I've been enjoying designing and fabricating different things for my own pleasure for many years. One of my friends who's been helping me has always told me that I should make money from my designs. With my life changing right now, that suggestion is starting to make it's way into my mind. Thing is, I'm not the business type. I don't know which of my designs I should sell, and in what form (plans, kits, complete, other?). I'd like some opinions and thoughts from you guys. I don't want to get rich, just put a bit of funds into my racing budget.
So here are some of the things that I designed, and built (only kept the ones that are good functionnal designs)
1 - Two model of little ride-on airplanes for kids up to 5 years old. They are made of wood, and they were really popular with my kids. I'm thinking these could be good to sell as woodworking plans?
2 - A tadpole recumbent trike bicycle. I rode on one, and thought it was great, but for some reason, the commercial models are all 1k+. I built this for about 200$ as a touring model. I don't think there would be a commercial venue for this, but I might be wrong.
3 - The pedal boattail speedster I built for my kids (up to about 10 years old). That's the one in my avatar. I did make some plans for that one that I sold on eBay. They were popular, but require some metal fabrication (some welding), so they might have more popular if I produced a few kits?
4 - The electric kid jeep. That thing is cool and could be made to run on gas power too. It's about half-scale to the real thing. The body is made of plywood, but the rolling frame is steel with leaf-springs on both axles.
5 - My metal-working multi-functional thingy machine. I built it primarily as a louver punch press, but because I used a hitch receiver tube on the bottom and top, I can mount pretty much anything I want in it. I use it as a bending-press, punch-press, louver-press, to mount my bead roller, my shrinker and stretcher, and I will probably add my tubing bender soon. It's neat, but I figure anyone that's this involved in metal-working can come up with their own version, so...
6 - My car lift. Sorry for the terrible picture, but this is honestly the best I have and it's covered in crap right now. It's a two post, full-rise, 6000lb real capacity (ie the vehicle can have up to a 65/35 weight distribution, and still be lifted), fully-mechanical, low demand on the slab (free-standing in theory, but I'd never chance it), low ceiling (columns are less than 8 feet tall) car lift. It uses two farm jacks, one in each column, with a balance chain in the middle, so you can use only one jack at a time. It works well, but it would need to be slightly re-designed for production, and because it is mechanical, it is designed for the home garage only. I'm sort-of afraid of the investment this would need to sell, and the liability it would expose me to.
So any ideas or opinions you guys might have would be appreciated. These are the success' that I think could be interesting.
YES!
Make up a half-dozen of the airplanes and a couple of the recumbents, speedsters and the jeep.
Figure out how to quasi-mass produce them, how they might best be package for shipping (take the wheels off, have them source their own batteries, etc.), how much your time is worth per hour and how long it takes you to make and package them along with how much the material costs for each one. That's the price point they have to sell at to break even, include a little profit on each one and that's the selling price.
Then put them on eBay or etsy.com, spread the link around your friends and family, online forums, etc. and see if they sell. You could also see if there is a local swap meet, craft fair, county fair, hot rod show, bike show, etc. that might have potential customers for your products (the commuters would clammor for your recumbant for example if it was near the price point you mentioned.)
I agree, I would buy plans for the bike. The airplanes, jeep and car could be sold at local craft fares for big $$.
Awesome! Keep good records and figure out the cost of EVERYTHING, including insurance, lighting and other things you might overlook.
If you have tax/book keeping questions shoot me a message!
Where can I send money for the jeep and lift plans? Those are relevant to my interests.
How much for plans for the Jeep and speedster? I'd be interested.
Count me in for Jeep and Speedster plans.
Could the Speedster be outfitted to carry a 250#, 6'1" man and be powered by a 5hp Harbor Freight engine?
Seriously. I want to build a speedster. How much to complete? My kid has a pedal car, but he's about too big for it.
DrBoost wrote: Seriously. I want to build a speedster. How much to complete? My kid has a pedal car, but she's about too big for it.
Seriously. I want to build a speedster. How much to complete? My kid has a pedal car, but he's about too big for it.
What's the GRM price for the jeep and speedster? 
I expect one of you yahoos to show up with a jeep or speedster based 2015 Challenge entry
Ditto what JohnRW asked about it working for a full sized person
I'm sure you could easily sell that jeep for more than a power wheels goes for these days. Perhaps also as plans and maybe a few different kits ranging from roughed out parts to ready to be powered.
You might run into a trademark issue with the Jeep.
I also like the speedster.
Woody wrote: You might run into a trademark issue with the Jeep.
Looks like a king midget replica to me. 
I think they actually own the rights to the seven slot grill. Not sure about Fanfoy's MB style nine slotter.
Thanks for the comments guys. I can't say that I'm surprised to see the speedster and Jeep being the most popular designs with this crowd. It seems that what interest you guys the most would be plans, which would be good, because this would involve the least amount of investment on my part.
Thanks Woody, I didn't even think about the possible trademark issues with the Jeep.
I guess I'll revise the speedster plans (giving more knee room, to allow bigger kids), and make some Jeep plans.
For those guys that are looking for a bigger speedster, did you look into cyclekarts, or is it the lack of plans for those that's turning you off. I'm planning a cyclekart build, and I could make plans for it if people are interested.
On the subject of plans, how much do you guys think I could charge? The quality and pricing of plans seem to vary wildly. I used to be a draftman, so I'm pretty confident in my plans.
And Dusterbd13, I don't think I could sell plans for the car lift, because it requires some laser-cut plates, some press brake operation and some machining. Which I doubt the average Joe can get.
A) Sell plans and pre-cut kits of the planes. Anytime you have a festival that deals with arts and crafts finish a few to sell and take some of the kits and sell those.
B)Sell plans of the bikes, jeep, and cycle-cart. Easy to put a disclaimer on it that way since you wouldn't be supplying anything other than the idea.
C)(this should really be A) before you ever sell one item, form a llc to insulate your personal assets. You don't want a yuppie that can't figure out how to put tab A into slot B suing your pants off and you losing your house over it.
I'd be interested in a couple of those things, that lifts easy button would be to sell the laser cut pieces with the plans.
Add me to the list of Speedster plans.
Looks really cool!
That Jeep thing is cool!
You need to get some spaces at shows. I haven't really experienced many in Canada, but the northeast (New England, PA, NY, NJ, etc) tend to DROOL over this stuff. Any parent with some extra cash for their toddler, or any grandparent with a Visa card will sign up for this.
Craft shows. Find them. Make your millions. :)
Sell what you can as flat packs; maybe even take inspiration from Ikea on efficient packaging so that the package can fit into a compact car.
You'll need to log in to post.
