Can I get a basket certified?

I am entertaining the idea of making my own line of baskets.  I am good business friends with one of the best fabricators, he does much more expensive work for our family business.  I trust that he can make the highest quality baskets.  I have given him my own blueprints based on the PDGA standards and I would like him to make me baskets for my course.  These baskets will be as nice as the mach series and I would like them to be PDGA approved for sanctioned tournament play.  Is this even possible.  It would save me a TON of money. 

 

The info I have found is misleading.  It looks like each basket would need to be sent out at a fee of 150 dollars to be certified. 

 

Now if that is true, I would like to know if I can be trained to certify them?  That may be cheaper..

 

I think ultimately, my goal is to have an online business selling baskets at a discounted price.  I think that I can make a better basket cheaper than the competition.  What do you guys think about it?

 

 

[Donny Olow]

I did see this on PDGA website .

http://www.pdga.com/files/documents/PDGATechStandards_121909.pdf

[Chuck Kennedy]

Only one basket needs to be sent in for testing. The cost for approval is a one time fee of $350. Typically, the basket is retained and is displayed and used in the practice area at the PDGA HQ complex in Georgia.

[Daniel T Neilly]

Awesome thanks guys! Now for the hardest question.. How do I know that my specifications do not violate any other companies patents?

[Chuck Kennedy]

Simply contact them if you have a specific issue for a structure that looks similar on your target to theirs. The only structural patent I know for sure is still in force is the slider assembly for the chains on the Mach baskets from DGA/Discraft. Otherwise, product names would be protected by trademark so you wouldn't want to call your target the Mach 9 let's say.

[eric beich]

good for you man!! about time we see someone else start to try making baskets!!

I'm sure it's not going to make you rich but if it helps the sport and if you can make baskets that the PDGA will approve and catch plastic better.. then I am all for it!!

[Ben Farris]

How much would you be looking to sell the baskets for?

[ROBEY the one.]

GL with that, it's a lot harder than you would think and very labor intensive. I know, I started a company (with a partner) doing this exact thing 4 years ago and are just starting to get big. some things to think about that you probably wont for see is shipping costs, start up costs like steel to make them, chain which is f'n expensive and very hard to find a consistent source, coating costs (e-coat, powder-coat,or galvinization or a combination of them), and last but not least advertising (way more than you would think!). Also there are things I wont tell you that you will definitlly encounter, but you'll have to earn that knowledge on your own. And unless your friend works for beer, your cost is gonna way more substantial than you think, driving your profit margin way down. My company is only successful because we have a multimillion dollar international company as our parent company. We were lucky enough to already have all the knowledge, materials, machines, logistics company, finishing company and manufacturing connections established before we started, keeping our start up costs low, and by low I mean 60K+.

All that plus a superior design to what was on the market, and after 4 years we are finally in the black.
But I wish you luck, or if your not prepared for all those headaches plus some I wasn't willing to share, check out our site for the best baskets currently on the market (I have more ideas soon to come). PDGA approved at the championship level.



may seem like a shameless plug but its not, just want to let you know what you might be getting into. If I had to do it all again I dont know if I would, well maybe, it was great experience for my next business that I'm starting this month.

[4U2NV]

Just make sure to incorporate a mini basket on top. That way people can debate on whether or not when the disc is resting in the basket on top if it counts or not.

[Ben Calhoun]

I was picturing a mini-basket for minis, on top. For playing a round with your minis. Can't wait now!

[floyd eye DGP]

I'll second all from disc king! It's a tough planet so don't plan on retiring after that PDGA approval if you take it that far. You can't beat China and most every basket you play today was made over there or somewhere near there. Just look at the list of approved mfgs., most of them don't even exist anymore. Sorry , you simply will not and cannot beat the DB-9($199.00 w/ s&h) & other out sourced overseas baskets with other companies names on them unless you are sitting on a s*#! load of money and I do mean a shit load. KEEP IT UNDERGROUND & BUILD YOUR OWN KICK ASS BASKETS!

[floyd eye DGP]

On that note I'll put my baskets up against anything out there & I build them 100% by hand right here in OHIO w/ nothing but the finest materials top to bottom!

www.floydeye.com

[ROBEY the one.]

i'd take that bet, but im not doggin on your baskets by any means.