Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

I've built a tool that puts a queen in a cage. You can cage attendants at the same time if you choose.  As long as you can find a queen, the tool works 100% of the time. You can put a queen in a cage in as little as 30 seconds. If it takes you a minute to use, you got distracted and started doing something else. The tool also allows you to release attendants and re-cage a queen. Anyone with two hands can use it.  The tool does not require any special skills.

How about some pics & more info on how it works.

Ditto on pictures.
Jim

I depends on how easy it is to use, but catching them with your fingers is pretty simple...

Should this tool be something anyone could make, having once seen it - if I were you, I wouldn't waste valuable time trying to sell it.

However, if it's something which would be easier to buy rather than make, then why not post a photo in order to get some feedback/criticism etc ... ?   Other people's opinions are always useful.
LJ

I hope to answer everyone's comments in one go.

Sorry, I'm not sharing pictures of it at this point.  Some unscrupulous person could reverse the engineering from pictures and make the invention their own.  Not that any of you would do that. Selling the tool will not make me rich.  But, it would really make me mad if someone else profited from my invention.

I do want people's feedback. I'm beta testing the tool with people locally.  The average person could not make the tool in their garage. Which is why I'm looking to mass produce it.

Michael Bush, you are not the target market :happy: .  Anyone who's been picking up queens with their fingers for a long time is going to continue using their fingers. You can't leave home without your fingers.   Although I will say that one person that used their fingers for a long time likes the tool.  They are on enough in years that fingers aren't as easy as they used to be. PM me if you want a live demo, you can stop by my house on your way to the  Montgomery County Beekeepers Asc. It would be about a 4 mile detour.

Quote from: jwchitwood on February 01, 2018, 04:25:37 PM
it would really make me mad if someone else profited from my invention.

Let me try to explain something to you.  In order to profit a person would have to make it and sell it.  If they are making it for their self they did not profit.  To try to prevent someone else from steeling your invention you would have to patent it.  It will cost you 10-15K to do that.  And if someone with b#$#s makes it anyway you will have to spend 10-20K defending your patent.  Now what is this invention worth?  If you can get 200 beekeepers to buy it at 10 bucks a pop you are going to lose your butt trying to prevent someone from making it them self, if that is possible.  If someone is willing to buy it if it works I would go that route because it is unlikely you will be the next Thomas Edison with this tool.  Just some friendly advice.
Oh, another thing you have already shown it to a beekeeper that uses their fingers, I assume with out filing for a patent so the cat is out of the bag.

At some point someone with an invention has to go public, in order to sell it.  Either a demonstration video or something similar.  No-one's going to buy something 'new' without at least some kind of evidence that it works as claimed. 

At that point, people will either buy it, or make their own - or not bother with it at all.
LJ

Agree with other comments made. Didn't mean to imply any bad motive, just curious. If anyone wants to go that route they will simple buy one, duplicate it & sell it. laws, patents or nothing else is going to stop them. Laws are only as good as the people who obey or disobey them. Do agree that unless you only want to sell locally you will have to at some point demonstrate it publicly.  That being said, wish you the best!

BTW: I use my fingers too, but I like cool beekeeping gadgets!  :cool:

My fingers are fat, old and don't work well.....soooooooo