If you are looking to put out your own set of plans you have my full support and I offer to be your first customer. I don't care what condition they are in - I could even lend a hand getting them ready for public use.
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"Cost of Plans?"
"I have found that many of those people who sell these plans really lack in personality and helpfulness."
Plan cost is not relevant. Everyone else out there is making their money from selling the plans. I would recommend selling the support instead.
The exact thing that makes me shy away from some plans - and we all know which ones - are the support horror stories. Anyone that thinks they will treat someone that gives you $60 bucks the same way 5 months later is in denial. But - if the person asking the "duh" question is actively giving you $20 a month for putting up with their idiocy they have a reasonable assurance you will not dump them on there ass. If they are a real pain then the $20 bucks a month loss isn't a huge loss to you.
Granted, this level of support is not easy to start with but it levels off after a short time.. there are only so many ways to answer the same questions. After the first two months, long before the "new toy" feeling wears off most of your answers will be pointers to previous answers. Long after they have asked all the questions they would probably stick with the forum just to not miss anything. A monthly, automated "Anything I could help with message" would probably go a long way towards retention. Now, don't get me wrong. I think there should be an initial charge for the plans as well as the cost of support.
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"Ease of construction?"
"Availability of componets?"
"What size?"
"What material should it be made out of?"
"Would componets that could speed up assembly be important?"
"What style of movment, sliding table, gantry etc?"
Unfortunately what is easy for you may be near impossible for me. Everyone that comes here has something they innately understand and more things that they have had to sweat to learn. What scares me is the idea of unrolling a set of plans and seeing the caption - "wire the motors to the ball screw with a .002 tolerance while using a backwards ratcheted left handed set of needle pliers, but be careful to not get shocked". In case you have not guessed - my weakness is the electrical side.
The one approach that I saw which cancelled out all of these fears was pre-assembly of any or all parts. If this level of work doesn’t float your boat I am confident someone in the forum would give it a try with your blessing.
It would be a hard task to make a set of plans for all sizes and uses. I think you have proven with this forum how helpful other people want to be. Personally I have learned more here than all the other web resources combined. Open up your support forum with pictures of how "Jim made a Y gantry slide by changing these parts" You will acquire all sorts of people that can figure out how to make Part G cheaper because they found a alternative piece at the pet store. Everyone wants their own pat on the back for being innovative - give them a way to show off their talent and they will do the work for you. I bet they would answer 90% of the questions on your behalf before you could get the chance.
Generate the plans with two alternative sources to start. One for the Home Depot weekend warrior, the other a Grainger catalog option. This requires more on your part than the average set of plans but it covers a wider range of users from the experienced to the doe eyed newb. Personally I would try the $15 Home Depot option just to see how well it worked before trying the Grainger version. I loathe the idea that my first machine will be over built just to make sure it will work.
Specifically for the support forum I would offer mpeg video answers to questions when warranted. I did this with some software I authored and the support calls dropped dramatically. The bandwidth is in direct proportion to the number of paying users so it self finances. Lemme know if you need any or all of the items required for this. Make the mpeg library accessible by password.
You are basically putting together FAQ's for use by paying users. A FAQ addendum to this forum, plus the video and question support - SOLD!
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My first machine, unfortunately will probably be a complete pre made kit. I really wanted to find and put together each piece and part but there is no guarantee that if I get stuck someone will answer the odd questions. I also have a 3-4 week deadline to get it together. From what I have seen most others here could probably put together the machine for $1500. I'm willing to pay the extra $700.00 for that assurance it will work. I would pay you a monthly fee on top of the original plan price in a New York second if I was assured I could get questions answered.
Heck I would pay a monthly price for the existing forum right along with everyone that uses it for free if I had the same assurance of an answer. I flatly refuse to dominate a open forum with the number of questions I really have. I think most people have the same etiquette values and probably the same number of questions. I don’t think many people would buy plans and support just to ask every question under the sun before reading FAQ's and previous posts - you have to be motivated to want to build one of these machines.
Highest regards.
Laff.
So that you do not think I am a hypocrite your paypal account will be one of the first stops after my new router is making bank, up to then all the pennies are going into the high speed spindle jar !
This forum has been well worth it.