Any money in canvas printing?
Discussion
A friend is looking like he might be out of a job soon and wants to start something that he could do while he finds another.
He has seen a A0 printer for just over £1000 and thinking about offering the local area canvas printing.
I'm asking here as he asked what I thought and to be honest I havent a clue - i think its quite a flooded market and guessing the ink is not cheap!
Are there any experts here that are willing to let me have an insight to the industry? Fully understand if not, I would just like to offer a bit of advice before he blows £1k
He has seen a A0 printer for just over £1000 and thinking about offering the local area canvas printing.
I'm asking here as he asked what I thought and to be honest I havent a clue - i think its quite a flooded market and guessing the ink is not cheap!
Are there any experts here that are willing to let me have an insight to the industry? Fully understand if not, I would just like to offer a bit of advice before he blows £1k
There's lots of money to be made, but not with a £1000 A0 printer........
In order to fulfil to a quality that is worth having the investment is significantly in technology and staff is way more than that. The problem with canvas printing is that a lot of people think it's just print mounted on wood and believe me it isn't.
For example, would you think about having a go at touring car racing with a 2004 325i? It'll go around the track but you'd be left way behind and give up fairly quickly.
Oh, I own a large format printing company btw
In order to fulfil to a quality that is worth having the investment is significantly in technology and staff is way more than that. The problem with canvas printing is that a lot of people think it's just print mounted on wood and believe me it isn't.
For example, would you think about having a go at touring car racing with a 2004 325i? It'll go around the track but you'd be left way behind and give up fairly quickly.
Oh, I own a large format printing company btw
Edited by Bernie-the-bolt on Sunday 12th April 08:25
Thanks for your imput.
Your right, and I know you get what you pay for!
I dont think he is looking at making a mint from this he just wants some pocket money for when he looses his job (which is soon by the sounds of things)
No staff, or office needed and was just looking at targeting local area maybe some pre printed at markets/bootsales. So minimal overheads.
I thought the whole process would be a pita - printing, mounting etc although looking at some sites £80 for a nice size canvas plus postage is quite a good markup on low quality inks/print?
I understand what you are saying and will pass that on. (to put him off, what would you need to spend on a second hand printer for his needs?)
Your right, and I know you get what you pay for!
I dont think he is looking at making a mint from this he just wants some pocket money for when he looses his job (which is soon by the sounds of things)
No staff, or office needed and was just looking at targeting local area maybe some pre printed at markets/bootsales. So minimal overheads.
I thought the whole process would be a pita - printing, mounting etc although looking at some sites £80 for a nice size canvas plus postage is quite a good markup on low quality inks/print?
I understand what you are saying and will pass that on. (to put him off, what would you need to spend on a second hand printer for his needs?)
sam.r said:
Thanks for your imput.
Your right, and I know you get what you pay for!
I dont think he is looking at making a mint from this he just wants some pocket money for when he looses his job (which is soon by the sounds of things)
No staff, or office needed and was just looking at targeting local area maybe some pre printed at markets/bootsales. So minimal overheads.
I thought the whole process would be a pita - printing, mounting etc although looking at some sites £80 for a nice size canvas plus postage is quite a good markup on low quality inks/print?
I understand what you are saying and will pass that on. (to put him off, what would you need to spend on a second hand printer for his needs?)
This is not something you can do from your spare bedroom and do well enough to make any money at all I'm afraid. The large canvas printers (and we print a huge amount) have invested £10's of 1000's in kit and staff to make it work.Your right, and I know you get what you pay for!
I dont think he is looking at making a mint from this he just wants some pocket money for when he looses his job (which is soon by the sounds of things)
No staff, or office needed and was just looking at targeting local area maybe some pre printed at markets/bootsales. So minimal overheads.
I thought the whole process would be a pita - printing, mounting etc although looking at some sites £80 for a nice size canvas plus postage is quite a good markup on low quality inks/print?
I understand what you are saying and will pass that on. (to put him off, what would you need to spend on a second hand printer for his needs?)
Also does he have a thorough working knowledge of Photoshop/Quark/Illustrator/Freehand.........probably not......enough said
He is a designer at the moment so that isn't a problem its just the printing he hasn't a clue.
I understand to make this a high turnover business you would need to invest £££'s however he just wants a second hand printer to flog a few pictures.
Apart from the printer what else is really needed?
Thanks for your advice.
ETA- the main reason he thought of this was when he went into a canvas shop in London and all they had was a A0 printer/plotter (not sure what is was) and one chap was knocking out peoples prints and the other one was mounting them and taking the cash. £50 a pop and had their canvas within the hour.
It just all seemed very simple - nothing too high tech and when they were not busy they were printing famous prints (which is a bit naughty) and selling them.
I understand to make this a high turnover business you would need to invest £££'s however he just wants a second hand printer to flog a few pictures.
Apart from the printer what else is really needed?
Thanks for your advice.
ETA- the main reason he thought of this was when he went into a canvas shop in London and all they had was a A0 printer/plotter (not sure what is was) and one chap was knocking out peoples prints and the other one was mounting them and taking the cash. £50 a pop and had their canvas within the hour.
It just all seemed very simple - nothing too high tech and when they were not busy they were printing famous prints (which is a bit naughty) and selling them.
Edited by sam.r on Sunday 12th April 10:05
I think there are plenty of opportunities for a decent wide format printer.
Thinking about shows of various types (cars, Sci-fi, art etc), then the potential for a hobby business is there.
Just make sure you research how much the end product will cost.
Not sure you need the latest or most expensive printer, there are a lot of choices.
Work out the cost of end product first, which will be the most important (poss. above print quality).
No point getting a low price printer if it sprays £30 of ink at each print!
Thinking about shows of various types (cars, Sci-fi, art etc), then the potential for a hobby business is there.
Just make sure you research how much the end product will cost.
Not sure you need the latest or most expensive printer, there are a lot of choices.
Work out the cost of end product first, which will be the most important (poss. above print quality).
No point getting a low price printer if it sprays £30 of ink at each print!
I just bought a Roland printer/cutter for making small stickers cut to shape.
It's for a specific thing related to our business, not for re-sale. We used to outsource but the kit came up at the right price, right time. We spent about £1k on the kit, but got a bargain and should probably have paid nearly double that.
Being a total novice with this type of printing, I wasted about £40 worth of ink, and £10 worth of vinyl in getting the thing to do what we wanted it to. All of the materials were thrown in with the printer, so technically it didn't cost anything!
I guess it took me about 25 hours to 'learn' the machine, and I now know how to adjust all of the settings, spot colours, cut lines, refilling inks, changing the cutting blade etc. I also picked up a service manual from a chap in the USA, and familiarised myself with the factory and service setting adjustments that can be made.
OK, I'm still finding the odd fault to correct and the odd adjustment that I need to look up, but basically I have a working printer that does everything I need it to do, and it took me about 2-3 hours a day for a week to work it all out.
The machine is now in to profit after about 4 weeks of purchasing, so just materials, inks and maintenance to pay from here. I would say second hand is the best way to go!
If the whole thing goes sour, you can always flog the whole lot and should get cost price back assuming it's all still working.
I would say go for it, what is there to lose!
It's for a specific thing related to our business, not for re-sale. We used to outsource but the kit came up at the right price, right time. We spent about £1k on the kit, but got a bargain and should probably have paid nearly double that.
Being a total novice with this type of printing, I wasted about £40 worth of ink, and £10 worth of vinyl in getting the thing to do what we wanted it to. All of the materials were thrown in with the printer, so technically it didn't cost anything!
I guess it took me about 25 hours to 'learn' the machine, and I now know how to adjust all of the settings, spot colours, cut lines, refilling inks, changing the cutting blade etc. I also picked up a service manual from a chap in the USA, and familiarised myself with the factory and service setting adjustments that can be made.
OK, I'm still finding the odd fault to correct and the odd adjustment that I need to look up, but basically I have a working printer that does everything I need it to do, and it took me about 2-3 hours a day for a week to work it all out.
The machine is now in to profit after about 4 weeks of purchasing, so just materials, inks and maintenance to pay from here. I would say second hand is the best way to go!
If the whole thing goes sour, you can always flog the whole lot and should get cost price back assuming it's all still working.
I would say go for it, what is there to lose!
Edited by maser_spyder on Sunday 12th April 23:52
10JH said:
This guy is not doing so well it seems - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61759886480
Looks like a pretty good campaign. Lots of Americans going out to get business, good to see some Brits are up for it too, and not just lying on their backs dying.Cpn Jack Spanner said:
10JH said:
This guy is not doing so well it seems - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61759886480
Looks like a pretty good campaign. Lots of Americans going out to get business, good to see some Brits are up for it too, and not just lying on their backs dying.A quick check on the most watched items on eBay UK http://www.watchcount.com/ consistently has one guy on there who sells photos printed on canvas frames.
We make canvases for other people who sell them on. Couldn’t make a living from these alone though. www.lutonsigns.com allows us to do these alongside regular graphics and signwork.
I would also never use water based inks for printing onto canvas.
Happy to demonstrate our processes to any beginners.
I would also never use water based inks for printing onto canvas.
Happy to demonstrate our processes to any beginners.
Just remembered being offered a container of "Mona Lisa's" a few years back, all on canvas, with hand-painted accents to make them look 'original'
Didn't go for them - no idea how to flog that many Mona's - think there were close to 10,000. I don't do well with large numbers of same product
Again, easy as a 'fun' profitable business with the right product in the right place, hard to get a full-time living.
Psssst. Hey buddy, wanna buy the Mona Lisa, yeah, nicked it from that louvered place, yours for a tenner. Nice one, son! Fancy another?
Didn't go for them - no idea how to flog that many Mona's - think there were close to 10,000. I don't do well with large numbers of same product
Again, easy as a 'fun' profitable business with the right product in the right place, hard to get a full-time living.
Psssst. Hey buddy, wanna buy the Mona Lisa, yeah, nicked it from that louvered place, yours for a tenner. Nice one, son! Fancy another?
sam.r said:
Ok some interesting points, before he goes any further ANY idea what printer would do the job second hand?
Also, anyone know a large format printer that is cheap to run? Runs on cheap, qualityish ink that comes in 5 litre bottles for about a fiver? Really shouldn't cost more than a couple of quid in ink for A0 (Sunday Time supplement has more acerage than that, and that's free!)
Someone must do it, and if not, why not?
10JH said:
Cpn Jack Spanner said:
10JH said:
This guy is not doing so well it seems - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61759886480
Looks like a pretty good campaign. Lots of Americans going out to get business, good to see some Brits are up for it too, and not just lying on their backs dying.Gassing Station | Business | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff