Sysport custom cabinets

[TequilaTony]

Guys,

I've spent the last year building and refining a CNC table that can handle 4x8 sheet goods or smaller. I'm also looking to start a side business and employing my 25 year old son who will eventually take over the business.

One of my ideas for the machine is to sell quality/custom cabinet boxes for garage organization. I've designed some software and processes to mass produce custom cabinetry boxes and have one that is similar to the Festool Sysport. I'm purchasing 13 ply that is UV coated along with soft close drawer glides and locking casters. My focus is quality box construction using top quality wood and hardware. I'm not interested in competing with press board/decal grade cabinets.

I love systainers and and the organization it offers but $650 is, in my opinion, too pricey for a plastic cabinet. The question for the group is what do you think is a reasonable price for something like the Sysport? What would you be willing to pay for vs. build your own?

Looking for serious opinions. Thanks!

 

[#Tee]

the 650 sysport is heavy duty metal/metal pull outs with solid casters. most ppl just buy ikea melamine cabs and call it a day.

 

[Sparktrician]

Frankly, I'd rather use the system I bought to make its own Sysport.  [unsure] 

 

[Dane]

I'm not sure I'd pay a lot for wooden versions of the Sysport.  Seems like by the time you bought materials and shipped them to me, the cost would be approaching the 400.00 range.  I feel like once the price gets much above the raw materials cost, I'd just be inclined to build them myself.  Now, not being a CAD designer, I would probably pay for CAD files that I could take to my local CNC shop to have cut.  That way I could shop around for materials and a good price on the CNC time- If it was a matter of only paying a couple hundred dollars for CNC time to have a bunch of Sysport parts knocked out- that would be compelling.

 

[TequilaTony]

Dane,

I was actually trying to target a price under $300 with no additional shipping charge. What do you typically get charged for CNC time in your neck of the woods?

 

[TequilaTony]

the 650 sysport is heavy duty metal/metal pull outs with solid casters. most ppl just buy ikea melamine cabs and call it a day.

My bad. I've purchase several of the drawers which are a combination metal and plastic so I assumed the Sysport was the same.

 

[BJM9818]

Keep in mind most people won't pay for quality in general. Add in its for their garage and the price point drops considerably. I would look at Sears hardware and any other outlets that sell garage storage options. The problem with making storage items out of wood becomes the weight.

I'm working on a bid right now, $1.5M place and they spec a manufacturer who imports boxed cabinets from china you can get them to assemble for an additional charge.  [unsure]

 

[Scorpion]

Are you looking to make some cabinets to pay for the machine and then every so often thereafter or make a business out of the product-line specifically? The reason I ask is that the two approaches are dramatically different from  product development and marketing perspectives.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TequilaTony]

Keep in mind most people won't pay for quality in general. Add in its for their garage and the price point drops considerably. I would look at Sears hardware and any other outlets that sell garage storage options. The problem with making storage items out of wood becomes the weight.

I'm working on a bid right now, $1.5M place and they spec a manufacturer who imports boxed cabinets from china you can get them to assemble for an additional charge.  [unsure]

I realize quality is not for everyone. That said, I'm hoping there is some market share that does care. We are on a Festool board and I for one bought into Festool and the heavy price due to the quality and options the tools provide.

I fully understand what you are saying about the expensive bid and China cabinets. We live in a throw away society!

I'm trying to focus on an organization system that is housed in the cabinets vs. the focusing on the cabinets by themselves. I may be deceiving myself but I think it's worth a shot and if the price point is right will appeal to a smaller subset of the market.

Thanks for your response and insight.

 

[TequilaTony]

Are you looking to make some cabinets to pay for the machine and then every so often thereafter or make a business out of the product-line specifically? The reason I ask is that the two approaches are dramatically different from  product development and marketing perspectives.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think the answer to your question is both. I've invested a lot in the machine and thought of the product-line as a starter to get some business started. There are lots of options for something that can handle 4x8 sheets and has high speed and precision. The challenge is finding something you can manufacture that has a demand and you can still eek out a profit.

 

[Sparktrician]

Are you looking to make some cabinets to pay for the machine and then every so often thereafter or make a business out of the product-line specifically? The reason I ask is that the two approaches are dramatically different from  product development and marketing perspectives.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think the answer to your question is both. I've invested a lot in the machine and thought of the product-line as a starter to get some business started. There are lots of options for something that can handle 4x8 sheets and has high speed and precision. The challenge is finding something you can manufacture that has a demand and you can still eek out a profit.

Suggest that you talk with the owners of other nearby CNC businesses about their product lines and how they handle custom one-off jobs.  If you're a "one-trick pony", you'll go belly up in no time.  Around here, one business I know of charges $100 for set-ups and $100/hour for production time, plus materials.  Be sure that you market your services to custom builders, too.

 

[Askari]

Tequila Tony,
I think your first instict was right, there is a market for quality sysport cabinets that can be priced in the $300 instead of the Festool $680 cabinets.
I would be a an example of someone who would buy 3 or 4 Sysport custom cabinets from you.
Here's where I come from:
I have a marketing & advertising background. Retired. Am an amateur woodworker, who can aford Festool and Mafell tools.
I came to this forum in search of someone like you.
Having said that, I understand that many, if not most, on this forum are pros or semi pros. They can make their own, most not as nice as your work, but there you are.
Your market is the amateur woodworker who can afford to buy such tools, but who does not want to pay Festool prices for non Tool items!

 

[DB10]

I see it differently, if a keen amateur has just invested in Festool and Mafell tools then shop cabinets and sysports are a good place to start, get to really know the tools and if you stuff up just put it down to experience and move on with the project.    Another plus to building your own sysports is that tool storage is going to be different for most folks so you can personalise your storage to suit your needs and then adapt them if need be in the future.

 

[Billy stray]

Heres a European company i found on pintrest  who appears to be producing something similar