Creating a new product.

Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
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Has anyone here messed with starting something up? Lets say you have this great idea that would result in a toy (a toaster for example). How do you go about getting the item manufactured for mass production? How about low production ~ 100s or 1000s? Does anyone know of any good online resources that are related to this?
 
Jun 4, 2005
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Make sure to register your idea first. The last thing you want is to call someone, spill your idea, then have it stolen.
 

Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
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Originally posted by: LoKe
Make sure to register your idea first. The last thing you want is to call someone, spill your idea, then have it stolen.


Do you mean get a patent? or is there some other registration?
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
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My dad manufactures specialized alarm systems for police departments in small numbers. Not more than $100 or so per year. He does the final assembly himself, but he has the circuit boards and things commercially produced for him. This is how he does it:

1) He gets a schematic made in CAD software, and puts it on a CD.
2) He takes the CD and a check to a company that builds circuit boards.
3) A few days later he goes back and picks up a bunch of new circuit boards.

I'd imagine the proces sis similar for other types of manufacturing.
 
Jun 4, 2005
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Originally posted by: Cattlegod
Originally posted by: LoKe
Make sure to register your idea first. The last thing you want is to call someone, spill your idea, then have it stolen.


Do you mean get a patent? or is there some other registration?

Yeah, patent. And there might be some other registration, but the registration I was talking about was a patent.
 

AccruedExpenditure

Diamond Member
May 12, 2001
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Originally posted by: LoKe
Originally posted by: Cattlegod
Originally posted by: LoKe
Make sure to register your idea first. The last thing you want is to call someone, spill your idea, then have it stolen.


Do you mean get a patent? or is there some other registration?

Yeah, patent. And there might be some other registration, but the registration I was talking about was a patent.

Do you know how long it takes/expensive it is to get patent?
 

Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
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Originally posted by: LoKe
Originally posted by: Cattlegod
Originally posted by: LoKe
Make sure to register your idea first. The last thing you want is to call someone, spill your idea, then have it stolen.


Do you mean get a patent? or is there some other registration?

Yeah, patent. And there might be some other registration, but the registration I was talking about was a patent.

This is kinda rough b/c getting something patented is expensive ~$20k
 

NogginBoink

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
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Patents are useless unless you have the money to defend them.

There are plenty of manufacturers out there; you'll have to pony up money out of your pocket to get a few made, then sell them at a profit.
 
Jun 4, 2005
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Oh, never knew patents were so expensive. I've never attempted to get one...

If you believe that your product will sell, I'm sure you could pitch the idea to a bank and get a "business" loan?
 

PowerMac4Ever

Banned
Dec 9, 2000
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You just gotta take new ideas and use proven methods to create them. For example, I rented a powdered sugar factory to use with my cocaine-distribution business... works perfectly.
 

Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
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Originally posted by: NogginBoink
Patents are useless unless you have the money to defend them.

There are plenty of manufacturers out there; you'll have to pony up money out of your pocket to get a few made, then sell them at a profit.


so, like this:

I assume I would do all the sourcing for all the parts? or does the manufacturer handle that for the cost?
1. take build of material list to ~10 different manufacturers (not sure how I locate them yet) and get quotes
2. Find someone to buy (show prototype) the product at profitable price. (not sure how to find someone to buy the item, do I just walk up to a manager at the local K-Mart?)
 

EatSpam

Diamond Member
May 1, 2005
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Originally posted by: Cattlegod
Has anyone here messed with starting something up? Lets say you have this great idea that would result in a toy (a toaster for example). How do you go about getting the item manufactured for mass production? How about low production ~ 100s or 1000s? Does anyone know of any good online resources that are related to this?

We don't make anything in the United States anymore. President Bush says those are "jobs no Americans will do (for $.01/hr)." So you'll have to learn Spanish or Chinese to speak with a factory owner or their contact. That's the first step. The next step is to submit your idea in the factory's native tongue. If they don't steal your idea, you might get a price quote, but they'll steal your idea. U.S. patents don't mean anything to China or Mexico.

What you are proposing isn't worth it, sorry. Next time be born Chinese instead of American.
 

aplefka

Lifer
Feb 29, 2004
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Patents are pretty expensive. Talk to a lawyer first, see what he says. My dad has helped a few people out with getting things patented and whatnot.

And, totally off topic, whatever happened to the ATOT business venture?