Starting Your Own Model Rocket Company? Part 2

STANDARDIZE Where you can! 

Go with Estes tubes and nose cones (standard "BT" diameters) that are easier to source. 

My earliest kits used some Centuri diameter tubes. Many of those are not being produced now. At present I can't get Centuri ST-18 tubes for the Pigasus and Little Green Man kits.

Another example: Don't design every kit with different length launch lugs. On smaller models use 1/8" x 1 1/2" launch lugs. Larger models go with 3/16" x 2" launch lugs.

Standardize your engine mount designs. Where you can, use one design in different kits. 

Be ready - That custom order of 3,000 Raise Springs you just received aren't right! Oh boy - You get to call the vendor and politely say they are unacceptable and you aren't paying for them.

Odd'l Rockets Ceramic Blast Deflectors are no longer being produced. Half of the final order were poorly molded and couldn't be sold.

These type of things happen to every kitchen table kit vendor.

COPYRIGHTS

Copyright your kit instructions. If you don't, somebody will scan them, print it and make money off your designs when you are gone! As an entertainer, my original material was stolen few times. Thieves are always surprised (and can get pretty angry) when shown Copyright ownership.  

Odd'l Rockets like the Estes Birdie and Cyclone kits are produced by written permission. If you clone an OOP kit, get written permission before production and always give full credit to the original designers and producers. 

BOTTOM LINE

Bagging the first 100 kits can be fun. After that it becomes a job!

Don't expect to make a huge profit. I couldn't pay all the bills from rocket kit sales alone. 

Don't expect the product distribution of an Estes or Quest/Aerotech. You can dream big, but it takes a lot to jump into a major distributor network.  

You get into kit production because you really like the hobby. 

After 13 years of kit production, it remains a fun sideline.