Aussie made - Page 3

mick pinner · #41 17-07-2005, 04:24 PM

your pretty much spot on el

gaa_ian (Ian) · #42 17-07-2005, 04:32 PM

Hi Mick
Getting back to the Aussie Made accessories wishlist.
Some of the smaller Item's such as:
- Bracket for mounting a Laser pointer on a scope
- Universal Camera Adaptors
- Padded bags for reflector OTA's
The cost of freight on some of these items from the US is prohibitive.
Some because of their bulk, for the smaller Item's freight is a big proportion of the cost.
I wish you every success in your enterprize.

elusiver · #43 17-07-2005, 04:54 PM

the JMI wheely base looks like something u could easily 'adapt'.. and something that I'd definately be interested.. gave some thought to DIYing it.. but.. the skills(i.e welding) to do it properly required are beyond me..

also.. maybe a a hard padded wheelie type case thing for otas.. like those suitcase bags with the trolley wheels at the bottom..

el

Roger Davis · #44 23-09-2005, 07:18 AM

I started making parts as Scope Restore over 15 years ago. The demand is so low and the cost of production so high . First you have to come up with the ideas, then buy the materials, set up the equipment, time, time time, build a tool to make a tool that doesn't exist, time, time, advertising, visiting clubs (petrol), push your product, lack of demand. I still have over 40 finderscope mounting brackets to take from 30mm to 50mm finders, I still have six 8" mirror cells, four 10" mirror cells, truss tube telescope front ends and backs for which I had to design and build: a 1/2 tonne press; a bending machine; a rolling device; and several mandrels from 20mm to 500mm accross. There is just not enough demand for multiple production. We have around 10,000 amateur astronomers in OZ compared to over 200,000 in the USA. Once you have the market flooded with goods, the demand drops. And once you do have the ability to produce these things, along will come some Chinese guy who looks at your website and starts to manufacture the same thing at a fraction of the cost. Just look at the Rigel Systems original Skylite Torch. It retailed for about four years before the Chinese close copied it and flooded the market with the clone. It once cost around $36 now you can pick them up for $15. Rigel Systems went and reinvented the Starlite making it waterproof and giving it white and red LED's that are variable in intensity. Who will take the bet as to how soon the Chinese will copy this one? Hmmm? Sorry for being so cynical, but a balanced view is good.

mick pinner · #45 23-09-2005, 07:43 AM

my aim is to make a specific range of products to service a small market, l don't intend to sell a million of any of my products which is what the Chinese rely on, low cost, low profit, multiple sales. the biggest factor in making these products is research in sourcing materials and the people that have the skills to turn these materials into the products you need, we still have the ability in this country to produce a good product at a good price all you need is the will to do it.

davidpretorius · #46 23-09-2005, 08:24 AM

here here!

miketheobscure (Mike Kreuzer) · #47 23-09-2005, 09:27 AM

I bow to Roger Davis's experience, but I think you need to pick stuff that it's just not going to be economical to import because of its bulkiness. If such a beastie exists.

With the bulkiness idea in mind, and not sure whether your experience is woodwork, or metalwork, or both, (or neither!) I've got the following possibilities. I've thought about just this sort of business, but I'm in the neither category with regard to practical skills, so realistic for me it ain't.

Metal:
* Wedges for SCTs.
* Piers & pier adapters.
* Mounting plates (side by side, vixen to losmady adaptors, etc. The specialised stuff the Chinese don't do)

Wood (could also be metal, but wood's better):
* Equatorial tables for dobs (a much better idea in terms of simplicity of manufacture than GEM mounts, you can make those later on!)
* Truss Newts in a small variety of middle sizes, say 10-14".

On the Newts: Don't go head to head with the Chinese on small or enormous scopes. You could sell these as dobs or to mount on GEMs, just the frames without the mirrors. You could sell them as kits to assemble or you could finish them off, with or without all the accessories (finders to spiders, offer new bits as you accumulate capital. Look at how much it costs to import a telekit and see what your mark-up here could be, think Telekit, Tscope, etc.

Good luck with it, Mike

miketheobscure (Mike Kreuzer) · #48 23-09-2005, 09:30 AM

Rodger, where on your web site does it say you're selling parts for truss Newts? 10" mirror cells? Truss fronts & backs? Where? How much??Regards, Mike

Roger Davis · #49 23-09-2005, 11:14 AM

They don't appear on the website for the simple reason that they were written off the stocktake of Scope Restore back in 1991. I have a few of the items in my junk bin which get sold every now and then. I am using the truss components for my own scope. Our website tells you about our restoration and fabrication services. If you take on the business of making parts for amateur astronomers, you had better make sure you have a good day job.

miketheobscure (Mike Kreuzer) · #50 23-09-2005, 12:11 PM

As Python once said, it's not much of a cheese shop is it ...

Don't take this the wrong way, cause maybe it's just me, but when someone says they're a retailer, and they talk about all the stuff they built to sell that's now sitting around gathering dust, is it too much to think it might be ... you know ... for sale?

"...I still have over 40 finderscope mounting brackets to take from 30mm to 50mm finders, I still have six 8" mirror cells, four 10" mirror cells, truss tube telescope front ends and backs ..."

A potential customer says, hey, you just wrote in saying you’ve still got all this stuff I’m interested in, tell me how much you want for it. Give me a deal. Sweet talk me ... or look, I'm easy, just show me the web site I can click ... and the answer? Nope. You can't have it. Sure I just said I’ve got it, but really I threw it out 15 years ago. I might get a bit out of the bin & sell it from time to time, but not to you, not now. I’m not even going to tell you a price, cause I’m using some of it for my own scope …

What about, sorry, it's not on the web site cause that's only the new stuff, but there's A & B still left, and it'll cost you $X and $Y, but hurry, they won't last at these crazy low, low prices ... No?

Regards, Mike

Roger Davis · #51 23-09-2005, 02:25 PM

15 years ago people were looking for finderscope rings that could be screwed onto cardboard tubes and had three screw admustment. Nowadays people are upset if it isn't an orthoganal adjustment. Times change and so the requirements of most people.
According to the guidelines of this forum, I cannot advertise and I am restricted as to what I can say. Anyone else with business interests take note of those restrictions!
Check my website again.

Dave47tuc (David) · #52 23-09-2005, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Davis

15 years ago people were looking for finderscope rings that could be screwed onto cardboard tubes and had three screw admustment. Nowadays people are upset if it isn't an orthoganal adjustment. Times change and so the requirements of most people.

Many years ago a brought some of those rings. Even today I may not have them but I know the person who does and they are still as good now as then