Doesn't always go to plan.

During a Christmas clear up, I came across a very old project box - 20 years old?

Not all things go to plan!!

I was asked to help develop an idea for a Child Safety item and the reward would be a percentage in the huge profits it was going to generate!!! :)

Well, after much midnight oil and head scratching, drawings were done and a prototype made.
It looked nothing like the ones shown here!!

What you see here is what was produced.

As the story goes, the drawings and the prototype were taken to the injection moulders and it was deemed by them, that the tooling was going to be a lot of money and it didn't need to be made the way I designed it. I didn't know this at the time! : )
They said it could be much more simple and with a few omissions and  tweaks, it would save a lot on producing it. I also didn't know that!
It was designed on the basis it was a safety feature on windows and it was to fit as many types as possible, therefore expanding the market.

My customer delighted in telling me that all was on the way and it wouldn't be long before I could see the finished item.
After some considerable time, not only did the units arrive but also the packaging.

"What is this? Where are all the keep variations? Where is that solid, firm feel, on the action to operate it? Why has it grown in size?" You get the picture.

"Don't worry, it will fly off the shelves" was all I heard.

It didn't and I walked away from it, with a lesson well earned.

Things don't always go to plan and because of this job, I became a lot more wary of leaping into a project, without some ground rules. 

Such a shame because the concept of it was a really good idea.

"This time next year Rodney. . . . . . we'll be mill-yon-aires!!!