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Prototype Squeegee Opinion Poll
- Thread starter Fred Weiss
- Start date
gbahue
New Member
Worked at a valley startup and when in the design phase of the project one of project managers said: "you can put an eggbeater on a Caddilac, but does it make for a better car?" I think this is a case of over engineering. Not really for me but it might be good for entry level signmakers. I can see it in a catalog. I dont see it sweeping the nation.
I know that you put a lot of work into the prototype. If you think it will fly then bring it to market. Let the market decide!
Best,
g
I know that you put a lot of work into the prototype. If you think it will fly then bring it to market. Let the market decide!
Best,
g
Creative_Lance
New Member
Time to reveal Mr. Unknown.... it's me,
first i would like to thank Fred for being so supportive and posting it on here.
To me it was very important to get sign pro's opinions and actually it did help me a lot. I am still in the process of getting it a patent and i would like to reply to some of your comments.
1- " looks too clumsy and convoluted "
the reason it looks that way is because i only spent $50 to make the very initial prototype which it never looks to pretty, as you can see in the picture i was holding one piece so it won't fall, i also made it bigger than what i had on my design but this is for the lack of the right machinery.
2- as for the level, it will be longer, flatter and lighter on the real prototype before production.
3- extension rulers are not practical and not fast enough for some people.
it only takes a few seconds to pull those rulers out and stick them on the blade, they do help a lot to make a straight line especially when working on small outdoor projects and you don't want to keep measuring and make so many marks on the windows.
4- for the safety you can put the cap on your knife before you slide it inside the handle and place the cover over it. Why i came up with this?
i have been in sign business for 12 years now and i have a very busy shop, i do a lot of vinyl lettering on vehicles and business windows, almost every time i get ready to lay my vinyl i go " oh....where is my knife ", i always forget it and walk all the way back in with the vinyl in my hands " with the risk that it could stick together ". as far as forgetting the whole tool goes, my first thing packed when going out on a job is my " squeegee " AND if everything in that means less room. Also if you're like me you probably have your knife all over the place and and not sharp because it's poking everything, but storing it inside the handle will help a lot.
Finally, i want to say that personally don't need a ruler because believe it or not i eye ball most of my vinyl...yes on dry too. But the rulers will help at least the ones with less experience and don't have the confidence yet, we all had to go up the ladder.
5- suction cups are not that big, i couldn't find smaller ones to use but i'm sure they will be smaller, even with that size they are not on the way because i tested it. You don't need the squeegee on the glass for a long time,
just long enough to lay your vinyl (few seconds) then you take it off and squeegee.
6- the side razor to cut the paper or vinyl is going to have a little guard to keep your fingers protected.
Again sorry for the ugly prototype but this is only to demostrate the squeegee.
thanks for your opinion, right not i'm working with my lawyer to paten it and i'm sure when i start producing i will be giving some away for testing.
first i would like to thank Fred for being so supportive and posting it on here.
To me it was very important to get sign pro's opinions and actually it did help me a lot. I am still in the process of getting it a patent and i would like to reply to some of your comments.
1- " looks too clumsy and convoluted "
the reason it looks that way is because i only spent $50 to make the very initial prototype which it never looks to pretty, as you can see in the picture i was holding one piece so it won't fall, i also made it bigger than what i had on my design but this is for the lack of the right machinery.
2- as for the level, it will be longer, flatter and lighter on the real prototype before production.
3- extension rulers are not practical and not fast enough for some people.
it only takes a few seconds to pull those rulers out and stick them on the blade, they do help a lot to make a straight line especially when working on small outdoor projects and you don't want to keep measuring and make so many marks on the windows.
4- for the safety you can put the cap on your knife before you slide it inside the handle and place the cover over it. Why i came up with this?
i have been in sign business for 12 years now and i have a very busy shop, i do a lot of vinyl lettering on vehicles and business windows, almost every time i get ready to lay my vinyl i go " oh....where is my knife ", i always forget it and walk all the way back in with the vinyl in my hands " with the risk that it could stick together ". as far as forgetting the whole tool goes, my first thing packed when going out on a job is my " squeegee " AND if everything in that means less room. Also if you're like me you probably have your knife all over the place and and not sharp because it's poking everything, but storing it inside the handle will help a lot.
Finally, i want to say that personally don't need a ruler because believe it or not i eye ball most of my vinyl...yes on dry too. But the rulers will help at least the ones with less experience and don't have the confidence yet, we all had to go up the ladder.
5- suction cups are not that big, i couldn't find smaller ones to use but i'm sure they will be smaller, even with that size they are not on the way because i tested it. You don't need the squeegee on the glass for a long time,
just long enough to lay your vinyl (few seconds) then you take it off and squeegee.
6- the side razor to cut the paper or vinyl is going to have a little guard to keep your fingers protected.
Again sorry for the ugly prototype but this is only to demostrate the squeegee.
thanks for your opinion, right not i'm working with my lawyer to paten it and i'm sure when i start producing i will be giving some away for testing.
mystysue
New Member
I laughed when i read that as it was exactly where my mind was going. that or transformers.
That being said.. whoever made this really took some time and thought to thinking this all out..
Would i buy it.. No.. I dont go anywhere with out my little tool box that has all tha in it.. I dont think it would save me any time transforming the squeegie than it would grabbing my knife or ruler etc that i have out and ready to go. And like someone else above mentioned.. i also tend to put my squeegie in my teeth when i run out of hands.. and the blade thing would worry me.
shows lots of imagination and ideas tho..
This is why I voted yes. I'm willing to try new things just to find my confort zone but I keep in mind that tools are only there to help. It's up to the user to use 'em right.
Creative_Lance
New Member
how about i added a rope to it to hang on a neck?
the rope will be long enough to reach your surface and not having to put it in your mouth when running out of hands.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
to ya. You’ll never know if you don’t try.Looks like something that after quite a bit of fine tuning might work.
Will I buy one ?? Probably !!
Will I use it ?? Probably !!
Will I swear by it ?? I dunno……..
I just don’t understand the part about eyeballing everything to lay it down. I’ll let it go at that, but eyeballing everything sounds dangerous. In a jam, yes… but not routinely. Someone that is going to all the extra degree of things you are with your single squeegee tool and refuses to use a ruler…. well, just doesn’t make sense.
I guess it’s just the new generation way of thinking…….
I’m old school and I like knowing my things are straight, centered and properly calculated. No room for eyeballing, unless as I said earlier… you forget a tool and then you have to adlib.
Again…. Good Luck
Creative_Lance
New Member
Here is the rope part.http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/9569/ropepe2.jpg
high impact
New Member
I applaud the effort...this creativity is what makes the world go around!
However, it kind of reminds me of the items my 12 year old keeps "inventing" to "get rich". Although, if you really believe in your product then keep doing what you are doing! It may take a few years and a few tries! Don’t allow anyone to steal your dreams!
My friend invented the original mid-mount training wheel for entry level dirt bikes against many people’s observations. He now has an incredible lifestyle and business! So it can be done, but it hasn’t been easy.
It would not meet a need for me - I too see my lip lying on the ground! LOL I never use a level for an application because I can't find many items we apply to – “perfectly level”...so we measure (with a much longer ruler than that one) and center to look correct. I think there is way too much going on with this "Ultimate squeegee" (good name, huh?) I might be able to get used to the razor to cut my center hinge if the razor is small enough to hide away from my lip. That alone could potentially be the handy part for me.
But as others have said I've developed my system and you all know you can't teach an old dog new tricks!
However, it kind of reminds me of the items my 12 year old keeps "inventing" to "get rich". Although, if you really believe in your product then keep doing what you are doing! It may take a few years and a few tries! Don’t allow anyone to steal your dreams!
My friend invented the original mid-mount training wheel for entry level dirt bikes against many people’s observations. He now has an incredible lifestyle and business! So it can be done, but it hasn’t been easy.
It would not meet a need for me - I too see my lip lying on the ground! LOL I never use a level for an application because I can't find many items we apply to – “perfectly level”...so we measure (with a much longer ruler than that one) and center to look correct. I think there is way too much going on with this "Ultimate squeegee" (good name, huh?) I might be able to get used to the razor to cut my center hinge if the razor is small enough to hide away from my lip. That alone could potentially be the handy part for me.
But as others have said I've developed my system and you all know you can't teach an old dog new tricks!
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Lasvegassigns
New Member
I would buy 1 to keep in my truck as a back up. I always forget something when I do installs. So I would keep that in my truck just in case but I doubt I would use it.
MobileImpact
New Member
If only there were a big enough opening to put a old gerber 4 b in there in case we have to re- cut a letter or two...
Maybe a place on it to hide an extra set of car keys...
(Just kidding, I just locked keys in the car...again and waiting on wife with the spare...again)
It is kinda cool idea. I could see having one in your vehicle for emergencies or as a back up.
OK, I officially change my vote from no unsure to yes.
Good Luck,
Kevin
Maybe a place on it to hide an extra set of car keys...
(Just kidding, I just locked keys in the car...again and waiting on wife with the spare...again)
It is kinda cool idea. I could see having one in your vehicle for emergencies or as a back up.
OK, I officially change my vote from no unsure to yes.
Good Luck,
Kevin
asignstop
New Member
I agree trim down the excess, a dual squeegee/slitter would be nice... I usually keep squeege's in the back pocket, but it does occasionally end up in my mouth.
The replaceable tip idea seems good, it could keep costs down if you would just replace the edge of the squeege- then you could maybe have a felt tip as well that you could swap out.
Creative_Lance
New Member
the squeegee blades will be sold in a small pack separately with felt blades for replacement.
Geary
New Member
Inspector Gadget Squeegee
I'm sorry, it's a "no" for me.
Three things bother me about this deal:
1.) I can almost guarantee you I would be the FIRST one to cut the crap outa my finger tip on that blade.....or have the Xacto protector cap fail and allow the knife to fall out of the handle and stick in the top of my foot. Because, well.....that's just me.......
2.) The ruler idea looks....ummmmm "hinky".
3.) Also, the suction cups.....I don't get the need for suction cups.....?
~Gear
I'm sorry, it's a "no" for me.
Three things bother me about this deal:
1.) I can almost guarantee you I would be the FIRST one to cut the crap outa my finger tip on that blade.....or have the Xacto protector cap fail and allow the knife to fall out of the handle and stick in the top of my foot. Because, well.....that's just me.......
2.) The ruler idea looks....ummmmm "hinky".
3.) Also, the suction cups.....I don't get the need for suction cups.....?
~Gear
mtmdesigns
New Member
Creative_Lance
New Member
When Baird came up with the TV idea everybody thought he was joking and out of his mind but to him and to some people that share the same level of intelligence was normal.
Flame
New Member
Don't get all offended. lol
I think you overthought such a simple tool. I like the idea, but I really can't see myself using one. Try narrowing it down a bit. I know, I'm probably talking to a wall right now, but why not just stick to... JUST a replaceable tip and a slitter? If you make it a VERY safe slitter, and have the tip replaceable, I could possibly see one or two of these things sneaking into my shop. However... I see no need for suction cups, tape measures and especially a level.
Think "less is more". Pefect it a bit, take some of the useless doodads off of it, and you might end up with a winner.
Just my $0.02.
