I have been doing this for 13 years now. I am glad to have made a lot of people very happy by helping them get their heavy telescopes mobile. I have learned a lot about running a tiny manufacturing business. But it is taking too much of my time that should be spent writing books (including two sci-fi novels that are somewhat underway, and a technical memoir: Present at the Birth of the PC Age) and teaching. Doing all the paperwork at end of year is also no fun.
I did it for a while for the money, but I now have all the money my wife and I will ever need. Shortly I will start removing products for which I do not have materials in stock from the web page. I will probably cut prices by 20% to try and clear materials and parts. The leftover casters I can return to the manufacturer for credit minus 15%. Some of the leftover aluminum tubing and flats can likely be sold on eBay.
I will miss doing this, but there are many things more important. If I knew someone with a drill press and bandsaw, I might sell them the business. I have priced my products so that I could make about $25/hour. That's just very attractive anymore to most people, now that unskilled labor often pays $15/hour.
I am thrilled that I have received purchase inquiries.
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