Build-It-Yourself Attachments KITS??? interested?

[EverythingAttachments]

I have been thinking about this and wanted to see how much interest there would be. This is an idea I would borrow from Ikea, the discount furniture store where you get a box full of parts and instructions and assemble everything yourself EXCEPT my idea has to do with what we all love. Build-a-bear? nope....... TRACTOR ATTACHMENTS!!!!

How many people out there would be interested in ordering a kit to build your own attachments(box blade, scrape blade, disc harrow etc.)??
Our components are cut and indexed by our plasma cutter or laser so they fit together perfectly with little room for error. As long as you have the mechanical ability, a square, a flat surface to work on, as well as a welder then this may be for you. I would also include an assembly video along with all of the nuts/bolts and other hardware needed to build your attachments. You would also be able to paint(not included) your attachment whatever color you choose.
Besides the feeling of accomplishment when you've finished building your own attachment, you will have also saved yourself some money which I think we all are for!!
The kits would be limited to products that we build at our facility here in NC and the list of those attachments is growing all the time.

Let me know what you guys think of this. It's only an idea now and I'd like to know if we can turn it into something!

 

[aczlan]

Sounds interesting. How much of a price difference would there be between the "Kit" and the "Assembled product"?

Aaron Z

 

[BWSSR]

Sounds interesting. How much of a price difference would there be between the "Kit" and the "Assembled product"?

Aaron Z

THIS^^^^^

 

[DJFireUSA]

Sounds interesting. How much of a price difference would there be between the "Kit" and the "Assembled product"?

Aaron Z

Ditto!

 

[Baby Grand]

I think this is brilliant.

Sort of the original IKEA idea (back when they were making everything in Sweden).
They saved huge amounts of shipping volume & warehouse cost by knocking everything down and shipping the most minimum volume possible.

You might even avoid some trucking fees by shipping several under 75lb packages via UPS - not sure how that would wash out, cost wise, but I wouldn't need to go to a freight terminal to get my implement.

One of the biggest obstacles for me in making my own implements is my limited machining/forming/cutting capabillities. With your equipment (like that new,Star Wars laser rig) you must be able to punch out parts like makin' sugar cookies.

Then there's the expense of trying to buy a few feet each of steel in various cross sections, since I can't buy steel in bulk quantities/lengths.

Tell us more!

Jim

 

[CNC Dan]

I like this idea.
It would be great if you could make a kit that could be assembled in more than one way to allow users customize on assembly.

Or just include the special parts, and let the customers use localy sorced angle iron, channel, and I beams.

 

[Pa Pa Jack]

THIS^^^^^

Me too!!!!!

 

[texasjohn]

Well, in theory I like the idea.
From a manufacturing standpoint, I think you would have to realize that not everybody has an extremely powerful welder, as you do. Thus, the kits would have to be modified to have parts bolt up, maybe not be welded. What would you do if someone welded as instructed, but it was a poor weld, and the equipment broke and the owner claimed that he had done a perfect welding job and that the problem was in the design/materials?? Me, I'd KNOW my welding was at fault, but I'm not everybody.

Price wise, the kit would have to compete with used items from various sources. Your target customer has tools, is handy, a welder, mechanical knowledge about how things work and a willingness to spend time on messing with his equipment. People buy new when they are outside these parameters.

Just my first thoughts.

 

[dfkrug]

By all means, you should do it, Ted.

You probably already know about Metkit Corp and their website, Metkit.com.
They did not exist when I built my CADDigger back in the mid 90s. I would
have bought more pre-cut and pre-drilled parts if they were available.

I especially expect that you would get a lot of interest in backhoe thumb kits,
backhoe rippers, and FEL bucket grapple kits. Not to mention FEL forks.

Years ago when I had a bunch of backhoe thumb parts made up for me at a
CNC plasma shop, I had a lot of interest from buyers of a weld-it-yourself kit.
I sold a few, but exhausted my interest. You could be the go-to shop for
these and other kits.

 

[xtruckerbob]

I like the idea. I have built several small tools and it gives me the "warm and fussy feeling".

 

[mikehaugen]

Your target customer has tools, is handy, a welder, mechanical knowledge about how things work and a willingness to spend time on messing with his equipment. People buy new when they are outside these parameters.

Just my first thoughts.

isn't this all of us here on TBN?

 

[texasjohn]

I'd focus on stuff not available any other way.

Example...a quick attach plate which allows various attachments such as:
hay spikes
boom extension to hay spike
pallet fork
chain hooks on above
receiver hitch for trailer ball or whatever.
also, set up plate so it also fits 3pt hitch and allows hay spike, boom, pallet fork, chain hooks, receiver hitch use there as well.

 

[Gary Fowler]

This would be ideal for folks like myself who have capacity to weld, cut etc but no ready source of steel. Closest place is 70 miles away and who wants to buy a 1/2 sheet of plate to get a few square feet plus angle, channel etc where a full 20 foot joint has to be bought to get 3 feet or else pay thru the nose for the small pieces. No fabrication shops around here to buy scrap like lots of folks on TBN claim to get for little or nothing.
Bottom line is how much savings can be had for buying the IKEA version versus finished product. Most folks think that their labor is free or at least enjoyable enough to not put a price on it but materials costs like welding consumables, electricity etc arent free so there would have to be a good saving to the consumer in order to make it work for both parties.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

To all the TBN members and everyone else,
At the moment this is just a thought, but I keep thinking about it more and more, because with the laser we are able to cut indexing holes and location spots where it is almost like putting a tinker toy together for our attachments built on our new laser. The main thing anyone needs is a flat table, and a square, and as I mentioned earlier general mechanical and welding ability is also required. My first thought on savings depending upon the attachment, would be at the least 25%, and at the most possibly as much as 50% off! I look forward to reading more of your thoughts, so I can organize what really needs to be done to be able to make this Ikea idea work.
Thanks,
Ted

 

[jwmorris]

50% off!

I'm in, start with this one.

 

[tkappeler]

...Or just include the special parts, and let the customers use localy sorced angle iron, channel, and I beams.

This is especially intriguing to me. Kits, whether complete or specialty items, are always good as long as the price differential is significant.

 

[s219]

I think the genius of the IKEA kits is that they are self contained and pre-painted, and you get a finished product at the end. Many kits include all the tools needed. They can be assembled by an average person with average skills and no special tools. And of course, you can have a meal of meatballs (we occasionally make a 2 hour drive to an IKEA to buy furniture and have a meal of their meatballs, which I love).

I am thinking a tractor implement doesn't fall into the same category if someone has to weld and paint it. Especially the welding part, but painting is no cakewalk either, as I found out when re-painting my mower deck recently -- it took several days for all the coats to be applied and dry, and it occupied one side of my garage the whole time. Not everyone has the equipment or skills for welding, and it takes effort to get a good "factory" finish on large implements.

I guess I would want to see a significant cost savings before it makes sense to me. Basically I guess it comes down to labor costs, since materials and shipping will be about the same either way.

 

[Ductape]

I really like this idea.

 

[SSdoxie]

I think it would be well worth trying. If I was in market for something that cost say $2000 and could get for $1500 or less and spend a day or 2 putting it together, would be worth it to me.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I hadnt considered painting. I would consider that an optional way to ship would be to package them in pre-blasted and primed condition with just the weld area unpainted. Furnish paint/thinner also for prime and finish coating after construction is completed. You wouldnt end up with a baked on coating but many coating materials are available to mimic the powder coating. Most of the equipment has a poor paint job and very little prep work or media blasting or even degreasing is done so the paint goes away pretty fast unless you pay premium for the paint work and even then, I have never seen a sandblasted finish on equipment which is what it takes for the paint to adhere and stay on long term.