Month: October 2012

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So what’s next to grow this business?

I’m ecstatic that I’ve solved my production problem and can meet demand now. I’ve even got a backup solution in case my primary printer goes boink. I’ve got an online store that works, and I’m getting a label maker & printer so I can make sure orders are fulfilled in a timely way with precision.

So where do I go from here to grow the business? Branding? More kits? Advertise the CanDo more? Better pricing, like discounts on EL that isn’t moving too fast? (I’m looking at you, yellow and orange.) No one I know is currently growing a company like I am, so I don’t know who to ask or even *what* to ask. I’ve also got opportunities all around me. Should I 3D print for other people more often? Do more CNC routing? Funds are tight and time is limited so I can’t choose them all at once. Your advice, please. What would you like to see from MCS?

Oh, and I’ve started to include all the M3 screws you’ll need in the Drawbot kits. No sense making you drive all over to buy a box of 100 when all you need is six.

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Sometimes it’s just me

Another Drawbot being build by a member if IRC::freenode::reprap

I’ve had three other friends try to print parts and all of them have had things … happen… to their machines in the middle of my prints. I think I know what’s going on.

I’ve had several prints quit before finishing today. One is useable, the others end early.

I think the laptop I’m running on is going to sleep so I’ve pushed all the energy saving options to off. The other option is thermal shutdown – the room is quite warm (to warm the bed faster) and there might be too much heat building up in the polulu chips. I have a small 12v fan I’m going to use to blow air over the heat sinks and I hope that will keep them in line.

But hey! At least a kit can ship tomorrow! Also I heard from some of my suppliers that more motor mounts are due soon, so stay tuned!

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Production Update: First print success!

’nuff said. I’ll fill the back orders and then start printing more and up the stock in store. Even with this I’ll have to temporarily rely on other local printers to meet demand. Thank you, VHS members.

Does anyone know of a way to tell zencart to make one product from a collection of other products? In other words, if I sell one drawbot I want it to decrement the inventory of each component. I’d also like it to say “if you have these many parts you can have this many drawbots”