PT-1 Pedal Set - Discussion
- Thread starter GTFREAK
- Start date
GTFREAK
Registered
Hey guys,
I really wanted to put together a video for this, but each time I tried to put something together, I would get interrupted, or the video would come out terrible, or the lighting wasn't right... nothing was working. So, I decided that this was the best way to do it.
There's a few things I'd like to talk about today, and I've outlined them below:
1) what happened on June 1st, and what we're doing to fix things
2) The waiting list
3) The price of the pedals
Now, I know that the price of the pedals is probably the number 1 thing on your minds, and if you'd like to read about that, you can skip to the bottom and just read that portion. For those of you that would like to read all of it, I'll talk about them in order.
What happened on June 1st??
So, June 1st did not go as planned. I think it's pretty clear that we were caught way off guard, and things could have been handled a little differently. Some users were reporting that there was no shipping options, and others posted that they couldn't complete the transaction through PayPal. The good news is that we've identified the cause of these issues, and they've been corrected. The shipping error was a small mistake on our part, and we've made improvements to the site to prevent that from happening again. The PayPal thing was an oversight, and we've corrected that as well. The bottom line is, we screwed up. We made a statement initially that said that we would do our best to make it up to you guys, and I think the waiting list is a good way to do that.
The Waiting List
We recently sent out a mass email to all of our registered users, and directed them to a poll that had several different options for how we should handle this next batch. There were over 130 votes, and they were fairly even between the first two options. Option #1 was to have a waiting list that was based on an "Opt-In" button on the website. Option #2 was also a waiting list, but it was based on who registered on our website first/last. It ended up being very close, but the "Opt-In" won by a few votes. That doesn't mean we ignored the "registry" option. I felt that the "registry" option gave preferential treatment to certain users, and I didn't really want to go that way. If it had gotten more votes, I would have definitely considered it. However, I still feel that the "Opt-In" is the best way to go.
So, here's how this waiting list is going to work...
1) We will give you a link to a special page with the button you need to click
2) You will log into the website - preferably 1-2 hours beforehand
3) Once that date + time arrive, you'll click that button. You will need to refresh to see it - sorry ;-(
4) Once you've clicked the button, you will immediately see your place in the queue - it will be a number
5) That's it! You're now on the waiting list
The good news is, everyone will see the button, no matter what. You will have to refresh the page to see it, but you'll definitely see it. Before the date + time arrive, this button will be grayed out, so you'll know exactly where the button is, and not have to go searching for it, once we make it active.
After you've successfully been put on the waiting list, all you need to do is wait until your turn is up. This next batch will be 30 pedal sets, so the first 30 people on the list will get their sets first. The next batch will likely be larger, so #31 through XX(XX = a number to be determined) will get the next batch of pedals, and so on and so forth until everyone on the list has gotten their set.
We will be announcing a full set of instructions on how to complete the purchase once this new system is ready. The 1st 30 people will also likely get an email with those instructions.
At this time, we do not have a date + time estimate for you. We will keep you well informed, though. We will post the date + time on all of our social media networks, plus all of the forums we normally post in.
Keep in mind that this system has not been implemented yet. We're still working on it, and if we make any changes to it, we'll make sure to let you know. All registered users will get an email with a link to the page, and instructions on exactly what to do when the date + time arrive.
Price of the pedals
Ok, so this is the announcement that I've been talking about for the past few days. This hasn't been an easy decision to make, especially so soon after the first batch has been sold. We talked about this internally for weeks before we ever came to a solid decision, and we've only just made the final decision this past weekend (after the 1st batch shipped out).
We've decided to raise the price of the pedals by $40. Now, $40 is not that much. In fact, we talked about a $100 increase as recently as a few days ago. But, I didn't want to do that. I wanted to keep these pedals right around $400, and this price increase still keeps the overall price right around $400. I know there's shipping involved, but we can't do much about that.
I know this isn't exactly the best news. But, the game has changed. We need to be able to try and keep up with demand. Adding an extra $40 onto the cost of the pedals will allow us to increase batch sizes more frequently, which will allow us to get more pedals into the hands of more people, more quickly. That's our main goal.
We know this won't go over well for some of you, and I can certainly understand why. But, believe me, I'd sell them to you for $5 if I could. We just need to be able to stay in business to keep getting these things out to you guys. If we don't increase the price now, we'll continue to lose money.
I hope that you guys will understand why we made this decision.
Just to clarify: the prices for all of our other accessory products will remain the same. Also, we do not have any estimates for when the 2 pedal set will be available, but if and when it does become available again, it will also have an increase in price (to be determined).
Well guys, I think that's all I wanted to discuss today. Please go easy on me ;-)
I really wanted to put together a video for this, but each time I tried to put something together, I would get interrupted, or the video would come out terrible, or the lighting wasn't right... nothing was working. So, I decided that this was the best way to do it.
There's a few things I'd like to talk about today, and I've outlined them below:
1) what happened on June 1st, and what we're doing to fix things
2) The waiting list
3) The price of the pedals
Now, I know that the price of the pedals is probably the number 1 thing on your minds, and if you'd like to read about that, you can skip to the bottom and just read that portion. For those of you that would like to read all of it, I'll talk about them in order.
What happened on June 1st??
So, June 1st did not go as planned. I think it's pretty clear that we were caught way off guard, and things could have been handled a little differently. Some users were reporting that there was no shipping options, and others posted that they couldn't complete the transaction through PayPal. The good news is that we've identified the cause of these issues, and they've been corrected. The shipping error was a small mistake on our part, and we've made improvements to the site to prevent that from happening again. The PayPal thing was an oversight, and we've corrected that as well. The bottom line is, we screwed up. We made a statement initially that said that we would do our best to make it up to you guys, and I think the waiting list is a good way to do that.
The Waiting List
We recently sent out a mass email to all of our registered users, and directed them to a poll that had several different options for how we should handle this next batch. There were over 130 votes, and they were fairly even between the first two options. Option #1 was to have a waiting list that was based on an "Opt-In" button on the website. Option #2 was also a waiting list, but it was based on who registered on our website first/last. It ended up being very close, but the "Opt-In" won by a few votes. That doesn't mean we ignored the "registry" option. I felt that the "registry" option gave preferential treatment to certain users, and I didn't really want to go that way. If it had gotten more votes, I would have definitely considered it. However, I still feel that the "Opt-In" is the best way to go.
So, here's how this waiting list is going to work...
1) We will give you a link to a special page with the button you need to click
2) You will log into the website - preferably 1-2 hours beforehand
3) Once that date + time arrive, you'll click that button. You will need to refresh to see it - sorry ;-(
4) Once you've clicked the button, you will immediately see your place in the queue - it will be a number
5) That's it! You're now on the waiting list
The good news is, everyone will see the button, no matter what. You will have to refresh the page to see it, but you'll definitely see it. Before the date + time arrive, this button will be grayed out, so you'll know exactly where the button is, and not have to go searching for it, once we make it active.
After you've successfully been put on the waiting list, all you need to do is wait until your turn is up. This next batch will be 30 pedal sets, so the first 30 people on the list will get their sets first. The next batch will likely be larger, so #31 through XX(XX = a number to be determined) will get the next batch of pedals, and so on and so forth until everyone on the list has gotten their set.
We will be announcing a full set of instructions on how to complete the purchase once this new system is ready. The 1st 30 people will also likely get an email with those instructions.
At this time, we do not have a date + time estimate for you. We will keep you well informed, though. We will post the date + time on all of our social media networks, plus all of the forums we normally post in.
Keep in mind that this system has not been implemented yet. We're still working on it, and if we make any changes to it, we'll make sure to let you know. All registered users will get an email with a link to the page, and instructions on exactly what to do when the date + time arrive.
Price of the pedals
Ok, so this is the announcement that I've been talking about for the past few days. This hasn't been an easy decision to make, especially so soon after the first batch has been sold. We talked about this internally for weeks before we ever came to a solid decision, and we've only just made the final decision this past weekend (after the 1st batch shipped out).
We've decided to raise the price of the pedals by $40. Now, $40 is not that much. In fact, we talked about a $100 increase as recently as a few days ago. But, I didn't want to do that. I wanted to keep these pedals right around $400, and this price increase still keeps the overall price right around $400. I know there's shipping involved, but we can't do much about that.
I know this isn't exactly the best news. But, the game has changed. We need to be able to try and keep up with demand. Adding an extra $40 onto the cost of the pedals will allow us to increase batch sizes more frequently, which will allow us to get more pedals into the hands of more people, more quickly. That's our main goal.
We know this won't go over well for some of you, and I can certainly understand why. But, believe me, I'd sell them to you for $5 if I could. We just need to be able to stay in business to keep getting these things out to you guys. If we don't increase the price now, we'll continue to lose money.
I hope that you guys will understand why we made this decision.
Just to clarify: the prices for all of our other accessory products will remain the same. Also, we do not have any estimates for when the 2 pedal set will be available, but if and when it does become available again, it will also have an increase in price (to be determined).
Well guys, I think that's all I wanted to discuss today. Please go easy on me ;-)
Juergen-BY
Registered
Really nice to see, how everything goes ahead.
GTFREAK
Registered
Hey guys,
I just wanted to give you a small update on things.
Batch #2 is coming along very nicely. All of the throttle pedals and clutch pedals have been assembled. We are now currently assembling the brake pedals. We have to modify the load cells a bit, but this shouldn't take very long. After all of the pedals have been assembled, we'll be testing them with their own circuit boards. After that, we'll release the batch and send them out to those first people on the waiting list.
We are also working on something really special for those of you that opted in to our waiting list. I can't give you any details yet because we're still working on it, but we'll give you some info in the coming weeks. We hope you guys like the idea ;-)
I also wanted to say thank you for your continued support. I know that our production is small right now, but we're working on that. The batch after this one will be a bit larger (probably 35 or so). The batch after that will likely be 40 or so. Hopefully, the batches will continue to grow in size, and the time between them will decrease. That's our goal, anyway ;-)
I just wanted to give you a small update on things.
Batch #2 is coming along very nicely. All of the throttle pedals and clutch pedals have been assembled. We are now currently assembling the brake pedals. We have to modify the load cells a bit, but this shouldn't take very long. After all of the pedals have been assembled, we'll be testing them with their own circuit boards. After that, we'll release the batch and send them out to those first people on the waiting list.
We are also working on something really special for those of you that opted in to our waiting list. I can't give you any details yet because we're still working on it, but we'll give you some info in the coming weeks. We hope you guys like the idea ;-)
I also wanted to say thank you for your continued support. I know that our production is small right now, but we're working on that. The batch after this one will be a bit larger (probably 35 or so). The batch after that will likely be 40 or so. Hopefully, the batches will continue to grow in size, and the time between them will decrease. That's our goal, anyway ;-)
GTFREAK
Registered
Hey guys,
Well, it's about that time again. Batch #2 is now complete, and we're ready to release it to the public. We've made a short video that reveals the release date, and also talks about some new products that we've added to the product selection screen. Please watch and listen to the video carefully, as it explains how we're handling these new products.
Also, as a reminder for those of you that are in batch #2, please remember to check your spam folders for emails from our website. Also, if you have "receive emails from admins" checked off as "no", then you need to switch that to "yes", otherwise you will not get the email once the batch is officially released.
Enjoy!
Well, it's about that time again. Batch #2 is now complete, and we're ready to release it to the public. We've made a short video that reveals the release date, and also talks about some new products that we've added to the product selection screen. Please watch and listen to the video carefully, as it explains how we're handling these new products.
Also, as a reminder for those of you that are in batch #2, please remember to check your spam folders for emails from our website. Also, if you have "receive emails from admins" checked off as "no", then you need to switch that to "yes", otherwise you will not get the email once the batch is officially released.
Enjoy!
GTFREAK
Registered
Hey guys,
Batch #3 has now begun. This batch will consist of 35 pedal sets + 1 additional set. The additional set will go to one random person that is not in batch #3. What this means is that if you are not currently in line for batch #3, you still have a chance to get your pedal set. We will have the full details soon, but this is the idea that we've been hinting at for a few weeks now.
This new system will start with batch #3, and then continue for each proceeding batch. Again, we'll have more details soon, but we just wanted you guys to know that even if you aren't in the current batch, opting-in might be a good idea ;-)
Batch #3 has now begun. This batch will consist of 35 pedal sets + 1 additional set. The additional set will go to one random person that is not in batch #3. What this means is that if you are not currently in line for batch #3, you still have a chance to get your pedal set. We will have the full details soon, but this is the idea that we've been hinting at for a few weeks now.
This new system will start with batch #3, and then continue for each proceeding batch. Again, we'll have more details soon, but we just wanted you guys to know that even if you aren't in the current batch, opting-in might be a good idea ;-)
GTFREAK
Registered
Hey guys,
Today I'm making 3 announcements in one video. I decided to do a video on this to make things a little easier. We've made some changes to the website and a couple of our products, and I just wanted to make sure you guys are aware of these changes. Also, I talk about the new "+1" system that I've been hinting at for some time now. This new system will be implemented once batch #3 has been released.
Also, I mention in the video that we've decided to include the heel rest with the mounting plate, and not have it as a separate product. Essentially, this makes it easier on both the customer and us. Along with this change comes a new pricing structure. We've bumped up the price for the mounting plate, and the pedals + mounting plate combo by $10 each. So, those of you that want the heel rest anyway will end up saving about $15.
Now, I know that we just sold the heel rest at a specific price, and now we've changed it right after that. Some of you that purchased the heel rest might be a little upset by that, and that's certainly understandable. Therefore, if you purchased the heel rest in batch #2 and would like a $15 refund, contact me through the website, and I will issue you that refund. I would be more than happy to do that for you ;-)
Enjoy the video!
Today I'm making 3 announcements in one video. I decided to do a video on this to make things a little easier. We've made some changes to the website and a couple of our products, and I just wanted to make sure you guys are aware of these changes. Also, I talk about the new "+1" system that I've been hinting at for some time now. This new system will be implemented once batch #3 has been released.
Also, I mention in the video that we've decided to include the heel rest with the mounting plate, and not have it as a separate product. Essentially, this makes it easier on both the customer and us. Along with this change comes a new pricing structure. We've bumped up the price for the mounting plate, and the pedals + mounting plate combo by $10 each. So, those of you that want the heel rest anyway will end up saving about $15.
Now, I know that we just sold the heel rest at a specific price, and now we've changed it right after that. Some of you that purchased the heel rest might be a little upset by that, and that's certainly understandable. Therefore, if you purchased the heel rest in batch #2 and would like a $15 refund, contact me through the website, and I will issue you that refund. I would be more than happy to do that for you ;-)
Enjoy the video!
GTFREAK
Registered
I'm assuming you're asking if these pedals connect to a wheel, and the answer to that is no. These connect to your PC using a USB cable.
GTFREAK
Registered
I don't know that I have ever talked about this before, and perhaps I should have. Some time ago, we invested in two small vibratory tumblers. These tumblers are used to put a nice, smooth, uniform finish to the outside of just about any material. These tumblers worked great for some of our smaller parts, and we even tried it on our pedal faces (batch #1). We absolutely loved the surface finish that it gave, and it looks similar to galvanized metal. The problem is that our tumblers are not big enough to handle any parts bigger than about 3 inches in diameter. Therefore, we've decided to invest in an industrial vibratory tumbler. The one we have our eye on is able to tumble all of our larger pieces with ease.
So, what does this mean, exactly? Well, it's actually a significant change. What this means is that we will no longer have to handle any of our parts with regards to their surface finish. Basically, the tumbler does all the work, and the parts come out looking great. Here's an example of what the finish might look like. This is just an example of one type of finish you can achieve with a certain type of tumbling media. The surface on the left is plastic media, and the surface on the right is ceramic media. We will most likely be using ceramic media, as we prefer the finish it produces.
As you can see, the finish is quite good, and there's really nothing to it. You just drop the parts in, and the tumbler does the rest. In the long term, this will save us a significant amount of time. For example, it takes us at least a week to sand blast all of our parts for 36 pedal sets, if not longer. On top of that, before the parts are sand blasted, they have to be prepped with a cleaning solution, otherwise all of the dirt and grease will get blasted into the metal, and it's very difficult to clean it after the parts have been blasted. This tumbler will help eliminate both of those steps in the finishing process. This is definitely a step in the right direction for us. We need to get these things done much faster than we currently are, and this will help us do just that.
When we first announced these pedals, we wanted to have them powder coated, but once we started to do that, we quickly realized our mistake. I didn't want to make the decision to switch to sand blasting, but we had to do something. Things just weren't working out. Well, we're facing the same problem once again. This sand blasting thing just isn't working out. I'm having to stand at the sand blaster for hours and hours every day for at least a week, and it's starting to take it's toll. So, we're going to move in a different direction.
BATCH #4
We will be starting production on Batch #4 after the 1st of the year. In my last video, I explained that things were starting to get a little too hectic around here, and I took some time off. The biggest issue with that is that I didn't tell anyone, and I should have. I just want to apologize again for not letting anyone know about it. Anyhow, I'm going to be spending the holidays with my family, and I'm sure most of you can understand why.
So, between batch #3's release, and the start of batch #4, we will be installing the new tumbler, and also making some much needed changes to our milling machine and cnc machine. Our cnc machine is not as rigid as it could be, and the manufacturer has released a kit that really makes the thing much more rigid (this will allow us to complete parts faster). We've also invested in a belt drive kit for our milling machine. This will essentially double the RPM's on the machine, and eliminate those awful plastic gears (really, Grizzly? Plastic gears?).
Well, this post turned out to be much longer than I anticipated. I hope you guys can understand why we are making these changes, and I hope you will all bare with us as we spend a little quality time with the family, and get ready for batch #4 ;-)
If you guys have any questions, please feel free to ask. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.
So, what does this mean, exactly? Well, it's actually a significant change. What this means is that we will no longer have to handle any of our parts with regards to their surface finish. Basically, the tumbler does all the work, and the parts come out looking great. Here's an example of what the finish might look like. This is just an example of one type of finish you can achieve with a certain type of tumbling media. The surface on the left is plastic media, and the surface on the right is ceramic media. We will most likely be using ceramic media, as we prefer the finish it produces.
As you can see, the finish is quite good, and there's really nothing to it. You just drop the parts in, and the tumbler does the rest. In the long term, this will save us a significant amount of time. For example, it takes us at least a week to sand blast all of our parts for 36 pedal sets, if not longer. On top of that, before the parts are sand blasted, they have to be prepped with a cleaning solution, otherwise all of the dirt and grease will get blasted into the metal, and it's very difficult to clean it after the parts have been blasted. This tumbler will help eliminate both of those steps in the finishing process. This is definitely a step in the right direction for us. We need to get these things done much faster than we currently are, and this will help us do just that.
When we first announced these pedals, we wanted to have them powder coated, but once we started to do that, we quickly realized our mistake. I didn't want to make the decision to switch to sand blasting, but we had to do something. Things just weren't working out. Well, we're facing the same problem once again. This sand blasting thing just isn't working out. I'm having to stand at the sand blaster for hours and hours every day for at least a week, and it's starting to take it's toll. So, we're going to move in a different direction.
BATCH #4
We will be starting production on Batch #4 after the 1st of the year. In my last video, I explained that things were starting to get a little too hectic around here, and I took some time off. The biggest issue with that is that I didn't tell anyone, and I should have. I just want to apologize again for not letting anyone know about it. Anyhow, I'm going to be spending the holidays with my family, and I'm sure most of you can understand why.
So, between batch #3's release, and the start of batch #4, we will be installing the new tumbler, and also making some much needed changes to our milling machine and cnc machine. Our cnc machine is not as rigid as it could be, and the manufacturer has released a kit that really makes the thing much more rigid (this will allow us to complete parts faster). We've also invested in a belt drive kit for our milling machine. This will essentially double the RPM's on the machine, and eliminate those awful plastic gears (really, Grizzly? Plastic gears?).
Well, this post turned out to be much longer than I anticipated. I hope you guys can understand why we are making these changes, and I hope you will all bare with us as we spend a little quality time with the family, and get ready for batch #4 ;-)
If you guys have any questions, please feel free to ask. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.
GTFREAK
Registered
Thanks, John! I appreciate that. I'll keep you guys updated ;-)