http://sinclairql.com/wp/?p=59
Summer’s end….and back to work.
I decided to fill my summer instead with pursuits that were a) free, b) healthy for my mind and c) healthy for my body. This involved much hiking, kayaking and visiting with friends. I’m several pounds lighter, more tanned, and have more energy and stamina than I have had in many years. I found the effects so beneficial, I have decided to do this every summer from now on – I plan to vacation from June 1st to September 1st every year.
Anyway, back on topic.
Earlier in the year I took on many side projects – some not even QL related. They consumed my entire development fund to the point where I had to take on a second job to just make ends meet. It was a terrible misjudgment on my part and it has caused me – and my customers – much inconvenience. I even had to drop the makerspace membership over the summer to make ends meet.
I ordered a small run of prototype PCBs but there were differences between the files and what I received. This was doubly disappointing because I was using software provided by the PCB manufacturer – they can’t even interpret their own files properly. I am still in search of a new PCB design program for all future work, because it has caused me unnecessary expense – but maybe that was their plan.
I have looked at where I stand with outstanding orders. I am going to concentrate the next few days on getting all orders current. I will not take any new orders AT ALL (except felt pad orders) until SuperRAM is finished, assembled, packaged and ready to ship. I have decided to assemble a full run of 100 SuperRAM. This is far more than I can sell right now, but it makes the assembly and unit cost low enough to be sensible. I expect to sell around 30 SuperRAM right away, but the remaining 70 SuperRAM will be on hand to sell to any returning QLers or upgraders for many years to come.
I really need to change shipping method. I currently stand at over 15% failed delivery rate due to losses in shipping. I have issued over $600 in refunds but still have all the unrecoverable expenses. I understand that my local USPS office is notorious for losses like this – UPS and FedEx are simply too expensive to be economic. It’s a business destroyer that has deeply harmed my relationship with many of my customers. I need to work that out before the SuperRAM is ready to ship – even if it means driving 35 miles to another area to use a different USPS branch.
I have learned to be much more cautious and conservative with my promises and timelines. Resources are very limited, and they do not magically appear when needed. There are upsides and downsides to this:
Upsides: The UltimIDE is mostly designed, logically speaking. Most of the thinking is done on it, also some testing. A lot of that feeds in to UltraQ.
Downsides: UltraQ is going to be HARD. Doing UltraQ will take longer than thought and cost more. I can’t solve some problems by just throwing money at them. For example, I originally hoped it would be a 6-layer PCB. I am now going to instead do the work to make it a 4-layer PCB, because my time is cheaper than the increased cost of a 6-layer PCB.
So, what’s the new timescale? I don’t even want to give one. I know I can get SuperRAM done in weeks, but I won’t commit to anything closer than “this year.” I think I can get UltimIDE out by the beginning of next summer’s vacation. UltraQ? Late 2015 or early 2016? I don’t even feel comfortable guessing.
So, that’s the state of play. It’s depressing to say. It must be depressing to hear, too.
Ok. Back to work.
