Personalized Screen Door LOGO

[clancy_boy]

I wanted a personalized screen door logo and both sources - Airstream and DW - would not respond. I have the resouces to draw up a design and a local shop can cut them for me at a huge savings. What's huge?? The mark up on these things is 4 to 5 times the cost of manufacture. OK OK OK, I understand the cost of a limited production run, cost of materials and the cost of the design time itself and the talent (boy, do I understand the last one - it's not easy).

I went with a simple design that included our names and cut out leters as the floating solid letter of the other designs present lots of challanges for the designer. Any design can be cut for the same cost - the machine time is the same.

Hope you like it.

Mike

[byamcaravanner]

Cool Mike!

Any details regarding cost & file type requirements for the artwork?

Are these done with a waterjet or a laser?

[campadk]

Nice job!

Oops... I though using 'Airstream' in a logo was going to get people in trouble

[clancy_boy]

Originally Posted by campadk

Nice job!

Oops... I though using 'Airstream' in a logo was going to get people in trouble

Only if I sell it - there is no issue with personal use on their camper. It says Airstream all over it - what's one more place gonna hurt. BTW - I asked.

Originally Posted by wader

<snip> waterjet or laser <snip>

laser

[digger bear]

I dont see an Airstream logo in his design -- And his lettering is more than 40% different. It should not give AS too much heartburn.

I want to echo waders request:

"Any details regarding cost & file type requirements for the artwork?

Are these done with a waterjet or a laser?"

I can come up with quite a few applications for this!

[clancy_boy]

I started with a Microsoft PowerPoint file to get the demensions correct and there is a whole bunch of font types to play with. Had to have something to show the shop where the work was to be done. I then "learned" the CAD language it had to be transcribed into and exported a design file for use by the shop. This was laser cut - water jet could not do the fine points on the letters (I was told).

I had big plans on designs and images to place on the screen guard - those are real hard to convert to a graphics file and/or a design file that the CAD machine works in. I took a little drafting in college and that helped with understanding what the software was looking for. I would say that I went through 3 different designs - the final one was the easiest to have done. I have a much greater respect for DW and his work in desiging the commercial variant - it had to take some time. I had the words in a straight line at first - the operator just made them in a wave at the machine in 10 seconds - I have no idea how he did that, I would of had to work at that for a while.

[Stefrobrts]

Instead of 'The Airstream Company', that would be a fun place to have your year and model '1968 Caravel' in my case, followed by our names. That would answer the initial question at all open houses

Nice idea!

[Ganglin]

If you put the year on it those snobby campgrounds with the 10 or 15 year rules might not let you in

Very nice work Mike - very nice.....

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

Instead of 'The Airstream Company', that would be a fun place to have your year and model '1968 Caravel' in my case, followed by our names. That would answer the initial question at all open houses

Nice idea!

[tin sista]

Kudos and karma for you!!
Hey that is really a great idea! So do I understand that the image idea would be really tricky? My hubby speaks "CAD" so if I put that on his things to do list could he do a Rosie the Riveter image or is that something that would be better to ask at a shop??

[clancy_boy]

Originally Posted by tin sista

Kudos and karma for you!!
Hey that is really a great idea! So do I understand that the image idea would be really tricky? My hubby speaks "CAD" so if I put that on his things to do list could he do a Rosie the Riveter image or is that something that would be better to ask at a shop??

The problem with this sort of work is the "hanging" of all the necessary parts. What I mean by hanging is the stuff left behing in between the cutouts that need to be there for the effect. In letters like O - the center has to remain for it to make sense. Easier with letters - much more difficult with drawings. I wanted to put fleur-de-lis in the wide open space on each side of our name but in outline and not cut out like the letters. Each turn of the laser needs a node and that has to be input exactly. Now - I'm no expert. Learning the letter trick was a steep curve, an expert can do it in a short period of time. But, you have to pay for that time - I wanted to learn myself and cut costs.

I have since learned that there are design drwings available on the web and these can be bought for a few bucks and scaled to fit with ease. Check with your local metal shop and see what final file type they need. The cost of the cutting and materials was cheap.

BTW - the top and bottom edge has to be bent for strength.

[wheel interested]

Great door guard! I like the personalization especially. Steph that's a great idea too. It will be interesting to see what can be done.

[Minnie's Mate]

I think I would want mine to read:

2006 Airstream Safari
Yes, they still make them!

[soldiermedic]

Cost?????

[dnrtheil]

Was this made at a sign shop or a metal fab shop?

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Clancy boy i think you just found a side bussiness for yourself. I too am interested in a screan door gaurd. I have a 1 year old and a dog so I was thinking of some way to keep them from falling through the door within a door. I would love to know the price you will be charging.

[clancy_boy]

I'm going to have to pass on the production of these things.

It was made at a commercial metal fabrication shop that really does not want the business to do one of a kind items. We contract allot through them and I was able to get them to do this for me. The cost was materials at $10 and time for reformat of file and cutting $25. These guys are real busy - they do production runs in the 1000''s and my call today was met with a "not interested" reply. BUT, the owner stated that my costs were what he would have charged - it took 15 minutes from start to finish - the breaks on top and bottom were done in seconds - when you have the equipment it's easy.

The CAD drawings is where the money is - but text is not all that complicated. It's the designs that will take work.

[dnrtheil]

$35.00 is a good price. For those who want more info, that's about what you'd pay at a sign shop, plus they might include the artwork/layout if do not ask for a dozen revisions to what they come up with.

D

[Jaxon]

We'd definitely be interested in "Classic Airstream" and a cool design...:



What a great idea for personalizing one's Airstream! And as a business, I see that there are quite a few other fellow travelers out there (with SOB's... ), that would probably be interested in such an idea. Lot's of forums (print & web) to advertise on... Jump on it!