Sun Xian and Jiang Dafang may not know how important lubricating oil is. But Han Du knows very well that its function is not only to extend the use time of the machine, but also to keep the machine in peak condition for a long time.
Machinery needs to rotate, and rotation produces friction. Friction needs to heat up. In many cases, the temperature at the friction point will be relatively high when the machine is operating. If exposed to high temperature for a long time, it is extremely easy to damage mechanical components. In addition to reducing mechanical friction, lubricating oil also has the effect of cooling and dissipating heat.
Later, Han Du thought of Iron Rooster Lao Zhu. The majestic Ming Emperor, with an annual income of 30 to 40 million yuan, was so stingy that he even cheated his own money.
But now that he had lubricating oil, Han Du had a way to make Lao Zhu take out the money he had lost again, and he paid twice as much, repeatedly... Han Du felt fierce in his heart. .
Lao Zhu must be happy now that Huangzhuang saved him a lot of money. Don't worry, he will make him cry sometimes. I will let Lao Zhu understand that machinery is not expensive, but later maintenance is really expensive!
Seeing Han Du suddenly laughing, Sun Xian thought that Master Han was happy for Jiang Dafang's discovery, and never thought that Han Du was thinking about how to plot against the emperor.
"The student has something to report to Master Han." Sun Xian slightly cupped his hands.
Han Du looked up at him and nodded, "But it doesn't matter."
After Sun Xian pondered for a moment, he said: "Master Han, now that the machinery workshop has no orders for spinning machines, I'm afraid it will be difficult to maintain it in the future."
"Huh?" Han Du was stunned for a moment, "How could it become like this? Even if there is no order for spinning machines, wouldn't there still be steam engines?"
Sun Xian smiled bitterly, nodded and said: "Yes, there are still steam engines, but we have only sold the steam engines to Huangzhuang, and half of them have been sold now. In other words, the mechanical workshop can still have half of the steam engines to make. If we wait until Once the production is finished, we will have no business.”
On the one hand, there are no orders for spinning machines, and on the other hand, there are steam engines that cannot be afforded by ordinary people. This really forces the machinery workshop into a corner.
Han Du pondered for a moment, raised his head and said to Sun Xian: "Spinning machine, we still can't give up."
"But if the people in Huangzhuang don't want it, even if we build it, who can we sell it to?" Sun Xian asked very puzzled.
Han Du snorted and sneered, "From the beginning, I didn't count on the few spinning machines in Huangzhuang to make money. It's just a few hundred spinning machines. What we want to do is a big business!"
Han Du smiled pointedly and looked at Sun Xian.
Sun Xian lowered his head and thought for a moment, "Well, who else needs more?"
Han Du straightened up and looked beyond the high wall of the workshop. "Spinning machines are used to weave cloth. Among the fifty to sixty million people in the Ming Dynasty, which one does not need clothing, and which one does not need cloth? How much cloth do you think the people of the Ming Dynasty need now?"
"This is probably too many to count." Sun Xian replied thoughtfully.
Han Du nodded and asked, "Are all these pieces of cloth woven by Huangzhuang?"
"How is this possible? There are only so many people in the Imperial Village, and they only provide cloth for the palace. Aren't all the cloths used by the people of the Ming Dynasty woven by the people themselves?"
At this point, Sun Xian was stunned for a moment, suddenly came back to his senses and asked: "Master Han, do you mean to sell these spinning machines to the people?"
"Isn't it possible?" Han Du asked with a smile.
Sun Xian pondered for a moment, raised his head to look at Han Du, and shook his head, "Student understands what Master Han means, but I'm afraid it's really not possible to ask the common people to buy spinning machines."
"Why not?" Han Du thinks there is no problem. Since Lao Zhu doesn't buy it, then he will sell it to the people. There is no problem.
Sun Xian said slowly: "First of all, people weave cloth only for their own use. Even if they can make more money from weaving, it is secondary. No common people will choose to weave cloth specifically for the purpose of selling money."
Han Du nodded immediately after thinking about it, feeling that what Sun Xian said was reasonable. What the people valued most was food, and even poultry and livestock had a higher status than mulberry and hemp. The people weaved cloth mainly to meet their own needs.
"Secondly, our spinning machines are not cheap. Each one costs dozens of strings. Ordinary people may not be able to afford it."
This is also a problem. Ordinary people may not be able to afford one if they spend all their belongings. How can they sell it to the people?
Han Du thought for a while and finally said: "As you said, if the machinery workshop can no longer find financial resources, I am afraid it will not be able to survive. So we must make more people willing to buy spinning machines no matter what. "
"This... I'm afraid it won't be easy." Sun Xian found it difficult to understand that Master Han had not given up the idea of selling spinning machines to the people at this time.
Han Du thought for a while and said: "Things need to be looked at separately. In the past, the reason why people were not willing to weave too much cloth was because they could not sell it for too little and there was almost no profit. But now it is different. ..."
Looking up into Sun Xian's eyes, Han Du was a little excited and said quickly: "Now the Ming Dynasty's sea trade is booming. You don't know something. The Ming Dynasty's cloth is extremely popular overseas. Things. There is no mature weaving skills overseas at all. People there either wrap leaves or wear animal skins. Therefore, they are extremely sought after for the Ming Dynasty cloth that is soft, close-fitting and comfortable to wear. As a result, the cloth woven by the Ming Dynasty, We are facing not only the people of Ming Dynasty, but also a large number of people overseas."
"Haven't you noticed that the price of cloth has been rising in recent years? As long as the price of cloth rises to a level that makes it profitable for the people, weaving alone can earn several times, or even ten times, the amount of farming every year. Income. Then tell me, will people be willing to buy spinning machines?"
Sun Xian was stunned by Han Du's words. He was not someone who knew nothing about overseas. Every year, the college sends a few students who understand mechanics to the old port to help inspect and repair the gantry cranes. Almost all of these students are Sun Xian's students. After they come back, they will naturally tell Sun Xian about what they have experienced overseas.
Sun Xian just didn't take these things to heart, so he didn't think of them immediately.
As for the current price of cloth, Sun Xiancai really knew nothing about it. He was either teaching in the academy or studying machinery in the workshop. He taught all the things in life to his wife and parents. When it comes to things like firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea, he really doesn't know anything about it.
Hearing what Han Du said, Sun Xian frowned and said, "If this is the case, then maybe there are people who are willing to make a living entirely by weaving. But even so, they probably can't afford spinning yarn. machine."
"This is indeed a problem," Han Du nodded and admitted, then changed his tone, "But don't be afraid if you encounter problems, we will just solve them."
Sun Xian immediately pricked up his ears, not daring to miss a word.
"First of all, the spinning machines we are building now are too bulky and too big. People may not be able to use twelve spindles at all. We might as well reduce the number of spindles first, for example, build a spinning machine with eight or even six spindles. .In this way, the materials used will naturally decrease, and the cost will also decrease accordingly. When the price decreases, people will naturally be able to afford it.
The efficiency of the spinning machine is extremely high. Even a spinning machine with six spindles is more than ten times more efficient than a spinning wheel. It is far more efficient than the spinning wheels used by ordinary people today and is completely enough for a family to use. "
"Secondly, even if a family cannot afford to buy a spinning machine. If that is not possible, we can rent the spinning machine to the people without charging money for the time being."
"Lease, how to rent?" Sun Xian was stunned for a moment. He had never thought that doing business is not about paying the money and delivering the goods. Is there anything else that can be rented?
Han Du said with a smile: "It's very simple. If someone wants to buy a spinning machine but doesn't have enough money, then we can rent the spinning machine to him after verifying his property. Of course, the price will naturally be higher. It’s a little higher than buying it directly, just 10% higher. Then within a year, you can slowly return the money for the spinning machine to us by paying back a little every month.”
"In this way, after the people have spinning machines, they can spin a steady stream of cloth. After they sell the cloth, they can slowly repay the money for the spinning machines."
"Good idea!" Sun Xian's heart suddenly became enlightened. He didn't expect that Master Han would actually solve all the problems in a few words.
Moreover, Sun Xian was sure that people would definitely buy spinning machines by leasing them. Because although this may seem like 10% more money, the risk becomes much smaller. After all, before people buy spinning machines, they always have worries about what to do if the cloth they weave cannot be sold. After all, they have to spend such a large sum of money.
There is no such worry when renting a spinning machine. Even if the cloth cannot be sold at a later date, it is enough to return the spinning machine to the workshop.
Seeing that Sun Xian agreed, Han Du felt relieved and said after a few breaths: "In addition, don't take it lightly. The reason why Huangzhuang dared to regret not buying our spinning machine is because the current spinning machine is too simple. They can learn it as soon as they learn it. If you want to lead people to continue to improve the spinning machine, it is best to make it more efficient and more complex in structure so that people cannot learn it. The current spinning machine is only twelve Spindle man, try it and see if you can make a spinning machine with sixteen or even twenty-four spindles. As long as our spinning machine is always better than Huangzhuang's, I don't believe it. They can endure it. Come and buy our spinning machine."
Sun Xian's eyes suddenly lit up when he heard Han Du's words. When he thought about the faces of those in Huangzhuang, he felt extremely angry. But now when he thinks that one day in the future, those people will come to him again to beg for mercy, he feels proud in his heart.
