Large project

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TheBigPicture

Grumbler in Training
Joined
Oct 23, 2002
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8
Location
Indianapolis, IN
We are quoting a large project - 600 pieces, in 3 weeks, and have a very small shop. Are we better off "out sourcing" the mat cutting (one opening) vs. cutting all of them ourselves? The picture is a true custom piece so the glass will have to be cusom cut as well.
 
If you have never quoted a big job like that, fair warning, IT CAN EAT YOUR LUNCH.

Bidding it can go many ways. Punched mats are cheap, and you are deffinately past the 250 piece mark....

Precut, and washed glass goes without saying.

Premade frames at that level can be a time AND profit saver.... It's amazing how long it takes to chop and join 100 frames much less 600.

600 by the way, is a major portion of many small shops annual output.... 3 weeks?? We're talkin Extreme Makeover Home Edition.....

at 600, I would also be ordering precut backing.... maybe eve pre-DONE framing....
 
I used to work at a shop back in the sixties, and it was a large, fairly efficient place with a half dozen or so employees. The boss took in a job like yours - 500 small frames - 5x7's as I recall. He thought he could make a killing chopping up all that old moulding he had left over from when he bought the shop in the fifties.

It was a nightmare! He ended up hiring neighborhood kids to help with the massive load (and you can well imagine what great workers they were!) and we barely squeeked the order out on time.

Let me tell you, that boss never pulled a stunt like that again!

Another thing to think about - I was stupidly contemplating a similar order years ago in my shop - for the VA. I had done smallish things for them in the past, they liked my work - wanted to give me the job. But I had to give them a quote first.

So I brilliantly thought that if I bought the frames readymade from my longtime supplier, and including glass - I would make out like a bandit - jsut turning around the job (no mats or fitting).

Well - what I was NOT prepared for was the fact that my longterm supplier wanted HALF up front before they would cut one stick of moulding!

And you KNOW the VA only pays (at least back then) MONTHS after the delivery.

I did not bid on that job and now whenever the government calls I politely decline.

You really have to be set up FOR production to DO production!
 
Well Put Mar.

We do a massive job every month for 7 month out of the year. 432 images. 18x24s 16x20s 11x14s....

We are a 1.5 person shop with only 723 sq ft.

HOW DO WE DO THAT!?

Outsource. All of it. Images go to ColorPlak, they do the work, box and ship to our customer. We just keep on selling and cashing the checks.

Real frames? No Way. Never touch it again.
 
Some very basic kwestions for an order such as this, I advise looking to "farm it out" or turning it down if you're not confident you can turn it out yourselves.

There is plenty of advice for such a situation, if you have a good crew and good machines then this would be a walk in the park. "Small shop" doesn't really define enough parameters.
 
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