The sign industry has a vast array of gadgets and machines that help us do our jobs more efficiently. Projects get produced by large format digital printers, CNC routers and vinyl cutters that can cost into the tens of thousands of dollars.
Our most valuable piece of equipment is this screwdriver. The history of this screwdriver goes back over 20 years to South Texas when my father and I were doing custom paint work out of the back of his 1972 Chevrolet Caprice Classic station wagon. Back then we were painting graphics on brand new Chevrolet Suburbans all over the state of Texas for new car dealerships. We painted in fields, barns, and any makeshift building that the dealership would let us work in.
Hundreds, if not thousands of paint cans were opened with this screwdriver by my father, who passed away from cancer almost 15 years ago now. In the years we worked together we custom painted graphics on cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, Willie Nelson's tour bus and about a million other things that moved. Work days were long and sweltering in the Texas heat. In my mid twenties I wanted out and moved to Seattle where I learned the computer side of graphics and produced thousands of cut vinyl and digital print decals for companies like Crate & Barrel, Microsoft and Freightliner Trucks.
It took me quite a few years to come to my senses and recognize the legacy my father had left me with the years we spent custom painting all those vehicles. Not long after 9-11, I broke out some old lettering quills and bought some 1 Shot paint and started getting my hands dirty again. Slowly the old skills came back and the excitement for sign making came back with it.
Today, my wife and I run a small sign company, its just the two of us with an occasional friend helping out when needed. We named the company Starr Studios to keep the family tradition alive, my father's company was Starr Custom Paint. We have some expensive gadgets and equipment and computers that speed up some of the tedious aspects of sign making, and help us to keep our books straight. But the best days are when we sketch a design onto a sign panel and get to use our most valuable piece of equipment of all: the old screwdriver my father used to open all those cans of paint that left the chrome bumper of his station wagon coated in a thousand dripped colors.
That's our most valuable piece of equipment, what's yours?
posted
Hey, where did you get our screwdriver!! Ours looks just like that!!
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
This is the most valuable piece of equipment in my shop...
I sometimes thank my dad for the lessons he taught me growing up. He was a carpenter and we seemed to always be doing a project around the house. He taught me anything is possible if you put in the effort.
Later when I had my own business he would be our guest contractor on projects and had a tough time building things bent as I liked them. He liked things perfectly level and straight. We had so many good times.
He's retired now, although I occasionally get him to help on things. When he was getting rid of his tools I asked for his hammer. Its worn shiney and round on the business end from driving countless nails home, without a hammer mark. The rubber grip has long since disappeared replaced with duct tape. Dad insisted the balance was perfect on this model and although he tried many other hammers over the years this one always was one one he favored.
It sits in a place of honor on a shelf in my studio. One of these days I will frame it... a glance makes me smile and remember many happy memories of a man who worked with his hands and heart.
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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This is hands down my most valuable piece of equipment. I'm on the road 95% of the time and without it I'd be on rollerskates or a motorscooter. I'd have a tough time strapping a 4'x8' onto my rollerskates!
Man, I couldn't make it through the day without these multi-purpose tools, although it seems I've mostly been using them to stomp out fires.... which sucks, because I hate that ashy taste....
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I got this box of sticks with hair sticking out the end of 'em. Use 'em to smear this colored liquid stuff on boards and things. Every so often, somebody actually PAYS me to do this. Seriously!
-------------------- "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
Cam Bortz Finest Kind Signs Pondside Iron works 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988" Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I was going to say 'imagination' but Neil's intestines go close to the pic I would have gone for next!
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
At this moment, I am starting to realize that my left Wrist was pretty Damn important. .
Healing day by day.
[ June 13, 2009, 09:01 AM: Message edited by: Sam Staffan ]
-------------------- Sam Staffan Mackinaw Art & Sign 721 S. Nokomis St. Mackinaw City, MI dstaffan@sbcglobal.net Posts: 1694 | From: Mackinaw City, MI | Registered: Mar 2004
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The moment I re'd the Q I knew my answer would be my hands . . . they are something I am very thankful for every single day. Did'ju know the 'Rockets' have their legs insured for thousands of dollars? I think I should insure my hands that way . . . but I can't share a pic of 'em . . .drats . . .
Meanwhile, Neil, you certainly nailed it - er' hit-the-nail-on-the-head . . . ew, ANYWAY - without the pink, scrunchy, wad of usually skull-encased grey-matter all other tools are rendered entirely useless . . .
LOL Duwad, 'hand's-down' I'd say a lucid brain is quite helpful in all manner of equipment operation fron screw-driver to boom . . .
With all the tools mentioned, and pictured here, we may come up with one entire & complete sign painter . . .
posted
How about the little voice inside your head that tells you that you can do just about anything if you really want to? Bill
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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The most valuable piece of equipment is a tough question since I can relate to each answer for the reasons given. Letterville has been a valuable tool for me as well. I've learned a lot, made some good friends, and I hope, between wisecracks, helped teach others.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'd say a lucid brain is quite helpful in all manner of equipment operation fron screw-driver to boom . . .
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