I have loved domaining ever since I started and I have also loved inventing. Now I have never invented a product that is used by the masses, just things that I have made and used personally.
Some of the hardest things with inventing is making something that isn’t already done and you just didn’t find it. With the power of the internet, that task is a bit easier now. Another thing that is hard, is finding a company to assist you once you have a prototype. I live in a small city and I am not aware of a company around here like that but I do know some people that work at a machine shop and that’s all I need. I have a welding degree and my current project is made of metal, so I can build it. I just need all the tools…. Metal cutting Saw, Bending Break, Drill Press, Welder etc. so the machine shop is a must for me and will be a huge money saver in my project.
Today I spent most of my day making my Prototype.. It’s not pretty, but it gives me all my measurements that I need, so I can cut the more expensive materials. Tomorrow will be day one at the machine shop and start getting closer to a final product. The first things that I need to do, is order the proper material. By making my prototype today, this will allow me to order what I need. Then comes the task of cutting the parts and pieces, put it together and then test the heck out of it and see if I can break it. If it breaks, then build another and work on the issue of why it broke etc.
Now will this product ever hit stores? One never knows, but to be honest, I have no clue where I would even start to try and get it into stores…. Since I do know more about the internet, that is what I will do once I have a perfect working product. Brand it, put up a site with it, and offer it for sale. Include video’s showing the product in action and the ease of use. My current prototype allows me the leverage to add options for a "Higher End" model and change a couple things around very easy during production to offer even more different models.
I will try and keep you all informed and provide some pictures as I get things moving a bit more. If you have ever invented something and have it in stores, I would love to hear any advice. 
Kelly lieberman
I have all kinds of advice for you! I have invented several products and brought them to market successfully. I was featured in Inventors Digest Magazine a few years back and know the ins and outs of manufacturing VS licensing…
my vote is in licensing your product- less headaches and much less risk.
You can email me at kellyl@spidertel.com and I will provide you with my cell phone # and we can talk about it on the phone.
Let me know if you are interested. I would love to help another domainer get an invention going!
**Jamie Says**
Email sent Kelly.
Thank you for offering to help.
Seyi
Good job Man! Another creative mind. Firstly, I’d tell you not to put your invention out there without getting a “patent” for it – at least, get a “Provisional Patent” to start with. You need to protect your idea from knockoffs. You can file the papers yourself or consult with a lawyer if you don’t have the time. And stay from the so so-called “Invention (crooks) Companies”; they all full of scraps. This is from personal experience; I came up with some ideas two years ago and gave thousand$ of dollar to a company which promised big marketing and promotions but ended up doing nada! To cut the story shot, you can get some guides by checking this book by Harvey Reese “How To License Your Million Dollar Idea” & his website “Money4ideas.com”. Also, check out the following sites: “StartUpNation.com” & look for ‘inventing’ under the topic tab; “uspto.gov”; and “LegalZoom.com”. The bottom line is have your invention legally protected before you put it online. Good luck.
PARKS
Awesome! I love inventing too. Although, I’ve had to learn things the hard way by figuring it out on my own (primarily because the internet wasn’t working the way it is today.) I think it’s great for Kelly to offer to talk with you about her experiences. I’m sure you’ll bypass many unnecessary headaches by heeding the wisdom of those who came before you.
My only suggestions are to first find an IP attorney that you can trust. Draft a solid NDA. And don’t post too many detailed pics of your prototype on the web prior to submitting a patent application.
http://www.uspto.gov/
Licensing is definitely the way to go if you expect to bring your product to the national or global market and actually generate a profit from your efforts. Just don’t expect it all to come without a steep price.
Regardless have fun! and keep chopping, cutting, welding and grinding till it’s just how you’ve visualized it all to be.
CBM
Hi, I also agree with the idea of getting a provisional patent that will allow you time to cross all your t’s and dot your i’s. There is a very good website started by Stephen Key and Andrew Strauss called InventRight http://inventright.com .
They take you through all the ins and outs of taking your invention from A to Z, getting a provisional patent, licensing, all that stuff. There is a lot of good info there, IMO.