Build-It-Yourself Attachment KITS...How much interest would there be???

[crazyal]

I think it would be a great ideal. I would be interested in which attachments would be worthwhile to be made as a kit. I think you'll find out that a number of members here would modify the kits in ways you couldn't dream of to better suit them. You could even hold a contest and pick a winner or two and send them a kit at cost and let them document each step and post the process so others could see how easy it is.

 

[crazyal]

Another thing that I would love to see would be each part sold by itself. That would allow those who had an idea could buy just what they needed and then build their own custom design.

 

[aczlan]

Another thing that I would love to see would be each part sold by itself. That would allow those who had an idea could buy just what they needed and then build their own custom design.

I could see some great uses for such a service...

Aaron Z

 

[Tractor Seabee]

My thoughts. Your real prospects are guys like me; have needs and wants to improve our methods and work flow work with various implements, have metal shop skills and equipment as we do all our own repair work, have a limited budget that keeps the good stuff on the back burner, and really are needing items that require speciality cutting or machining we have to hire out at $75-100/hr witha i hour minimum. Set up for one or two items is a killer. I could easyialy build your BX bucket disconnect setup if I had the connector units only just from the pictures. Instead I have designed my own solution, more cumbersome but workable anf have about $100 in materials. All my own labor which is not money out of my pocket. IDEA FOR YOU: Why not depart from the standard implement part sales program implement manufacturers practice of if it doesn't bolt on you have to buy the whole welded assembly; offer a parts catalog of the speciality items that do require cutting out the old and welding in the new. The cost of freight precludes buying large assemblies of standard diminsional steel shapes. I have paid $100 freight for a $100 item just because that was the only option as dealers do not stock those assemblies either. Dealers price their implements the same wether they have them in stock or have to special order them except on a non-stocked item you have to pay the freight in addition. I recently priced a $600 rear blade unit and the shipping made it cost $800.

 

[Redneck in training]

The reduction would be significant due to the reduction of labor, paint, welding supplies and shipping costs, and it would vary from one attachment to the other. The kit would include every bolt, nut, screw, and shank that is required to build the attachment, and all the parts would be cut and bent to the specifications needed for simple assembly. The attachments that are almost 100% manufactured in our factory, like the plows, would have a larger reduction in price than say a cultipacker that has the cast iron wheels which we purchase from a 3rd party.

You could exclude parts that don't require machining (in example square or round tubing) and can be sourced localy. Or at least it should be an option. It will save on shipping cost.

 

[CBW1999]

You could exclude parts that don't require machining (in example square or round tubing) and can be sourced localy. Or at least it should be an option. It will save on shipping cost.

+1

To add, similar to another post- for the parts that you can purchase locally, if they require cutting or drilling- include a single use template. Maybe exclude common fastening hardware that can be bought locally- would save a lot of weight.

Perhaps a "piece it together" option. Disc harrow as an example- maybe someone has access to or already has the discs- no need to buy them....

 

[Guesseral]

Well you sure are getting a lot of different ideas. I still like the idea, but without all of the changes. Ship out the cut out pieces for what you sell assembled with directions and call it a day. If there are too many different variations then it gets to complicated for you, which will, could, or would add complications or miss shipped parts IMO.

 

[swick1]

Well you sure are getting a lot of different ideas. I still like the idea, but without all of the changes. Ship out the cut out pieces for what you sell assembled with directions and call it a day. If there are too many different variations then it gets to complicated for you, which will, could, or would add complications or miss shipped parts IMO.

Agreed

 

[Luremaker]

Well you sure are getting a lot of different ideas. I still like the idea, but without all of the changes. Ship out the cut out pieces for what you sell assembled with directions and call it a day. If there are too many different variations then it gets to complicated for you, which will, could, or would add complications or miss shipped parts IMO.

Agreed x2. The KISS principal should be followed here until you know there is a market.

 

[crazyal]

I think if you could simply design the web site so that the customer could click on a kit and all the parts would automatically be added to the cart. They then go to the cart and add or remove what pieces as the like. I think I would avoid hardware like nuts and bolts unless they were something like a u-bolt that couldn't easily be found locally. Otherwise you would need to have a heat sealer so you could bag up all the hardware and seal it and then find a good way to secure it to a pallet. It's one thing strapping down steel but a small box or bag on a pallet would be the first thing lost during shipping. You could also have your site set up so that each part could be added to the cart by itself.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I find that if I have to buy the parts at retail it is almost always cheaper to buy a manufactured object than to buy the pieces and build it myself. It's interesting to hear people say they would buy a kit but would buy the nuts and bolts locally. I have to wonder where they shop. Just as an example, I priced a 5" x 1/4" bolt at my local Lowes: $1.02. In quantity 500, I can buy them online for less than 15 cents, including shipping; bigger quantities are even cheaper. If I want just a single piece of angle iron or something the local metal dealer is incredibly expensive. For me a big part of the appeal of a kit is that the manufacturer is buying all of the components at wholesale quantities and some of that efficiency gets passed on to me. Plus I don't have to run all over town trying to find parts in small quantities.

That said, I think the opportunity here goes beyond price. Clearly, if you phrase the question as "who would like to buy attachments at half price" you'll have lots of takers, but at the end of the day I'm not sure that the savings in labor, materials and shipping are going to be that compelling. What's really interesting is the idea of manufacturing items on-demand, to the customer's specification -- especially if it can be done for about the same money as a stock item.

 

[94BULLITT]

If they left a few pieces out wouldn't you burn up more gas going and getting it than what it would cost to ship it?

 

[BRBurns]

I find that if I have to buy the parts at retail it is almost always cheaper to buy a manufactured object than to buy the pieces and build it myself. It's interesting to hear people say they would buy a kit but would buy the nuts and bolts locally. I have to wonder where they shop. Just as an example, I priced a 5" x 1/4" bolt at my local Lowes: $1.02. In quantity 500, I can buy them online for less than 15 cents, including shipping; bigger quantities are even cheaper.

TSC bolts by the pound. Not quite wholsale, but a pretty decent price. Lowes is a ripoff on hardware. I understand why though.

 

[BRBurns]

I find that if I have to buy the parts at retail it is almost always cheaper to buy a manufactured object than to buy the pieces and build it myself. It's interesting to hear people say they would buy a kit but would buy the nuts and bolts locally. I have to wonder where they shop. Just as an example, I priced a 5" x 1/4" bolt at my local Lowes: $1.02. In quantity 500, I can buy them online for less than 15 cents, including shipping; bigger quantities are even cheaper.

TSC bolts by the pound. Not quite wholsale, but a pretty decent price. Lowes is a ripoff on hardware. I understand why though.

 

[CBW1999]

TSC bolts by the pound. Not quite wholsale, but a pretty decent price. Lowes is a ripoff on hardware. I understand why though.

That's what I buy- definitely a good deal and you can fill the bag with a variety of sizes in the same grade. I always throw in a couple of extra and have built up a somewhat limited supply of extra's.

The hardware store that is closer has high pricing on their nuts and bolts. I have found on average that they are almost double the cost as opposed to buying at TSC- (same manufacturer to boot). Has nothing to do with purchasing power because the local hardware is a national franchise.

 

[sparc]

I'm interested to hear what Ted has to say after digesting all our comments. I would like to see a land plane as one of the first kits. The best way to keep the price down is not deviate from the design used for the assembled attachments.

 

[PhysAssist]

I'm interested to hear what Ted has to say after digesting all our comments. I would like to see a land plane as one of the first kits. The best way to keep the price down is not deviate from the design used for the assembled attachments.

...not to mention to avoid the increased risks of failure, injury, and lawsuits when inappropriate materials are used by Ted Wanna-Be's, who don't know or appreciate the materials science that goes into the choice of metal and fastening systems on these heavily worked implements...

BTW, I want to go on record dittoing interest in obtaining a land plane DIY kit, but I'd also like a Fred Cain-clone subsoiler kit with a shear bolt.

Thanks
Thomas

 

[spruce Deere]

Love the idea Ted. I have built some of my own implements just for the simple fact I COULD build the implement cheaper and really like the idea of an 'implement kit'.

I think the idea would catch on, only If there could be a significant cost savings over a new purchase. And should be as close to a full line of implements as possible.

 

[sandman2234]

Are the kits available yet?
David from jax

 

[Tororider]

EA hasn't posted on this thread in quite awhile.