You're not being smart. The "market" for Hankin boards is so small it's ridiculous. If I sell more than a dozen boards TOTAL I will be amazed. My sell price will probably be way below actual cost of production in any case. A perfect example is my Zac MPU. I sell it for around $100 BELOW my cost. Yes, even at $300 sell price I lose $100 every time I sell one. This is the EXACT reason nobody else is making the ZAC MPU.
Homepin (as it was when I started it and as it still is today) is NOT a money making business - it is my hobby - I have tried to make this clear to "certain foreigners" who ONLY do things for money it seems.
I am re-making these Hankin boards (at great cost to me of both time and money) because it will help some who want to restore their machines AND my bonus is I have helped to save some classic machines that otherwise would have been parted out or possibly never had a chance at being restored. I seriously doubt anyone else would have made these boards.
Over the past four years I have tried to look for and make boards that "others" deemed too small a demand or too low profit. My aim has always been to HELP the hobby not to stifle it as many others in the pinball "business" seem to aim for!
The R&D on some of my boards would make a lot cringe - even a small motor driver board can cost in excess of $5K to get into (small) production for a return of (gross) $50 a board....if I'm lucky I might sell one a month, if lucky and make $5 "profit"! I have spent in excess of AU$400K in the past 4 years on Homepin for a GROSS return of around $100K. Not very good business sense is it now......
I will extend this "attitude" to the production of Thunderbirds because I want to see it made, NOT because I want to "get rich".
I hope the above explains the difference between Homepin and ALL of the others. Not everyone in this world is obsessed by money. My enjoyment comes from electronics and seeing others helped along the way.
That's the impression that I have about your business. You help people, and that's a major component in retaining a good reputation. The willingness to help before profits. A very rare commodity in our industry - but those with a willingness to help are held in high regard.
Just an amazing insight into your business acumen, Mike
