Coaster Press

[GoonerGary]

I'm going to go into my work room and stare at it for half an hour and figure out if I can make better space. But I know already a large format Pressmech isn't going in there.

Unless somebody wants a Leitz Focomat V35 to make some room? Off topic now, but one just sold on ebay for £138, that's criminal.

With an uncertain 2014 for me and having to change direction, it's difficult to invest in quality when I don't know if the products will sell.

[purpledragon]

With an uncertain 2014 for me and having to change direction, it's difficult to invest in quality when I don't know if the products will sell.

always going to be a difficult decision the first press i bout was cheap and certainly not cheerful if i had settled for that idve finished before i started luckily i was in a position to buy better so my first purchase was down the drain and an expensive mistake in those terms .
Heres your problem you dont know what will sell so dont know how to buy to accomodate this BUT if you buy cheap the goods you produce could be substandard as a result so your new venture would be sunk before it started. its like buying a printer you get an a4 sub printer cause all you want to do is produce mugs but one of your mug customers wants a ton of tote bags but you cant do these cause a4 isnt big enough . its difficult to know what to do for the best. you really need to buy as good as you can afford i think is probably the best way to go

[pisquee]

But I know already a large format Pressmech isn't going in there.

The A3 press is what we use, and can easily do 12 coasters at a time, or 4 slates. We are thinking of maybe trading our two in to upgrade to one of the new larger models though.

With an uncertain 2014 for me and having to change direction, it's difficult to invest in quality when I don't know if the products will sell.

If this is a business project, then draw up a business plan. Look at your competitors, or others in he market, both locally, and nationally if going the wholesale/trade route. Look at what they sell, how much for, what their MOQs are, what their trade price are, and how they relate to their RRPs. Go to a trade show to see this all under one roof - You've just missed Top Drawer (London), but Spring fair (Birmingham) and Scotland's Trade Fairs (Glasgow) are both this weekend IIRC.

Work out what you're going to sell, to who, and for how much.
Work out how much money you need to invest in this business, and whether that's coming from cash, or credit card/loan/overdraft, and work in appropriate interest charges.
Work out how long it will take to recoup your investment and turn a profit.

[JMugs]

It is the big pressmech that I use. I like it.

Janners

[GoonerGary]

Well what appeared to be just an idea, happened. I've removed by beloved Leitz photographic enlarger and there's just about enough room for a Stahls.

[JMugs]

Ohhh that's just the start...be warned....photography....images...sublimation...blanks....opportunity...customer base...ideas...studio....themes....

Mrs Janners is a Pro Tog. Other togs come to her to go "Where did you get that?...errr Hubby"...then I get the can you, how much, when, wedding, portrait, promotional...

I guess what I am saying is that as a photographer you have a fantastic opportunity opening up to you that perhaps as of this moment you can't imagine. A whole new world....and believe me it will be exciting.

If it takes you for the same ride as it has us, it will be different to many on this forum. There is a nucleus on this forum all very similar, then there is Mrs Maggot, Pisquee, Purpledragon, Social Giraffe...etc who are branches away from the main trunk...the roots are the same though and everybody tends to have mugs in common to a greater or lesser scale, which is great.

Are you excited yet? Is your curiosity growing?

Janners

[JMugs]

I do ramble on sometimes....

[GoonerGary]

Back in my lecturing days, I was the 'mug king' during the summer. Then photography, but recession spoilt my big plans. Then the business drifted more into / graphic design and manufacturing products. So now I'm coming back into sublimation part time but with different ideas. Just wish I had space and staff for all these businesses, all this knowledge going to waste! The biggest risk is actually going big.

[JMugs]

I watch excited, better than the rubbish on TV.
Janners.

[JBDesign]

reply to pisquee,
Brilliant post. In a nutshell, what I am trying to get my head round. I wish it was as easy as bunging stuff out there and seeing what happens but i know it isn't
Jon
re the photo stuff, surely the most important thing is the mind behind the camera. It's a shame, but as 99% of all photography ends up as a 800 pixel jpg on a screen it all gets a bit irrelevant comparing really bloody good to just a bit more really bloody good. And it depends what the photo is for of course. imho. (Fuji x100, me ))) ) But don't mind me, have at it. . .