AFF Luggage tags - some ideas

[Flashback]

I must say that I'm pretty surprised and disappointed by some of the comments. munitalP has done an outstanding job at organising this for all AFF members and at no profit to himself (or anyone else, including me for that matter).

Quite frankly, if I was munitalP I would walk away from the whole thing! It is so easy to be critical, I'd like to see someone else do a better job.

If munitalP decides to continue with the project, I'll keep to my word and fund the difference if "a reasonable amount" of tags have been sold. But I have learnt a lot from this exercise, I won't be making another such offer again.

If you don't want to pay by Paypal, don't. munitalP has always given you this option.

If having the site URL on the tag offends people: fine - take it out, its your project.

I can't help but see this post be a scathing attack on myself, and myself only.

That's what you get for merely sitting down and pointing out what is going on. As a business man, if you sit down and do the numbers; that is what I am pointing out. The current sale price pegs for about 200-250 tags; what I was pointing out is once those sale, there will be about that many leftover which can then also be sold over time which will eventually turn a profit on this project.

I've not once said that I haven't been happy with the effort munitalP has put in however for you both to sit here and attack me like this; very poor effort.

 

[Pvcmenace]

Sorry I only just came across this thread. So here goes; I have a plastic injection moulding business, and have an unused die for making Telstra identification tags the tag dimensions are 65mm x 35mm x 1.5-2mm thick it could be modified and laser engraved with the design you are looking at on the front and provisions on the back for something else.

The Tag would be extremely robust can be made from a flexible or rigid plastic and to any colour, only thing is it could be only one colour but could be very unique.

Cost for die works would likely be no more than $600.00 and then unit price of about 0.20cents; so for 100tags $6.20, 200tags $3.20, 300tags $2.20 etc.

I'm not in it to make anything as the tool was going to be sold for scrap anyhow!

regards
PVCMenace

 

[prozac]

I do not think anyone has been critical of munitalP who has taken the bull by the horns and progressed the project this far and in very good time. I think admin has been too quick to criticise and that is his prerogative he runs this site and offered to back the project.

Notwithstanding this everyone has had an input in the process through the design phase, should that stop once we talk sale price? Well it has stopped. The transparency of the project suddenly came to a halt when a price was set for the tags without consultation or consensus of the stakeholders. Flashware is correct in his assertion.

Everyone should stop being so precious. What is happening to Australian society that we can no longer express our views without concern that someone will take offence?

At the risk of being banned altogether from this site I suggest there is nothing wrong with establishing a workable sale price through "community" discussion. Remember that word at the top of our forum "Community". Then we can all better understand the costs and restrictions involved in the financial component of the project. Right now nobody understands because it ceased being discussed around page 7. Perhaps then members might say "I only want 2 but put me down for six." as some already have. Generally this is unlikely to happen at $6 a pop.

Let's have some discussion regarding pricing.

 

[anat0l]

What is happening to Australian society that we can no longer express our views without concern that someone will take offence?

It died a long time ago, even way before litigation was a cool thing.

If you don't have a thick skin in Australian society, you'd probably kill yourself. Why do you think most of the world believes we are quite rude?

At the risk of being banned altogether from this site I suggest there is nothing wrong with establishing a workable sale price through "community" discussion. Remember that word at the top of our forum "Community". Then we can all better understand the costs and restrictions involved in the financial component of the project. Right now nobody understands because it ceased being discussed around page 7. Perhaps then members might say "I only want 2 but put me down for six." as some already have. Generally this is unlikely to happen at $6 a pop.

Let's have some discussion regarding pricing.

So in other words people just want to know more about how the magic $6.10 figure was calculated. Seems fair enough.

I was put off by the use of the word 'profit', i.e. someone is making a serious business out of this. I was clearly under the impression that this is something for the members and would remain for members; I could be very wrong, but I'd be a bit more taken aback if someone was making a lot of money out of this whole process (except for the tag maker) and keeping that money for themselves and not giving it back to the members.

 

[Pvcmenace]

Just another thought. I also have just gotten a CNC router which would be capable of making the tags out of stainless steel, brass or anything else, I was planning on making some business cards for myself like this.

This method would require no upfront capital as the computer design you currently have is just plugged in to the router and a course is plotted. so the cost is mainly material and power

regards

PVCMenace

 

[prozac]

pvcmenace, (love the name) that is a generous offer and sounds interesting.

Whilst only single colour you say that unusual things are possible with design? What sort of "unique" is possible? Is it possible to run 2 sheets of different colour to create a 2 colour card on obverse sides?

A different colour card could be produced each year.

Could this work for everyone?

 

[anat0l]

Just another thought. I also have just gotten a CNC router which would be capable of making the tags out of stainless steel, brass or anything else, I was planning on making some business cards for myself like this.

This method would require no upfront capital as the computer design you currently have is just plugged in to the router and a course is plotted. so the cost is mainly material and power

So this is an engraving machine; you'd be producing something like the US military dog tags?

Seems plausible, although getting the material is a whole different thing.

 

[Pvcmenace]

The injection moulding process does not allow me to have different colours on opposite sides (it is possible but i don't have the machinery for that). As for them being unique both the injection moulded plastic or routed metal ones mentioned would have raised and lowered surfaces so the image would pop from the tag surface 3D style

 

[prozac]

So this is an engraving machine; you'd be producing something like the US military dog tags?

Seems plausible, although getting the material is a whole different thing.

We could put a "slot" in the design so that it could be used as a bottle opener. Lol.

 

[thewinchester]

We could put a "slot" in the design so that it could be used as a bottle opener. Lol.

Practical and useful, I like it

I'm not going to add fuel to the fire, I think those involved are doing a wonderful service to the community and I'm happy to take what they are prepared to offer.

 

[prozac]

The injection moulding process does not allow me to have different colours on opposite sides (it is possible but i don't have the machinery for that). As for them being unique both the injection moulded plastic or routed metal ones mentioned would have raised and lowered surfaces so the image would pop from the tag surface 3D style

So if you were to use a 2-2.5mm stiff but flex plastic material you could have some serious relief designed in. Arty members could customise their cards bt wiping a colour through the relief maybe?

 

[Pvcmenace]

So this is an engraving machine; you'd be producing something like the US military dog tags?

Seems plausible, although getting the material is a whole different thing.

Way better than a dog tag which is stamped, and its not an engraving machine. It is basically a computer controlled water cooled drill that spins at 24,000rpm moving across the surface drilling out an image in the material be it timber plastic metal etc.

Buying the material is not a problem, got lots of suppliers for that!

 

[Pvcmenace]

So if you were to use a 2-2.5mm stiff but flex plastic material you could have some serious relief designed in. Arty members could customise their cards bt wiping a colour through the relief maybe?

Absolutely

 

[Flashback]

Firstly, thank you prozac, good to see someone here with their eyes open.

So in other words people just want to know more about how the magic $6.10 figure was calculated. Seems fair enough.

I was put off by the use of the word 'profit', i.e. someone is making a serious business out of this. I was clearly under the impression that this is something for the members and would remain for members; I could be very wrong, but I'd be a bit more taken aback if someone was making a lot of money out of this whole process (except for the tag maker) and keeping that money for themselves and not giving it back to the members.

That's right; the matter of fact is when/if all the tags sell, it will turn a "profit" and my suggestion was to then put that back into the community, e.g. at the next AFF meet dinner or such. But.....! Apparently, that calls for me being singled out as making "bad comments"

 

[oz_mark]

That's what you get for merely sitting down and pointing out what is going on. As a business man, if you sit down and do the numbers; that is what I am pointing out. The current sale price pegs for about 200-250 tags; what I was pointing out is once those sale, there will be about that many leftover which can then also be sold over time which will eventually turn a profit on this project.

The problem is that even if they were to sell over time (and I think selling all 500 is a bit of a stretch), someone would have to carry the cost of those unsold tags until such a time as they sold. Any business would include the cost of that funding in its pricing model as well.

It seems reasonable (to me) to make an assumption about selling 200-250 tags and use that in pricing calculations.

 

[Flashback]

The problem is that even if they were to sell over time (and I think selling all 500 is a bit of a stretch), someone would have to carry the cost of those unsold tags until such a time as they sold. Any business would include the cost of that funding in its pricing model as well.

It seems reasonable (to me) to make an assumption about selling 200-250 tags and use that in pricing calculations.

Which I haven't said anything against, all I was merely pointing out is that after those ones have sold; there will then be money left over!

Next time I'll stay away from pointing out the bleeding obvious :evil:

 

[oz_mark]

Which I haven't said anything against, all I was merely pointing out is that after those ones have sold; there will then be money left over!

Next time I'll stay away from pointing out the bleeding obvious :evil:

..or more likely, 200-300 tags in storage somewhere (or door prizes at drinks nights!)

 

[Flashback]

..or more likely, 200-300 tags in storage somewhere (or door prizes at drinks nights!)

I actually think that once they have been produced, those that did sit on the fence beforehand may then step forward and purchase them.

Other options include bundling them in with Gold Membership, etc.

 

[prozac]

I think if we produced a tag from a metallic material we would soon loose them all to airport security. Lol.
pvcmenace the CNC machine should be able to handle some plastics, yes? A thick plastic style card with design in releif may be quite attractive. Would that be better done by die?

 

[Pvcmenace]

I think if we produced a tag from a metallic material we would soon loose them all to airport security. Lol.
pvcmenace the CNC machine should be able to handle some plastics, yes? A thick plastic style card with design in releif may be quite attractive. Would that be better done by die?

Brass should not be a problem at security (they let you wear sunglasses etc.). The CNC would do plastic also and would be cheaper per unit cost on low volume such as these tags. The ease of using the CNC would also mean you could have new designs done annually or special editions.

I am waiting to get pricing for brass sheet and i will look into plastic sheet pricing, though colour of the sheets may be limited.