Help us reach $8000 so that we can offer a choice of many VIBRANT colors for the CoolerKeepers! If we reach this stretch goal, every backer will have a choice of green, red, gold, blue and others! Our anodizer will only do this with sufficient quantities!
I received a set of regular soapstone whiskey stones for Christmas and really liked them. They cooled my drink without watering it down. The problem was that they didn't last long enough. I had to keep going back to the freezer to add more as they warmed up. Soapstone works alright, but is not dense enough to keep a beverage cold for as long as it takes to enjoy a beverage without rushing. Good bourbon, wine or beer should be sipped!
Simply put the entire set of ChillBottles in the freezer for at least a couple of hours. Stainless steel is non-porous, so it doesn't pick up unwanted smells or flavors from the freezer. Then, when you want to relax out on the patio or porch with your favorite friends and beverages, take the whole set with you! They will stay cold for quite a while because of the frosty CoolerKeeper that is surrounding them!
Having been a CNC machinist and engineer for thirty years, I decided to use my skills and equipment to craft a product that not only can cool your drink longer and better, but is also unique and fun. A piece of art, if you will.
I decided to use the same grade of stainless steel that food utensils are made out of for two reasons. It is proven safe and clean, and two, it is much denser than soapstone, able to transfer many times as much heat as soapstone or other types of stone.
That's when it struck me! Bottles! Whiskey, wine, beer and who knows what else! The result are a unique and fun conversation starter for parties and get togethers.
Being a CAD designer, I began creating drawings of each bottle, trying to stay true to the classic shapes of each.
Then I began making prototypes until I had shapes that my family, friends and coworkers immediately recognized.
My daughter asked if I could make a holder for them (could it look like a six pack?). I realized that I could make a container that not only resembled a six pack, but could be used to keep the ChillBottles colder longer without having to go back to the freezer, and the CoolerKeeper was born! Each CoolerKeeper is customized for its bottle, and they are fun and functional!
The nuts and bolts of it
We could have reduced the cost by using cheaper materials, but decided to make these the highest possible quality. ChillBottles are CNC machined from high grade 304 stainless steel, the same stuff that stainless flatware is made from. They are then polished to a mirror-like finish in a process called vibratory finishing. The CoolerKeepers are milled from 6061 aluminum and also vibratory polished. They are then clear coat anodized to keep their high luster for years to come!
Where we would like go
We have many ideas that we are working on. Requests have included ChampagneBottles for weddings, PopBottles, (or SodaBottles for you east coasters) , and CoffeeCups for the Java addicts out there to take the edge off when it is too hot. We will make these happen if this project launches successfully!
Commonly asked questions
How big are they? - ChillBottles are 2" tall and 3/4" wide. CoolerKeepers are 2" X 3" and are up to 1.25" tall.
Will they damage my glasseware? - ChillBottles are heavier than standard whiskey rocks (which is why they cool so well) and need to be handled with a little more TLC. My wife was worried about her "expensive" crystal, but now she uses ChillBottles with every glass of wine. A little common sense goes a long way. NEVER drop them into a fragile glass. Tilt the glass and SET them in carefully. Following these rules, We haven't had a glass break or chip yet!
Important Note!
Never put a ChillBottle in a bottle that you are going to drink from. Bottles tend to be lifted past horizontal allowing the ChillBottle to slide back out, possibly damaging your teeth or become a choking hazard. ONLY use ChillBottles in glasses!
Risks and challenges
I have completed making the prototypes successfully, but I need to purchase more equipment and material to get them into full production. I have great relationships with many local machine shops that are able to handle higher quantities should the need arise ( I hope so!). I will add as many manufacturers as is necessary to make the earliest possible delivery. The materials I use are of the highest quality, and are very expensive. I hope to lower my costs by purchasing higher quantities of materials as well as tools.
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Funding period
- (30 days)