CARBON FIBER: would you buy it?

[kauai_paintball]

Hello, im debating werether or not to start selling carbon fiber grip frames. I will probably whip up some sort of grip frame that would flow with the contour of the deadlywind bodies, because nothing currently available dose. if you know something you want to see, post it.
If youre really interested, then send me an email. also, im not sure if i would need to, but nicad , pls email me, i dont know if i need to get any special permissions from you guys to make carbon fiber grips that correspond with deadlywind designs. kauai_paintball@hotmail.com this is for future reference, it would be awhile before i would do it

[yaddatrance]

Add an option....

Depends on how it functions/looks.

Solid operation plus looks would justify a high cost.

[Gabriel]

How old are you, do you have any expeirience, what is the projected price for what projected piece, etc. etc...?

Gabe

[kauai_paintball]

I would not be making them, i would patent a design, and then hire a CF fabricating to pump them out for me. then i would sell them. I dont want to invest in a patent and materials if nobody will buy.

[shartley]

Originally posted by kauai_paintball
I would not be making them, i would patent a design, and then hire a CF fabricating to pump them out for me. then i would sell them. I dont want to invest in a patent and materials if nobody will buy.
Are you sure you NEED to patent a frame? Not every product needs a patent. You may however check to see if the patent infringes on an existing patent.

But again, you don’t need to patent to make the grip frame.

The real cost is having a company make them for you. Have you checked THAT out yet? Tooling up for a production run will be what cost the most. Have you looked into any of that before? You can do that by a simple phone call.

[kauai_paintball]

Originally posted by shartley

Are you sure you NEED to patent a frame? Not every product needs a patent. You may however check to see if the patent infringes on an existing patent.

But again, you don’t need to patent to make the grip frame.

The real cost is having a company make them for you. Have you checked THAT out yet? Tooling up for a production run will be what cost the most. Have you looked into any of that before? You can do that by a simple phone call.
Of course i have. the company i talked to said that carbon fiber is cheaper to make, and lighter than aluminum. they will not know exactly how much it will cost to make, but probably in the (resale value) 70-100 dollar region.

[shartley]

Originally posted by kauai_paintball

Of course i have. the company i talked to said that carbon fiber is cheaper to make, and lighter than aluminum. they will not know exactly how much it will cost to make, but probably in the (resale value) 70-100 dollar region.
So you found out that it is cheaper to make than aluminum…. Did you find out how much it would cost to tool up for this? Did you find out how much it would cost per item on your end (not what each would SELL for)? Did you find out how many you would have to purchase at a time?

I have gone through this pricing process for outsourced products before and can say that in a good ½ hour phone conversation I was able to nail down good ballpark figures.

[FalconGuy016]

Depends on the quality

[Tunaman]

Yea...those laser machines needed to cut them correctly are mighty expensive...;)

[GT]

Originally posted by Tunaman
Yea...those laser machines needed to cut them correctly are mighty expensive...;)

:D


and then hire a CF fabricating

?


will probably whip up some sort

:confused:

Look man,
please take this seriously. We have yet to have a 3rd party on AO really screw up or sell a crappy product. DO yourself a faovr and do your homework.

[~WarpedRT#2~]

kauai_paintball, dont get in over your head ok?

Make Angel Speed parts!

[MicroMiniMe]

If you want a serious appraisal kauai, PM Pudzbuds here on AO. Or better yet dig up his CF production thread in the dealers section from about January.
His raw materials were expensive as hell for fiber woven sheets with color kevlar. Is your estimate for the same type of CF or is it injection molding?

Anyways to make a long story short, it was expensive to make and expensive to sell, and there wasn't as much interest in buying after real costs were calculated, and he did not make money and it was a huge headache.

Otherwise if you can get it done cost effectively and theres a market for it, good luck.

[kauai_paintball]

well, I dont want to do anything if nobodys intersted.
I wouldn't just goa dn whip up some crappy products. they would be quality peices of percision machinery, and be well balancd and light. I would try and work on the 45 degree frame, and maybe make some new designs, and work on ergonomics, and functionality. of course none of it would be ready (if at all) in up to 6 months.

[RRfireblade]

I wouldn't be interested unless the whole marker was Carbon.

I hate mis-matched tops and bottoms.

[kauai_paintball]

Originally posted by RRfireblade
I wouldn't be interested unless the whole marker was Carbon.

I hate mis-matched tops and bottoms.
Well, when its made you can add special dyes and stuff, so it would still match.

[cphilip]

Am I going crazy or didn't all Mags used to come with a Carbon fiber grip frame... and everyone hated it and wanted it off?

If thats the case am I going to live long enough for Mullets to come back in style?

I seen it all now... twice!

(PS we have an AO vendor making some nice Carbon fiber stuff in Dealers forum)

[OysterBoy]

i think he means the weight differences.

[shartley]

Originally posted by kauai_paintball
well, I dont want to do anything if nobodys intersted.
I wouldn't just goa dn whip up some crappy products. they would be quality peices of percision machinery, and be well balancd and light. I would try and work on the 45 degree frame, and maybe make some new designs, and work on ergonomics, and functionality. of course none of it would be ready (if at all) in up to 6 months.
No offense, but from your age and what I keep reading you post, you may not be ready for this type of project. Not only must prototyping be done, but you seem totally oblivious to production setup and actual order costs.

You have only posted that you know what each finished product would sell for, not that you fully understand the large amount of investment needed to get the product made. What is your budget? $5,000? $10,000? $15,000? $20,000? More?

If product development and production was so easy and inexpensive, EVERYONE would be doing it. It takes more than a dream and people showing interest. Not to mention that few who SHOW interest will actually BUY the product. Have you thought about that?

And none of this stuff has a thing to do with if the product is a crappy one or a quality one. The costs to make it and what you chance losing will be the same.

[RRfireblade]

Originally posted by kauai_paintball

Well, when its made you can add special dyes and stuff, so it would still match.

Nah,not a chance.

The coolest thing about the appearance of CF is the depth and shimmer of the fibers beneath the clear resin.It's quite attractive IMO,and there's no way your reproducing anything close to that with anno and aluminum.

[Tyril]

Interesting idea, but not for me.


I vastly prefer the feel of a nice metal.

Carbon fiber, while strong, just feels... cheap.


-mike

[kauai_paintball]

soo...much...negative...feedback... Im wondering if people would be interested so that I REPEAT in the future I could make them.

[wyn1370]

I'm sure people would be interested, but we're all used to hearing how expensive and hard it is to work with CF. If you could make products to match what is currently offered, but they where made of CF, they would sell.