Custom Engraving & Signage Services

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. The most common assignment that we get is industrial engraving. This can encompass everything from machine control face plates, solenoid and proximity tags, electrical panel identifiers, warning/caution/danger signage and operator/maintenance instructions. Plastic and aluminum are the most common materials for these projects. The second most common for us are small and medium sized business signage. This includes a range of directory, way-finding and informational type signs. Often these will include some sort of business logo/graphic and can be relatively inexpensive and quick to produce.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. At the risk of losing potential clients and customers my advice for anybody looking for a signage professional is to shop locally. Here’s the rational: You will be able to interface directly with your sign maker, exchange ideas and cost options, explore alternatives far more quickly and with more clarity than an email, fax or telephone call will allow. Having said that I do not want to discourage anyone from contacting us for a quote or information on a signage project that they have in mind. Our prices are very competitive and we pride ourselves not only for on-time deliveries but customer satisfaction as well.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. This is a difficult question since it’s impossible for me to step outside the knowledge base that has been acquired from almost 10 years in this profession. The signage/engraving business is quite varied and can encompass many disciplines. From logo and graphics artwork to materials, color(s) matching, lighting, building codes and restrictions, construction methods and more it can become quite confusing and at times overwhelming for the uninitiated. We take a great deal of satisfaction on offering cost effective solutions to some of the more common signage applications.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Probably the most important information is size and scope of the project. Other information that your signage professional will need to know is if this a singular one time signage need or will it be an ongoing and evolving project that will require periodic additions and changes? Will your signage be interior, exterior or possibly both? Another basic question to consider is size(s). Lighting is another issue that may need to be addressed. These are some of the important questions that need to be answered initially to develop a workable plan for your project. Usually the best way to get started is to find an example of existing signage that you like and think would work well for your application. From there a basic plan can be developed utilizing your color scheme(s) and preferences.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. As an owner/general manager I enjoy being able to make things happen very quickly if need be. I suppose after that the most rewarding aspect of owning any business is having happy and contented customers. Going beyond that the thing I enjoy most is the enormous variety of work that this business can cover. The engraving/signage business is wide-ranging and can produce everything from simple promotional products to awards and trophies as well as top quality signage systems for office buildings and more. The assortment of products we can produce is actually quite remarkable.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Q1. What are my color and material options?
A1. Color and material choices can only be described as HUGE! Engraving plastic is manufactured in many basic colors not to mention wood grain, metal and granite patterns. The most popular colored engraving plastics encompass 3 basic surface finishes - Satin, Gloss and Matte but again there are the textures, similar to the modern appliance texture that is resistant to fingerprints and smudges. The standard Rowmark catalog of plastic engraving materials is overwhelming in itself but then there are colored/anodized metals (aluminum, brass, etc.) as well as different colored acrylics. Wood can also be easily engraved and then there are the solid surface materials. The choices for engraving materials are truly mind boggling. Your application will narrow this to a less than an infinite choice but rest assured that there will still be a myriad of selections to pick from for even the most specialized application.

Q2. Why are there no prices listed for your products and services?
A2. Simply because almost everything we do is custom. Everything from material to fonts to shipping can have an effect on price. It's simply impossible for us to have a "standard price list" under those conditions. We pride ourselves on having very competitive pricing for our products and we will supply an up front and fully understandable quote to you before any work is done. Our standard pricing policy is "delivered to your door" without any hidden charges of any kind. Simply put, the price we quote is the price you pay.

Q3. What does the “indoor use only” note on plastics materials actually mean?
A3. It simply means that the material is not UV stable and is not meant to "live" outdoors. It will fade quickly when exposed to direct sunlight for any length of time and may warp due to weather conditions.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. There are many ways to create custom signage. The application itself will determine many of your options and even then they will likely be quite numerous. There are different processes and materials that will give nearly the same effect but can vary widely in price and options. The substrate (which is simply another name for the material the sign itself is constructed on or with) is normally metal or plastic. These materials are available off the shelf in many colors, styles, patterns and custom colors are also available. Frames are, again, normally metal, plastic or wood and have their own sets of options. These choices create an astounding array of variables.