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Anybody else familiar with icengineworks MODELING BLOCK SYSTEM WORKS fro exhaust design? Cool system right? If not familiar, check http://www.icengineworks.com/icewmain.htm - its like lego for exhaust systems. It consists of a bunch of these snap together bits:
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You use thos to build up models of manifolds like this:
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Cool, huh? There's also software that translates the designs into bend instructions for a cnc machine bending, which kinda tells you the target market is not home builders. The insanely high cost of the kit (like $400 for a starter kit) says the same thing.
So, what if it was a lot cheaper, but took a bit more work to use? How much cheaper? I'm thinking about trying to design a $30 kit that has segments that let you mimic all the pipe found in the Biltwell 1.75" Exhaust Builder Kit (or maybe has more bends and less straights). As an added bonus, kits would come with cut guide(s) like this one to match the pipe bends the kit is made for (only in masonite, not metal).
Crazy cheap, right? If it saves you wrecking one section of pipe with a miss-cut, it damn near pays for itself. Of course, the real benefit is you can experiment complex pipe routes without having to commit to any cuts (or even buy any metal) until you nail the design you want.
How would I make something like this so cheap? Well, all the parts would be laser cut 1.8" masonite. You'd have to assemble them yourself and hold them together either with clips (I'm thinking small binder clips like this would) or small bolts (via pre-cut bolt holes). And of course, masking tape would still work.
The design work would be a pain in the ass, but if I could sell a dozen of them, it would probably be a break even prospect. As such, I'd probably be selling the first lot via kickstarter. But I figured before going there, I'd see what the demand was like, and what single design would appeal to the widest group.
Question(s) 1- I'm assuming 1.75" pipe matching the Biltwell kit is a good place to start, since its such a popular kit? I know its probably not a popular choice with the crowd here, but when it comes to custom pipes, the Harley crowd is a bigger market than inline 4, right?
Question(s) 2- When they say 3.5-inch / 5 inch radius (90mm) U-bends, do they mean the radius through the center of the 1.75" pipe? How accurate is that? Is the pipe 1.75" inside d, or outside d? I'd need to know the exact dimensions to produce a really accurate kit.
Question 3- Would people even want the straight bits? If I could get the cost under $20 by not including them, would that increase the appeal?
Long term I'd branch out into other pipe sizes and bend radii. Since they are laser cut, I wouldn't have any inventory or mold setup expenses; I could just grab some masonite and throw it in the burner when needed. Not sure how I'm market them, though - really seems like the thing to do would be to sell them to somebody like Biltwell or Cone Engineering to market alongside the bent pipe & kits they sell.
You use thos to build up models of manifolds like this:
Cool, huh? There's also software that translates the designs into bend instructions for a cnc machine bending, which kinda tells you the target market is not home builders. The insanely high cost of the kit (like $400 for a starter kit) says the same thing.
So, what if it was a lot cheaper, but took a bit more work to use? How much cheaper? I'm thinking about trying to design a $30 kit that has segments that let you mimic all the pipe found in the Biltwell 1.75" Exhaust Builder Kit (or maybe has more bends and less straights). As an added bonus, kits would come with cut guide(s) like this one to match the pipe bends the kit is made for (only in masonite, not metal).
Crazy cheap, right? If it saves you wrecking one section of pipe with a miss-cut, it damn near pays for itself. Of course, the real benefit is you can experiment complex pipe routes without having to commit to any cuts (or even buy any metal) until you nail the design you want.
How would I make something like this so cheap? Well, all the parts would be laser cut 1.8" masonite. You'd have to assemble them yourself and hold them together either with clips (I'm thinking small binder clips like this would) or small bolts (via pre-cut bolt holes). And of course, masking tape would still work.
The design work would be a pain in the ass, but if I could sell a dozen of them, it would probably be a break even prospect. As such, I'd probably be selling the first lot via kickstarter. But I figured before going there, I'd see what the demand was like, and what single design would appeal to the widest group.
Question(s) 1- I'm assuming 1.75" pipe matching the Biltwell kit is a good place to start, since its such a popular kit? I know its probably not a popular choice with the crowd here, but when it comes to custom pipes, the Harley crowd is a bigger market than inline 4, right?
Question(s) 2- When they say 3.5-inch / 5 inch radius (90mm) U-bends, do they mean the radius through the center of the 1.75" pipe? How accurate is that? Is the pipe 1.75" inside d, or outside d? I'd need to know the exact dimensions to produce a really accurate kit.
Question 3- Would people even want the straight bits? If I could get the cost under $20 by not including them, would that increase the appeal?
Long term I'd branch out into other pipe sizes and bend radii. Since they are laser cut, I wouldn't have any inventory or mold setup expenses; I could just grab some masonite and throw it in the burner when needed. Not sure how I'm market them, though - really seems like the thing to do would be to sell them to somebody like Biltwell or Cone Engineering to market alongside the bent pipe & kits they sell.
