Perry S.

Hey all. I am thinking of making a direct bolt in replacement smoke generator for the HL tanks and selling them. I have the following criteria;
1. direct bolt in - same bolt locations
2. Same HL smoke fluid
3. Same output tube locations
4. Powered by HL electronics with same connector
5. SILENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6. instant-on capability
7. SUBSTANTIAL SMOKE OUTPUT INCREASE!!!!!!!!!
8. Reliability - hardened Nichrome heating element with burnout protection.

So, I would like to manufacture these and sell them via ebay or through outlets such as Mato. I know this is an esoteric question and Richard, please don't move this to a vendor forum, but I am interested in your opinions as to how much you would pay for it. And totally spitballing, how many do you guys think I could sell? Would people pay a premium since these things break down so often?

Here is an early prototype and a vid of it's operation. The clicking you hear in the vid is the power supply being turned on and off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plptVeBvCig

Perry

karma99

Wow, that is some serious improvement over any of my stock smokers! I have to ask, is the current drain much more than the standard one? My brain says, more smoke needs more juice.. but I'm a programmer, not an electrician!
As for how many, not knowing the market it's impossible to say, but eBay and/or Mato would seem good places to market them through. I think you'd sell quite a few to the residents of this board though [X(]

Price.. hmm.. that's a tough one, as I have no idea how much they cost to make. How much are you willing to sell them for and make a decent profit?
I guess I'd pay £20'ish (double it for US$ ) without a thought. Might pay more if I had the spare money and fancied making a lot of smoke. That might be a rediculous price and half what it cost to make, but that's my threshold to buy one without further "thinking it over time".

Perry S.

It's a fan driven system vs the HL displacement pump so current draw is similiar if not less!

Kabul Tanker

Are the dimensions, length and width the same? I understand, because of the fan it will be high... but maintaining the width and length I think is important for guys like me who have done a load of mods and carefully planned their hull layout.

KT

Perry S.

direct replacement bolt-in. All the same dims

Kabul Tanker

I have so many questions.. but if you are marketing it... the answers.. well will defeat your ultimate purpose... I think the advantages you have listed are great... and there will be a market for them...

As for willing to buy one.. no offence.. I would not.... but thats why I like Heng Long... it is DO IT YOURSELF.. unlike Tamiya which I feel is follow the book and you are done (minus modeling of course)

KT

ArmChairGeneral

Your idea is at least worth a market test, make a batch and put them on ebay to see what the market will pay, start the auction at your minimum cost ( time + materials ). I see your having fun with your new camcorder

pattoncommander

Geting a set of correct tracks for my 1;6 Stuart from a guy that had the same marketing problem. He got orders as he was starting to make them. Suggest you get tentative orders or committments to give you a ballpark figure. I would take about 3, if the price was in the twenties range. Any thought given to the smoke color? T-34s ( and all diesels) always blew out a filthy black cloud, and realistically, white is not a good exhaust color unless you have a serious oil/valve problem. Good luck on a very good idea.

Bill

shenlonco

My Feedback: (2)

I like the look of the stock system the smoke comes out more in a on off look.... your system looks to much like your just blowing it all out at once.

Turbobearcat

I think it's total overkill..I mean come on.. have you ever seen in the old videos a Tiger or Panzer IV smoking that much unless it was on fire?

ArmChairGeneral

That type of high output generator would be great to couple with a IR combat system to indicate a dead smoking tank.

ArmChairGeneral

This video gives some idea of exhaust output from a good running Tiger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY_5c...elated&search=

DAP

I know many 1/6 & 1/8 guys who would be interested. I personaly think its a little to much smoke. My main concern would be how much smoke oil does it hold, and how hard it is to fill. Its a major pain to get inside my 1/6th stuff. Then would be operating volts. My Stuarts are 12v and the T1 is 24v. I suppose I could run a seperate battery & switch it on/off from the transmitter. It would be cool for just the start up puff of smoke. Then shut it down. I could also use one for a "destroyed" Stuart I have.
I know you are targeting Hl but considering all the other scales/brands would mean more sales. If it was in the $20-$25 range I would probably do a few. Nice work though.

pattoncommander

I have to agree with the larger scale stuff and also the idea of a knocked out tank...channel a couple tubes to the upper hatches and engine compartment grills to give realism to a killed tank. Could link it to higher rpms like going uphill or quick burst of speed to add realism, or link it to the combat electronics to kick in when hit. Lots of good ideas.

OttoDiesel

Hey Perry -

I'd buy a couple if in the $20 price range. The "smoker" unit is what makes HL tanks so cool looking (when they work and put out lots of smoke). Keep up the good work - you engineers !!!

Ralph

Kabul Tanker

I have an idea.... well what if you hooked up a small line from the smoker... and ran it to the end of the cannon (I have no Airsoft... I am putting in an IR gun)... so if you hooked a sero or something to the cannon fire button so that when you fire it opens teh auxillary line, which would already be charged with smoke to the servo... and a puff would be released....

If this inappropriate to post here I apologize.. it just dawned on me maybe....

KT

Perry S.

Perhaps I wasn't clear. This smoke generator is fully proportional and what I was showing is the highest output level. Obviously too much smoke for our tanks but it shows the cababilities. I was thinking I could sell it to more than the RC tank crowd (model ships, etc) to increase sales.

steenv

I would also go for a couple of them, if price is reasonable.

Looks great

Steen

karma99

YOU never said that! (or if you did I didn't read it!)

I DEFINATELY want 2 now! Get to work!

barra733

Will it be possible to 'adapt' this to work with a Tamiya tank? If so I'll definately be buying one. (Maybe supply some instructions on how to do it, then you'll get all the Tamiya owners buying one?!)

gorehound

Hi Pattoncommander

Who are you getting the M5 tracks from. I would be interested in a set myself.

Cheers

Gorehound

Perry S.

Here's a vid showing proportional operation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufKjdk63s-o

outcastrc

If the price is decent count me in for a couple.

steenv

Just watched the video. I want 2 of those

When do you decide on production and pricing

regards
Steen

pattonrocked45

what model is that in your vid?
is that a tamiya or hl? that looks sweet!!!!!!! I would pick one of those up also. how much fluid does it consume?