Interesting instructions for your digitizer

Robert Young · September 6th, 2018, 04:55 PM

today a client asked: "could I just run my thread tensions tighter to make 40wt thread act like 60wt?"

Interesting concept to which I had no sure answer to. On theory I guess that would be possible but in practical terms highly unreliable/consistent

why not just buy 60wt? OR take dye and color your bobbins and have 75 wt? Too much labor for the return no?

Thoughts?

ltpemb · September 8th, 2018, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Young

today a client asked: "could I just run my thread tensions tighter to make 40wt thread act like 60wt?"

Interesting concept to which I had no sure answer to. On theory I guess that would be possible but in practical terms highly unreliable/consistent

why not just buy 60wt? OR take dye and color your bobbins and have 75 wt? Too much labor for the return no?

Thoughts?

The amount of tension required to make 40 run like 60 would collapse 90% of fabrics.... If you designed the file around 60wt thread than the densities of the thread would cause friction thread breaks. If you just crank up the upper tensions to try to stretch and run 40wt like 60wt you also have to adjust bobbin tensions... and by that point you are talking tensions that would pucker tackle twill fabrics beyond hiding.

ltpemb · September 8th, 2018, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Young

today a client asked: "could I just run my thread tensions tighter to make 40wt thread act like 60wt?"

Interesting concept to which I had no sure answer to. On theory I guess that would be possible but in practical terms highly unreliable/consistent

why not just buy 60wt? OR take dye and color your bobbins and have 75 wt? Too much labor for the return no?

Thoughts?

As for not just buying 60wt or 75wt thread... In both retail and contract embroidery businesses, you are usually talking about 4-12 cones to be able to run the order. (assuming 4-12 heads) which ends up eating into profit margin if it wasn't accounted for

Not only that but you add additional needle change out time (Generally you use 75/11 BP for 40wt. where as 65/9 BP is used for 60wt.) Assume 2-4 min. to both change out and re-thread each needle. That adds 8-16min to an order for a 4 head, and 24-48 min on a 12 head.

So for example... Currently I have 8 heads (2x4heads) the cost of 60wt thread is usually $3.50 for a mini cone. x8 is $28 before shipping/etc. Lets pretend that I have a hourly production "price" of roughly $100 that is applied across all 8 of my heads to cover overhead, employees, profit margin, standard material usage, software/machine payments etc...

Then lets pretend it takes me 3min per head/needle. x8 = 24min. 24min/60min= 0.40 hrs. 0.40 hrs*$100 = $40

$40+$28 = $68 add another $6.00 for shipping, $2.00 in needles. You are at $76 worth of material and labor costs.

On a contract order using 8 heads.... a small stitchcount of less than 4000 stitches can take only an hr. and at an hourly cost of 100 If I have to invest $76 just to run a 100 order I just lost money

Now once you have it as a standard part of your operations you can factor it into your "standard production materials average cost budget". If its a SPECIFIC color and not just white or black the odds of needing that wt of that color is so slim you almost always just have to eat the cost every time someone wants a specific color.

Now add and multiply that by 75wt.
Now add and multiply that by Rayon/polyester.
Now add and multiply that by brands.

Basically in order to make money on a contract level (or even a fiercely tight profit margin competitive retail level) Managing thread costs is incredibly important.

Robert Young · September 18th, 2018, 04:42 PM

"Basically in order to make money on a contract level (or even a fiercely tight profit margin competitive retail level) Managing thread costs is incredibly important."

blah blah blah

sorry when I started in 1989 there were 9 embroidery shops in San Antonio... none had less than 50 heads.... Today there are HUNDREDS of "shops" mostly ran out of a spare bedroom or on the kitchen table with 1 to 4 heads. So do not suggest they cannot spend the extra to buy proper materials. sorry.

what they just have settled for "good enough" "acceptable enough to get paid" embroidery?

If they consider "quality" as a pride of theirs then they will invest in the necessary threads, needles, backings, toppings, etc. When is the last time you actually went into an embroidery shop.. they have no clue what they have, they do not usually do matrix or X/R charts, etc.

if it is your passion then you will do whatever it takes.. .if not you will be cheap because you are only in it for the money. (not you personally, just in general)

Robert Young · September 18th, 2018, 05:00 PM

ROUND logo/design quote at 2.5 inches wide. client wants to know what the height would then be.

ROUND LOGO.

?????

digidana · September 24th, 2018, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Young

ROUND logo/design quote at 2.5 inches wide. client wants to know what the height would then be.

math can be a tricky thing!

Robert Young · September 27th, 2018, 10:40 AM

client submits and order without any art. gets upset when we question where the art is. "I gave you the project name so why can't you look up the logo on line"?

OK here is a LINK to Google Images with about 8 different layouts for the company in the project name.

Do you want me to bill each one individually or just ONE bill encompassing all 8 on your cc?

I know. I know. not the best customer service skills from me... but come on! I do apologize for not taking my mind reading medication this morning. my bad.

Robert Young · November 6th, 2018, 10:37 AM

Client wants to reduce stitchcount on satin bordered lettering by making the satin thinner. __ is one stitch and so is _ ? but registration is so much easier with the thicker. may save a few in corners but not enough to make the kind of change they want.

Robert Young · November 28th, 2018, 09:06 AM

so here is the art.

here are the instructions: "The customer doesn\'t want the words Dodge, Jeep or Ram. Just Gossett motor cars and bridge"

so we KEEP the word Chrysler? we ADD "motor cars" ?

Robert Young · November 28th, 2018, 11:40 AM

So here is the new art..... UH??? border on lettering ... different bottom letters

HOW THE HECK WOULD WE HAVE GOTTEN THAT FROM THE ORIGINAL ART SUBMITTED????