Hey everyone,
Hope you’re all getting by okay. Here in Melbourne we’re still under super strict lockdown. We are now however seeing the number of COVID cases drop quite dramatically. So as painful as it is to still be in lockdown, it’s nice to see some solid progress and things head in the right direction. This is at least giving us some light at the end of the tunnel.
I wanted to give a little update of where everything is at. Those who have backed the product on Kickstarter or as a pre-order on here should have a link to our private facebook group sent to their email. In here we talk about each step towards delivery so if you haven't yet joined we recommend you jump on in and join the group. Here is a summary:
- Packaging is completed and at dads place in Wentworth, NSW, Australia.
- Leather is completed. It has been cut to size, had the backing glued on and debossed.
- Back pocket is in progress for those leather pieces
- For those of you who were lucky enough to get in early and get a “Super Founders” edition wallet on Kickstarter, your logo is being stamped this coming week
- The 33 components in each wallet have been made. We had a small issue with the pin location during final assembly, which we have been working through.
- Request sent for updated shipping addresses.
So overall, everything is in place besides this final green light on this pin issue.
We received a shipment of a handful of assembled wallets for final approval from the factory a few weeks ago, but a number of them were unacceptable. During assembly some of the pins were out of alignment by one-fifth of a millimeter (0.2mm) which caused a latching problem and resulted in unwanted card flick outs. We’ve since upgraded to a top grade silver steel pins and a new fixture for absolute pin location precision. It's insane the tiny tolerances we are working with. The factory has shipped these next few wallets and we should receive them this week, if all goes as planned we are hoping to give the green light to the factory to finalise the assembly of all of your wallets and get them to send them to us.
We will then adhere the Italian Leather and mail them out to you. As I’m sure you’re aware, shipping has been delayed globally so fingers crossed this doesn’t slow things down too much.
Below is the previous timeline for our last summary update. You can see all the progress we have achieved as well as the delay due to the pin issue
21/8 : Dad to cut down backing film for leather. ✓ COMPLETED
22/8 - 28/8: Dad to cut leather to size for die cutting and debossing local factory. ✓ COMPLETED
25/8 : Packaging boxes arrive at Dad's house. ✓ COMPLETED
26/ 8 : Die cast metal casing pieces completed at wallet factory. ✓ COMPLETED
27/8 : Wallet factory to check surface, amend sand hole and prep for coating. ✓ COMPLETED
28/8 - 31/8 : Black automotive paint coated on die cast metal casing and dry time at wallet factory. ✓ COMPLETED
28/8 - 31/8 : Dad to glue backing film onto leather. ✓ COMPLETED
1/9 - 10/9 : Wallet units completed with all parts ✓ COMPLETED and assembled -- In Progress (Delayed due to pin issue)
1/9 : Dad to post leather to local factory to die cut to size and deboss in logo ✓ COMPLETED
2/9 - 7/9 : Dad assembles back pocket design -- In Progress
4/9 - 8/9 : Local factory receives leather, debosses and die cuts ✓ COMPLETED
6/9 : I send a Kickstarter request for all your updated postal addresses ✓ COMPLETED
10/9 - 20/9 : Wallets units shipped from overseas manufacturer to Dad's workshop in Wentworth, NSW, Australia -- In Progress (Delayed due to pin issue)
12/9 - 20/9 : I prepare envelopes with addresses for send out -- In Progress
12/9 - 15/9 : Dad glues back pocket to debossed and die cut leather pieces -- In Progress
15/9 - 18/9 : Dad to hand-deboss special founders logo -- In Progress
20/9 : Wallets units arrive in Dad's workshop -- In Progress (Delayed due to pin issue)
20/9 - 22/9 : Dad applies leather to wallet units and puts in packaging to send to me in Melbourne, Australia -- Waiting on arrival (Delayed due to pin issue)
24/9 - 30/9 : I ship them out to all backers across the world then have a couple of beers -- Waiting on arrival (Delayed due to pin issue)
The current delay is holding up a few steps as seen above. But considering everything else is done, we are hoping when the next handful of assembled units arrive this week it will be a matter of giving them the go ahead to make the pin change and send us all your wallets for us to send to you.
We're super excited to get these out and can't wait to hear all your feedback when they land in your hand.
So many thanks again
Ben, Pete and Liam