Inventor's Blueprint Blog

Invention drives our economy, so consider outsourcing

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:43:00 -0400

Here’s an interesting stat… Inventions and the intellectual property behind them...

Are your ideas in the shade?

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:56:00 -0400

Are your ideas in the shade?: I planted tomatoes this year for the first time, (thank you...

Something to remember on a lazy Monday

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:26:56 -0400

“The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally...

Inventors take action! Four key things you need to do finally...

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:30:30 -0400

Inventors take action! Four key things you need to do finally move forward with that cool idea of yours.

Visit (http://quotitude.tumblr.com) to browse our amazing...

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:10:12 -0400

Visit (http://quotitude.tumblr.com) to browse our amazing quotations!

Anything that won't sell, I don't want to invent.

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:25:00 -0400

Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and...

I think we’ve all thought of that idea first and finally...

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:58:16 -0400

I think we’ve all thought of that idea first and finally some has created a chart to help us.

Christmas in April

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:26:49 -0400

That’s how I felt today when my new MakerBot Replicator showed up on my door this morning....

iPod invention in an 8-track world?

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:10:00 -0400

We think of it as a compliment when someone says we’re “ahead of our time”, but as...

These are a few of my favorite things...

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:20:00 -0400

Here’s a quick compilation of some of my favorite creations over the years, from successful...

My table! I finally got over the fear of starting this project...

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:04:00 -0400

My table! I finally got over the fear of starting this project when I my frustration at the shortcoming of our old table passed a threshold. I’d never really done any woodwork before, and my few attempts were nothing I’d want to see three times a day for the next 30 years. I was scared to try because I didn’t know how to do what I wanted to do. Luckily I made a great decision that actually parallels what I’m trying to do with Inventors Blueprint: I found an expert to guide my journey.

He broke the project down into manageable steps: he taught me what I didn’t know, warned me of where I could easily screw up and provided encouragement when the going got tough (you mean I need to put 2000 hole in 500 boards?!?). In the end I build a one-of-a-kind custom walnut extendable table that will be an heirloom. Just what I wanted!!

Big shout-out to Mike at Creative Woodworks in Portland. Thanks for the guidance!

Here’s another product I brought to market, the Acqua Bol....

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:20:00 -0400

Here’s another product I brought to market, the Acqua Bol. A folding credit card-sized water bowl for pets on the go. I brought this product to market on my own rather that through licensing for two reasons:

1. The low price point didn’t make for an idea licensed product given my sales projections

2. I wanted to

This product has been a very popular, and still has a dedicated following spreading the word, even though its been at least three years since I’ve done ANY promotion whatsoever. Why’d I stop? The lesson I learned from starting WowBow Products is you need more than one product, and need to make more than $1.40 per unit to hope to cover expenses and make it worth your time. Even popular products people love should be abandoned if they don’t meet your objectives. See the site at wowbowproducts.com

The Beach Blender was the continuation of the legacy of the...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:23:44 -0400

The Beach Blender was the continuation of the legacy of the Shotapult. For a number of years I would challenge myself to build some sort of contraption to maximize the fun for our annual 4th of July party. The Beach Blender started life as a weedwacker and margaritafied our summers year after year… Until we had kids. :)

Photo

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:05:13 -0400

The Tapler… still one of my best named product concepts....

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:12:00 -0400

The Tapler… still one of my best named product concepts. 1/2 stapler, 1/2 tape dispenser and the first of it’s kind. One potential licensing company spent $10,000 on market surveys and feedback and considered product placement on The Office before ultimately deciding to pass. You can see the survey and full details in the PitchPak area of the Inventors Blueprint membership area.

Wife wooing mirror project. Can you believe she doesn’t...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:03:53 -0400

Wife wooing mirror project. Can you believe she doesn’t think this goes with our decor now?

This was my first welding project, and only took a year! :) We...

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:03:00 -0400

Nice welds!

This was my first welding project, and only took a year! :) We had a family friend growing up who mentioned making his own grill, so when I had access to several sheets of stainless steel and a plasma torch, I figured I’d try too. This flaming grill served me well for almost 10 years before it was retired. Countless meals and countless puncture wounds from the decorative flames provided plenty of great memories (and scars).

Here’s a lesson to share: when trying to get that brushed stainless look, make sure you use stainless steel wheels on the grinder. Otherwise you will go from stainless to stain-enriched as the years progress.

The Shotapult was my first “invention”, and is what...

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:49:00 -0400

The very first Shotapult

Final Shotapult at the Playboy Mansion

The Shotapult was my first “invention”, and is what started me down my current path as an inventor. What is it?? Why a Jello-Shot Catapult of course! The Shotapult was the hit of many a beach party with my closest friends, and contributor to the loss of our rental deposit after a poorly planned indoor event.

While the Shotapult never made me any money, it did teach me many valuable lessons about creating and marketing an invention (product liability insurance anyone??). Add that to the invite to launch Jello at the Playboy Mansion… I’m calling it a success!

Mr. Diggity- made as a gift for my first niece when she was...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:32:00 -0500

Mr. Diggity- made as a gift for my first niece when she was about 2. Only had to wait another 2.5 years before she could use it! :)

Great Idea!

Sun, 23 Mar 1997 16:57:00 -0500

So here it is…. Picture a website where anyone, anywhere can instantly put information out...