a job such as this one?
5. I have a spreadsheet that calculates my price by the amount of vinyl used, but have trouble trying to come up with an hourly rate for applying. Are you able to charge per hour or do you give a flat rate?
6. Can you recommend a good DVD an any of these subjects?
Im so glad you shared your weekend job with everyone. We can all see that this type of work can pay very well and in my opinion if you can operate a laser engraver then running a vinyl cutter will be no problem for most. Thanks again Joe!
Door, or can of worms?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick Maitland
1. I use almost exclusively Arlon Premium (2 mil) but sometimes 3m. I only use calendered "intermediate" vinyl for short term or indoor jobs.
2. I always apply dry, except for multiple colors with tight registration on backlit acrylic signs. Frog juice has it's place but I rarely need it, mostly as a primer to get paint to stick to things like banners. Premium vinyl lasts 7-8 years and that's longer than most substrates.
3. I have rivet brushes but have learned to do without them, and yes, all of my rivets are done with a heat gun.
4. On this job I used my 30", but yes, the largest line was about 23" so a 24" would have worked.
5. My installation rate for easy (flat) work is $60/hour, but I charge $75 for
multiple contours/curves, like a Porsche Cayenne I did last week, and $100/hour for rivets/ladder work.
It takes experience to get to know how long a job will take. Most people don't like estimates or quotes of $1300-1800 but want a hard number ahead of time. That can't be done by a chart, you just have to figure it out based on past experience, and in the beginning I got burned a few times. It helps to see the truck in person before quoting, this one was fairly new but already had a few ragged holes and small dents, stuff inside must have poked through, so that takes extra time, and the number of rivets can vary.
Sorry I don't have a DVD reccomendation, but really, watching someone in person and trying it (on their job) is the best way to learn. Maybe find someone in another city that's not competition and offer to help them for a day for no pay.
Yes, I agree that it's similar enough that a laser operator could run a plotter without much trouble. Efficient weeding, and the application of the vinyl do require some manual dexterity though. I have had few employees over the years that just couldn't do it and had to be let go.