Sign Business is Hurting in My Neck of the Woods...

[tuck]

I haven't had a decent order in 2 months. (I thought I had, but they fell through.) Some small stuff as usual, but no big money makers. Seems like everyone is either broke or unwilling to spend any money. This time last year I was up to my eyeballs making entrance signs for new subdivisions. I haven't cut one of those in 6 months.

I know it's not just me. I buy my materials from Aluma-Panel, my nearest sign supply company. They have always delivered for free twice a week for orders of $200.00 or better, but no more. They are now adding a surcharge for ANY delivery no matter if it's for $100.00 or $1,000.00. I asked the delivery driver why and he talked about the price of fuel, which I understand (who doesn't?), but what shook me up was when he went on to explain that this time last year he would have anywhere from 16 to 20 stops on both weekly delivery days and now he leaves Aluma-Panel with 3 or 4 stops twice a week. MAN!


I do a lot of sub work for local small sign shops that need my CNC services. They are all hurting with sales and cash flow problems. This time last year they were all in high cotton (myself included). What's going on? I've tightened my belt buckle and I'm buying beans now instead of steaks! lol

What's it gonna take? A new president?

*Spin control* I'm just stating how it is around here. If YOU are in high cotton in the sign business wherever you are, congrats!

[beacon14]

This is the perfect time to get that vacuum table up and running, clean up the shop and take care of those projects you didn't have time to deal with last year. That way, when the next big order comes in (and it will) you will be ready.

[joe]

And make some killer samples!
And do some serious fishing!
This is your time. Tomorrow may keep busy for a month. No time for samples or fishing.

[sawdust535]

My carpentry business is down also, and I DID decide it was time to do some serious fishing . . . but then I realized I couldn't afford the gas for my boat!

[tuck]

Joe, yes I am making samples but I can't really wanna do what I wanna do for samples until I get a vacuum table installed so's I can cut small letters out of Polymetal and Sintra and save my fingers! A lot of neat things can be done, but ya gotta get SMALL often times. And I've been goin' fishin', (always), but the fish are just like the customers lately,....AIN'T BITING! lol

Speaking of a vacuum table, David, I haven't slept for 10 days but I think I've finally figured out how to have 4 Imperial motors running at once in series with no heat problems. Behold the "Final Solution":

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f332/Superfan52/FinalSolution.jpg

Yep, I finally figured it out. It took me a while, but I didn't go to M.I.T. for 12 years for nothing!

That's right. That's right. ;-)

[Gary Campbell]

Mark...
You have entirely too much time on your hands!!!
That is probably the K.I.S.S. principle at MIT
Good Job!
Gary

[joe]

Mark,

I don't have a vacuum hold down either.
Those dang old fish.
I miss seeing photo's of the Arab Prince Bandar lolling around the whitehouse, sitting on the arm of a sofas. Arms around GWB like family. Making himself at home.

I need to do somtehing fun! Working seven days a week, for months leaves me tired.

[brucehiggins]

Mark,
Does it hold down wood and keep beer cold at the same time? It looks like your time at M.I.T. was well spent!
Bruce

[tuck]

You know what, Joe? I love to work because I love MY work, and I suspect (I KNOW!), that you are much the same. The term 'retirement' is not in my personal vocabulary. My work makes me happy as well as makes me money. Without it, I don't know what I'd do even if'n I was rich.

I'll be 56 in 2 weeks. Some of my older friends are already retired and the rest are talking about it. None of them are rich. The ones that are already retired lay around the house and watch TV all day and complain about boredom as they get fatter and softer. Their interest dwindle as their waist lines get bigger. They wake up every morning with nothing more to do but turn on the TV and complain about the bad news. I'm a witness.

Things are sucking right now but I know they'll get better and I'll be here still and more ready than ever when they do. Sign making is in my blood. I'll make 'em till I drop dead and call that 'retirement'.

*All this does NOT mean that I won't buy a big Harley one day and HAVE SOME FUN!*

[tuck]

Bruce, yes, it should do all of that and more. I need two more check valves and one more ball valve and a 4-way Tee to implement a robotic floor vacuum system for the house (as well as the shop).

I already have a patent and I'll be going public soon with stock options. We're ALL gonna get RICH!!!

[joe]

I like bridges.

[joewino]

Business here is better than it's been in ages, but you never know when it's going to go South. The sign business is like that...and probably a lot of other things, also. We just completed the best quarter in history and still have a lot to do. The down-turn has not trickled down to us yet...and hopefully won't.

Like Joe, I'm just tired and need a rest, but there is too much to do. Fishing is a frustration to me. But I like naps.

We don't have a vacuum hold down either.

[ed_lang]

Seems from reading this thread that those who do not have a vacuum hold down..... has business. Those who have vacuum hold downs say that their business sucks now.

Maybe I should sell mine before my business passes through the bleeder!

[signtist]

Hello Mark, I seem to be on the same boat your on. Here in San Diego, things are just about stopped! Even the small piddly jobs seem to drag there feet till they realy have to have it!

[tuck]

John, I actually got an order for a 4 x 8 routed sign today that I designed & quoted last November! If it got any slower around here it would stop all together.

lol @ Ed!

[jamesgilliam]

Mark, I hope you allowed for material prices to go up in the quote. With the cost of fuel, and everything else going up I will only honor a quote for two weeks. James

[tuck]

James, Duna board is the same price as it was then. Paint may have gone up a little bit but I won't squabble. I'm just glad to have the order. Maybe it's a 'sign' things are gonna turn around?

[harryball]

The bat house business has been right crisp. We raised our prices the first of January. It looks like we'll be raising prices again on June 1st. The FedEx fuel surcharges, the fuel to pickup materials, the fuel the fuel the fuel...

I expected and noticed a decrease in individual sales, but we've had more commercial and government sales. I didn't expect it, but I'm happy about it. I'm speculating they have figured out housing a colony of bats is cheaper than pesticides in the long run. Multi-house orders are sweet! I'm shipping 8 four chamber houses to one buyer.

In the sign business with fewer new businesses opening and existing businesses on a tight budget, I am not surprised there is a slow down. Not sure what you can do but look for businesses are are doing well in todays market and find a way to make a product they need.

Banks that need forclosure signs comes to mind.

I've seen real estate signs getting far more creative and competative around here, someone is making those signs. One near me put up a 4x4 sign on twin poles with custom graphics and information box.

Just thinking out loud.

/RB

[tuck]

Hey Robert, where can I get one of your bat houses? Bats are good for 'skeeters. Bats = good. 'Skeeters = bad.

You're in Monroe, right?

[harryball]

You can check out my profile and visit our website. I'm in Kelleytown Georgia... listened to the tornados go by Sunday morning. That's near McDonough, Conyers, Stockbridge etc...

/RB

[tuck]

Robert, I'm just curious. Did you happen to bid on 2 signs last year (4 x 8 ovals), for a new subdivision called "Trillium Forest" in, I think it was Snelville?

[harryball]

LOL... heck no. I'm no threat to any "real" sign guys. I will do small interior signs, door plaques etc... stuff you've seen me post. But I would not venture to attack any serious sign job for a few reasons. One, it's off focus for me and I don't want to draw my business in a direction I don't want to go. Two, my knowledge in that area simply can't produce top notch results someone deserves when they lay out cash for an exterior sign and three I'm not willing to warranty something where I know my knowledge is incomplete.

As my knowledge expands I enjoy firming up new skill sets and signage is something I play with, but I've never considered making that a business.

/RB