I don't know if this would be within your budget but custom enclosures made of hot-bent plexi. they look really nice and I think there is demand within hobby electronic makers.
Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
221–230 of 428 posts
Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
#222My brother used to cast resin pen blanks in the garage. It's a pretty simple process that just needs a few silicone molds, a pressure vessel, and a vacuum pump. He sold them wholesale to a woodworking supply place for $5-10 each. He made enough over a couple years to pay for college.
Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
#223I've given this advice elsewhere, and I'll give it here. Go look at the small business initiatives by each branch of the U.S. military; many are now posting lists of open contracts that you can bid on for an incredible array of things. Browse through those lists and find something you can build. I really believe the U.S. military is in the midst of a large scale transfer of military spending from traditional large de…
Defense money is not worth the ethics
Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
#224Earlier quoted context omitted.
For my application, it's much cheaper and I have the added flexibility of being able to adjust my design and rapdily prototype should the other components need to change due to unavailability -- I have already had to do this. For something that costs me $0.17 at home, Etsy people want to charge upwards of $4 plus shipping and Shapeways or the like are $20+.
I’m very intrigued, as I have a couple ideas for things I could manufacture with my 3D printer + some custom electronics too, but have never invested the time into. Could you by any chance please share what you’re making? Or just a rough idea if you want to protect your niche? Thanks
I sell the only "generic" version of an item that is both costly in money and time to obtain.
Imagine you had a bunch of arcade machines with a proprietary button to turn each on. You can buy the button, but the manufacturer requires their service people physically install and bind it your arcade. Most operators want multiple buttons cause they always break, but they also don't want to deal with downtime during replacement.
I sell the button for 1/3 of the cost with modifications allowing anyone to install it.
Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
#225Cosplay gear
Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
#226I suspect you would avoid things that could be automatized, and rather focus on something that has relatively high margins due to either customization/personal touch or fit & finish reasons. It probably helps if the overall market isn't massive too, just plenty big enough for a small team.
e.g. find a sport or hobby that requires tools/components that can be manufactured in your 2-car/2 person setting. Then give them customization or very high quality. CNC is basically commodity now, as are 3D prints - you need something outside that box I think, or at least have it only be a component of what you are doing.
Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
#227Earlier quoted context omitted.
Selling cannbis clones and support etc could be very lucrative. And potentially legal, depending on locale.
The issue is that business teaches people how to fish. People can take their own clones from the first clone. If you sell fancy fertilizer eventually people will realize they can get away with regular cheap dry amendments once they realize what they are actually doing with fertilizing.
Yep, you start off buying obscure soils and obsessing about ph levels and light and moisture and years later I use the cheapest 4-4-4 fertilizer I can find and water when I stick my finger in and it’s dry.
I get better product now than I used to. Mostly it’s about genetics anyway.
The number one bit of advice I give to new gardeners (my garden is pretty well developed) is ‘less is more’. Basically leave the plant alone as much as you can. Water deeply instead of frequently and use many seeds to start with whittling down to the best genetics.
For example for my 5 pumpkin plants I planted around 50 seeds from last year. Waited a couple weeks and then pulled the smaller plants. Do the same again a couple weeks later. Then when transplanting cull once more. Plant three in every hole. Two weeks later cull until there’s one plant in each spot.
Then for advanced mode you use the seeds from this selection process next year, and they get more and more adapted to your micro climate.
Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
#228One thing I've wanted someone to start making for years is good ski/snowboard racks for snowmobiles.
The ones that (almost) everyone I know have break frequently. They would be easy to make out of stainless with a couple small jigs.
https://cheetahfactoryracing.com/products/board-ski-bracket-...
The market is probably pretty small, but I'd definitely buy two sets ;)
Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
#229I've given this advice elsewhere, and I'll give it here. Go look at the small business initiatives by each branch of the U.S. military; many are now posting lists of open contracts that you can bid on for an incredible array of things. Browse through those lists and find something you can build. I really believe the U.S. military is in the midst of a large scale transfer of military spending from traditional large de…
> I think Anduril is a great example of the possibilities in the "new" defense space.
With "Anduril," are you referring to Toykeeper's (technically deprecated) LED driver (flashlight, torch) interface? If not, then what? If so, then please give me some idea how a flashlight interface may be employed in national defense. Thanks.
Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?
#230JTAG boards.