DIYbanter - View Single Post - Question, any help would be appreciated : )

wrote:

I've researched into the applicable patent law, and the metal piece
that I'm trying to manufacture is too obvious to patent.

I agree that the relationship that you're describing would be ideal. I
would like to find someone like that to work with. In my experience
with business however, I've only ever encountered people that want to
screw you from every possible angle before you have the chance to know
what hit you.

Please don't take offense to this, but maybe
you could find a better bunch of people to
deal with. I'm not a young man and I've done
business all my life with a handshake backed
up with a half-page agreement. I've never felt
the need to sue anyone and I've never been sued.

I am by nature a person that wants to only engage in non-zero sum
exchanges (transactions from which all parties benefit). However, I've
learned from experience that if you don't protect yourself, you'll get
ripped off in a second, and that even the most seemingly fair and kind
person will probably switch personalities at the prospect of profit.
At the same time, there are some genuinely honest and fair people out
there, but they make up a much smaller percentage of the population
than most people would think.

In my present situation, the only way to protect myself would be to
either:

a) work with someone who is legit (if you can recommend anyone, I live
in the Chicagoland area. Like I said, I am only interested in engaging
in relationships in which everybody benefits, so the person to which
I'm referred to would benefit as well)

or

b) legally pin down the person who I work with such that they can't
take the idea, manufacture the part themself and start selling it (not
that they would probably know the target market anyway)

Of course, option A is much more preferable. However, if option A
doesn't pan out, do you know how an unconnected person finds a
metalworker that could do what I'm trying to have done?