Hello everyone!
My name is Brian and I am a student at Georgia Tech. I am taking a class on new product design and in this class we have to design a product. My group has come up with a product designed to organize all of the business items contractors generally bring from home/office to the jobsite.
I was hoping if you all could give feedback on what you think of a product that would neatly organize and protect your important business papers and materials in your car or truck. It would also be able to hold certain often used tools like a tape measure and level and other simple things of that kind.
I would like to know if anyone here is in need of such a product, if so how much would they be willing to pay, what features they would want to see, and if they would not buy this product, why not, OR any alternative product to what I have described.
Thanks very much for your help!!
-Brian
Replies
Brian, brilliant idea.
I'd make the product in the shape of a work truck...either shape it like a van, or a pickup truck. I'dd offer additional products shaped like trailers.
blue
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Of course, they might be wrong too!
Hmm yea I sortof expected this to be the case, that there would be stuff like this already floating around. We will just have to do something special with ours then. Thanks for the links though.
Hmm yea I sortof expected this to be the case, that there would be stuff like this already floating around. We will just have to do something special with ours then. Thanks for the links though.
Yeah..sorry, they're called Fords and Chevy's and Dodges...but maybe you could design some trhee wheeled shaped trucks...
blueJust because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Of course, they might be wrong too!
Not to burst your bubble, but
http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/catbrief.asp
it's already been done.
First I thought you meant like this
http://www.tooltrailer.com/
until I saw the word business so I was sure you were thinking like this
http://img.dell.com/img.aspx?p=hqjR0UgAdCs%2bHxzbjrAsgJue4LJsG7bF0gFV34T3fcHdk7DxbhDov%2bZPGtSI%2fG%2bTgJW55WoB6L%2foTQbGh784k4Glu%2bJmG%2b%2fPsBBEztikdc2YirqyKRrt9fNPFM%2fUsm%2bKn5u69Xpa7uOuUBDRhPUul4HVufh6Wv%2f58kAaw4fkb5eTnYKiOVvr%2fuYBVc7UsnfT0NqkrStBrLKhUAHPhfV9wbuXvPdsOu31808Uz8uwb90%3d
but I finally caught up to your thinking and saw that you wanted to go to work for Duluth
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where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
The tool trailer is a joke, do you want to run to the trailer every time you want to use the mitre box?
i've seen plenty of framing crews who work off something similar.and believe it or not, some of the customers we have require no cutting or dust in the hiouse at certain times of the year, so we set up in the parking arena with a tarp under to catch the sawdust and every night, there is no evidence we were there. It adds 30% or so the to cost, which they are perfctly willing to handle
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Brian, Here's what I need.
All the latests drill motors come in a crappy blown plastic box, no room cept for the tool. No room for the tips, the index, the spade bit set, forstners, hole saws.........screws in a plastic/metal divided box, the tube of door ease, ..............
Please, design and build some of these in a compact "bag" and the world will beat a path to your school.
thanks.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
could you show me an example of the thing you are talking about that currently exists? Im not too sure what that you mean.Thanks.
-Brian
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I'm looking for one with the damn thing open. Imagine the inside with spaces for what comes in the kit. Drill, charger, extra battery...........and nothing else. The inside is contoured for the placement of the above things.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
cool thanks-brian
Like others have pointed out there's plenty of containers/bags you can buy for tools. How about something moduler though? You know, you can buy different containers for different types of tools and connect them together. Just my $.02.
Kevin
Maybe I work differently, but I don't need my "important papers" and my level at the same time. Why don't you find a contractor, a cabinetmaker, and a guy on a construction crew and shadow them for a day. See what they stoop for, or go back to the truck for, or drop, or borrow, or bitch about not having. See how and when they use what.
What level/type of class is this for?
-Steve
http://www.lukeworks.com
Brian:
My father is a state electrical inspector, so he spends four days a week driving from one jobsite to another. What he needs, and what he's cobbled to together out of plywood, is a portable workspace/organizer for the front seat of his cruiser. I imagine a few contractors and construction managers could use something similar.
A good product of this type would:
Buckle into the passenger seat.
Be easy to remove and carry in to office.
Provide a comfortable way to work from a laptop, and provide a save and convenient way to stow the computer, power supply, maybe a mouse, etc. (also in his case, a portable printer)
Provide a comfortable surface for doing some paperwork.
Have some organized storage for files/paperwork.
Provide a place for things like cell phone, camera, etc.
tuff is onto something... for a comfortable workspace it could have a swing out arm for computer. Think of like a baby seat. Wouldnt have to be that big....
Id also like it to include an area for one of those multiple file folders. or one built in. I personally woudnt use a computer, or do a lot of paperwork in the field, but I need a place to keep receipts, and if they are separated by job from the start its even easier. This is necessary for billing as well.
Brian, I'm with tuffy. I need an office in my compact PU truck. Built in dc/ac inverter for the printer and laptop. Organizer for documents, cell, pens. Storage for computor, etc. Comfy tabletop for keyboarding. 95% accessable from drivers seat.
I'm considering removeing the passenger seat and using the whole volume opened up with no seat.
SamT
hey everyone this is great. keep the posts coming!Thanks,
Brian
Heh Brian,
Great no need to tag along with tradesmen/women just keep reading.
I work out of a van, how a bout a accordion type file folder that hangs from the dash on passenger side. I have to agree with other we need a table for laptops, power converters and cellphones I hate exposed cords so keep it neat we sometimes have clients ride with us.
Thanks,
I'm witrh tuffy et al.I'm a home inspoector, not contratcor, so all of the tools I need can be carried in 2 tool boxes (with a few more in the bed for when stuff happens)What I would like is something that can carry organize papers; provide a front seat "desk" so I can kill time at lights and in drive throughs etc catching up on the paper work
View Image
Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
Brian,
Also take a look at police cruisers. Although the tools of their trade might be different, the ones in my town already use a swing table for computers, docking stations for cells etc. Why limit to one product, you could come up with a family of products.
anybody else have any input, it would be most appreciated.-Brian
If you do well enough... if the office is too noisy I can go work in the van! Can you work in capacity for a big laptop so I can do CAD on it? A scanner would be cool. And a place to put my phone while it's charging...is always sliding under my feet.
Hey... why not pitch the idea of a new show like pimp my ride... Clean My Truck (the contractor version). Can you imagine the gnarly stuff you would find under the seats? Could have contests to identify the rotting junk...
L
I use a Deluth briefcase, but I sure would like something that would let me jot down notes while I'm driving...and make it also useable for lefties...I hate loosing my rare flashes of brilliance...or forgetting to get bumwad<G>but 1st you need to figure out how to keep BJ Elder healthy...LOLGo Heels! Don't worry, we can fix that later!
Hey we beat ClemPson today!
EEEHAWWW!<G> Now, make a note taker for me! Don't worry, we can fix that later!
I would appreciate some 'mobile office' stuff that just didn't break for starters, I doesn't need flashing lights. Maybee survive a fall from my seat to the mud covered floormats. Preferably without dumping all of my six million gas reciepts into the mud and water. It would be also nice to have some method of protecting my plans. It gets pretty bad by the end of a bigger house the paper starts to take on the texture of toilette paper, and the numbers are totaly un readable. No wonder I screw up so often SHISER.