Reusable Stencil question

prOk

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Well, FINALLY at long last i've found a plotter cuttable material that makes for re-usable stencils.

I have a few questions before I order the stuff and start offering it. First, it will mean the price of stencils go up about 20 bucks a set for a typical 2 color stencil due to the increased cost of the material. I'm thinking i'll offer both options at two price points depending on the individual's needs.

Now, the reusable version comes in two flavors.. with adhesive and without. The version without adhesive will require the user to spray something like photo mount on the stencil to stick it to the cabinet for painting. These wouldn't have the staying power of a typical vinyl stencil but on the flip side would more easily emulate the underspray effects found on many stencils. These could be washed, rolled up and re-used and are semi rigid. The removable adhesive works also, and is semi rigid but will require greater care in removing. Both versions are not infinitely re-usable but from my tests it seems that if you're careful you could get up to 5 cabs done with one set before they get too beat up to use anymore.

Honestly i'm looking at doing the non adhesive version and allowing people to apply their own spray adhesive. This reusable method also only works on cabinets that do not have floating parts, or very minimal numbers of floating parts so it simply can't be 'every' stencil.

So, all that said, anyone interested in me going forward in offering a reusable variation of many stencils? Would you want the adhesive or no? Games like robotron, defender, joust, sinistar, juno first, berzerk etc lend themselves well to the removable version.

Thanks for the feedback!

/brian
 
I've never done stencils before but have a ms pac that certainly could stand to be redone, and a defender that doesn't need it that badly. I would think your idea would encourage those who are on the fence about whether to bother at all, to go ahead and do it. Some might buy with the thought that they could turn around and sell it to someone who otherwise wouldn't bother at all. For instance, I might buy reusable ms pac stencils hoping to sell them once done. And on the other hand, I might not buy defender stencils at all unless someone had reusable ones for sale.

So in other words, coming from a stencil n00b like me, it sounds like a good idea. :)
 
I already have sets of all of the stencils i need of the ones you mention or I'd be in. The only one I need multiples of is the Taito side art and that has floating text.
 
so does ms pac :(
Hey very cool B this should make a few happy
at least untill they relize they dont need to keep them :D
Alot of early pinball art are good examples
this also works for the first 2 primary colors for
things like Pacs, Burgertimes, and other midway classics
but couldnt do it for all the black detail which is why they screened that.

But theres still plenty of titles this could benift
 
I like the idea. I guess for me this could save me cash as I have numerous games that might need stencils that another local collector might also have use for. In that case I could split the cost. And hell if I only needed them once I could always just use the stencil to paint some wall art. If it's only $20 more like you said, why not pay an extra $20? It would be worth it.
 
Well, prOk, the downside is, people will most likely want to sell them on eBay after they are finished with them, since they are reusable. Great for a buyer, but that may cut into your business. But I suppose the "reusable" aspect already does that too.



.
 
$20 more? I think most have the common sense to spend the extra $20 for reusable than save $20 for throw aways :)

Kevin
 
Yea, I thought about the angles and the up/down sides to making them reusable. There will always be folks that only buy them to resell them after they're done just as there will be those that truly need to restore 5 of the same style cabinet. Still debating in my head just how 'wise' it is to make them that way for that very fear that i'd end up making just one robotron stencil that would be shipped around the country and i'd never make another. Doesn't justify being in business if that's what happens. My more sincere hope is that people respect that the option is there and buy their own set and help locals out rather than ebay them.

I know people want cheap, but people also want options and new products.. can't have both! It's expensive and time consuming to make new things happen. If I don't sell stencils and tshirts, Death Race and Zookeeper cabinet art don't get screen printed cuz I can't afford to do it!

We'll see.. I think the first step will be making a prototype set and letting someone test them first.
 
I think this is an excellent idea however you need to rethink your pricing. I know we are all looking for a deal but I think your selling yourself short at just $20 more per set. I would pay considerably more than that for a quality reusable product. This may be the first post in klov history asking for a more expensive product but I feel it is necessary.
 
Yea, I thought about the angles and the up/down sides to making them reusable. There will always be folks that only buy them to resell them after they're done just as there will be those that truly need to restore 5 of the same style cabinet. Still debating in my head just how 'wise' it is to make them that way for that very fear that i'd end up making just one robotron stencil that would be shipped around the country and i'd never make another. Doesn't justify being in business if that's what happens. My more sincere hope is that people respect that the option is there and buy their own set and help locals out rather than ebay them.

I know people want cheap, but people also want options and new products.. can't have both! It's expensive and time consuming to make new things happen. If I don't sell stencils and tshirts, Death Race and Zookeeper cabinet art don't get screen printed cuz I can't afford to do it!

We'll see.. I think the first step will be making a prototype set and letting someone test them first.

From a business perspective I would try to make a guess at how many sales you would lose due to reusable stencils and increase the price relative to that. Those that are serious about buying a set of reusable stencils will pony up and pay the cash. At only $20 more that is a no brainer and I feel like you would lose future sales because of it.
 
I think this is an excellent idea however you need to rethink your pricing. I know we are all looking for a deal but I think your selling yourself short at just $20 more per set. I would pay considerably more than that for a quality reusable product. This may be the first post in klov history asking for a more expensive product but I feel it is necessary.

I knew I wasn't the only one thinking that :)
 
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