The problem inherent in manufacturing for us...

[gowjobs]

I've run into this time and time again in many of my hobbies. Most have a serious DIY bent, just like building RRB's, and trying to come up with a product that somebody will BUY rather than MAKE for themselves is a real issue. Unless you have serious skills that others lack, or access to manufacturing equipment that others don't, it's a real problem to come up with new parts that you can sell.

I've considered a couple of different projects, but have tossed most of the ideas away. The only ones I've kept involve "lost" skills like sand casting/foundry work, etc., and I'm still trying to decide if they're worth pursuing. Let's face it: DIY guys are DIY guys just as much because they're CHEAP as because they're craftsmen. At least, that's how we became DIY guys.

Plastic model builders used to consider resin casting as somewhat of a black art. Many even shied away from using the finished parts until they saw others using them to win contests. The same with machined aluminum and photoetched nickle/brass details. As more magazines and books published how-to articles, and kits became available with step-by-step instructions, the prices HAD to come down on resin, billet and photoetched parts, because more and more builders would just make them for themselves, and gain a new skill in the process if it seemed economically feasible.

Same thing with RRB builders: If fabricated parts get too expensive, buying a welder and making one yourself looks better and better - especially when you've always wanted to learn to weld, anyway. The same goes with machined parts, fiberglass pieces, etc.

Just some thoughts and a seed for discussion, based on some recent topics. Tell me what you guys think.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

There is so much stuff that can be bought cheap, that coming up with a quality part to sell , will out price your market. I have looked too , at something that can be produced and will sell. The only thing not really produced in a usable form is a nice springer type fork that is wide. There are only several styles to choose from. If you could design a killer looking fork and produce it in something that would take the 80mm or 100 mm wide rims , I think that you could sell all that you wanted to. :wink:

 

[g-ratter]

Sad to say but the people I know who have tried to produce things to sell always end up in China to manufacture them. Our standard of living has become so high that to make enough income off of things makes their price way to high.

 

[Tailwinds]

Here's another wrench in the works... Two quick stories touting the merits of DIY.

1) I had a number of parts that needed welding. A Fender bracket, a rear rack, and a fork that had a bent steerer and needed to be unbrazed and swapped.
Took it to a local small job-shop machinist-welder. That was 2-1/2 weeks ago, still not done. Went in last week to check on the progress, the rack had been welded, HORRIBLY. It's work thats SO sub par ANYONE should be embarrassed. Actually, it's downright pathetic. I told them it was unacceptable and they committed to addressing it. And still the most important reason I dropped off the parts, that fork steerer swap, is still sitting untouched in the back of the shop.
Lesson: Learn to weld.

2) I took a fork to the only local bike shop for some threading work. It's a large shop with several long-time mechanics. I needed the fork threaded about another 2" so I could cut it and use it on a frame with a shorter head tube. I took it in..... 45 minutes later he comes out, says those steel steerers don't thread as easy as the modern alloy ones, AND, BTW turns out it's 26tpi, not the normal 24tpi.... Oh really???? Did you thread anything onto it? Nope. I look at the fork, the threads are hideous, butchered. Took it home, guess what, it's 24tpi. Fork's ruined.
Lesson: Just buy the expensive threading die and DIY.

Lately I can't seem to trust anyone to do a HALFWAY decent job, and it seems like everyone is trying to retire $$$ on my business.

 

[jerrykr]

I took an old fork in to the LBS where we spent some pretty serious $$ (for us at least), and asked if they had the die, and what would it cost to just chase the threads? $15.00. Whoa, I said I knew the die is expensive, ($60+, right?) but I didn't want to buy it for him for a 2 minute job. He got kind of huffy, offered $10.00 but by then, I was not interested in his services. He said he was not going to do it for free, I cleaned up the threads myself with some small files in about 5 minutes. Thing was, I was $5 willing, and would have brought at least one more to him later on. I don't go in there much anymore.

 

[Tailwinds]

Your sentiment seems to mirror my experiences above. My diatribe isn't so much to bash the LBS, rather, I'm having a hard time finding the work that's being done lately, work that I'm paying for, as anything approaching acceptable. I talked at length with my wife about this. Sure, I've been accused of being meticulous, but a true anal retentive, obsessive perfectionist? I'm nothing of the sort.

If someone is going to step up to the plate and offer their services, whether it's to manufacture a widget, or to fix something, the work HAS TO BE GOOD! In fact, it HAS to be better than I can do myself.

 

[Chainsaw]

Gowjobs, The modelers are a great example! I worked at a hobby shop when the resins were starting to turn up. The hardcore modelers refused to buy any resin kits from us but marveled at the details of the kits we put together.

The bicycle guys are kind of the same. One thing with the bicycle guys is you've got a large group who are hardcore diy and the other are more assemblers and would rather brag about how much they spent on some custom part rather than making it. Nothing wrong with it but it sometimes loses perspective as to what is truely custom. I personally am more impressed when someone takes the time to build new piece or reuse an old one rather than paying top dollar for something new. Both types however have a place in the biking world.

Alot of guys get into hobbies and immediately want to make a fast buck. They talk alot, get others who are new to the hobby interested in their ideas. One thing leads to another and everybody wants to add their own little idea of what the end result should be. It usually ends in a lot of frustration and confusion. Most of the time the originator of the idea backpedals his way out and leaves the others hanging.

In the custom bike hobby, most ideas have been done before. All the time I see and hear the newer guys ooohing and ahhing over the new great idea, if they only realized how many times most of their ideas were done on the old CBN or Custom Cruisers, etc. Chances are most ideas have been done before but taking it to the next level is what's really important!

I'm all for new and improved ideas and/or products but for everyone's sake .... do your homework and check into things first before you open your mouth or wallet.