# Registered Design?



## woodpig (9 Nov 2016)

I've developed what I think may be a new wood turning tool that I've not seen before and wondered if I could have the design registered. I'm not interested in making the tool for sale myself but perhaps one of the sellers may be interested for a modest consideration. I'm not sure if it could be patented but I'm not interested in that route anyway as its far too expensive but a registered design is only £60. Any thoughts?


----------



## marcros (9 Nov 2016)

I am not sure that it is worth the effort/cost. You are protecting the look and shape of your product, which is easy enough to bypass. I believe that if you sign , date and certify your drawings, you are automatically protected. People used to post a copy to themselves, so that it was postmarked with a date and leave the envelope unopened, in case it was needed. 

I would draw up a non compete, non circumvention and non disclosure agreement for when you approach a suitable supplier. This will prevent them from telling others about your design, and stop them cutting you out. I can find you a template for one of these if it helps you. 

If your tool is new and unique, it may well market as the "woodpig hollowing system" , "woodpig texturing tool" etc and protect itself in the same way that other named tools have. You can only get the tool from one place, it isn't a big enough item that competitors will start to mass produce it themselves and you will never stop a man in his garage making one for himself.


----------



## AndyT (9 Nov 2016)

You probably know already, but the facts are here

https://www.gov.uk/design-right


----------



## Mike Jordan (27 Jan 2017)

I don't think that the cost of registering the design is the problem, it's the costs involved in trying to defend your rights in court. Any turning tool has a limited market, if some large and wealth concern on the other side of the world chooses to steal the design and market the tool can anyone afford the legal assistance to take them on?


----------

