Time-Saving Tools for Signs

AS SIGNMAKERS IN a digital age, we tend to focus most of our budget and resources on products used to create the stunning signs that we sell to our customers. It’s not uncommon to drop $50K or more on a new printer. Oh yeah, we need to get great workstations and software so we can design those signs too. Maybe we need to get a wide-format laminator and a finishing machine. However, for every banner, sign, vehicle wrap or whatever, someone needs to prepare it and install it. This is where the labor part of the equation comes in and if we only provide basic tools to the troops, we can end up spending more time on labor and leaving profit on the table. Fortunately, a number of tools can greatly speed up prep and installation. Let’s take a look at some of them.

A common problem in shops that do a lot of cut-vinyl signs and banners is applying transfer tape and the image to the final sign. For smaller real estate-sized signs, this is usually not too much of an issue. When you are working with 4 x 8-ft. signs and larger, this can be a real issue and may require more people. If taping is a challenge, you can get either a roller handle that fits the application tape or a table-mounted system that holds a roll of application tape and acts as a second hand. If you have the budget, you can opt for a purpose-built application table that uses pressure rollers to apply not only the tape but also the graphic to the sign board or banner. A setup like that allows one person to work on very large signs.

What may seem like a simple problem can be a royal pain. Let’s say you do a lot of magnetic signs. The magnetic media comes in a roll and when you cut it to size you get sharp corners. This is not great for magnetics and doesn’t look good either. If you want to have the corners rounded, it can take a lot of time to mark the curve and cut with a razor blade. Why not just get a corner cutter? Simply line up the edges, pull down the lever and voilà, a perfect rounded corner.

Another very time-consuming process has nothing to do with creating a sign. Someone buys a used fleet of trucks and wants new graphics — sounds fine until you get on site and see that the trucks still have the old company’s wraps. Trying to clean up one truck with scrapers and heat guns can take hours. Or you can use a vinyl removal attachment on your portable drill. Pneumatic and corded electric tools are available as well if you are doing the work in your shop. This can save a lot of time and fingernails.

Finally, let’s talk about our vehicle wrap shops. By now you know about most of the special knives, blades and squeegees. However, a common problem is wrapping those pesky protruding surfaces like mirrors. It can take two people to get everything lined up and adhered. Now you can get tools that hold small wheels of vinyl that can be preheated and placed over the surface, almost like vacuum forming. Once in place, it’s a simple job that one installer can do to squeegee and trim.

So as you can see, there are other areas where you can increase production without buying a new computer or printer. Just provide efficiency-saving tools to the folks who do the heavy lifting. Everyone will be happier for it and hopefully you get to keep more bucks in your pocket.

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