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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 6, 2009 - 10:37pm PT
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Just a note that we have moved on to sorting out financing, sales mechanism, and setting up an account for the donations to the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation. Should have it sorted out fairly soon and will keep you posted on this thread. Once we have this in hand we'll source heads from Ajax and Theron will be getting after them...
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Gene
Social climber
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Thanks, guys. We understand it takes a lot of time.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 26, 2009 - 04:27am PT
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So as it stands now, cost-wise we're up the following with everything but the sling:
Deburr of Forging Flash: 7.00
Milling of Hammer Face: 5.75
Drilling of Carabiner Hole: 6.00
Heat Treating: 1.47
Sandblasting: 1.05
Anti Corrosion Dip: 0.65
Logo Removal: 2.00
Drilling of Handle for Leash: 0.75
Assembly: 9.50
Subtotal: 34.17
(2) Stainless Steel Tangs: 2.92
Subtotal: 37.09
Forging of Hammer Head 16.45
Subtotal: 53.54
Handle: 2.75
Subtotal: 56.29
Shipping 1.55
Subtotal: 57.84
Sling: ?
Total: ?
For the sake of argument let's skip the actual sling cost and any sales overhead and call it $60 a pop. For 250 that makes it $15,000 to finance the project. Theron had talked about doing that in a couple of chunks and maybe just coming up with the Ajax head forging portion first, but I'm not entirely comfortable with him pouring a bunch of work into the heads without being covered or knowing where the rest might be coming from. Circumstances are such that I can't fund $15k or even $5-10k at the moment so that means either we need a financier or everyone who wants one is going to have to pony up a deposit to make this work.
I'm still checking on a couple of financing possibilities and sorting out the accounting / sales / website side of the equation and will keep you folks posted over the next week or two.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Oct 26, 2009 - 07:27am PT
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the last tally on the "I Want One" thread
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=853495&msg=989034#msg989034
has about 176 hammers requested.
At $60 a pop thats $10,560
We could ask that people send the $s for their hammers by a certain date... they would need a delivery time and a way of receiving a refund if something happens.
Any business person out there with some ideas? Or an "investor" willing to just break even in the end?
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Prod
Trad climber
Dodge Sprinter Dreaming
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Oct 26, 2009 - 07:59am PT
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"investor" willing to just break even in the end?
Not much of an investment but better than my 401 K for the last decade....
I'd be in to buy one, and pay in advance, but I do not think I ever posted that I would via the other thread.
Prod.
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Danielle Winters
Trad climber
Alaska
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Oct 26, 2009 - 08:35am PT
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I got no problem with ponying up some cash for a hammer.
I can hear the ever rising note's of good steel being driven in to solid granite by my new hot forged hammer~~~ ping pingg pinggg pingggg pinggggg pinggggg!!!!!!!
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Oct 26, 2009 - 09:30am PT
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Why not just call it $75 and use the leftover as a thank you to Theron and to go to the foundation?
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froodish
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Oct 26, 2009 - 10:40am PT
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> Why not just call it $75 and use the leftover as a thank you to Theron and to go to the foundation?
+1
I'm fine pre-paying as well.
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Ray Olson
Trad climber
Imperial Beach, California
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Oct 26, 2009 - 10:43am PT
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awesome what's going on here
this is the real deal
hope this trend of making what we need
right here continues
very cool to see
great job everyone!
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John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
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Oct 26, 2009 - 10:54am PT
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I'm very happy to pay up front as well.
No reason why you should be taking any financial risk with this.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 26, 2009 - 11:03am PT
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> Why not just call it $75 and use the leftover as a thank you to Theron and to go to the foundation?
Final costs plus a fixed donation of some size will be the final hammer cost we'll be asking folks to pay and I suspect $75 will be pretty close to the minimum mark (we'll still accept donations for the ALCF above the fixed amount). The $60 number was just rolling up minimum amount we need to finance. Glad to hear a lot of folks would be willing to prepay, I'd have no problem with it either given Theron's track record putting out some great gear of late.
P.S. I should also note all this are predicated on Theron insuring a last time that he will indeed be covered by these numbers.
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Oct 26, 2009 - 12:00pm PT
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Thanks for the heads up. How about something like $75 (or whatever that number is) if you buy yer ticket in advance (prepay for a hammer). $125 or so if you buy it at the door (wait till they are finished). Making the difference significant will ensure more folks step up to help start the ball rolling, we'll give it some time so that everyone can spread the word, maybe it will sell out right off once it's set up. As you're a few short of selling out the full run of 250 I'll prepay for 2, once the run is sold out I'll put it on Ebay for $150 and get rich. If Theron gets $7500 in to start (100 people X $75) that covers the upfront for the heads and handles and gets him rolling. Once all the costs get covered the balance of the sales can go straight to the foundation. I don't know that exact sales number is but it's do-able given the amount of people who have stated they wanted one.
Will something like that work?
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hoipolloi
climber
A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi
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Oct 26, 2009 - 12:07pm PT
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As much as I would love to pay $60 for a sweet new hammer unlike anything you can currently buy on the market....that seems a bit too cheap, especially if money is going to Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation (mainly) and paying people to make things, etc.
I can't believe I am saying it, but charge more, make more, donate more. No reason to sell it for less than a BD hammer.
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Redwreck
Social climber
Echo Parque, Los Angeles, CA
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Oct 26, 2009 - 12:39pm PT
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Yeah 75 bucks for a good hammer is still a really sweet deal, right?
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Oct 26, 2009 - 01:24pm PT
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Liet me know when and where to send $$$$
Great job, folks!!!!!1
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timt
Trad climber
Wheat Ridge, CO
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Oct 26, 2009 - 01:54pm PT
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Ditto. Just tell me when, where & how much. I am happy to pre-pay.
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Oct 26, 2009 - 01:56pm PT
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Cost is $60 x 250 = $15,000
$15,000 / 150 (my guesstimate of who will prepay) = $100 per
Charge $100.
I have my own business. Theron isn't going to make jack at $60. He shouldn't also have to finance.
Zander
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Oct 26, 2009 - 01:56pm PT
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Sales Is a Task!
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Oct 26, 2009 - 02:01pm PT
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I can pre-pay for mine too!
Let me know when/where...
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Oct 26, 2009 - 02:02pm PT
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bd wall hammer retails for a buck. i can't recall pro deal on it but it's not wholesale.
if this rig is going to stay on the market, then you're going to need to charge market for it. for the front money, offer a pro deal discount ( a la couchmaster's post) to first runners who prepay. that will help motivate folks on the list to actually write a check.
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