[CLOSED BUSINESS]

[fright88]

I personally disagree about the unregulated aspect of your post. The regulation is what brought me to RSM in the first place. Cappy's amazing craftsmanship is what keeps me. I know if he keeps making them I will have at least a 26650 dna Destroyer and likely a Cutlass (bf) version as well if I like the battery life.

Also Cappy I know they are made by big companies but have you ever thought about making display cases kind of like this one?
Stained Mahogany Display 12 Pens Wood Gift Case Storage Box Glass Top Lanier | eBay

I know they are very popular among tube mod collectors. I would love to get my hands on one with my name engraved on it.

 

[glassgal]

Well, I'm still waiting for his DNA30. It will be my first (and only) DNA30 mod. That won't stop me from buying another 18650 Cruiser if I like the wood pattern/color tho.

 

[Capt' Brian]

I don't think you all realize this, but almost all of my useful feedback, advice and suggestions for new models, changes to models and everything in between I get right here on the thread. I'm in my little work area all week, every week and this thread is my link to the vaping world.

Some of you are saying the high amp cruiser is more desired than regulated if it is done in more exotic combination. Others want their regulated mods. Hmmm....

The reason the Cruisers are 100 bucks cheaper is simply due to the huge time sink of installing the regulator. Perhaps instead of the 3.7v mods making up just 1/4 of the batch, they should comprise half. The batch would get made quicker and my overhead would be lower.

Right now, instead of holding up the batch week after week I should go ahead and start another batch of various wood Cruisers until Evolv feels I'm worthy of their regulators again. Hmmmmm.....

I could make some minor changes to the Cruiser and the bugger should be able to handle 10 or 12 amps, but I'm not sure if the switch I use can handle that. As I recall though, they are rated for around 90 watts? I'll look into it. If so, I will simply just make every Cruiser from now on a heavy amp cruiser. I could even retrofit the current ones on the website for high amps, or at least 8 amps.

Whatever I do, I need to do it. If I don't get things moving ... well... bad things are gonna happen around here. The really bad thing is, as a one man shop I have nobody else to blame but myself! Total bummer.....

 

[Capt' Brian]

I personally disagree about the unregulated aspect of your post. The regulation is what brought me to RSM in the first place. Cappy's amazing craftsmanship is what keeps me. I know if he keeps making them I will have at least a 26650 DNA Destroyer and likely a Cutlass (bf) version as well if I like the battery life.

Also Cappy I know they are made by big companies but have you ever thought about making display cases kind of like this one?
Stained Mahogany Display 12 Pens Wood Gift Case Storage Box Glass Top Lanier | eBay

I know they are very popular among tube mod collectors. I would love to get my hands on one with my name engraved on it.

I could make something like that, but I would have to learn how to flock. I get felt in sheets though, perhaps I could just cut it to size.

I already have 15 different models on the website though that are not selling. Makes me feel like I'm wasting my time designing yet another type, making prototypes and all that just to have it do the same as the others. Maybe this one would be better as it is radically different from what I offer now.

Seems to me though, that you could probably find something like it mass produced somewhere for half the price I would need to charge.

(Edit: oh yeah, you already said they were made by big companies in your post, nvm)

 

[fright88]

Now that you mention it you are probably right. I would probably buy a couple and I am sure a few more would be sold but I don't know there would be a huge demand.

As for the debate between regulated and unregulated that is down to personal preference. I personally only vape regulated now. Although I also only vape in the 12-15 watt range. I like the consistency of regulated mods. My problem with unregulated is if I build my coil to work great at full charge they don't preform well for me when my batts get low. And if I build for lower volts a fresh battery can taste burnt. I also care more about battery life then size. Which is why I love my old Cutlass 5.1 and Cutlass VV because a set of batteries will last me most of the day. Unfortunatly my DNA Destroyer only lasts about 3 hours. For me the perfect pair would be a tank inset and a bf mod (one of each) that used a DNA board but could fit a pair of 18650's although the 26650 versions might do the trick for me and honestly I don't think my opinion especially on size is the popular one.

As for the DNA 20/30 debate while I personally am very happy with the 20 I know that most people prefer the 30. I also know that many of the companies that made DNA 20 mods only make DNA 30 versions now. I think if you went with a DNA 30 board you would attract more buyers.

As for demand I know I've said it before but I think some advertising (ie a review or 2 from the popular reviewers) would help. My thoughts are as follows. Most of the people that know about RSM already buy your mods when they come out. When they get enough mods to need another they order a caddy. I think that if you wanted to concentrate on the Caddy side of the business maybe a review on them would be a good way to get others to know about your products. Now that also presents a problem as most of the reviewers have review queues some of which are 6 months out so I am not sure how much that would help at this point. Still I think that a positive review of your caddies or even a show and tell could bring in some good business.

Anyways this is all JMHO and should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[damselle]

There are some dinosaurs, like me, who don't use rebuildables. We are rare! I just don't have the time or inclination for that skill set. That's why I rely on my mod to give me the Power!

 

[chet]

It's sad to hear the troubles cappy.

I was thinking.. how about making more cruisers with more exotic woods like burl panels, and maybe some with stripe(s) that cut through the mod like the couple you made in recent batches? I thought those were absolutely gorgeous and I'm sure those would sell as soon as available even at high pricings.

From what I'm seeing there's still definately enough demands for exotic bottom fed mods. A good example would be PDIB's mods. He makes mechanical BF wood mod with lots of different burl blocks and they sell out right away despite the prices.. were they like $260? I forgot, but quite high for non-regulated mods. The key word I think is 'exotic' though. The prices are great for those on the RSM website, but I think they would've sold quickly if they were all fancy and unique looking, even at $250. More profit for you as well compared to regulated ones.

 

[MamaTried]

i agree a lot with what glassgal posted earlier.

it's no secret that the night 300 Woodvils went up for sale, i bought 17 of them. and the next few days i bought a few more. i like different woods... i would have bought more but i think Mr. T skunked me

having an option for customers to send in a wood of their choice would be awesome. and like glassgal said, it should be entirely at the customer's risk. glassgal owns a wood mod that i would die for and she sourced the wood. i recently sourced the wood for my next mod and it looks spectacular from the pics i've seen.

i own an RSM dna20, but i want a Cruiser in a wood either of my choice or one like some of the other owners i've seen in this thread.

like glassgal said, if the wood i lust after came up for sale, i'd jump on it in a heartbeat.


pbusardo recently posted he's more interested in the sx chip than the dna30, so that stigma is fading

 

[Rossum]

The wood is brown. Most people like more colorful/exotic woods, and actually compete over the patterns.

People who buy wood mods in the first place are looking for something special.

I agree, people who buy wood mods are looking for something unique, but that doesn't preclude naturally brown in color. IMO, each and every wood mod should be sold as a unique item. Hence the following suggestion to the Captain:

If you've got a half a dozen Cruisers made from African mahogany, put up pictures of each one and let each customer pick the one he or she likes best from the current inventory. Do not try to sell a wood mod as a generic, fungible item, with pictures that are "representative" of what the customer will receive. Right now you've got two sets pictures on your site of African mahogany Cruisers, one set with black hardware, one set with silver hardware. It bothers me that if I buy one, I'm not sure whether I'm getting the mod in the picture or one that's sorta like it. Sorta like it doesn't cut it when it comes to wood mods. And if the whole whole batch really is very similar, then only put up two for sale at once (one with each kind of hardware) with actual pictures of those mods. When one of them sells, put up another one, again with actual pictures of that mod.

Is a DNA20 upgradable to a DNA30? I don't know if they're the same size...

They are the same size. But the Captain has previously stated that he's not confident that the wiring (and maybe the battery spring?) is up to snuff for a DNA-30, which can pull as much as 12 amps from the battery.

 

[Rossum]

My point is really that a mod with a 0.6Ω coil and a fresh battery will put out 30W, so it's really not that difficult and i don't need electronics to do it.

Sure it can, but how long does that battery stay "fresh" and how much of its capacity can you use that way? To me, the battery in an unregulated mod feels tired by the time it's down to 3.8V. A regulated mod will let you pull it down to 3.2 or lower, allowing you to use much more of the battery's capacity, all the while providing a totally consistent vape, and it allows you to change the character of that vape at any time if you desire to do so.

 

[glassgal]

Rossum hit a great point!!! The pix are not what you necessarily get... and when you are getting into over $100 handmade anything, people want to see THE ONE they are buying, not one that looks like what they are buying.

This is a big big deal for all of us (and more of the mod collectors are drifting over here... I have 30+ mods, 8 handmade woods, and I don't have nearly as big a collection of quality mods as some of them). We want to buy the one we see in the pix, not a representative.

MamaTried is a collector... what a collector too, my jaw hit the ground when he said he was buying 17 woodvils... and dang... he did... !!! 17!!!

I just realized that the difference is the door...

if you aren't moving the mods you currently have... cut each one a new door in an exotic wood - spalted (I want!), ebony, quilted maple, dyed and stabilized, etc (am assuming the doors would not be interchangeable), put each mod's pix on the site w/ new door and old door.

Call old door the 'backup' door for running around with or sending out for carving/pyro work. Jack the price up for each one $40... (this would put the price at $199... and who wouldn't be tempted to have TWO doors in the highest quality mod at UNDER $200? You could charge more, but remember that REO Woodvils are $150-$175 depending on wood)

Sit back and watch them disappear in 1 day from the day you posted the new pix, depending on how interesting that door is. I mean you could sell SuperTrunker's spalted wood mod 20x immediately if you posted it... and that's just a spalted door too.

But I would right now most like a regulated wood mod, since the only one I have is a not working good VV bogger.

 

[glassgal]

If you've got a half a dozen Cruisers made from African mahogany, put up pictures of each one and let each customer pick the one he or she likes best from the current inventory. Do not try to sell a wood mod as a generic, fungible item, with pictures that are "representative" of what the customer will receive. Right now you've got two sets pictures on your site of African mahogany Cruisers, one set with black hardware, one set with silver hardware. It bothers me that if I buy one, I'm not sure whether I'm getting the mod in the picture or one that's sorta like it. Sorta like it doesn't cut it when it comes to wood mods. And if the whole whole batch really is very similar, then only put up two for sale at once (one with each kind of hardware) with actual pictures of those mods. When one of them sells, put up another one, again with actual pictures of that mod.

That's the best suggestion + new matching exotic wood (or spalted) door!!

 

[Capt' Brian]

Ok, got some great suggestions and recommendations. Some I'm going to take for action immediately.

I can easily convert the existing Cruisers to something much more appealing, guess I was mistaken in thinking there were enough people looking for "beginner" feeder mods.

Secondly, I will start a batch of truly exotic wood Cruisers and make them high amp as well.

Third. I have a Destroyer 26650 not selling, so I will make exotic wood panels for it. I could even retrofit it for a DNA12. I should have enough room for that I think.

Have a great day all,

Cappy

 

[mackman]

Ok, got some great suggestions and recommendations. Some I'm going to take for action immediately.

I can easily convert the existing Cruisers to something much more appealing, guess I was mistaken in thinking there were enough people looking for "beginner" feeder mods.

Secondly, I will start a batch of truly exotic wood Cruisers and make them high amp as well.

Third. I have a Destroyer 26650 not selling, so I will make exotic wood panels for it. I could even retrofit it for a DNA12. I should have enough room for that I think.

Have a great day all,

Cappy

Count me in for a couple at least.

 

[Rossum]

Ok, got some great suggestions and recommendations. Some I'm going to take for action immediately.

And the "Mods for Sale" section of Cappy's site is (temporarily?) missing. If I had to guess, the Captain is putting up pictures of some of the actual mods he has for sale.

I can easily convert the existing Cruisers to something much more appealing, guess I was mistaken in thinking there were enough people looking for "beginner" feeder mods.

I suspect most people looking for a beginner feeder mod are just gonna buy a metal REO.

How many of those Cruisers do you have? I wouldn't go making contrasting doors for all of them. Not everyone wants a contrasting door. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of that look. My suggesting is: Test the waters with no more than half of them, while putting up pics (preferably bigger pics) of each of the actual Cruisers you have for sale, no matter whether they have a fancy door or not.

Secondly, I will start a batch of truly exotic wood Cruisers and make them high amp as well.

Despite the fact that I want a regulated Cutlass, I'm confident there's no way I could resist a Cruiser made of koa or cocobolo.

Third. I have a Destroyer 26650 not selling, so I will make exotic wood panels for it. I could even retrofit it for a DNA12. I should have enough room for that I think.

Honestly, a DNA 12 is so yesteryear, I doubt it adds enough appeal/value to make it worth the trouble to install it.

Now here's another idea: How about offering an on-board charger? That would allow people to keep their batteries topped off anytime they're near a source of USB power instead of swapping batteries and carrying spares. I'm rarely away from a source of USB power, but I'm often away from my Xtar charger. Nobody else does this -- an unregulated mod with an on-board charger -- but being able to keep the battery topped off overcomes some of the drawbacks of an unregulated mod. Micro-USB charger boards are cheap, readily available, and small enough that I think you could find room for one in any of your mods. Would this sell? I'm not sure; but I know I'd happily pay an extra $25-30 for a mod that had an integrated $5.00 charger.

Oh, and lastly, please make DNA-30 Cutlasses. Exotic or not, on-board charger or not, I'm down for one. Yes, I'd buy a DNA-20 if you made it, but in 2014, the 30 has a much broader appeal (and is easier to get).

Sir, I am new in these waters, and I'm not a member of your crew yet, but I do not wish to see your ship founder.

 

[glassgal]

I would love a DNA30 Cutlass that looks just like this one (pale wood/spalted door):
Cutlass model reviews

A DNA30 Destroyer would be OK too, but only if the hole is big enough to hold a Kayfun-sized tank (not a dripper), which is 22mm diameter.

As for the contrasting door... if you put spalted doors on the current Cruisers for sale, they'd be gone pretty quick, but posting them as you get them done would be a good market test.

I think the fastest way to sell any of them would be to pre-post the photos of work in progress so people are prepared to fight over their favorites. It always generates huge demand because it gives people time to gather money and fuss over them before they actually go on sale.

 

[RiverNut]

Hello Cappy and crew...it's been a long time, and I am saddened by what I am reading . In my opinion, RSM has no equal in the wood mod dept. and it would be horrible if you had to shut the doors!!
I have to echo the "EXOTIC" statements being made here and couldn't agree more. Folks buy wood for it's look, feel, and especially for it's uniqueness. Do some with different wood panels but also do some with the same wood panels (my preference), but most should be done with the most unique and exotic wood you can find/afford. There are already a multitude of options for the vaper looking for the basic, generic mod and you'll be spinning your wheels trying to compete with that. Your skills are way above them anyway. I say go big with exotic and charge accordingly.
But on top of that, you desperately need other marketing avenues. Is it just me, or did ECF peak about a year ago? The activity is Nothing close to what it used to be. Personally, I think the last year and a half of market saturation has created new challenges for the modder. But I believe you are still in a great niche if you play it right. We've had B&Ms popping up all over locally...you? Have you shown your product to them? Put a couple for consignment?
Have you considered making anything non vape related. Your talent is just too great to stop it altogether Brian, and you're much like a sculptor in my eyes, an artist. If modding has come to a no profit dead end, for the sake of you and what you obviously have a passion for, don't quit your beautiful craft

 

[debinnv]

Absolutely RiverNut!

Brian, did you happen to see my post about what happened when I took my RSM DNA 20 into the local shop? Everyone that was in the store (owner included) wanted to see it. They were truly pretty amazed by it.

 

[buzzkill657]

Ok, got some great suggestions and recommendations. Some I'm going to take for action immediately.

I can easily convert the existing Cruisers to something much more appealing, guess I was mistaken in thinking there were enough people looking for "beginner" feeder mods.

Secondly, I will start a batch of truly exotic wood Cruisers and make them high amp as well.

Third. I have a Destroyer 26650 not selling, so I will make exotic wood panels for it. I could even retrofit it for a DNA12. I should have enough room for that I think.

Have a great day all,

Cappy

I would like to introduce myself.

My name is Jeff I'm an army vet volunteer fire fighter and full time steel worker. I have been in search of a DNA bottom feeder for a while, and just recently found this thread.

I shall wait silently in the shadows for a DNA and try to learn what wood I want

 

[RiverNut]

Absolutely RiverNut!

Brian, did you happen to see my post about what happened when I took my RSM DNA 20 into the local shop? Everyone that was in the store (owner included) wanted to see it. They were truly pretty amazed by it.

I just read that ECFers represent %1 of all vapers. I don't know how accurate this is but even if it's remotely close, Brian has a huge untapped market. He's just got to find ways to reach them . And seeing that wood is such a sensory material, having his product in places where people can see and feel them in person would be a much more effective way to sell them imo.
Remember Brian, they ARE art just by the wood alone. Add your style/design and attention to detail, get them in peoples hands, and you will have a following you can't keep up with. I'm sure of it. I mean, just look at us (1%) sicko's. I have 5 Cruisers and love them all!