LOGAN — James Somers of Logan is a mechanical engineer for Northrup Grumman by profession. He recently came up with a tie bar idea that is not only functional, but quite unique.
Cache Valley Daily reports he took the same pattern as a Lego and attached it to a tie bar. Both parts are made of surgical grade stainless steel.
“When I was younger, I spent a lot of time building things with Legos,” he said. “The idea came to me and I thought it might connect with others that enjoyed them.”
With a little baggie of Legos in a pocket, Somers can quickly customize a tie bar by building any number of configurations with Lego building blocks. The bar itself is attractive enough on its own and could connect with anyone who wears neckties.
“I’ve started a Kickstarter account and I’m in the process of starting a website,” Somers said. “I made several prototypes and they have been popular with friends and family.”
He made a connection with a manufacturer in Thailand and had prototypes made in six different colors.
“People can personalize their tie bar,” Somers said. “Any age group can use them; my father has one and he is in his sixties.”
Somers graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and went on to get an MBA, both from Utah State University.
“My Kickstarter began in October with a bang,” he said. “It has leveled out a little, but I made over $700, almost 20 percent of my $5,000 goal.”
The Kickstarter price on the tie bars is $20. They are usually priced at $30.
“I want to do necklaces and earrings if it goes well,” Somers said.
Legos have huge name recognition and are a popular line of plastic colored interlocking construction bricks that are manufactured in Billund, Denmark. The bricks come with an array of gears, figurines and various other parts.
Lego pieces can be assembled and connected in many ways to build a variety of objects, including vehicles, buildings, and working robots. Anything constructed can be taken apart again, and the pieces reused to make new things.
The toy bricks have been around since 1949.
Written by ROD BOAM, Cache Valley Daily.
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