GB: Aluminum Map Pocket Lid (driver door) - SakeBomb Garage
04-03-11 | 07:33 PM
#101
+1 the logic here makes perfect sense - I don't want to have to replace this again, the stock design is very poor
we could possibly get the price down cheaper (by about 20 bucks) if we didnt have the handles machined (ie roll pin like stock, vs machining for a replacement bolt with a pivot collar)... though our current solution is really the best fix for the problem (from a technical standpoint). The roll (like stock and company X) creates slop in the pivot point, which is made worse by the plastic bearings it pivots around. This is directly why the lids break (from this slop)
04-05-11 | 12:48 AM
#105
and the whole thing is NLA from mazda now 
04-05-11 | 08:27 PM
#106
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,196
Likes: 235
From: California
Here is the paid/deposit list 
Keep em coming.
1. Caredden - 93
2. 94touringfd - 94
3. Renesisfd - 93
4. Fdcurt - 94
5. Rotorious - 93
6. Montego- 94
7. Joey77051-93
8. Sp_amend - 94
9. Capitalfd3s - 93
10. Rxmfn7- 94
11. Funkspectrum - 94
12. Speedjunkie - 94
13. Moosejaw - 93
14. Mrgne1 - 93 - PAID
15. Azeknightz - 93
16. 86v8rx7 - 93
17. Blouzbee - 93
18. Nv02 - 93
19. Mister destiny - 94
20. Artowar - 94
21. 1txrx7-94
22. Johgar - 94
23. Yzf-r1 - 93 - PAID
24. Mazdaspeed00 - 93
25. T2terror
26. Crispyrx7 - 93
27. Danny fd3s
28. Zaidnew
29. Evopanda-93
30. Gringo grande - 93
31. Crazydevil - 93
32. Evanchix - 93
33. Scrub -94 - PAID
34. Beckrx - 94 - PAID
35. Yoshifc3s - 94
36. Browndog9 - 93
37. Tuesday - 93
38. Adidastrip - 94
39. Carlb - 93
40. Sideo - 94
41. Monkman33 - 94
42. danny fd3s-93
43.Reno_NVFD-93
44. BillM - 94 - $125 deposit
45. ChrisChung125
46. JdmRX - 94 - PAID
47. WNEC98 - 94
48. Azrae1 - 94 - PAID
-Dan
Keep em coming. 1. Caredden - 93
2. 94touringfd - 94
3. Renesisfd - 93
4. Fdcurt - 94
5. Rotorious - 93
6. Montego- 94
7. Joey77051-93
8. Sp_amend - 94
9. Capitalfd3s - 93
10. Rxmfn7- 94
11. Funkspectrum - 94
12. Speedjunkie - 94
13. Moosejaw - 93
14. Mrgne1 - 93 - PAID
15. Azeknightz - 93
16. 86v8rx7 - 93
17. Blouzbee - 93
18. Nv02 - 93
19. Mister destiny - 94
20. Artowar - 94
21. 1txrx7-94
22. Johgar - 94
23. Yzf-r1 - 93 - PAID
24. Mazdaspeed00 - 93
25. T2terror
26. Crispyrx7 - 93
27. Danny fd3s
28. Zaidnew
29. Evopanda-93
30. Gringo grande - 93
31. Crazydevil - 93
32. Evanchix - 93
33. Scrub -94 - PAID
34. Beckrx - 94 - PAID
35. Yoshifc3s - 94
36. Browndog9 - 93
37. Tuesday - 93
38. Adidastrip - 94
39. Carlb - 93
40. Sideo - 94
41. Monkman33 - 94
42. danny fd3s-93
43.Reno_NVFD-93
44. BillM - 94 - $125 deposit
45. ChrisChung125
46. JdmRX - 94 - PAID
47. WNEC98 - 94
48. Azrae1 - 94 - PAID
-Dan
__________________
SAKEBOMB GARAGE LLC
www.SAKEBOMBGARAGE.com
Specialty aftermarket parts & service // Fremont, California
Contact: info@sakebombgarage.com
SAKEBOMB GARAGE LLC
www.SAKEBOMBGARAGE.com
Specialty aftermarket parts & service // Fremont, California
Contact: info@sakebombgarage.com
Last edited by SakeBomb Garage; 04-05-11 at 08:32 PM.
Deposit sent
04-19-11 | 02:42 AM
#113
looks like the interest has died out... once again. this is obviously due to the competition making a similar product. as we can't make the lid using our rubber mold process without everyone in the interest list on board it looks like this project probably wont happen afterall
04-19-11 | 07:28 PM
#114
The issue really is turn around time... it would be a couple weeks to have the molds made, cast a couple lids off the mold, then verify fitment and have the machining fixture made... then another few weeks for the big production run. Coat with our proprietary coating, pack with hardware and ship. With another company attempting to produce a similar part, but at a quarter of the cost, it's a tricky position to try to make a part at cost.
Ultimately our lid will cost $260 shipped including PP fees (and we walk away breaking even).
The 'competition' is offering $200 (without mentioning shipping and paypal fees which should be at least $15) to sell a part using a cheaper process, made overseas, not machined, no examples of the finish or if they can retain the stock texture in whatever casting process they are using...
But at the end of the day, most people would rather would rather take a shot in the dark with company X for the $45 savings. Thats just how it goes in the FD world now... nickel and dime-ing parts is now commonplace and, quality comes second to cost. Ebay parts are common place on the FD now... it's all got to do with the cheapening prices of FD's.
We have to have backing from the FD community to make this thing... I just don't see it materializing with the lure of a cheap replacement out there... but maybe I'm wrong.
In the last year the FD market has started to resemble the FC market more and more, and that kinda ties our hands as FD enthusiasts wanting to make QUALITY upgrade parts for the FD.
Ultimately our lid will cost $260 shipped including PP fees (and we walk away breaking even).
The 'competition' is offering $200 (without mentioning shipping and paypal fees which should be at least $15) to sell a part using a cheaper process, made overseas, not machined, no examples of the finish or if they can retain the stock texture in whatever casting process they are using...
But at the end of the day, most people would rather would rather take a shot in the dark with company X for the $45 savings. Thats just how it goes in the FD world now... nickel and dime-ing parts is now commonplace and, quality comes second to cost. Ebay parts are common place on the FD now... it's all got to do with the cheapening prices of FD's.
We have to have backing from the FD community to make this thing... I just don't see it materializing with the lure of a cheap replacement out there... but maybe I'm wrong.
In the last year the FD market has started to resemble the FC market more and more, and that kinda ties our hands as FD enthusiasts wanting to make QUALITY upgrade parts for the FD.looks like the interest has died out... once again. this is obviously due to the competition making a similar product. as we can't make the lid using our rubber mold process without everyone in the interest list on board it looks like this project probably wont happen afterall
04-19-11 | 10:39 PM
#115
Investment casting is quick and dirty... sand casting is dirt cheap once the mold to stamp into the sand is made.
04-19-11 | 11:21 PM
#116
very interesting info! i didnt know you could cast aluminum with a rubber mold...
where you make a positive rubber mold of the part, fill it with a high temp ceramic slurry, then bake that ceramic shell, and fill it with aluminum)
im not sure i understand that process 100%... im lost after you fill it with the high temp slurry.. does this harden on its own? and bake what ceramic shell? from my understanding at this point you have the ceramic slurry in the rubber mold still so im lost with what "ceramic shell" you bake? do you have anymore info on this?
i didnt know investment casting was cheap either! if you dont mind me asking, whats your profession? is manufacturing a part of your field?
where you make a positive rubber mold of the part, fill it with a high temp ceramic slurry, then bake that ceramic shell, and fill it with aluminum)
im not sure i understand that process 100%... im lost after you fill it with the high temp slurry.. does this harden on its own? and bake what ceramic shell? from my understanding at this point you have the ceramic slurry in the rubber mold still so im lost with what "ceramic shell" you bake? do you have anymore info on this?
i didnt know investment casting was cheap either! if you dont mind me asking, whats your profession? is manufacturing a part of your field?
04-20-11 | 10:05 PM
#117
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,196
Likes: 235
From: California
very interesting info! i didnt know you could cast aluminum with a rubber mold...
where you make a positive rubber mold of the part, fill it with a high temp ceramic slurry, then bake that ceramic shell, and fill it with aluminum)
im not sure i understand that process 100%... im lost after you fill it with the high temp slurry.. does this harden on its own? and bake what ceramic shell? from my understanding at this point you have the ceramic slurry in the rubber mold still so im lost with what "ceramic shell" you bake? do you have anymore info on this?
i didnt know investment casting was cheap either! if you dont mind me asking, whats your profession? is manufacturing a part of your field?
where you make a positive rubber mold of the part, fill it with a high temp ceramic slurry, then bake that ceramic shell, and fill it with aluminum)
im not sure i understand that process 100%... im lost after you fill it with the high temp slurry.. does this harden on its own? and bake what ceramic shell? from my understanding at this point you have the ceramic slurry in the rubber mold still so im lost with what "ceramic shell" you bake? do you have anymore info on this?
i didnt know investment casting was cheap either! if you dont mind me asking, whats your profession? is manufacturing a part of your field?
The "rubber mold" type casting process is extremely sophisticated compared to the rough and dirty investment/lost wax casting, and it shows in the quality of the product as well as the accuracy of the surface. The penalty you pay to use this process is the cost, which is why we need a large number of people to make this happen, and why (if the project ever happens) we would be doing it completely at cost. The competition is using lost wax/investment casting to make their covers which makes the parts very cheap to make.
__________________
SAKEBOMB GARAGE LLC
www.SAKEBOMBGARAGE.com
Specialty aftermarket parts & service // Fremont, California
Contact: info@sakebombgarage.com
SAKEBOMB GARAGE LLC
www.SAKEBOMBGARAGE.com
Specialty aftermarket parts & service // Fremont, California
Contact: info@sakebombgarage.com
04-25-11 | 02:46 AM
#118
hey guys I think this thing has petered out... I'll talk to Dan about refunding everyones money for deposits... the interest is just not here. Thanks to those who stuck it out
04-27-11 | 08:04 AM
#121
Yup, once we get caught up on the headlights the fire extinguisher bracket is next on the docket I'll try to refund everyone's deposits today. Sorry we couldn't make this happen guys.
-Dan
I'll try to refund everyone's deposits today. Sorry we couldn't make this happen guys. -Dan
04-27-11 | 04:38 PM
#124
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,196
Likes: 235
From: California
We had the numbers at first, but the allure of a slightly cheaper part (that didnt address the flaws in the original design, and uses a rough/dirty/cheap casting method) from "the competition" caused this thing to flop. That's the problem with the FD now, the community as a whole is after one thing now, a bargain basement price, and lower quality parts are a result.
Some might ask, who cares, its just a cover? Our response is, if it is not 100% identical to the stock piece, and is re-engineered to solve the existing problem(s), then it's not a fix. Call us ****, but Dan and I have a mission statement that goes something like: "If it doesnt look like stock, fit like stock, have a finish like stock, and perform exceedingly better than the stock part... then we don't want it on our cars" . This is because we genuinely love these cars and would not consider creating parts that do not stand the test of time. Unfortunately many "new/younger" owners out there see the FD as a cool car to buy, then drive hard/modify/trash and move on in a few years to something else.... like the FD is disposable.
We simply cant cater to the consumer trying to find bargain basement deals, cause when we produce a part we leave no stone unturned in making sure it's the best. Like with our headlights and oil cooler kits we end up setting the "gold standard" but unfortunately that leads to copycat-ers trying to sell something "similar" but much much cheaper to turn a buck. Many of the parts we do we simply break even on, or make extremely little. Our headlights for example have to be hand built (something like 60 different steps) and between the raw parts cost and the labor it takes to produce, I'm basically volunteering my time. Same with this piece... since we couldnt produce it the way we wanted to and sell it for a marginal markup, we were volunteering to sell it at exactly the same cost as it cost us to make as a service to the FD community as a whole. It just didn't work out cause there was another guy out there willing to significantly lower the quality using a very cheap casting process and no machine work, turn a buck, and sell the part for $50 cheaper. It's the world we live in unfortunately.
PS sorry for the rant... it's just frustrating being in this position and trying to combat cheap parts where someone is making money hand over fist, when we are doing something significantly better and not making a cent
-Heath
__________________
SAKEBOMB GARAGE LLC
www.SAKEBOMBGARAGE.com
Specialty aftermarket parts & service // Fremont, California
Contact: info@sakebombgarage.com
SAKEBOMB GARAGE LLC
www.SAKEBOMBGARAGE.com
Specialty aftermarket parts & service // Fremont, California
Contact: info@sakebombgarage.com
Last edited by SakeBomb Garage; 04-27-11 at 04:57 PM.