Class of 2018 Ag here. Considering starting a side business welding up replica A&M water towers.

In the process of researching the royalty costs I would need to pay A&M to use the slogan and logo. I think it's around 14% for any sales over $2,500.

I would make them to scale and around 5ft tall. Probably eventually weighing a few hundred pounds. Also considering making some that have a cutout with a 3 or 4 gun maroon felt rack.

I was thinking people would be interested in them for placement in backyards, game rooms, studies, offices, etc

Is this something you think would be a viable business or would buy? Still working full time in Houston so I would only be able to work on this during my weekends

Thank you for any feedback

Why the water tower? Probably not the best icon.

Not sure the water tower is iconic enough to warrant, but no risk really if you're just making them one at a time to order with no inventory.

The license you want to look at is the "crafts" license. I forget what it's really called. It allows you to produce small numbers of something and utilize the trademarks for almost nothing.

The Dirty Sock said:

---

Why the water tower? Probably not the best icon.

---

Replicas of the Dirty Sock, though? Now THERE'S an idea!

At 5ft tall I would only put that outside and probably only if I owned a large amount of land somewhere. I might buy a 1ft tall one for my desk at work though.

I picked the water tower because it's a simple design just using pipe and rolling some sheet metal

I used to sell paintings of A&M landmarks. The "Welcome to Aggieland" tower prints were one of my best sellers.

I would pay upwards of $12 for this.

AliasMan02 said:

---

The Dirty Sock said:

---

Why the water tower? Probably not the best icon.

---

Replicas of the Dirty Sock, though? Now THERE'S an idea!

---

ive got a couple dozen pairs for sale

Post a pic of your prototype

Which water tower? The giant mushroom one, or the one they tore down in the early '70s that people used to paint crap on all the time?

A water tower 5ft tall won't provide any useful pressure. Trust me, I lived in Hotard for two years and the real one was right there.

maybe take this to the Business Forum. You'll have better luck getting serious responses.

Sex sells. Keep that in mind.

Tatem said:

---

maybe take this to the Business Forum. You'll have better luck getting serious responses.

---

I think we've been very courteous so far but I feel we're being laserdisc'd here.

Weighing several hundred pounds? Maybe try 16 gauge instead of 3/4 plate.

Racer X said:

---

I used to sell paintings of A&M landmarks. The "Welcome to Aggieland" tower prints were one of my best sellers.

---

Knox??

goodAg80 said:

---

Sex sells. Keep that in mind.

---

Sexy water tower. Got it.

I used to sell AGGIELAND TRAMSFORMERS, and the Rudder Tower was a better seller.

I have become wealthy selling hastily-painted prints of Aggie sporting events that feature floating, distorted human forms and vaguely patriotic imagery. I'm always amazed at the crap Aggies will buy!

Sell a replica bow tie

Did you have transformers of the Commons where each dorm was a different transformer and when combined they would create one super robot called the Common Denominator? Bonus points if Aston smelled and Krueger was a *****.

It all depends, are you a ****ty welder? If so, it probably wont work out well for you...

You're right, the first thing I'd want a replica of from campus is the ugly water tower.

I'm curious what you're planning on selling one of these for. Your mention of $2500 makes me nervous for you.

Tobias Funke said:

---

I'm curious what you're planning on selling one of these for. Your mention of $2500 makes me nervous for you.

---

He's taking about the licensing fee.

Tobias Funke said:

---

I'm curious what you're planning on selling one of these for. Your mention of $2500 makes me nervous for you.

---

Pretty sure that's 14% of total sales over 2,500. Not 14% of a single item sold for over 2,500.

I'll tell you what we need. Design a Lego Kyle Field and I'd buy that sucker and all the pieces from you. There's a knock off brand out there but I'm talking actual Lego blocks.

hlfarmsag said:

---

I picked the water tower because it's a simple design just using pipe and rolling some sheet metal

---

The problem is the styling of it is plain and not really iconic or decorative. At 5' tall it would probably just look like an out of place half column.

I'd just focus on the logo itself. Make some to hang on exterior walls or think of something creative to do with it.

The campus water tower is ugly af and nobody will want one. Build the Gruene water tower instead. There's half a dozen shops here that would probably consign them and you'll sell a ton I'd bet

Yeah, because its proven that people want decorative miniature water towers, they just don't like plain ones.

I would start by selling "Century Trees"... oh wait, that's called a tree farm.

Seriously though, go to College Station, and go to Aggieland Outfitters, the Warehouse, etc. stores and look at the super expensive, hokey stuff they sell ("Aggieland" metal sign with lights - $400) and get some ideas.

Then see what you think you can hand craft and make a profit on.

Can you make me a horse trough beer cooler like from the chicken? slap some A&M stuff on it with some lights and paint it a dark maroon and sell to me? YUP, where do I sign up?