First of all: I like your idea and think it makes up a useful tool.
Regarding the KS campaign it is a question of where you want to go with the product.
If it is just about getting your invention out to other enthusiasts, you might want to consider making a DIY kit without the casing as the latter seems to be the most expensive part (injection molded?).
You could sell a PCB kit for a reasonable price and still make some money out of it: WIN-WIN for everyone
But: You will most likely not approach a big market as in "being sold at every hardware store".
If your goal is to produce the product in larger quantity, start a web-shop and sell quite a bit of these, you will most likely need more than 35.000$. Injection molding, PCB manufacturing and assembly, quality control, packaging, shipping, after sales etc. will easily blow the budget and there is always the risk of something going wrong e.g. replace or repair units damaged or lost during shipping, or something that slipped your QC.
If you plan to approach hardware stores / radio shack / ... most of the bigger shops have a listing fee you need to pay in order for them to stock (not buy!) your product.
A bare PCB version / DIY kit – maybe together with some drawings for a printable case would be very interesting for a lot of people out there IMO.
Best regards,
Frederik
I would actually really like to make DIY kit. I am definitely considering it. I don't know if its possible or not though business-wise. Im cutting the costs so drastically that the assembly part is going to be a very small cost so I cant really discount it by leaving it unassembled. But making it an open source design is also possible.
I dont think this device has a mass consumer appeal. Thousands of people have watched the kickstarter vid, probably because the picture looks really cool, but only a tiny percentage have pledged, and according to a poll I made, a big majority of them want it for electronics purposes. So I'm going to focus on them. That is after all, why I designed it, and what I use it for. Electronics is such a popular activity these days I know there are enough people out there who could use this tool and would pay the right price for it.
As far as the costs for selling many of them, its actually alot cheaper than you might think. I already have all those things in my budget and have been through this before. Heres what I'm working with:
PCB mfg: $0.30 from PCB WAY
PCB assy: $1.00 from PCB WAY
QC: Very basic QC test off the line. This is not an expensive or time consuming task. I can do this.
Packaging: $0.30 self adhesive poly bag
Shipping: $1.65 to the USA via USPS first class mail, $13.50 to anywhere else in the world, paid by the customer
After sales: there is no after sales besides direct technical contact with me..I don't anticipate this being an issue for an inexpensive tool like this.
The housing is the most expensive up-front cost. But I have a few ways of dealing with that.
Way 1: I have an industrial injection molding machine that I have made housings with before. I can design and machine the molds myself, and inject the housing myself, using my own equipment. And yes, its not a drill press with an attachment. Its a real injection molding machine and I make the molds properly with runners, draft, etc.. its not a big deal. If I were making 10,000 pieces with a hardened steel mold and needed absolute surface control and precise tolerances, that would be different, but this product does not require that. Also, there are low-volume injection mold services out there that dont require $10's of K molds. There are silicone molds and other methods for low volume stuff in the 100's to 1000's of pieces. This product would work great with those methods.
Way 2: People can 3D print their own housing, which I will supply a free STL for, using their own 3D printer or paying an online source to do it. This is in the $10 per piece range most likely. And also something fun to do with a DIY version.
Way 3: Like you suggested, a bare board with no housing. The device can be used like that if I design the PCB to be hand held and have battery holders. Also DIY friendly.