New Bridgeport Attachment - Be a Part of the Product Development Process

Birder said:
Hello everyone,
I am developing a new attachment for Bridgeport mills. I am in the early days, and have a handful of prototypes, and would like to request some feedback on my new tool. I am not asking for funds, donations, etc, but will give you the tool, in exchange for some feedback.
Send me a PM if you are interested please.
Thank you
Birder
Click to expand...
I have a vertical mill (not Bridgeport) but if the attachment would fit R8 spindle I'm game -- Jack
 
Birder said:
Hello everyone,
I am developing a new attachment for Bridgeport mills. I am in the early days, and have a handful of prototypes, and would like to request some feedback on my new tool. I am not asking for funds, donations, etc, but will give you the tool, in exchange for some feedback.
Send me a PM if you are interested please.
Thank you
Birder
Click to expand...

Sent along an PM...
Always interested in new gadgets... Keeps the wheels between the ears turning!
THX for the opportunity to contribute!

GA
 
My opinion: Inventing and protecting a mechanical device intended for use by machinists is like trying to nail Jell-O to a wall while roller skating in a manure pit and singing an operatic aria, all at the same time. The likelihood of commercial success and eventual profitability is (IMO) a unicorn.

The OP, if he has not already done so, should investigate through the patent office (USPTO.gov) filing a provisional patent application. It's an inexpensive way to protect an invention for a year while investigating the market possibilities and financial potential, keeping in mind the proclivity of the potential buyer to 'knock off' one of his/her own, plus making sure it hasn't already been invented.

After hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars prosecuting a patent to issuance you end up with a nice piece of paper with a number on it and probably not much else. Patent infringement litigation (if a patent does eventually issue) is expensive and for a little guy is another exercise in Jell-O nailing. I speak from experience.

My next similar project will be 'open source' - my idea thrown out to the world and let the best brains develop and improve it. It's still 'my' idea and now I maybe get to see it succeed, just without the millions of blue sky dollars the unicorn promised.

Sorry if I sound like a rain cloud . . . . been there, done that; have the T-Shirt and a patent. I can sell the T-shirt.

Stu
 
Yes... sadly...

The odds of inventing a better mousetrap and making a $bundle...
Are somewhere between slim and none... and Slim is not scheduled today... grin!

Been down this road myself... the key is to develop a product one can sell hundreds of thousands of copies... QUICKLY...
And get the product to the market QUICKLY.... that is, before anyone has time to make a 'knock off' version.
What comes to mind is the $19.95 gadgets 'as seen on TV'... which usually cost about a buck or two to make... in China.

Make your $$$ quickly... and let the knock off folks sue each other into oblivion.
 
If the point is to create something of your own and put it out there. You should do it. If the idea is money the facts are laid out here by a couple of people. I've done a couple of these (not in the machinist end of things)....some for fun where the expense didn't matter and wasn't the goal. But on the other hand depending on your work ethic and devotion you can always beat your competition on some angle. IF there is a big enough market that isn't saturated and you can compete on price...service etc. (Make sure anything done will have zero impact on your "poverty" level.)

Point really is do what will make you happy regardless of results but don't bet the boat on it. Lots of boats out there and a few people have a lot of them for some reason. lol :)

Aside from all the advice you just got without asking I hope everything works out great.

Paul
 
I made parts for 3 "inventors" that has the best idea since sliced bread, 2 of them got the idea/item working, tried to patent it, only to find it had already been patented or there was a patent pending. The other guy got his patent, found a manufacturer and distributor, 3 years later, he had sold less than 50 of the items, with start up cost, production and distribution cost, the patent process and numerous legal fees, he lost pretty close to $600,000.

On all 3 times, I believe, I was the only one who made any money on the idea.
 
My experience as well. Done some jobs for local inventors. They always try to get me to do the work as part of a share in the product's profits. I've always declined. Only know of one who successfully patented their idea and making any money on it. I've urged all of them early on in the process to protect their product. It is amazing the risks they are willing to take. Especially when they have sunk so much money into it.

Quote "The OP, if he has not already done so, should investigate through the patent office (USPTO.gov) filing a provisional patent application. It's an inexpensive way to protect an invention for a year while investigating the market possibilities and financial potential, keeping in mind the proclivity of the potential buyer to 'knock off' one of his/her own, plus making sure it hasn't already been invented.

After hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars prosecuting a patent to issuance you end up with a nice piece of paper with a number on it and probably not much else. Patent infringement litigation (if a patent does eventually issue) is expensive and for a little guy is another exercise in Jell-O nailing. I speak from experience." Quote
 
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