# What do you do with your vinyl "scraps"?



## SWEETFACE12 (Jul 9, 2007)

Hi friends- 

What do you guys do with your vinyl "scraps"/ excess vinyl peices

Thanks for sharing


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

I use them to make decals for our show bins. Basically my scraps pay for the bulk of our materials. 8* decals pre-cut in the show bins are 1 for $5.00 or 3 for $10.00. We usually have at any one time about 300-400 pre-cut decals taped and ready for sale at shows. It is the perfect point of sale item at the type of events we attend.


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## jberte (Mar 25, 2007)

them ain't scraps.......them are PROFITS! 

anything smaller than about 4" x 6" i toss with a tear in my eye - it's really hard to cut width's narrower than 4". anything of useful size i keep - if it's big enough i roll it and stick it back inside the tube with the 'mother' roll or if it's smaller, it's in a plastic shoe box that i keep next to my supply of rolls. i can't even count the number of names, single numbers or elements of left chest logos that i've cut from that 'drop' box - essentially material that's already been paid for by another job. if i've cut a 13" graphic from a 20" roll.....the original customer gets charged 20" x the length theirs required.

oh! do you mean adhesive sign vinyl? sorry, i thought you were talking heat press vinyl - it's monday again, isn't it  but.....same story - if it's a useable piece in a common color, i keep it - same storage method, except the 'drop box' is somewhat larger LOL 

i just finished cutting logos for 30 bulletin boards for a large business client - every one of them out of the 'drop'


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## SWEETFACE12 (Jul 9, 2007)

jberte said:


> them ain't scraps.......them are PROFITS!


Thats my mindset too!!!

Vinyl scraps = PROFITS!

When i first started, i would throw away the excess vinyls but i soon learned to save them and use them for " PATCH UP'S" or little decals.

My "dropbox" is now growing... i keep them in a plastic storage bin 
and use them every time i CAN! 

thanks for sharing


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

I store my vinyl scraps in individual boxes (pizza box) by color and type. i have used scraps to patch a mistake too. ..JB


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## Twinge (Apr 26, 2005)

I remember reading a thread about this over on signs101.com. One person donated all the little scraps that were too small to use to local school art classrooms and such.


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## SomeSailor (Jun 29, 2007)

I made $20,500 my first year... and $30,800 my second year on eBay... USING NOTHING BUT VINYL SCRAPS from a local sign shop. 

It paid for my cutter... and then my laser cutter. I have TONs of scrap... and never throw anything away. It's pure profit.


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## leisure (Mar 3, 2007)

For the heat vinyl scraps I use the sticky mylar backing found on multicut to stick my heat transfers to my hats and visors it holds them in place and keeps them from moving works great 



SWEETFACE12 said:


> Hi friends-
> 
> What do you guys do with your vinyl "scraps"/ excess vinyl peices
> 
> Thanks for sharing


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## SomeSailor (Jun 29, 2007)

Great idea!!! Cheap heat transfer tape!!!


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## Titere (Sep 14, 2006)

SomeSailor said:


> I made $20,500 my first year... and $30,800 my second year on eBay... USING NOTHING BUT VINYL SCRAPS from a local sign shop.
> 
> It paid for my cutter... and then my laser cutter. I have TONs of scrap... and never throw anything away. It's pure profit.


Wow thats a lot of money! Can I be your friend and learn from the master? I want that kin of money lol.


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## SomeSailor (Jun 29, 2007)

Believe it or not... I downloaded some eBook about making millions on eBay, and heck if some of it wasn't true.

Try this sometime:

Do an advanced search on eBay (using the advanced search button), and search only for the words "vinyl decal" and check the completed listings only button. Then... you'll see what's ACTUALLY selling. Not what is listed... but what no kidding has SOLD.

Then... you simply jump into that line of decals. People buy the strangest of decals, but holy cow they buy them. I was a Power Seller for two years or so, but got REALLY tired of giving eBay such a big cut in the end. Plus... they have horrible policies for offering options in the same listing (ie: offering "Any color decal in this design..." in the same listing is considered a "circumvention of fees" violation.)

Anyhow... there is money to be made though. My wife would laugh when I'd head down to the post office with tubs of envelopes stuffed with decals. Heck... I'd average at LEAST 25-50 sales a day, and I made a BUCK on every empty envelope for shipping and handling.  

Do the math and you'll see that even $3.99 stickers are a pile of money considering the whole thing is profit.

(other than the lining of eBay and PayPal's pockets)


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## deathbynosleep (Apr 22, 2007)

I've used them to print stickers, and to cut covers for the chevy logo on the center caps on my truck.


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## j94shore (Jan 31, 2011)

I have a small 8" hobby cutter. If anyone has scrap vinyl around 8" or so, I would pay to have it shipped to me. 
Thanks so much!
J-9
St. Augustine, FL


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## idonaldson (Sep 29, 2008)

A flatbed cutter (ioline) and a laser (universal) have put my scraps to good use. If you cannot get the right equipment - and you have room - store them until you get the right equipment. I thought I was crazy, but they have more than covered a few jobs.


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

My craft robo 200 is great for these little scraps esp with the tacky carrier sheet helping to hold the smaller pieces in place. Starting to like it alot more. Its been sitting here for a long time unused but now getting put to work cutting the scraps from the Cut -3000.


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## taricp35 (Dec 10, 2008)

j94shore said:


> I have a small 8" hobby cutter. If anyone has scrap vinyl around 8" or so, I would pay to have it shipped to me.
> Thanks so much!
> J-9
> St. Augustine, FL


In my shop 8" is not scraps. I can do a lot with that. Using a cricut mat I picked up from walmart I am capable of cutting very small pieces of vinyl so the only real scraps I have are small slitters that are only fit to be tossed.


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## j94shore (Jan 31, 2011)

I did find some 8" pieces in different lengths and lots of colors at one of the local sign shops here. They were going to throw them away because their big machines could not use it. They told me I could go by there every couple of months and have it. Yay! I can sure make lots of stuff from those


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## Bartis (Nov 8, 2010)

Hi, Whenever I do a stock decal or two for a customer I always cut extra to use the width of the roll, these spare decals I sell as attention grabbers at markets, lower price and full contact details stamped on the backing.
If the is still space left I do small butterflies (40mm Sq) and include them free with my larger decals. This lets the customer get the feel of applying a decal before they do a large version.

Tracey B in NZ.


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## KNSEP (May 17, 2015)

SomeSailor said:


> I made $20,500 my first year... and $30,800 my second year on eBay... USING NOTHING BUT VINYL SCRAPS from a local sign shop.
> 
> It paid for my cutter... and then my laser cutter. I have TONs of scrap... and never throw anything away. It's pure profit.


Have you ever used the scraps together and recut for a multicolor design?
IE I have a bunch of scraps of glitter vinyl I want to put together in one piece design. so the scraps are all of the same material but different colors will it mesh together once pressed?


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## Wildgoose (Mar 5, 2013)

KNSEP said:


> Have you ever used the scraps together and recut for a multicolor design?
> IE I have a bunch of scraps of glitter vinyl I want to put together in one piece design. so the scraps are all of the same material but different colors will it mesh together once pressed?


Glitter doesn't stack very well. It goes on regular vinyl fine though. (you said pressed so I assume HTV work)


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