Found this project on the kickstarter like site Makible.com. It´s a 3d printer project called MakiBox A6 that's going to cost $350 including int. shipping. Its supposed to be able to print with the same quality as the reprap,
I like size of the machine and its perfect for printing parts to my arducopter, like motor mounts and landing gear. Hopefully are they able to develop the model within the time limit since its still in early development. Look at the video of the X and Y axis under.
Comments
Hm, looking Makible again, and it looks mixed Kickstarter and Ponoko.
Makible wants to make the product pricing, ok natural because they also makes the products.
No "only US citicens" restriction like in Kickstarter, (I'm European), thats good.
But if I want to make eg software project and get funding, then Makible makes no sense?
Ponoko is quite expensive, but pricing is transparent, $ / cubic inhces etc.
Hi Ellison,
I've been doing the development on this project since mid November. A lot of that was in sourcing suppliers for components via my sourcing person here in house. We have a small and functional team that is capable with handling this. For this project, it takes 4 weeks from go to shipping, with the longest lead time item being the electronics and everything else is either stock components or laser cut/CNC parts for this production. So, the timeframe has been mapped out the same way that I ship every other project that I've shipped, and the supply chain is there. As I said, we will be pre-ordering the first batch of electronics shortly, so we potentially can ship within two weeks of the confirmed design.
As far as capabilities, other than rockets and cars, I'm game and have manufactured pretty much anything. I personally don't prefer to handle soft goods, but if someone would like to do things with cloth or leather, I've got the experience and contacts with that. I am comfortable with anything from plastic, ceramic, metals, complex electronics, you name it. So, we are instead waiting for the first project that isn't a good fit as I can't really name what to avoid.
As I think I mentioned before, if anyone is skeptical, I really prefer they wait until the project either reaches where they are happy, or when it rolls into shipping from stock in April. It is unfortunate that you have gotten scammed in the past, that is one of the reasons for setting up Makible the way we have, but it will take some more time to build its reputation as well.
Thanks again for at least looking at the project, and stay tuned for the progress.
Still printrbot looks more promising overall, mostly because it works already:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/printrbot/printrbot-your-first-...
but I hope that Makibox works too, then I can buy cheaper one ;-P
Jon, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.
However, since you have been in the manufacturing arena, you and I both know that getting something designed, and manufactured, is not a simple overnight process, nor is it a one man job.
So, basically, if I'm understanding it properly, nothing gets funded, unless you are capable of manufacturing it.
It would help, if designers knew what manufacturing capabilities you have. That way people will not submit projects that you cannot build. This prevents you from being inundated with project evaluations, and people will not be wasting a lot of time with submitting projects to your site that have no chance of getting funded.
Kudos to both innovators and skeptics.
jon.buford - if this is real good luck - please bear in mind that only last week, this site was host to a Kickstarter fraud, so there's a little built-in reluctance to be played twice.
Thanks for explaining your business model (you design it - we build it).
If you accept Credit cards, that is enough protection for most people - especially if you respect the "don't charge until its shipped" requirement.
Ellison, I'm with you too. This new funding model is the bomb, and scams will be quick to take notice; nothing says scam like a new review site with a single review. However, every site has to have a first project, so here's to cautious optimism.
Hi Ellison,
You can post up a project to have it visible to the public (if you choose to) before it is activated for funding. However, projects are not active for funding until they are reviewed for manufacturability and costing completely, and we control the final funding price. If we can not agree to a viable price with the innovator or if it is something outside of the scope of our abilities, we will not approve it for funding on the site. I personally have been in the consumer products industry for over a decade in a wide range of roles, but primarily on the manufacturing, marketing, and development parts.
Any other questions about our business model?
Jon, I can see how you can take on the production and distribution of you own projects, like the Makibox, but how do you propose to be able to produce all the funded projects, when you don't even now what the projects will be or what the production of that item will cost?
I can put up a project think that it will cost $10 to produce, ask for it to be funded for $15. It gets fully funded, and then find out that it will cost $20 to produce, for a $5 loss. What happens, in that case?
What if the project requires a production process that you don't have access to? Then how do you handle the production? There is no validation process required to post up a project. We don't know, in advance if the item is even producible.
Are you sure you've carefully fleshed out your business model?
Hi Ellison,
we have a completely different business model. We license the designs that are successfully funded and handle the production and distribution ourselves. Web sites look quite similar between various categories, but we did the layout and other work ourselves, I'm not sure how much more difference you are expecting. Kickstarter is only one of hundreds of crowd funded websites. We have shipped to over 600 customers who were happy with products so far, and are building up the site, looking for new designers.
Let me tell you what we are doing that Kickstarter can not guarantee. Since we are in control of the production, we can guarantee that the customers money can be refunded if something goes awry. There have been many cases of Kickstarter projects not shipping or turning into financial and time sinkholes due to not being able to smoothly transition into production. We are offering an innovative solution to that.
To be honest, I don't want you to fund this if you are uncertain. At this point I have enough orders to see the first ones through production and I'd rather not have anyone doubting things. Just stay tuned if you are interested in the project and buy one when they are on sale.
Hi Jon, thanks for answering the questions. So basically, you re the only project on Makible.com, What this indicates to me is that you are simply promoting your own product. Paint me sceptical, but here are my concerns:
1- You are using the same business model as Kickstarters, I think they might have something to say about that.
2- Your web site uses practically the same user interface as Kickstarter, they might have something to say about that too.
3- Kickstarter is back by Amazon, a multi billion dollar corporation.
Given those factors how do we know that
1- You'll be around long enough to complete this project, let alone support your web site.
2- Kickstarter won't find out about you, and sue you out of existence for copying their business model, and stealing their web interface.
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next