Hi all. I believe I had mentioned elsewhere that I was thinking of starting up a business selling new kits. After some reflection, I'm of two minds on this.I would PREFER to make and sell kits, but finances are simply too short for me right now. Therefore, I thought of doing something similar to what The Launch Pad did when they started, which was selling PLANS to build models.
I have instructions already written and drawn up for several models, that would require a few minor modifications to be ready as plan sets. This means I could start doing this in about a month or so, whereas with kits, it would be maybe six months or more.
I'm not sure how people would take just getting plans, but to me, it doesn't seem too different from those who download stuff from JimZ, so I think it could be considered in the same category as cloning, which a lot of you seem to enjoy. The difference is that these would be original designs.
The plans would include a complete parts list, including tube lengths, dimensioned drawings for centering rings and nose cones (for ordering custom parts from BMS or elsewhere), and full-size fin and transition/boat tail/engine nozzle patterns (including dimensions if you want to get them laser cut) on 150lb cardstock. I haven't decided whether to have decals included with each plan set, or just have a page that people can copy onto decal paper themselves. I'm leaning towards having the decals included, but I'll let you decide. Where applicable, a note will be included suggesting an Estes-style nose cone that can be substituted for a custom one. Tubes are all available from Totally Tubular, BMS, or elsewhere, although in some cases, you may need to resize a tube by the slit n' glue method.
The designs are mostly scale (out of the 8 or 9 I'm currently either working on or have finished, only one is NOT a scale model), but I've tried to use prototypes that have not been released as kits by anyone else. In a couple cases, some designs are repeats, but will be more accurate than the version released elsewhere, have some new feature that the previous one did not have, or simply be in a different scale. Most of the designs I plan to do will also be available in different scales, and very few would be considered lower than Skill Level 3 (on a 1-5 scale). All designs so far have fallen into the LPR/MPR category.
While I've tried to write very detailed instructions, it is preferable that you would have SOME building experience, along with an idea of the many construction tips for building rockets. I'm not very good with PC drawing programs, so I can't do nicely illustarted instructions like Peter Alway or Tim VanMilligan, but the plans will have detailed side-view cutaway drawings showing placement of ALL parts, including full-size drawings of certain complex areas like stage transitions and motor mounts (motor mount drawings are dimensioned). All designs will have been simmed in RocSim 7.xx, and will include CG/CP information - staged models will include CG/CP info with and without booster(s).
Edit: Estimated cost will be between $5.00 and $15.00 per set, plus shipping.
I have instructions already written and drawn up for several models, that would require a few minor modifications to be ready as plan sets. This means I could start doing this in about a month or so, whereas with kits, it would be maybe six months or more.
I'm not sure how people would take just getting plans, but to me, it doesn't seem too different from those who download stuff from JimZ, so I think it could be considered in the same category as cloning, which a lot of you seem to enjoy. The difference is that these would be original designs.
The plans would include a complete parts list, including tube lengths, dimensioned drawings for centering rings and nose cones (for ordering custom parts from BMS or elsewhere), and full-size fin and transition/boat tail/engine nozzle patterns (including dimensions if you want to get them laser cut) on 150lb cardstock. I haven't decided whether to have decals included with each plan set, or just have a page that people can copy onto decal paper themselves. I'm leaning towards having the decals included, but I'll let you decide. Where applicable, a note will be included suggesting an Estes-style nose cone that can be substituted for a custom one. Tubes are all available from Totally Tubular, BMS, or elsewhere, although in some cases, you may need to resize a tube by the slit n' glue method.
The designs are mostly scale (out of the 8 or 9 I'm currently either working on or have finished, only one is NOT a scale model), but I've tried to use prototypes that have not been released as kits by anyone else. In a couple cases, some designs are repeats, but will be more accurate than the version released elsewhere, have some new feature that the previous one did not have, or simply be in a different scale. Most of the designs I plan to do will also be available in different scales, and very few would be considered lower than Skill Level 3 (on a 1-5 scale). All designs so far have fallen into the LPR/MPR category.
While I've tried to write very detailed instructions, it is preferable that you would have SOME building experience, along with an idea of the many construction tips for building rockets. I'm not very good with PC drawing programs, so I can't do nicely illustarted instructions like Peter Alway or Tim VanMilligan, but the plans will have detailed side-view cutaway drawings showing placement of ALL parts, including full-size drawings of certain complex areas like stage transitions and motor mounts (motor mount drawings are dimensioned). All designs will have been simmed in RocSim 7.xx, and will include CG/CP information - staged models will include CG/CP info with and without booster(s).
Edit: Estimated cost will be between $5.00 and $15.00 per set, plus shipping.