AIC Success Story - Thread Wizard Bolt Cleaner
The AIC team recently interviewed Marc Golat, part of the team behind the Thread Wizard bolt cleaner, which received an honorable mention in the 2015 Arctic Innovation Competition. The Thread Wizard was created for mechanics to have a safer and more efficient way to clean dirty bolts.
Inspiration for the Thread Wizard
The idea for the Thread Wizard was thought up by Golat's business partner, Gary Taylor, who is a mechanic. The old way to clean dirty bolts was using a wheel grinder. This wheel grinder would frequently cause injuries due to bolts coming loose and shooting off into the room while being cleaned. In addition, because the wire bristles on the wire wheel can fall out, they can potentially end up in someone’s eye or finger, making the use of this old product even more dangerous for mechanics. Taylor witnessed this problem first hand when he was cleaning old bolts and was almost struck in the eye by a bristle from a wire wheel. Taylor decided something needed to be created to ensure this would not happen to other fellow mechanics. Thus, the Thread Wizard came to be, a product that not only saves time and money, but also creates a safer work environment for mechanics everywhere.
The Thread Wizard Innovation
Taylor took the original wire wheel and transformed it into stationary tool. Previously, mechanics would hold their bolts against a quickly spinning wire wheel. The Thread Wizard addresses this potential hazard by fitting the wire wheel into a sturdy handle, which can be held by hand or clamped into a vise. The wires protrude into various-sized holes surrounding the wheel. When a bolt is turned through the Thread Wizard either by hand or by power tool, the wire wheel removes dirt, rust, and other build up quickly and safely.
AIC Idea Update
Since the idea was presented at AIC 2015, the Thread Wizard is now being sold all over the world through Golat's and Taylor's company, GolaTTAylor Tools, Inc. The Thread Wizard team has started marketing the product globally and now sells the product in Canada, Estonia, and even Australia. Golat stated that his team’s main goal is to help people understand what this new tool is and how it can help mechanics. His team has already started achieving this goal through a 5-minute segment about the Thread Wizard air on Velocity TV, a program that reaches over 50,000 people. Just through this segment alone, sales of the Thread Wizard have already increased. The team hopes to continue making people aware of their innovation and expanding their sales reach.
Words of Wisdom for AIC Competitors
Golat believes that all competitors should feel confident about entering the Arctic Innovation Competition if they have a new innovation to share with the world. Golat explained, “Any product, no matter big or small, is worthwhile to show somebody, because you might have something that’s really good, so don’t be afraid.”
View a short video taken during an interview with Golat on July 20, 2016.
