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UFB Fabrication

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Everything posted by UFB Fabrication

  1. Hey Sign Folks. I am working on a project that is a non profit in East Atlanta. The Rescue and place dogs. I know the lady that runs it and is such a sweetheart. They dont have any funding from the Government or big outside donor. They do fundraising and other things along with training to support themselves along with a group of volunteers. We are going to build all the signs for the and donate them. It would be awesome if a Atlanta shop would install it for them as a donation also. If you guys can help everything is appreciated. Give me a call 314-426-2162 or email samrein@ufbfab.com.
  2. We are continuing to expand (almost 50 employees) and are looking to ad a CNC router programer. Must have previous experience using Enroute or similar software. We do everything from small FCO letters to large pylon signs and Channel letters. We offer very competitive or better pay, Insurance, paid vacation, PTO and more holidays than normal. Great working environment with newest and best equipment. Send resume to samrein@ufbfab.com
  3. Not sure if it makes any difference but I know sign guys and others who NEVER sell any equipment to local competition. That said Equipment trader, Ebay,truck trader and others.
  4. I remember a couple sign shops in town would loan/trade each other the font cards for the Gerber 4b. I still say all the time that you can tell a graphic artist that drew or painted signs vs one that had only done stuff on the computer.
  5. Not sure of the rule of law in your state but, If you file a lien its on the property and property owner. If the guy that stiffed you owned the properties than you can collect on the sale to release the lien. If someone else owned it they are liable. Thats why many companies go crazy getting lien releases when they pay in full.
  6. OKAY Both manufacturers are making assumptions about our experience, size and sales. James your Lack of knowledge about the experience and skill of our company is showing your lack of experience, knowledge and understanding of the custom sign business or to use your words "uneducated''. These are machines that may be utilized in may 5% in what needed in a custom sign shop and less than 20% of a simple channel letter. Folks like us were building letters by before either SDS or CC had a PO box working in Moms garage. Get over yourselves. It also should not make one bit of difference when responding or posting here but......frankly, simple channel letters that are spit out by the automated machines don't require much talent and the signs look like it. Its a portion of what we do and like to help our customers fill a need. But that's OK cause we do millions of dollars a year in business selling them. We concentrate on signs that other shops are not capable of building using knock down kits and cookie cutter channel letters. We have almost 40 skilled craftsmen that build high end custom signs since 1999. We have modern state of the art equipment with over a 1/2 million in new equipment just last year. That said, here is a pic of our Accubends output for not quite a day by the way. I have to say its held up very well as we have only had 1 in house service call in the years we have owned it. Pic 2 shows a letter that neither machine can bend and more inline with what we do.
  7. Yes I know your machine is better and you must have forgotten our discussions but the next couple machines will likely be Red, a different color than the ones we currently have. You missed my point though. Even if you machine can have us bending and attaching backs 50% better, the majority of work building letters to a completed sign is not just the metal letter. Buying one of these machines does not automatically make a sign company a channel letter wizbang. You will need clincher/stapler, routers, welders, paint booths along with UL or similar listing service and more. The most difficult will be the skill, knowledge and talent. The SOT article similar to others they have written in the past is a bit of a puff piece showcasing bending machines (which are great inventions/machines BTW) but did not give all the info needed. It was a great way for them to get advertising revenue so I must give SOT props for that. Not very helpful for a company looking into getting into the channel letter game. But thats ok they will learn the hard way and end buy buying out letters from wholesalers in the end if they remain in business.
  8. Just opened and skimmed the latest SOT article about channel letters. 1st off if anyone looks at the mag you can seen its loaded with channel letter bending machines ads that have really increased ad space this month. Hmmmm. Well once again the said that ground breaking technology has come to the channel letter market. Yes it is if this article was written 15 or 20 years ago. Nothing new has been come up with for years and most anyone who makes channel letters seriously bought a bender years ago. While automated bending is great and with a clincher or stapler is better than doing it by hand its really only 20% of building a letter. Still have to slap some LED's in it which are of course the modern miracle of the sign world. Add a bit of trim cap and viola you made yourself a set of letters. Never mind the other equipment needed, permits or UL . Its pretty plain to me that this is typical of SOT of telling a "story" that includes/benefits a advertiser, shame on them. Looking more like fakes news
  9. Yep the only time I get bit is when I break the rules. Had a guy stringing me along on getting a deposit and we still did the design, got eng. and permits which tooks 2 months at variance hearings. Fast forward the guy still kept forgetting his wallet and needed a Banner for grand opening. I did so and the day of I show up a 1/2 hour before the news and the mayor and all the grand opening stuff and forgot his wallet again. Quite a big deal. BTW the way had just retired from pro ball and had a world series ring. In front of him and all of his big shot friends I took out a knife and shredded his banner. He was pissed and embarrassed and said I fucked up his event. After he was done yelling I told him that when I get back to the office I was calling the city and cancelling his permit which would set his highway frontage sign back 3-4 months. That he card take his quote and my card and stick it his ass and to lose my phone number. Best 2 grand I ever lost. I would rather lose money than let someone steal it from me. That was 25-30 years ago and still enjoy reminiscing about it. BTW never give out your design drawings.....
  10. Definatly put a Lien on the property. Actually send a notice of intent to lien to him and the landlord(s). Its likely the landlord will be the ones paying you. BTW unless you want to lose the $ its now time to ratchet it up and be ruthless. Now its lesson time. For ANy customer Big, small, local or out of state you need to make some rules and stick by them. You need to have contracts that clearly state how you are to be paid and if needed what the remedies will be if they try and skip out on you. In the contract it also needs to state that the signs are your property until paid in full installed or not. Also when I did retail I rarely would do any work without 1/2 done and remainder when you show up on site. If you go and get ready to put up sign and he forgot he check book in his other pants tell him you will be back when he has the right pants on. If the person is a pain about paying a deposit they damn sure will be a pain when its time to pay in full. If you feel like extending credit then ask for credit references and get the person to sign personally as well as corporate. In the case of nationals dont just get a signature from just anyone make sure its a principal or it means jack shit. Also it helps if you take credit cards but remember the process folks get 3.5 % or more. We have not charged off ANY deadbeats in years. I could be lucky or collect $ like a mobster.... I am sure I missed some stuff that others may add.
  11. I love talking with people as for one I type slow. But.....I also will follow up with a email that has any info that needs to "officially" recorded.
  12. I have not posted about this lately but I just got a email that aluminum is going up another 7% yesterday. They said that we are nowhere near done with increases. One a second note We have changed our policy in regards to Estimates. The are now only good for 7 days and will be reviewed at time of PO to determine if any corrections need to be made.
  13. To follow that line of thought I would bet that 90% of equipment, material or assembled with stuff from offshore
  14. Well 15 minutes from the shop is Granite City steel. It has been closed during the last president's term. They are re-opening as we speak. From my understanding is that almost all aluminum sheet goods are imported. How as a country did we let this happen. My dad retired from Mcdonnell Douglas/Boeing. It was his 3rd job after pumping gas. Now the Government has gave contracts to build fighter jets to other countries. Is Airbus going to build the next Airforce 1? We have to recover from a service industry style job future. Need to start teaching kids in Jr and Sr High school how to work for a living and that moms basement until you are 36 is not a career. EVERY company owner I talk to is begging for new employees that can work.
  15. So it seems that even though the American mills did not have any cost increase it seems as though they look as an excuse to raise prices. We buy a pretty large amount locally I was wondering who the SS folks are using either regionally or nationally. As we have our delivery trucks from coast to coast rather then dead head back we can pick up 10 - 20,00 pounds on the way back. Places we have buy us and have bought from Eastern. Alro and Haggerty. We have tried to follow most companies and use the lean way of bringing in stock say 100 sheets at a time but we need to re visit this. BTW if you have checked your prices in the last few days sit down. We figure between when we got a PO from the customer to ordering the material about a 5 G increase on 1 project.
  16. We both attend and exhibit sign trade shows and some industrial equipment. We go to ISA when and buy the show special printer......
  17. On Amazon prime I watched a movie called "Neon" Very good !!!!!
  18. Finally got around to putting this letter back together. Porcelain Enamel that was taken down from the "Welcome to the Bagnell dam" sign by one of our good friends and customers John at signature signs. I think this was built in the 50's. I am sure it will outlast all of the LED's that we all installed today with a 60+ year head start.
  19. I dont know if they still do it but in the case of GM pole signs they would also have to show photos of the anchor bolts cut off and a good portion of the base demo'd
  20. Sawtrax 84'' high we have a speed cut also but its in the crating dept. Same size
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