Post by Ron Kulas on May 28, 2020 18:51:38 GMT -6
Bringing an all American made, bowhunting product to market is both challenging and enjoyable. Doing everything possible to source the entire project with USA made parts and material adds to the challenge. I will detail that process here. The reason being, is that a common question we get is "How do you arrive at a sell price for your products???" so I thought I could explain it this way.
A typical New bowhunting product offering will be organic in nature meaning there is an unfilled need/demand for a solution that comes from the bowhunting population itself.
In this case, the new product offering is a broadhead sharpener that will sharpen concave and convex broadheads.
Users of these types of broadheads have asked for such a solution and offered the info that formed the basis of a problem or mission statement with specific things they want.
The customer wants
1. A simple and easy to use sharpener that will sharpen concave broadhead profiles
2. Adjustability in the angle at which the edges are honed because bowhunters differ in what they deem the proper sharpening angle and even broadhead makers hone their heads at a variety of angles. Some bowhunters want to match the factory grind while others want to sharpen at their desired angle and will modify factory edges to suit their needs so the sharpener must have a range of angles it can hold.
3. Repeatability. Customers told us they struggle to hold a particular angle by free hand sharpening and when they return to re-sharpen over the life of the broadhead, they want to match the angle they used in prior sharpening sessions.
3. A Compact design that can be taken afield.
4. customers told us they want the sharpening motion to put the scratches or serrations in the metal edge perpendicular to the cutting edge in the mannner the manufacturer does their sharpening.
5. The product must be Made in America (yes, many bowhunting customers value that) I agree with that.
6. The product needs to be priced under $30 to be considered a value for the task it performs.(we typically ask for customer input regarding an acceptable price point)
7. Oh and it would be great if it could sharpen knives too?
With all this in mind I set about the task is inventing.
The process begins with securing the broadheads that customers want to sharpen. Next comes invention. This starts In the USA (Wisconsin) with sketches and conceptual drawings for what the product will look like based on form and function so that the heads can be sharpened with existing sharpening media such a files, diamond jewel sticks, Ceramic crock sticks, butchers steel, rods that can carry emery or buffing compound and any other sharpening media that will remove or polish the metal edge resulting in a lethal edge even if that sharpening media takes an unconventional form such as the frosted edge of an open car/truck window.
When the invention is roughed out, CAD design/modeling takes place. The CAD design software used for this product is made in Boston MA, USA. Not only is the eventual product designed in CAD but the broadheads it will sharpen must also be created in the 3D word as well as the long list of available sharpening media listed above The product is actually built in the virtual world before the first physical prototype is ever made.
When the design matures to a stage that it makes sense to create a physical prototype, I employ rapid prototyping (3D printing) In this case my Makerbot 3D printers make in the USA (Brooklyn NY) The 3D printer consumes spools of plastic filament that is meted and prints the part. The 3D printer filament is produced in the USA (Appleton Wisconsin).
This particular design requires a bit of post processing of the printed part. This includes removing the supports that are part of the printing as well as the tapping of several holes for screws. The tapping tool were made in America (from Tap America)
After post processing the sharpening guide is assembled using 2 rollers, 3 machine screws and a hex nut. All hardware is sourced from the fastener superstore in the USA (Illinois).
Once assembled, the prototype is used to sharpen a variety of concave broadheads. Deficiencies are found and improvements noted. Then its back to the 3D CAD world to revise the design which leads to prototype #2 and #3 and as many as required until the design is optimized.
With the design complete, the next step is sourcing items customers want that will form the parts of the optional accessory kit. Those parts are
A double cut round file from Oregon Chain saws. Despite Oregon's headquarters residing in Portland, the file packaging says its a product of Switzerland.
Foam pad to protect the end of the file from poking through the mailing envelope (Wisconsin)
A ceramic Crock Stick The packaging says proudly made in the USA but failed to list the specific state.
The handles for the ceramic sticks are made by me in WI and then dipped in flex seal (Weston Florida)
A wooden dowel (Marion VA) that will be wrapped in emery or coated in buffing compound to further sharpen broadheads. They are cut to size on a old Sears Table saw I bought 45 years ago.
Buffing compound is included (Edgewood NY)
After assembly, the items are packed in foam I recycle from the packaging I receive (meaning Im recycling it).
The optional kit items are wrapped in a rubber band (Hot Springs Arkansas)
Product instructions written and printed in Wisconsin on paper made in Wisconsin.
Placed in a Padded mailing envelope (Brewerton NY)
I attach a Mailing label (Peru Indiana)
Orders are shipped (thus far) to all 50 states and 23 other countries.
All of this is done only with Wisconsin labor. (and there is a lot of labor in design, invention, prototyping, testing, drafting instructions, manufacturing, sourcing, packaging and shipping a product)
Time and money could be saved on my end if I out sourced parts and material and labor from low cost countries But personally, I would rather employ American workers.
Stay Sharp broadhead sharpening guides Proudly made in the USA
A typical New bowhunting product offering will be organic in nature meaning there is an unfilled need/demand for a solution that comes from the bowhunting population itself.
In this case, the new product offering is a broadhead sharpener that will sharpen concave and convex broadheads.
Users of these types of broadheads have asked for such a solution and offered the info that formed the basis of a problem or mission statement with specific things they want.
The customer wants
1. A simple and easy to use sharpener that will sharpen concave broadhead profiles
2. Adjustability in the angle at which the edges are honed because bowhunters differ in what they deem the proper sharpening angle and even broadhead makers hone their heads at a variety of angles. Some bowhunters want to match the factory grind while others want to sharpen at their desired angle and will modify factory edges to suit their needs so the sharpener must have a range of angles it can hold.
3. Repeatability. Customers told us they struggle to hold a particular angle by free hand sharpening and when they return to re-sharpen over the life of the broadhead, they want to match the angle they used in prior sharpening sessions.
3. A Compact design that can be taken afield.
4. customers told us they want the sharpening motion to put the scratches or serrations in the metal edge perpendicular to the cutting edge in the mannner the manufacturer does their sharpening.
5. The product must be Made in America (yes, many bowhunting customers value that) I agree with that.
6. The product needs to be priced under $30 to be considered a value for the task it performs.(we typically ask for customer input regarding an acceptable price point)
7. Oh and it would be great if it could sharpen knives too?
With all this in mind I set about the task is inventing.
The process begins with securing the broadheads that customers want to sharpen. Next comes invention. This starts In the USA (Wisconsin) with sketches and conceptual drawings for what the product will look like based on form and function so that the heads can be sharpened with existing sharpening media such a files, diamond jewel sticks, Ceramic crock sticks, butchers steel, rods that can carry emery or buffing compound and any other sharpening media that will remove or polish the metal edge resulting in a lethal edge even if that sharpening media takes an unconventional form such as the frosted edge of an open car/truck window.
When the invention is roughed out, CAD design/modeling takes place. The CAD design software used for this product is made in Boston MA, USA. Not only is the eventual product designed in CAD but the broadheads it will sharpen must also be created in the 3D word as well as the long list of available sharpening media listed above The product is actually built in the virtual world before the first physical prototype is ever made.
When the design matures to a stage that it makes sense to create a physical prototype, I employ rapid prototyping (3D printing) In this case my Makerbot 3D printers make in the USA (Brooklyn NY) The 3D printer consumes spools of plastic filament that is meted and prints the part. The 3D printer filament is produced in the USA (Appleton Wisconsin).
This particular design requires a bit of post processing of the printed part. This includes removing the supports that are part of the printing as well as the tapping of several holes for screws. The tapping tool were made in America (from Tap America)
After post processing the sharpening guide is assembled using 2 rollers, 3 machine screws and a hex nut. All hardware is sourced from the fastener superstore in the USA (Illinois).
Once assembled, the prototype is used to sharpen a variety of concave broadheads. Deficiencies are found and improvements noted. Then its back to the 3D CAD world to revise the design which leads to prototype #2 and #3 and as many as required until the design is optimized.
With the design complete, the next step is sourcing items customers want that will form the parts of the optional accessory kit. Those parts are
A double cut round file from Oregon Chain saws. Despite Oregon's headquarters residing in Portland, the file packaging says its a product of Switzerland.
Foam pad to protect the end of the file from poking through the mailing envelope (Wisconsin)
A ceramic Crock Stick The packaging says proudly made in the USA but failed to list the specific state.
The handles for the ceramic sticks are made by me in WI and then dipped in flex seal (Weston Florida)
A wooden dowel (Marion VA) that will be wrapped in emery or coated in buffing compound to further sharpen broadheads. They are cut to size on a old Sears Table saw I bought 45 years ago.
Buffing compound is included (Edgewood NY)
After assembly, the items are packed in foam I recycle from the packaging I receive (meaning Im recycling it).
The optional kit items are wrapped in a rubber band (Hot Springs Arkansas)
Product instructions written and printed in Wisconsin on paper made in Wisconsin.
Placed in a Padded mailing envelope (Brewerton NY)
I attach a Mailing label (Peru Indiana)
Orders are shipped (thus far) to all 50 states and 23 other countries.
All of this is done only with Wisconsin labor. (and there is a lot of labor in design, invention, prototyping, testing, drafting instructions, manufacturing, sourcing, packaging and shipping a product)
Time and money could be saved on my end if I out sourced parts and material and labor from low cost countries But personally, I would rather employ American workers.
Stay Sharp broadhead sharpening guides Proudly made in the USA