Don't underestimate the importance of basic tutorials. I find myself on YouTube often watching videos of various aspects of sign manufacturing. About every other week we need to cut faces by hand because they are bigger than 5' in all directions, thus not fitting on the CNC router table.
Coming from the millwork industry, I can definately see the hesitance to share knowledge in the electric sign industry. I use to frequent the Woodweb forum and the difference between that and this forum or the other sign forums is like night and day. Any question from how to make something to how to run a business can be asked and will usually get many responses from a wide variety of people. I think the biggest difference between the two industries is how regional the millwork industry is versus the mix of national and regional players in the sign industry. If I asked a question on Woodweb, someone in California or Florida or wherever doesn't mind sharing info as they are not likely at all to be bidding on the same project, or bidding against me on anything ever. The sign industry is exactly the opposite which I think leads to the very little interaction on this board. It's very hard to share info with someone who might be a competitor, whether they're on the other side of town or the country.
*end rambling*
-Craig
