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So, Like, CNC-Milled Metal Soap Dishes are Getting Crowdfunded

You have got to come up with an idea for your own product to launch

By Rain Noe - April 1, 2021

in Crowdfunding

Here's the strangest genesis of a product I've heard of recently: A fellow named Lukas Alberts and his buddy were "talking about motorcycle parts that looked like a futuristic soap dish," he writes, "and here you have it." Meaning, they decided to make soap dishes CNC milled out of aluminum and copper.

They launched a Kickstarter campaign for them, and with an ultra-low funding goal of just $198, were funded within the first day. At press time they were up to a couple grand with 50 backers and 14 days left to pledge.

I can't exactly call this a crowdfunding smash with such low numbers, but the bottom line is, these guys came up with an idea and are now getting ready to ship.

Design entrepreneurs among you, this should serve as a reminder that low-stakes Kickstarters for simple ideas aren't a bad way to dip your foot in the pool. Who'd have thought folks would pay $18 and $35 for aluminum and copper (respectively) soap dishes?

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Hans Marvell

4 years ago

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The chosen material and production method for this product is not great. As others have pointed out, no CNC machine is needed for simple 2 axis milling. The material choice is excessive considering the necessary cleaning and the cost of material. Bar soaps are very effective and much more environmentally friendly to produce than liquid soap as they leave little excessive packaging and soap left-overs can be re-moulded to new bars. So a soap dish should not infringe on that advantage and is not needed if your sink has a place for soap to reside. If you must have a dish then make it in any material that can resist moisture and is far more environmentally friendly and easy to produce. Even recycled plastic would be a better option. The true test for all crowd-funding ideas is that they get quoted by a real world factory first and evaluated by a retail brand. Once you get into the necessary material purchase, tooling costs, minimum order quantities and shipping and hold them up against retail price and market expectations then most projects like this die. Googling similar items brings up a hoard for dishes made in steel and lacquered or brushed to imitate copper or brass - with obvious rust issues. It would not be hard for a production savy brand to make a similar item at reduced cost. If the problem is the mess left behind by wet soaps why not look at the design of the soap instead or incorporate re-formning the soap left-overs into the dish?

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- Brian Howey
  
  Hans Marvell
  
  4 years ago
  
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  Hey Hans, thanks for the thoughts and consideration. I love machining and machine made objects! The production method is part of the actual appeal to this object for me and other people who appreciate machined goods! I personally hate plastic objects and the more machined metal things around the better. Because I am making this dishes myself all of the costs and minimum order quantities and testing are a null point. I may have a copy cat follow my design and make this but by then I will be making something else. Thanks again for the feedback! Cheers, Brian
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Ross Oliver

4 years ago

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I can't believe anyone would use a $10,000 CNC machine to make any object with nothing but straight lines.

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- Brian Howey
  
  Ross Oliver
  
  4 years ago
  
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  I love minimal design and straight clean lines but I would be happy to check out any other designs!
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Jo Mo

4 years ago

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Even if you didn't have access to a CNC it would be fairly straight forward to get someone to machine these. Obviously they would be more expensive. I like the simplicity. This is a good reminder of how low stakes a kickstarter can be. Start small and learn.

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Brian Howey

4 years ago

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Hey thanks for featuring the project!

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Zach W

4 years ago

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I can't imagine that many people have access to a $10,000 CNC machine and solid blocks of Aluminum to make an $18 piece of metal soap dish.....
Also I would wager that the raw Aluminum block probably cost about $15 so I'm not sure how this is profitable..... machine run time cost, replacing cutting bits, finishing and polishing time....

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- Brian Howey
  
  Zach W
  
  4 years ago
  
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  Your number are a little bit off. This is profitable but humbly so.
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- Scott Watrous
  
  Zach W
  
  4 years ago
  
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  If you happen to be a small company and maybe while working on other things you have a CNC sitting idle between big projects, then smaller projects like these are a great way to keep that mortgage payment slim. Also that aluminum is probably a $4-5 block at most. Its not very thick which saves it.
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  - Kyle Wolfe
    
    Scott Watrous
    
    4 years ago
    
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    For one we usually have waste aluminum that is small and hard to use. We used to make brass knuckle bottle openers out of 1/2" thick aluminum for fun and nest them into what would just get recycled. When you buy plate aluminum in 4x8 or larger sheets you try the best you can to use it all. If it is scrap then the cost is only what the recycler would give you which is 50 cents a pound. Much nicer than a plastic soap dish that can't get recycled.
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