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Goatboy

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Posts posted by Goatboy

    YESCO, a Leader in the Electric Sign and Lighting Industry, Expands Through Franchising

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Goatboy.... do you think the fact franchises will try and never take off is because Alaska has a very distinct culture and attitude? They are well known as being self sufficient without outside help. While this likely stems from the need to survive, it tends to transfer to nearly everything else... does it not?

    Not so much so, but the ability to adjust to the lack of resources and the ability to get them cost effectively and efficiently. I'm sure Hawaii has the same issue (hence an even higher CoL than us). The few larger Alaskan sign companies that remain generally are an install source for lower 48 vendors. We can usually pick up the pylon/large fabrication, but channel letters/light construction rarely get made here. The cost to fabricate/ship vs our fabrication is generally the determining factor. Alaska's larger sign projects (6 to 7 figures) generally are lost to the lower 48. That leaves the locals to compete for the installs on those project and compete for the rest. I think if handed to the right people a Yesco would fair very well up here, even in just service/install.

    YESCO, a Leader in the Electric Sign and Lighting Industry, Expands Through Franchising

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    I'd be curious how they would float up here....

    They are doing stuff in places all over the world folks - Poland, France, New Zealand, UK, Canada, Italy...all over the USA. Keep in mind they play in Las Vegas - it is the most stringent code compliance requirements of anywhere in the world!

    Have you seen their outdoor LCD TV? It is awesome.

    That may be and I'm sure they are very successful. My curiousity is to see how they would adjust is all. Far too often major franchises will give Alaska a try and never really take off. I'm curious how well their technologies and methods translate to Alaska. In all reality I'd love to see them come up here.

    So Sad

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    The shop I work for "used" JS leds for a few years on some large projects and are currently retro-ing them out with sloan. They apparently went through an overhaul in their bin choice to higher grade leds and have offered to swap product for the pain in the ass created. We won't use em. I don't make the purchasing choices but I know they were used because of the price point. As shops, big and small get hungrier, I can see more products like JS coming to the surface and being used. Which at the point of all this, I agree it is sad.

    Permit Fees

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Up here we get charged by the inspection, but also are required to show the valuation of the project. The muni uses our valuation sheet to add to the property value of the customer for property taxes. I generally do a background check on the address before I draw to pre-flight wht a client can and cannot have. Our allowable signage is based on zoning and with the enormous areas of "grey" areas, its often a debate when pulling a permit with zoning.

    More UL fees???

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    We recently went to ETL after UL came in and started flagging every element down to the rivits that were not UL listed. Our Muni requires a listing of some sort. I believe and agree there should be a standard in our industry not only for the safety of legitimate sign shops but for the end users. But a label without enforcement is just a sticker.

    Sign tracker

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Been implementing Sign Tracker the last few months to demo it more for project management, then retail/commercial. I really like it so far. Handles estimates well and gives you a pretty concise methodology if your lacking that structure. We recently went through a big restructure(mom and pop UL shop goes corporate) at the shop Im working at and its helped guide us through some of that transition. James with sign tracker is really cool about making things fit your particular shop. The latest version with improved inventory modules and some other improvements will be live and web based for beta around the first part of April with the actual release being right after the show.

    A quick Small LED Channel Letter Poll

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Usually we will push for 5¼" returns since our stock coil is that depth. Ive done them thinner (3") with mini whites and used Milky White SG acrylic for better diffusion. If that still doesn't kill the spots some 60 diffuser will sort ya out. I know we've also done perimeter installs having the ledds pointed inward over straight up.

    The Great White Hope (Pre Project Thread)

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    With LEDs generally we use Milky white to prevent spotting. Hardest part about this would be not only how bright but also how material friendly. So heres the only problem I have with this test box. Im sure Im probably one of the few but

    "Temperature will play a completely different role outside of this project with this being set up in San Diego. Results would vary of course from Death Valley To Alaska, that would all depend on where a sign is going, that would have a be a different project all together, but wouldn't mind doing something like that in the future."

    We are in opposites of the Neon/LED spectrum. White Neon is a big no-no here, actually, anything but red for exterior use is. You can do it but the results are generally poor if your lucky. In the summer neon generally is burning 1-2 hours(between 3-4 am) at most a day down south here in Anchorage, none at all farther North. When neon gets its full use we generally hit an average of 19(23 at solstice) hours of dark with our temp valley ranging from 25 to -40, again this is the southern part of the state...up north...really dont want to think about it but -80 is not uncommon. LEDs thrive in cold climate neon thrives in hotter. Guess the point is very cool idea but I believe temp is more crucial then may be put in for in a test like this

    I Need Your Input please

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Let me start out by saying I love this site. I think what your facing is a grp of people who in general had to grind their way to where they are. With the advent of the insta sign shop more are having the tendency to be guarded in what they know. The best example I have for this is neon. Ive been wanting to learn neon for over 10 years now. I finally get my shot and the guy who is supposed to teach me wants an ass load of cash to part with what he knows(on top of his salary since its during work hours) WE are a scared skeptical bunch by nature since at one point or another weve all been replaced passed over dropped for the cheaper non experienced guy. Does it makes sense ...not really but our transition from the old school letter writters to the led installers all radius construction fabricators we are today.

    Vacation: What Is Your Idea Of A Good One?

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Generally my vacation is limited so I spend most of it traveling up here. Every other year I have to get back in touch with the rest of the world and end up in Seattle or the Midwest(Chcago w/the Fam). I miss So Cal. but I think my Boss did it right this year took a sail ship cruize throught the Virgin Islands. 10 days on a sail boat woud be th eway to go.

    Using A Plotter To Make Patterns For Channel Letters?

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Few basic questions for you..first when you send the plot does it offer a sequence plot function? Are you running center lines? How far can you plot before it starts to skew? What action causes the scew?

    Im not saying your machine is capable to plot 150 feet but in reality they can be set up to achieve 150 feet thats what I meant about file set up. Generally 20-30' will go pristine if you have all the planets aligned and your horseshoe on the wall. I use standard butcher paper with my files set up in corel(using intersect) with breaks every 4 feet so that Im not forcing the plotter to feed excessive lengths. Most plotters will actually plot at the desired slow control speed but feed media at a much higher rate(the time of failure for most pinch roller plotters). If you can adjust your actual feed rate that will help greatly. Some plotters will offer this others dont. I found between segmenting the file and pre feeding out my media then rolling it back I might lose an 1/16 every 50 feet.

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