Since I have continued to update this page with new products as they come out, I have renamed the thread. I will continue to update this thread with new products and news about JP. Thank you all that have supported me so far!
Thank you to everyone that replied months ago on this project, after 6+ months of designing and procuring quotes and revising the model for production, the final product is here! The Full Size Jeep and AMC door speakers have been reproduced via injection molding in ABS plastic to very closely match the originals. Check them out at
https://www.johnsonproductionjp.com/
Original Post:
If you are on the Full Size Jeep Enthusiasts FB page you may have seen that I have been prototyping replicas of the door speaker grilles. I have 3D printed my own from PLA and had a service print some from ASA. For those that aren't up to speed with 3D printing PLA is the most common material used for printing; it's cheap, easy to use, and produces no odors. However, it has a relatively low glass transition point so it is not great for the interior of a vehicle and will warp or even melt. Hence why I had a service print some from ASA which is higher temp and UV resistance but is more difficult to print and would require upgraded parts to my setup.
I got a lot of interest in buying these when I posted the personal project on FB, but I only have one printer and these take up to 6 hours each to print. I initially did not plan on trying to sell these in mass but after thinking about it and more modelling I figured I might as well see if its feasible.
So I have been researching injection molding and contacting services that offer low volume (relatively) production runs. The biggest hurdle with injection molding is the upfront cost for tooling, so before I bite off more than I can chew I want to gauge the demand. I need to see if this is economically worthwhile. Right now I am only looking at two color options, black or tan (if possible), made from ABS or ABS-PC. I have no idea what pricing would be but would estimate $20 - $40 a pair. Please choose yes if you would purchase a pair if they were produced. If you saw my post on FB and voted on there please don't vote here. Thank you!