Im not sure if this is the right area to ask this? I was wondering how people decide if a product is worth making? Do you say oh I need this part for myself then hope there is a market for it later, or do you wait for someone to come to you and ask for a part? Or whats the best way to get into it? Id hate to waste money making a bunch of molds of stuff I like and no one else does. I mean I like doing this for myself and things but money isnt something I have just laying around.
Ive always stood my the philosophy " if you build something you like others will like it as well"
It’s never let me down. You only need less than 1% of people to like it so to speak and you won’t have enough enough time in the day to build the demand 
Creating is not a waste of money as the knowledge you gain is priceless.
I like that advice Timbuck!
I often go to car/bike shows to during the summer and think that will help.
I work at a fiberglass company now, but want to do this on my own.(Also, my boss is close to retiring and doesnt want to start something new) I still do a lot of custom painting and word of mouth is basically how I advertise now along with shows. I wasnt sure if that was the same principle here for others.
I have a friend in marketing at a very large tractor and implement manufacturer. His advice was to get online to forums to the areas I like and ask if there is any interest. I find that doing this you get about 100 “window shoppers” before you get a real buyer and often there interest skews what you think is the real market. Plus, I can give any info they would want to know off hand like weight savings and cost till I make the actual part I would be asking if anyone is actually interested in. So I think Doing what I like is the key to it.
Sure, make what you like…as long as you can afford to not ever see that money again. The world is littered with guys and their products who thought they had the next great thing. The truth is not that many things are successful and the ones that are fulfill a particular need. That need may be lower price, or better quality, or faster delivery, or any number of other things.
The real trick is to find the problem and fix it. If you can do that then you can be successful. I have spent most of my career in the marine industry building products (mid-sized recreational fishing boats) that nobody really “needs”. I was successful because I found what my buyers wanted and built that. I’ve know several other boat builders that built what they wanted and they spent anywhere from a couple hundred thousand to well over a million and never saw a nickle of return. They didn’t supply what the market wanted. They couldn’t divorce their ego from the product.
Now, with that being said, you may very well have the next great thing. I’m not one to discourage innovation. I would, however, encourage you to more fully evaluate the market prior to sinking money into a project. You said you don’t have money just lying around. Keep that in mind as you move forward. Hunting down marketing info is usually cheaper than plugs and molds.
excellent words !
Thanks everyone. I am going to take the advice and do some investigating. Even though I’m doing this for myself. I do enjoy the auto/motorcycle world and customizing. If my hobby can produce income and be fun that would be great. I’m not looking to make a million dollars or to change the world. Just have fun, maybe make my money back. So I will look into the areas I’m thinking. I there is any more interest, shipping, cost to build etc. thanks again!
I think there is also the practicality to consider. Some things are much harder to make in carbon fiber than others. You can waste a lot of time and money on materials on the wrong shaped part.
Also, just because people want something, doesn’t mean they will pay big bucks for it. CNC milled aluminum molds require a large upfront investment so for things that will have low sales volume, there may not be a market at the price you would need to sell them for.
That being said, carbon fiber allows you to make light weight versions of many things so anything that people carry has some potential. It is also cool and who doesn’t want lighter cooler stuff… As a general point, non-organic stuff is better in carbon fiber. This is in contrast to organic stuff. I wouldn’t want my wife to be made of cf…
I like to make cf rifle stocks. Just about any one that I make for any model will have a buyer if I want one. There are a few companies that make cf stocks but very few that do it for a reasonable price. Cf firearms, car parts, sporting goods and musical instruments all seem to be hot right now. Cf furniture has a niche market too.
There is no harm in taking pre-orders on the understanding that production won’t start until there is a certain number of buyers.