Mixing Paddle Prototype

Mudstar

bend over

ragebhardt

"bend over"

Oh, oh, oh!
Me first please. Please. Please.

rhardman

You know, we intend to make sure that each client is satisfied in every respect...but....uhhhh...there are some services we just can't provide.

Rick

ragebhardt

Rick,

All you need to do is supply the paddle and the wife will do the rest.

I am just digging a deeper hole aren't I?

rhardman

Just to follow up...
We've entered into an agreement with Advance Equipment to manufacture the paddle for us. It's a "Contractor Grade" which will fit the wallet better without the anodizing or special machining. They have an incredible mfg facility out there and are able to make it for way below my costs.

Its 25% smaller (per your suggestions) so it fits in the small texture machine hoppers (like the RTX) and steel with the hex shaft (like the traditional paddles). I don't know what their pricing will be but it won't be anywhere near my earlier projections.

We'll sell them as an option with our larger systems but these will primarily be sold through Advance.

Thanks again for all of the help.

Rick

tricounty dwall

Where can i purchase the mixing paddle at?

silverstilts

If you are changing it somewhat I think I will retire the prototype production ones that were used while in our evaluations, who knows they may be worth something as a collectors item a few years from now... Any Idea how many you have floating around out there that were used in testing.

__________________
aka the rock doctor

rhardman

(I don't want to turn into a salesman to respect the rules of the site. However, I did want to keep the testers in the loop to let them know how things are turning out.)

I know that a couple of the online stores will be selling the paddles.
Until then you can also Google Advance-Equipment and ask for DeAnne. I'm not sure if they are ready quite yet.

Silver,
I'd have to check but I think we ended up sending out about 30 of the mixers to DrywallTalk guys, some painters and a few other contractors. I still have 60 sitting on a shelf. These will fall under our "Tools for Life" program which means they are guaranteed for the life of the contractor and will only be available through us. The problem has been that the retail price ($79.00) was way too high for most people and the national plastering distributor we're dealing with didn't want them because they only represented a single sale. They actually told us they wanted tools that would wear out or eventually break.* We're going to offer the Lifetime hand tools not so much to make money off of them but instead to help establish our reputation as the providers of the best tools the industry can get. This will make more sense when our main tools are available. In the meantime, I've asked Randy to back off from selling anything until the Raptor group of tools is finished.

*The "Contractor Grade" paddles are fine, just built to be more cost effective without the anodizing, aluminum, etc.

Rick
(The Raptor is "Smokin' Hot!" as I'm building it to run 2 or 3 CFS tools at the same time and spray texture like a trailer rig. It's truly Bad A$$. When it's ready we'll be contacting Nathan for advertising opportunities.)

rhardman

FYI...

Please forgive me if it appears I'm coming across as a "sales" guy, not my intention, just want you to know how it finally came out. This can't be bought from our site...
HSI Plastic Mixer 2.jpg

Thank you for all your input and suggestions.

Rick

Taped Crusader

Is this the end to an epic thread?

rhardman

I received an email from DeAnne today with alterations to the pivoting mixing paddle. I guess she wanted my opinion before they do the final mould alterations and start selling it.

Pivot Mixer Face for DWT.JPG
Pivot Mixer End for DWT.JPG

There I was looking at the screen at something I thought of around 20 years ago. It's finally going to be on the market, and it's hard for me to believe.

I think back about the friction Silver and I had () about sending him a prototype and then I remember Whitey beating it against a wall trying to break it. I also remember you guys telling me my price was waaaay too high (which took me to Advance Equipment).

Sitting here tonight, you've put up with my misapplied attitude at times and you've watched my updates about the other tools. Amazingly, while the friction and critical reviews have been plenty (Captain, I know you're a closet mesh tape lover!) nobody has publicly drawn the conclusion that I'm totally full of poop! I'm sure it's suspected but you're giving me the opportunity to fall on my own face, without giving me the push.

So the mixer and 3 Point Creaser are beginning to take off (whatever that means) and right now I don't know what will happen for sure with the bigger tools.

But I do want say how much I appreciate everyone on DWT and especially Nathan for allowing me to "play" here. It's a support group for all of us regardless of where we're coming from (weekend inventor, hanger, taper or someone wanting to get into some plaster work) and one I've come to hold in the highest regard.

Thank you for your patience and for your constant elbows! You've helped to fulfill a couple of dreams very few people have ever believed in.

Rick

Kiwiman

Rick - your threads make for good reading and sometimes strike up some entertaining debates, I think you might just about hold the all time record for thread views.
It might be about time you invented something else for us to tear apart and destroy like a kid with a new toy... so you can make it child proof for us
Keep it up

Capt-sheetrock

Rick,,, have you ever thought about a paddle that works in both directions??? I got my drill stuck in reverse one time and UN-MIXED three buckets of mud before I got it turned around !!!

JK,,, can't wait to try that new paddle,,, mine is over 20 years old, I think its time to up-date.

2buckcanuck

HOLY !!!! you got a paddle thats over 20 years old,I break one a year
while, a least my hired hand does

Sir Mixalot

That's Awesome Rick!
Man I swear, the mixer you sent me is the best one I've ever had.
It's still going strong too.

__________________
-Paul
www.PeckDrywall.com
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texturemaker

Hi once again rhardman

I just want to say well done, you have your dream & you worked at it till you arrived where you are with it.

Congratulations to you & hope it goes for for you.
All the best Dale

__________________
I enjoy creating extreme drywall ceiling & wall patterns & effects & helping others who are interested too.

rhardman

Thank you for the support guys. I wasn't "fishing" for anything, just wanted to say that I appreciate your help.

I really hope this little trip I'm on can be enjoyed by everyone. Most companies go to other large corporations and marketing consultants* to bring something to the industry. Consequently, they get a lot of feedback telling them how brilliant they are because each company hopes to make a commission or advertising revenue from the introduction of the tool (or product). I always thought they went at it completely backward. Any new item should go to the contractor first, listen to what they say and then follow their direction.

It takes a group of guys in the trade to come up with an accurate consensus and if they don't like it, it ain't gonna happen.

Rick
*There are good people involved but in my opinion, if you haven't done drywall for at least 5 years, you can't possibly understand what is really needed and what isn't. Talking to contractors at trade shows and a marketing or mechanical engineering degree won't provide the natural instinct that is needed.

rebel20

This I have to agree with you 100% Rick

rebel

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Some days you are the dog, some days you are the tree.
www.edp-inc.net

Capt-sheetrock

LOL,,, thats cause i always stick it in a bucket of water and shake it up and down when I'm done mixing. If you'd quit letting yours sit against the wall and dry up, causeing you to have to beat it with a hammer to get the dried up mud off it, you'd get some milage out of it,,,,,

rhardman

I was just talking to a DWT guy about getting the last sample of the original mixing paddles.

I told him from now on we're going to be selling them (the identical same paddle we shipped out to the testers) for $119.99. The mfg costs are insane with the powdercoating and the hand crafted blade. But its the absolute best I could come up with so we're going to offer it on our site.

It's also got the Lifetime warranty and the interchangeable blades.

The lower cost Advance version will mix the same, but without some of the benefits. It's a completely different mindset and IMO worth every penny. We won't sell a lot of them (premium model) I'm sure. But I can already hear 2 guys in Toledo talking about a $120.00 paddle one of them heard about. The other guy says, "That's crazy...I've got to see that!" Then we have a new viewer on our website looking at the entire product line (a little inside marketing thing there ).

DWT 3-Point Creaser.jpg

Maybe I need to say it again for the new guys...
We aren't concerned with trying to sell these tools to DWT guys. Personally, I see everyone here as a business advisor to bounce ideas on. Truly, if I had to get a group of people into an office to get the same quality of advice* it would cost us more money than we have right now. So all of this (and on the "New Prototypes" thread) is to inform you of our progress and to listen to what you guy's have to say. It's helping to continually steer us in the right direction.

*And I really don't think you can get the same quality of advice anywhere but here...

Rick