pilotdude57

There is a Kickstarter campaign to once again produce Pica and Ikon N'wst kits, this time with laser cutting. You can check it out at http://kck.st/1miw2oj Many rewards and four Pica kits to start with.

TomCrump

I'm surprised that Hobbico would give up the rights to Pica. Same with Mr. Silk, from IKON. It must have cost a small fortune to obtain them.

Hemikiller

My Feedback: (125)

Yeah, this I have to see.


I wonder if he has Alex's permission to use the Ercoupe parts photo from the website...

http://a-mmodels.com/wp/laser-cut/


What a deal

"Pledge $245 or more - See list of airplanes available. Any category B airplane "Almost Ready to Fly" (ARF) pre-covered with an attractive color scheme, ready for radio and engine installation. Not including shipping."

So, for $245 +$60 to ship, I'm going to get a pre-built and covered aircraft of my choosing in the 64"~77" range? Have you lost your mind?

TomCrump

We may have to ask Alex, to see what he has to say.

pilotdude57

The $60 shipping is only for out-of-the-US shipping. Is that too low of a price or too high? Keep in mind, if you look at the list of kits available you can not get most of them in an ARF form from anyone else (not being produced). Also, keep in mind that the Kickstarter campaign is to provide lower prices than what will be charged in the future, to help obtain the laser cutter and other items now. Kickstarter pledgers get better deals. Look at the Hangar 9 prices for their products, the 110" Beaver goes for $700, and the E-flight Super Cub goes for $250. I can lower the prices a bit if you think they are too high.

pilotdude57

Alex doesn't care as it is not reducing his business.

pilotdude57

Hobbico isn't giving up the rights, I am going to be paying them royalties. Since they are not producing the kits right now, other than a few in ARF form, which I am not doing with the Pica kits (only the "other" listed kits), there is no competition against them. So, making royalties gives them money they would not otherwise have. As for Mr. Silk, he has not produced the Ikon N'wst kits for quite a while, and so I will buy the rights and content from him.

pilotdude57

Forgot to mention, Mr. Silk only lives about 40 miles from me.

TomCrump

How did you succeed in getting the rights for IKON when so many others have failed ?

Last I knew, Mr Silk lived in the St Louis area.

What's his first name, again ?

pilotdude57

The guy who bought the rights to the Ikon N'wst kits from Emil Neely lives in Spokane, Washington. I will be having a meeting with him in the next few days.

pilotdude57

I can't remember if his last name is "Silk", you may be thinking of someone else, but he lives in Spokane, Washington. Even if he decides not to sell the rights to me, since he is no longer producing the kits, I will pay him royalties.

TomCrump

Cool. I wish you well.

Chris Nicastro

My Feedback: (3)

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/show...errerid=207331

there are three threads on this topic started by the OP

PLANE JIM

My Feedback: (109)

-I sure like that Saturn V but I feel like the risk may be too great to pay money out to a business that may or may not get started. Seems like there are several questions in the thread that raises questions in my mind. I would think that a person would obtain permission and have his business plan worked out before opening the doors-what if you cannot get permission to produce a certain model and people have invested in your business with the idea of getting that model. Also it is to my understanding if a company decides not to enter in a business agreement with you and they have a protected product -you will not legally be able to reproduce the same product. Also questions come to my mind that you do not know SILK-I do not know him either-but appears he has a stake in Ikon Nwest .

Please sell me on the idea that I will not lose my money and I will sign up.

willig10

Why are the moderators not doing anything with this? He is hijacking any thread to beg for money. I reported him and now it seems he just continues to beg. Is this going to end?

paladin

My Feedback: (9)

I am interested in the Platt Pica Focke Wulf 190 D-9 (65in ws). not the mctag(think that was his name, the 63.5in ws) pica focke wulf 190 d-9. when would that be up for kitting?

init4fun

Which is exactly two more than RC Ken told him he could post on any one subject . The OP has been on a begging binge because he thinks this "kickstarter" thing is gonna make him into an instant internet millionaire . I found it especially funny when he was threatening folks with lawsuits for "slandering" his fund raising efforts , what he seems to have missed is that EVERY , and yes , I mean EVERY , successful Kickstarter campaign has had either a "Big name" celebrity or an AIRTIGHT idea behind them . No one has a clue who this guy is , he has exactly 0 name recognition or "cred" in our hobby , and he is expecting folks to open their wallets for planes built from stolen designs ?

Sorry pilot dood , but your gonna have to get WRITTEN permission to use those designs , build a few ON YOUR OWN DIME to attempt to establish a "name" in our hobby , and THEN go asking for money to continue building these kits so hopefully folks will buy them . Asking for money before you have all your "ducks in a row" just makes you look like every OTHER internet scammer out there with just enough of a "great idea" to attempt to separate folks from their $$$ .................

init4fun

RC Ken has already warned this guy once to stop posting multiple posts all with the common theme of this kickstarter nonsense . Just remember , the wheels of justice here at RCU turn exceedingly slow , but turn they do , and I'm sure Mr. Dood will be dealt with in due time ......

r_adical

My Feedback: (19)

I say let him keep digging a bigger hole maybe he will fall into it

init4fun

Yep , that's one of them thar things bout holes , when yer in one deep enough , It's best to stop diggin !


But really , and in all seriousness ,

I and everyone else would like nothing more than to see pilotdude actually end up making a go of this . Pretty much most of our present day suppliers started out just that way as small operations and ALL companies have to start somewhere . It would be really great to see the guy GET the proper permission to use the designs , build a few , and see if the market beats a path to his door . That's the right way , The way every small company starts out , and should have the blessing of all . Our problem here is one of "putting the cart before the horse" in that he needs both the legal permission to use the designs AND the respect of a well earned name for building from these designs , BEFORE asking strangers for money to fund something that likely may not happen for either legal or other market force factors .

I do truly wish the OP the best with step one , securing the permission to use the designs . This step , which of course will need a lawyer to draft the contract to have any validity in any future legal dealings the new company may encounter , will enable him to build a few , sell a few , and let we the buying public decide if any more of em need to be made .

And THEN , we'll talk about money , after the OP has put enough of his OWN "skin in the game" as to prove being fully vested in the idea of becoming a kitmaker VS a get rich quick scheme .

Hemikiller

My Feedback: (125)

[strike]Funny, but according to BAX, Hobbico doesn't have the rights to the Pica kits....[/strike]

Edit 7/17 - got a PM from Bax, Hobbico does have the Pica rights and they're sending legal your way...

pilotdude57

I have already sent kit parts for the Saturn 1B to Dan Marin in Longmont, Colorado, and the only thing I need to do for quicker production is to get my own laser cutter. I am finishing the development of the kit over the next 30 days, so by the time I get the laser cutter everything will be in place for rapid production of the kit. It will use a ceramic exhaust diverter above the command module that when MECO (Main Engine Cut Off) happens, a "loss of acceleration" sensor fires the LES motor in the tube above the Command Module and it takes it up off the Service Module up to an altitude where it's own parachute can come out and bring it down. Also, even if I can't reproduce the Pica kits, if they don't want royalties (who doesn't want FREE money?), then all I have to do is enlarge the airplane by a one-inch wingspan increase and it is no longer duplicating their kit. Anyone can make a model of a Spitfire, T-28, Waco, etc., and produce kits. I can't remember the name of the guy who bought everything from Emil Neely, and only put out the kits for a short time then quit, as he had medical problems, and worked for the railroad company in Spokane, Washington. I am going to see if he still lives at the last known address I had for him, and get in touch with him and pay him a visit. You can check out the Kickstarter campaign again, as I have lowered a few of the minimum pledge requirements, and made some other changes. If you pledge and I do not get the minimum asked for of $9,500, then NOBODY's credit card is charged, I get NOTHING. So, you don't have to worry about me not getting enough money to accomplish what I want, Kickstarter's policy is that people's cards are not charged until if and when the minimum requested amount is reached. If it is not reached, your card is never charged.

pilotdude57

Apparently, you don't realize that I started this thread, it was not "hijacked". See the first post in the thread.

pilotdude57

I'm not sure on that one, but I should be able to do it wihin 60 days of the end of the campaign. If I run into any problems, then I would just do my own design BASED on the Pica kit, but with a one-inch increase in wingspan.

pilotdude57

Do you think that what I want to do is DIFFICULT, or CAN'T be done? It is just taking plans and importing them into the CAD program and tracing the parts of the plans that need to be cut and then outputting it to the laser cutter. Don't you think that if I get a laser cutter I would want to satisfy the customers so I can KEEP making money? Guys like you are too paranoid. Adrian Page got $12,000 on the Kickstarter campaign to get a laser cutter. Was that an "AIRTIGHT" idea? I pledged for his 1/5 scale Gee Bee R-2 plans, which he should have been able to mail out within two weeks of the campaign ending, and it took two MONTHS after to get them (just got them about 4 days ago, and his campaign ended on May 6th). He still hasn't obtained the laser cutter, as it is on it's way from China, so he should get it within the next two weeks, but if I get funding for the laser cutter I will buy one that is already in the United States, so cutting can begin within 30 days of campaign end, probably within three weeks.