Mailman just took three more molds to their end users:
JC - 37620
EB - 22973
FR - 72901

(the FR addressee's check came today, and the mailman waited for me to address the mold.)

Thanks, Grumble.

Looking forward to it.

How many moulds are you still holding?

[ 11-15-2003, 02:27: Message edited by: Leftoverdj ]

DJ, I have 3 molds remaining, but I don't know how many checks are in the mail to me.

Which reminds me, tomorrow is the cutoff date for the $40 + $4 price. Goes up to $44 + $6 for any orders postmarked after the 15th. Assuming, that is, any molds remain to sell at the higher price.

Thanks, grumble!

Grumble, I'm trying to get a feel on this for possible future deals. Basically, you are sold out now, just after the moulds got made. If you had a few leftover, you could either sell them on Ebay at a higher price or sell them here after word of mouth got around on the moulds already shipped?

And do you think that this model holds pretty much true for any mould that generates enough interest to get 15 or so prepaid orders?

I know it is a lot of work for the guy running the project, but I am impressed that stuff goes so smoothly and that we can get specialty stuff at discount prices by clubbing together.

dj, I hate to give a firm answer to your questions, because what works once may not always work again. If you get pretty enthusiastic reception to an idea for a mold design, it's likely that 15 or so positive responses will sell about twice that many molds, but that's just a rule of thumb.

Another thing that enters into it is that people get "hot" for a mold, but that may not last if the ordering and delivery process drag on and on. I learned that in spades when we did the order through Midway, and it took almost a year from idea to delivery. Another thing that might (repeat might) mess with the process is the number of other custom molds being worked at the same time. IMO, it kinda dilutes enthusiasm for a single design even though any one person might not be interested in other designs being offered. And, it gets confusing as to who is doing which mold. Finally, if too many discussions take place, people get bored with the subject, especially if there are a few "design nitpickers" who want to continually make minor changes or insist on a 255 gr instead of a 250 gr boolit, for example.

Once there's enough support to make it likely that a particular mold will fly <G>, the design should be locked in, announced, and ordered. After that, it's a "take-it-or-leave-it" proposition.

I expect, a couple months from now, a few people who will be asking how to get in on this deal, long after the last of the molds are sold. If this batch of molds turns out to produce some really good boolits, and guys start talking about it here, there might even be enough support for another batch of 25 to get produced. Maybe.

I hasten to say, though, that these are just my opinions. Others may think differently, and until a mold order is completed and sold, there's no right or wrong.

It really isn't all that much work to honcho the special orders, but there's some nail-biting that's unavoidable when you put your own bucks into the project and there's no certainty of getting your money back. Thank goodness for eBay, eh? <GGG>

Grumble, what's worrisome to some may not be to others, right? I had 1100-1200 bucks laying on the floor in front of me for 9 months or more, and no good time to turn that money into lube that can be used. No big deal. Sooner or later things work out amongst honorable folks. ... felix

That's an excellent point, felix! Amongst our group, there's absolutely no worry a-tall about the honesty of folks either sending or receiving checks.

We may have our intra-tribal squabbles, but there's never a question about integrity.

Grumble,

Found the package on the front porch this evening. Way kewl.

Thank you very much for all the effort in getting this project going. All B.S. aside I credit this bullet with getting my son interested in rifle shooting. We had done the 22rf route for a while with a little marline carbine I grew up with, but he was pretty ho hum about rifle shooting until I bought one of the single cavitiy "soup can" molds from Lee surplus. He likes the feel of the full size gun and not getting the heck kicked out of him when he shoots it.

Plinkin ammo will be much easier to produce now!

KevD