P3D EMDE

["sherwood" <sherwood@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(decloaking)

I would very much like to get the group's opinions and advise over what
course would be best concerning the possibility of resuming some production
of EMDE stereomounts.

The market for stereomounts is not a mass market, (this ain't the 50's
anymore), and the typical user seems to be very price conscious.  I suspect
that the paper mounts represents the vast bulk of unit sales.  The only
course open, given these assumptions, is to try to lower the cost of
aluminum mounts to attract enough users to make their production viable.

After some thought, by substituting naptha for diesel oil to lubricate the
dies, it would be possible to avoid the very laborious and expensive
degreasing process.  Instead of using boxes and shrink wrapping the mounts,
they could be just put into zip lock type plastic bags.  Not as attractive
looking, but a the EMDE set box design of the 50's is very expensive to
reproduce.  I have received quotes of about $1.50 per box.  Also, the mounts
used to counted out by hand, and the local handicap industries (the usual
commerical provider of this service) wants $2.25 per box to count and fill
the box.

By using a commerical type scale, I could avoid this expense by weighing out
101 or 102 mounts per package.  It's much faster.

The biggest single single component is the cost of retail dealers.  I must
admit I am not on the best of terms with the well known names in 3D
retailing.  Yet they do have most of the market.

I am guessing that I could sell the EMDE stereomount for $15 per 100 pieces
if sold though dealers, or for $8 per 100 if I sold them directly.  At $8
they would be competitive with paper mounts, but I don't have a massive
budget for advertising, so I don't know how many would hear about the
mounts.

To qualify for dealer status, I would require an initial purchase of $500.
After that you could buy however many you wanted.  I figure that anyone
serious about being a dealer should be able to come up with that much.  A $7
markup is about 87% dealer gross margin.

Flame shields UP.  I welcome your comments.

Dennis Sherwood