Every Low-Voltage PRO Needs This AMAZING Cabling Tool

We explore an innovative tool for low-voltage technicians with inventor Bobby Martin, who created the OmniShelf – a portable magnetic workspace that attaches to metal surfaces for holding laptops, tools, and equipment in the field.

• Bobby developed the idea while working on drilling rigs, noticing the need for a portable workspace
• The OmniShelf features powerful rare earth magnets with approximately 100 pounds of pull force
• Multiple mounting options allow it to attach to various surfaces including metal racks and columns
• Includes features like hardware pockets, storage space, and magnetic surfaces for holding tools
• Perfect for technicians working in server rooms, telecom closets, and other installation environments
• Bobby is developing accessories including risers for cable access, mouse pad attachments, and tool holders
• Available through TheOmniShelf.com, Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, and industrial suppliers

Check out the OmniShelf at TheOmniShelf.com – an all-in-one solution that will change how you work in the field. Don't forget to join our live stream Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern where you can ask questions about installation, certification, design, and project management.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Let's Talk Cabling
• 2:33 Introduction to the OmniShelf Tool
• 6:44 Meet Bobby Martin: Inventor's Background
• 10:05 OmniShelf Design and Problem-Solving Features
• 13:43 Product Walkthrough and Demonstrations
• 16:30 From Idea to Market: Development Journey
• 19:00 New Product Features and Future Plans
• 20:43 Advice for Aspiring Inventors

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hey, wiremonkeys, welcome to another episode of let's Talk Cabling. I'm doing a special tool show today with a tool that you're going to want to have.

Speaker 2: 0:10

Welcome to let's Talk Cabling, the award-winning podcast where knowledge is power and the low-voltage industry connects. Hosted by Chuck Bowser, rcdd. We're here to empower installers, designers and industry pros with the tips, stories and best practices you need to stay ahead. From copper to fiber, standards to innovation, this is the show that keeps you plugged into success. So grab your tools, turn up the volume and let's talk cabling.

Speaker 1: 0:45

Welcome to the show where we tackle the tough questions submitted by technicians, installers, apprentices, project managers, estimators, it personnel, even customers. We are connecting at the human level so that we can connect the world. If you're listening to this show on YouTube, would you mind hitting the subscribe button and the bell button to be notified when new content is being produced? If you're listening to us on one of the audio podcast platforms, would you mind leaving us a five-star rating? Those simple little steps helps us take on the algorithm so we can educate, encourage and enrich the lives of people in the ICT industry. Wednesday night, 6 pm, eastern Standard Time. What are you doing? You know I do a live stream on TikTok, facebook, linkedin, instagram and anywhere else. My platform will send it where you get to ask your favorite RCDD and you know that's me your favorite RCDD Questions on installation, certification, design, project management. I even do career path questions, but I can hear you now. But, chuck, I'm driving my truck at Wednesday nights at 6 pm. I don't want to get crashed and get in an accident. That's okay, I record them and you can listen to them at your convenience. And finally, while this show is free and will always remain free, if you find value in this content. Would you click on that QR code right there? You can buy me a cup of coffee. You can even schedule a 15-minute one-on-one call with me after hours, of course.

Speaker 1: 2:12

So, as I said in the intro, we, as technicians, we love tools. We love tools, especially if they come in Milwaukee red. We love our tools. Sometimes we're a little addictive to our tools. But what if? A little addictive to our tools? But what if I told you there's one tool that you probably never thought that you needed, but once you see it, you're going to go. Chuck, I need one of those. This is how this happened. A friend of mine said hey, chuck, you need to go check this out. So I went and checked them out. I ended up buying one, so you'll see it, we'll talk about it on the show out. I ended up buying one, so you'll see it, we'll talk about it on the show. I bought this. This is not given to me, okay? So Chuck put his own money in the game here. This thing's called an OmniShelf, so I want to talk to the owner and vendor of this, talk about the actual product and his journey. Welcome to the show, bobby Martin. How are you doing, my friend?

Speaker 3: 2:59

Good. Thank you. Glad to be here.

Speaker 1: 3:02

Absolute pleasure to have you. So, for those who may not know, you, tell us who you are and who you work for, and why should we listen to you?

Speaker 3: 3:23

Well, my name is Bobby Martin and I used to work on drilling rigs as a service technician, working on all controls software, hmis, plcs, electrical, pretty much everything. I came up with this idea while I was working on the rigs One of the third party companies they always had a on their control cabinets. When you open the door they had a metal shelf bolted, a fold up shelf bolted on the inside of the door, and once I said that's where they set their laptops on. So I was like plugging into PLCs. And that's when it kind of hit me. I me as a day, because I worked all over the rig I need something and the rig is metal, so I just need something portable like this and, of course, magnets and metal. And then, uh, that's kind of like how the idea came about and then one step left to another led to another and I came up with the omni shelf.

Speaker 1: 4:07

Yeah, one of the things I love about when I went to your website it's very simple, very easy to navigate. And I was expecting I'll be honest with you I was kind of expecting like a 3D printed kind of thing. You know, my son has got a 3D printer and he gives me stuff and I have another friend who's got a 3D printer too, and sometimes when I get some of the stuff I look at and I go, yeah, that's 3D printed. Yeah, it's not quite the same quality. But I'm telling you, the Omni shelf that I bought from you, that thing's top notch and it's got a good bit of weight to it and you have more than one option because not everybody has access to metal frames to attach the thing to. You have suction cups and a bunch of other stuff and your website's laid out really great.

Speaker 1: 4:49

So you already kind of described the problem you were trying to solve and before the show, before we actually hit the record, I never even thought about this. You showed me another way to use that shelf and I know the magnets are strong because when I'm not using mine, I got it attached to my metal cabinet next to me here. You actually had two drills attached hanging off this thing, this Two drills. You actually had two drills attached. Hanging off this thing, two drills. What are those magnets rated at?

Speaker 3: 5:18

the ones we mounted. The use for mounting is about 100 pounds of straight pull and there's three of them on there two on the top of the Y and one at the bottom. Now it's wide, so that way it's adjustable. So so, if you can, you can slide them all three down and you can stick it to maybe like a four inch column.

Speaker 1: 5:37

You said you do PLC and some other stuff that's low voltage work. Yes, the vast majority of people that I deal with they're low voltage as well, but they're going to be doing, you know, voice cabling, data cabling, AV, access control, fire alarm and maybe even connecting their computer to a hub or router or switch to do updates and stuff like that. Right, how is the OmniShelf?

Speaker 3: 6:05

going to benefit them Well. Like myself, when I came up with the idea, I was always having not just a laptop either. I use it for everything, it's just a workbench or a desk or whatever you need it for. But I was always having to set my tools or my laptop on the floor and on the control rooms in a on a rig. They're usually especially if it's a new build it's muddy and dirty and that's kind of it just helps you ergonomically. It just keeps everything at arm's reach and safer to work.

Speaker 1: 6:34

Right, yeah, because I can see now. I can see a technician now with this attached to a seven-foot relay rack with their computer on it, because a lot of times when the racks are built like, in fact, you see the rack behind me, I've got in that rack, I've got a fiber optic enclosure, a couple patch panels, a couple um, um wire managers, but there's no shelf there. So if I'm a technician trying to upstate, update or do some changes to a switch or something, there's no place really for my laptop and this thing should be perfect for that.

Speaker 3: 7:06

Yes, sir yeah, absolutely perfect makes uh work a little bit easier.

Speaker 1: 7:13

Raise your hand out there if you want your work a little easier, because I know I do. I know I do right. Let's talk about some challenges. Everybody wants to build a better mousetrap. I hear this from technicians all the time. I got an idea for a great invention, chuck. How do I go about this right trap? I hear this from technicians all the time. I got an idea for a great invention, chuck. How do I go about this? Right?

Speaker 3: 7:36

What challenges did you face coming up with the OmniShelf and bringing it to market? Pretty much every step was a challenge, because I knew absolutely nothing about any of the steps and I don't know if it was just meant to be or whatever, whatever but every time I searched or reached out or I did anything, a door would open and I would meet the right person at the right time at every stage, from designing it to getting it patented, to manufacturing and assembly, and just everything just kept falling in place. When I was finished with one step, the next step was waiting on me and, like I said, I knew nothing. I'm still learning today. Everything I needed. It's all new to me at every step. Still.

Speaker 1: 8:21

Yeah, so you went through coming up with the idea. You probably drew it on a napkin while eating at Chili's right.

Speaker 3: 8:30

I did on a little scratch pad.

Speaker 1: 8:31

yes, See, see, see, I told you. So then you had to come up with the idea, and I'm sure there's probably changes that happened along the way, right as you went through the different designs. When you're going through those design changes, did you maybe solicit feedback from maybe other field people to get some ideas on how to make your product better?

Speaker 3: 8:53

Yes, mainly the guys that I used to work with, and, of course, they probably got tired of hearing me talk about it way before I even had it made, but I was obsessed and driven, so I always got feedback from my co-workers.

Speaker 1: 9:08

I get the same thing about the podcast all the time. I truly do my wife's like quit talking about the podcast. I don't care about the podcast, but you don't understand. When you create something, your brain doesn't shut off. I could be laying in bed and all of a sudden I was like I got an idea for a show and I got to roll over and I got to write on my notepad. I was doing a call right before yours. I was talking to a potential sponsor and we were talking. I came up just from talking. I got an idea for a great TikTok video. So make sure you watch out for this new TikTok video. What am I doing? My brain is always going to think about TikTok and when you create something, it's. I am a parent, so it's not really quite the same thing, but it's like your own child. I mean, you invest in it and you grow it and you don't want anybody talking bad about your baby, and if you do, then it's fighting words, right?

Speaker 3: 9:59

Yeah, but I take criticism on the Omni shelf that is Maybe not my kids. There you go.

Speaker 1: 10:05

Now you've got one mounted on the shelf behind you. Why don't you give us a walkthrough?

Speaker 3: 10:08

on it. Yeah, I've got it set up.

Speaker 1: 10:10

Make sure you talk loud so we can hear you in the microphone. Yeah, I'm kind of soft-spoken too.

Speaker 3: 10:15

This is OmniSelf's. Some people get hung up that it's not just for a laptop, it's for a workbench or whatever. See, here I've got drill hanging off of hanging off the sides as well. There's pockets up front. You can put hardware in as you're working. It'll hold most hand tools. These little rare earth magnets latch it closed. They have about six or seven pounds of straight pull and even insulated screwdrivers and stuff stick. I usually set my phone back behind the handle here. Drawings or whatnot will slide back behind because the bottle magnet will catch it. It won't slide through. That's what I use to set my drawings. Got a mouse pad type thing in here to help using when you are using a laptop or keep from sliding. Keep a little padding and of course with the logo and everything it's funny, I got that.

Speaker 1: 11:05

I got the mouse pad in mine too, and I thought you were just being nice and threw one in for me. So that comes with every one. Yes, sir.

Speaker 3: 11:14

That is cool. That is cool. And the flyer that I have back behind it, I ship it with every one too, just to show different ways to use it.

Speaker 1: 11:23

Okay, yes, I got that too, let's take a short break.

Speaker 4: 11:27

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Speaker 1: 12:08

So you got a great great product. Like I said, I never really thought about using it as a as a as a tool shelf until T-Shed right before we started to show, which is absolutely great idea. Thank you. What plans do you have to make this product better?

Speaker 3: 12:24

Right now I'm working on. I just I have one over here. I didn't have it set up, the only grab it or I can show it, but it's not Sure go ahead, we can edit it in.

Speaker 3: 12:32

Sure, oh no, I took some. Some of the tools are sticking up there, sticking here, but can you see it? Yeah, so this is for. I've had some customers say they have issues plugging in accessory cables and things when using the laptop. Because it does sit in there deep, because it is deep enough. You've got just enough depth to hold the closed most laptops and hand tools inside it so you can move from one workstation to the next. But this could serve as especially small voltage technicians, you use a small select amount of tools. You could store them in there with the phone and that phone could also be used as a platform to raise the laptop up to plug in your cables. We haven't sold this yet. I'm just sourcing them now, just testing it out Right.

Speaker 1: 13:16

When do you think that'll hit the market?

Speaker 3: 13:20

Hopefully in the next two weeks a month tops.

Speaker 1: 13:24

Okay, so probably by the time this show gets published it'll probably be available. Yes, sir, got you Now. Keep in mind things can happen. Things can change right.

Speaker 3: 13:32

Yes.

Speaker 1: 13:34

So let's say, I'm a technician and I see this OmniShelf there. How'd you come up with the name OmniShelf?

Speaker 3: 13:42

My next door neighbor. At the time he was a graphic designer and he helped me come up with the name name and he did the logo for me as well. And he asked me one day. He says, hey, you know what the word omni means? I go, really, I never thought about, I sure don't. He says it means every, or every, any or all, so omni in the shelf, it can be used by anybody, anywhere, anytime or however you want to word it, right? So and I said that makes perfect sense. And then I seen a commercial one day. Speaking of the logo, I saw a commercial one day and it had a honeycomb design with the hexagons and I had to rewind it to pause it and say, hey, so the hexagon, we were still trying to design the logo. We can make the O a hexagon shape because I have the hexagon honeycomb design on the inside of the shelf and it'll all just blend together work together and kind of worked out that way.

Speaker 1: 14:39

Yeah, but a lot of people don't realize there's a lot to marketing. I mean, you know, first of all you've got to research it, make sure that somebody else doesn't have that name or logo similar to that. And then you've got to research it, make sure that somebody else doesn't have that name or logo similar to that, and then you've got to find a name that fits. And I think you're an extra neighbor to hit the ball out of the park with a name, because I didn't know that until you told me and it makes sense for your shelf.

Speaker 3: 15:04

You know, I probably had a hundred names written down on paper, just none of them looked right or sounded right coming off the tongue. And then when he said that, I'm like, oh okay, yeah, omnishell, that'd be perfect.

Speaker 4: 15:15

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Speaker 1: 16:13

So let's say that there's somebody listening to this show and he's like Chuck, I got an idea for a better mousetrap and you had that guy on that did that fiber clamp and you've got the OmniShelf guy on doing his stuff. What advice would you give that technician who's got an idea for a better mousetrap? Where would they start to come up, to get their idea to go from the brain to the market?

Speaker 3: 16:36

First of all at least I'd make sketches of it, things like that, just so you can visually see your idea and make sure you've got at least a good starting point. Then find someone that knows how to do 3D CAD drawings to make the drawings for you. But before you even get to that step because that can be a little costly is run your idea by friends, family, coworkers. Try to do like pre-sales and see what kind of interest you would get from certain companies or whatever your target audience would be. And if you get really good feedback from it, then you feel a bit better and more confident in moving forward. Do you have a patent?

Speaker 1: 17:14

on your Omni show. Yes, I sure do. Let's talk about that process, because I've heard that process can be kind of painful.

Speaker 3: 17:20

I'd always heard that too, and that's another one of those steps where I just searched online and found a guy local and he really loved the idea and loved the fact that he could help a homegrown product and business. So he did me right. Let me say it that way. He made it really easy too.

Speaker 1: 17:41

I've always said it's not what you know, it's who you know, right, I didn't say that. My dad always used to say that I'm nowhere near as smart as my dad.

Speaker 3: 17:52

I see, you don't even have to know them, because I didn't know people each step. I just met them at the right time.

Speaker 1: 17:58

Yeah, but God has a way of doing that. God has a way of putting the right people in our path just when we need it Absolutely. I believe that it is what it is. So if somebody wants to buy your Omni shelf, where can they go to find to buy it, and do you have any upcoming promotions or any kind of events?

Speaker 3: 18:16

where can they go to find to buy it, and do you have any upcoming promotions or any kind of events? Uh, you can mainly. Firstly, go to my website. Is the omni shelfcom Like the logo? I know, I don't know, sometimes people don't get the word the when I say it. So, uh, the omni shelfcom, uh.

Speaker 1: 18:31

I was one of those Cause cause when we talked on the phone. I heard you say OmniShelf, but I didn't hear the. So I typed in OmniShelfcom. And that's not your site, by the way.

Speaker 3: 18:42

I had to go the OmniShelf because OmniShelfcom was already taken or someone owned it, so I had to put the word the in front of it to get that domain name.

Speaker 1: 18:51

I fell into that trap, so it's TheOmniShelfcom.

Speaker 3: 19:02

Promotions. Usually I do like Black Friday because I'm on Amazon and Home Depot's website as well. Walmart and if people out there also have some companies can only buy through, say, grainger or MSC Industrial or McMaster Car. Mcmaster and MSC also sell it. You can go through them if need be. Promotions I don't really have anything set just yet. Gotcha, but other products that I am I forgot to mention. I am working currently to finalize the drawings for a mouse pad attachment that will slide over the sidewall of the Omni shelf, nice, and it will be in the shape of a hexagon to keep the theme going of drawings for a mouse pad attachment that'll slide over the sidewall of the omni shelf, nice, and it'll be in the shape of a hexagon to keep the theme going.

Speaker 1: 19:39

and also maybe cup holders, tool trays, tool holders, so things like that you can just hang off the side well, bob, I think you came up with a fantastic invention there, buddy, and I wish you the most success, and I really think, like I said, I once I actually talked to you and I got the website and actually went and looked at it. I literally purchased it within 15 minutes, I mean I was like I got to have one of these.

Speaker 1: 20:04

I just got to have one and my wife's like what's that? I'm like it's a holder from my computer. Baby, I'm not going to tell her it has tools in it, because then she's going to say you're going to be buying more tools.

Speaker 3: 20:18

And also as far as people, if they come up with ideas, they can always reach out to me. I'll help them. If I can help them or or lead them in the right direction, I'll be more than willing to help. Or if anyone has an issue with the product when they buy it, I work with them.

Speaker 1: 20:30

If there's an issue, I work things out thanks for coming on the show, Bobby, and I really appreciate you making this product.

Speaker 3: 20:38

Hey, I appreciate you having me on Really do.

Speaker 2: 20:42

Thanks for listening to let's Talk Cabling, the award-winning podcast where knowledge is power and the low-voltage industry connects. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with your crew. Got questions or ideas for the show? Chuck wants to hear from you. Stay connected, stay informed and always aim for excellence. Until next time, keep those cables clean, your standards high and your future bright. Let's Talk Cabling Empowering the industry, one connection at a time.