Health, wellness AND a new product!

[Mr. Wonka]

I recently caught a cold which quickly started to turn into a sinus infection. Years ago my doctor told me about a sinus / nasal irrigation using sea salt and warm water… a technique which has been used for thousands of years for sinus and allergy problems using an item called a “Neti pot”

Over the years I have made several Neti pots out of glass for myself and some friends, and it has always provided me with relief the same day, and got rid of the infection within a couple of days without using any medication. My sinus infections are usually accompanied by a sore throat and trouble swallowing due to post nasal drip.

I thought I would share it with you, as it is a great item for your own health, in addition to something most (any?) of us have ever made. I love finding new products in “niche markets”… it’s kind of a specialty of mine.

Some possibilities for sales: Holistic medicine practitioners, yoga places, acupuncture / alternative medicine facilities, health food stores, eBay, etc.

They work fine with clear, but you could offer a product line of various sizes, styles, colors, and prices… as well as custom orders.

Enjoy, feel better, and I hope you make some $$$ with this idea : )

Tom Doner


P.S.- Download more info and pictures HERE (http://users.csonline.net/glass/netipot.doc)

[Mr. Wonka]

I forgot to mention that these Neti pots are quite small, only holding a couple of ounces of liquid. I'd post a photo of the one that I made, but I had a helluva sinus headache when I made it, and although quite functional, it's shitty looking and does not look all that good.

Think of a typical prodo spoon / sherlock, with the bubble for the bowl being 2x the size.

I'll make a new one now that I'm feeling better and post a photo of it.

Tom

[Albino Sasquatch]

sweet sounds cool i could use one and im sure i could get rid of a few too!!! cant wait to see pic and how it works

[ALIEN!]

thanks Tom, I'll definitely try this next spring for allergy season if not sooner. Seems like a pretty sound idea.

26189

[Glassroots]

hmmmm, i wonder what other cavities I could clean with it.

[Orion Glass Works]

Hah that picture doesn't show the shit coming out the other nostril though. Netipots work wonders sometimes, but it is a very strange feeling having water in your head. Tis a great idea for a product :)

[SNYD]

Nice one Tom, Thanks for sharing!

[blackstoneglass]

Thats a great idea tom. Im going to have to make myself one

[Greymatter Glass]

I use the pressurized sterile saline spray for nasal irrigation... I swear by them. I agree the feeling of that water in your head is an odd sensation. I do it in the shower, otherwise all that crap ends up on my shirt, the floor, the side of the sink... it's a mess.

[Icarus]

I shouldn't have been eating while reading this thread. I'm with you Tom. When I first heard of the concept of neti pots, I was like "I want no part to do with some new age shit that has me running water through my nose. I try to NOT get water in my nose". Then i had one of the worst head colds ever, and the pressure in my sinuses was so bad I could hardly get off the couch. My wife went and picked up one for me, and I was willing to try anything to get rid of the pressure, and it worked like a charm. Now I swear by the things. Never thought of making them though. Thanks for the great idea.

[Boss]

looks like she is sniffing in off a humming bird feeder..... my wife has problems with nasal.... she has to use spray everyday! this might be an idea to try....

[Mac Maestro]

A companion piece to this is a jar that the salts can be kept in. Make it a set!

[MountainGlassArts]

Too cool! I use my ceramic one on a weekly basis and can't believe the thought of a glass Neti Pot never crossed my mind...

[Mr. Wonka]

You’re very welcome everybody : )

Try this approach in your life every day: Look at anything and everything around you and ask yourself, “Can I make that out of glass”.

You will find that there are tons of items that can be made that other glass workers have never done before, which will open up many new and exclusive markets that are yours for the taking.

When you make an assortment of products and hope people will buy your work, you’re taking a “shotgun” approach to sales. Some pellets will miss the target, some will get close to the center, while most others may fall somewhere in between.

To choose an item… especially one where you have NO competition from other glass blowers, it is what I call the “sniper” approach… you hit the bull’s eye every time.

Don’t make products and then look for a market… think backwards and find a market, then make a product to fit it. If you do this, you can’t lose.

It’s the best advice I can give anyone, and I hope it helps : )

Tom