(I NEED YOUR OPINION!) looking in to Starting a rocket kit business...

Q-Aero said:

it's Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak that withdraw, not drop out of college to start to sell computer kit in their garage . Bill Gates was student at Harvard when I meet Steve Ballmer, so he was certainly college graduate, he stops his study to concentrate to programing, he was far from a drop out.

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In fact Bill Gates *did* drop out of Harvard, although Ballmer graduated and later dropped out of grad school to join Microsoft.

I feel that Q-Aero is providing useful, constructive criticism, whereas in response he is receiving ad hominem attacks regarding his writing. While ad hominem attacks work well in politics, by their very nature, they do not address the argument and detract from the conversation.

By not considering the advice, an echo chamber is created and experienced is the phenomenon known as groupthink.

It's depressingly funny how naturally this occurs.

neil_w said:

In fact Bill Gates *did* drop out of Harvard, although Ballmer graduated and later dropped out of grad school to join Microsoft.

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yes I know, but when we say in French that someone is a drop out, it's saying the guy is a failure of the system. I will like to have fail like Gates :wink:

I did exactly what you are considering. I owned and operated BoRocks Rocketry. I put out several kits in limited runs of 25 to 50 units each and sold ever single one I produced.

I did it all myself. It can be done. But...it is a ton of work.
Design
prototype
test
tweak
test again
write instructions with illustrations and pics
test build with said instructions
produce kits
package kits
sell kits
ship

In the end it got to be too big for me to handle alone so I sold the designs and right to produce to a manufacturer.

It can absolutely be done and done well without spending a fortune but you will do nothing else. In the end it could even turn your hobby into a job you hate.

My suggestion is to pick one unique design and go through the process start to finish and the evaluate if this is something you truly want to undertake. I hope your Patriot kit does well and I will certainly buy one.


Bo

Slammer said:

I did exactly what you are considering. I owned and operated BoRocks Rocketry. I put out several kits in limited runs of 25 to 50 units each and sold ever single one I produced.

I did it all myself. It can be done. But...it is a ton of work.
Design
prototype
test
tweak
test again
write instructions with illustrations and pics
test build with said instructions
produce kits
package kits
sell kits
ship

In the end it got to be too big for me to handle alone so I sold the designs and right to produce to a manufacturer.
It can absolutely be done and done well without spending a fortune but you will do nothing else. In the end it could even turn your hobby into a job you hate.
My suggestion is to pick one unique design and go through the process start to finish and the evaluate if this is something you truly want to undertake. I hope your Patriot kit does well and I will certainly buy one.

Bo

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All of this is very true!
Bagging up those first few dozen kits seems like fun. Then comes the next batch and (depending on your schedule) can be a lot of extra work.
Doug Pratt once said; "Do you know how to make a small fortune in model rocketry? . . . Start with a large fortune!"

Anybody who thinks they know everything about the hobby should produce a short run of kits.
You'll quickly develop a real appreciation for all those who have done it before you - good or bad!

That testing and tweaking part can be a pain. :wink:

SecretSquirrel said:

That testing and tweaking part can be a pain. :wink:

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It can be FRUSTRATING! :bang:
Thanks,

At the end of summer you can ask yourself:
1) Did I learn anything?
2) Did I make any money?
3) Did I have fun?
Hopefully you can answer yes to all 3. I wish you well - sounds like you have a yes to question 1 already.
Looking forward to seeing your kits.

The business may open as late as July, BTW.
Thanks,

I see in another thread that you flew rockets with your brothers. Did you think to assemble one of your kits and test fly it?

In my opinion the approach should be to design and fly the rocket, refine the kit and instructions, do some beta testing, then open your business if you have something compelling to sell. Not decide to open a business, then decide to develop some products....

Frank

burkefj said:

In my opinion the approach should be to design and fly the rocket, refine the kit and instructions, do some beta testing, then open your business if you have something compelling to sell. Not decide to open a business, then decide to develop some products....

Frank

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+1!
Thanks,

What ever happened to this endeavor?

Good question...............

timbucktoo said:

What ever happened to this endeavor?

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timbucktoo said:

What ever happened to this endeavor?

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Post #279

GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWS
The good news is: I have advanced in the designing process of this kit, worked on the packaging, and shipping details.
The bad news is: I had one wacky & busy summer break, not at all what I was planning on.
I still have to test fly it, finish the instructions, and detail some other things.
So, maybe, just maybe, I'll get this rocket stuff going again.
Sorry for the LONG wait, but as you all know, life can get in the way sometimes.
Thanks,

hey what ever happened to your "minute man" rocket?

rockets said:

GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWS
Sorry for the LONG wait, but as you all know, life can get in the way sometimes.
Thanks,

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Err.. Life does get in the way! welcome to growing up!!

As one wise person said to me: "it takes as long as it takes.."

timbucktoo said:

hey what ever happened to your "minute man" rocket?

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Still waiting to fly it... I'm hoping to fly it in the fall. Wish I could've flown it in April, but the winds would've taken that F10 away!! LOL.
Thanks,

good to read,andrew!
reads like ya gotta get back to school to get more time!

I'm already working on building the rocket. All 4 fins are on, and straight, too!! :jaw:
Thanks,

Check it out! https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?141734-ARS-Patriot-rocket-kit
The paint job is on there! Let me know what you think!!
Thanks,

Here is the test flight:
[video=youtube;GDbSvbsfBy8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDbSvbsfBy8[/video]
All is well, and you can expect to see this kit within the next month or so.
Also, how high do you think it went? It seems to have gone over 1K which is impressive for an A8-3, what are your thoughts?
Thanks,

I have the first kit available, but the guy working on the instructions I haven't seen on here in a while, and I don't think they're quite finished. I'll be patient, and wait...
So, this may delay it.
Thanks,

View attachment INSTRUCTIONS.docx
These are the newest instructions.
A VERY special thanks to Incongruent, a member here on TRF, who helped a LOT!
I'm not sure if they're finished, but I wanted to see what you guys think.

Thanks,

I NEED YOUR OPINIONS!!
Well, I'm having a hard time with the instructions, so what do you guys think of these kits not having instructions?
It is SO simple, I did it without instructions..

Thanks,

Well, big FG rockets come w/o instructions all the time. However your product is aimed at a market that normally needs them.

Of course you built it without instructions. You designed it. The instructions are in your head.

Andrew, I gave you mine. what are you having a hard time with?

rockets said:

I'm not sure if they're finished,

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Why don't you think they're finished?

dr wogz said:

Andrew, I gave you mine. what are you having a hard time with?

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Where, When?

Thanks,