Production Update: Companion Guide Printing Error Delays First Shipments, Add-On Progress, Third Edition Shirt?
almost 7 years ago – Tue, May 09, 2017 at 01:28:56 AM

Hello, everyone!

I received word from our book printer this morning that all of the pages for the Companion Guide were printed on the incorrect paper stock (uncoated vs. coated). The entire run will be reprinted today, but unfortunately, this will set our first Mini Museum shipments back by about 10 days.

I'm very sorry about this delay but I'm also thankful the error was caught before binding and shipping to you.

Mini Museums and Display Boxes are still on schedule, so we'll use the time to prep shipments in advance. This should allow us to catch up quickly once the Companion Guides arrive in the warehouse.

Again, I am so sorry about this delay. Please know that we will do everything we can to make up time!

Add-On Progress

On a more positive note, I'm happy to report that I am making good progress on securing additional add-ons: Megalodon and Spinosaurus Teeth, Insect in Amber, and Neolithic Hand Axes. I should have everything in a few weeks at which point I'll also have a better idea about the Samurai Sword slices too.

I still need to sort out the best way to handle these add-ons as they will be limited in number, but I want to thank all of your for your comments after the last update. It is really helpful to hear from all of you.

Third Edition T-Shirt?

Speaking of hearing from you, would you like a Third Edition t-shirt?

I did not plan to offer a t-shirt this time because we have so many add-ons already but backer Justin Owen asked about it and our designer, Christian Baldo, sent me this beautiful design: 

The design features eight (8) specimens from the Third Edition: Megalodon, Samurai Sword, Pelé, Ankylosaurus, Mir, the Great Oxygenation Event, SR-71 Blackbird, and Spinosaurus. It will be printed on a dark maroon shirt. As with the Second Edition, shirts will ship separately so it will not effect your current pledge.

If you'd like to see this shirt made, please let me know in the comments!

As always, thank you so much for your support and patience!

Now, it's back to work!

- Hans

Production Update, Surveys and Add-Ons, Cassini's Grand Finale
about 7 years ago – Thu, Apr 27, 2017 at 11:26:06 PM

Hello, everyone!

We are still on schedule to begin shipping in May and we are busy!

Production Behind the Scenes

Last week, I signed off on the press proofs for the Companion Guide. It was very exciting to see all of the pages in their final form.

The Third Edition Companion Guide will be 160 pages. I originally planned on the guide going 130 pages or so, but in the end, there were just so many wonderful pictures to include that I could stop myself!

After approving the pages, we made a trip up to Baltimore, Maryland to finalize the size of the Small box as well as the insert in the Large box.

As you can see above, the hardcover Companion Guide from MM1 won't quite fit in the Small MM2 box. Nothing to worry about though. We made new prototypes in realtime and everything will be sized correctly.

Below are pictures of the Large prototypes we created in Baltimore. You'll notice that the top foam in the box has been replaced with a rigid insert.

The combined weight of the Mini Museum and the new Companion Guide will be a bit more than MM2 and this insert will provide more protection. There is also a layer of foam in the bottom of the box to provide extra cushioning.

The prototype pictured above is white but the production box will be covered with a glossy, printed wrap. The wrap was printed this week in Alexandria, Virginia, and we went to oversee the process in person:

If you are following us on Facebook or Instagram (@hansfex), you might have noticed our brief live video while we were "on press." The whole process is really fascinating because you're watching this incredible machinery but you're also inspecting prints at the same time for color and consistency.  I'll share more video once we reveal the completed box.

Of course, shipping also requires production Mini Museums and I'm happy to report that Mini Museum production is running according to plan! On Friday, Jamie will head to our warehouse to inspect the production units we already have on hand. He'll also deliver the pouches I mentioned in the last update and add-ons like those Andrea is building in the image below:

Assuming manufacturing continues to go as planned, we'll have all of the components together at the warehouse in about 10 days. Shipping will begin immediately, and our system will send out tracking emails. I will also post a brief update to let everyone know the process has started!

We can prepare several hundred shipments per day now, so we should have plenty of time to get through all of the May shipments quickly and accurately.

Surveys and Add-Ons

I want to thank all of you for the great response to the BackerKit surveys! The quick response is a huge help when it comes to planning shipping.

Since we'd really like to get as many surveys as possible in before we lock down, we're going to extend the planned lock down date to Friday, May 5th at 5PM ET (UTC-5).

If you haven't received your survey email, drop by https://mm3.backerkit.com or send us an email at [email protected]:

 

Add-Ons

I also want to apologize for selling out so quickly on several add-ons. I could have set a better expectation from the beginning by posting the total number of each add-on available.  In the end, a number of add-ons were gone within minutes.

After so many years of collecting, I can assure you that I know it feels like to miss out. So please understand that I am trying to locate additional add-ons of the right quality as quickly as possible.

To that end, I've already made progress securing additional Megalodon and Spinosaurus Teeth, Insect in Amber, and possibly Neolithic Hand Axes. I also believe we'll have additional Samurai Sword slices (perhaps a dozen or so), but I won't know for certain until we reach the very end of specimen production.

Once we have these add-ons, we will make them available to Third Edition backers first. However, since these items will be limited in quantity I am considering creating a random drawing for interested backers to make it as fair as possible to everyone. This method has drawbacks too, so I'd love to hear what you think about this idea in the comments below. I'd also love to know if there are any other add-ons you'd like to see!

Cassini's Grand Finale

I hope you all like seeing these behind the scenes production details. To me this is one of the best parts of Kickstarter (both as a backer and a project creator). There are so many steps and challenges to bring a product to life and it is really fun to share the adventure.

I'd like to take a moment here at the end of this update to share a picture of Earth taken from Saturn by the Cassini spacecraft:

If you haven't heard, Cassini is entering the final stages of its incredible mission. On the NASA website, you can follow along over the next few months as the spacecraft makes a series of dives towards Saturn, collecting and transmitting data all the way up until the end.

I've been following the project for some time now and like so many I am just amazed by all of the discoveries uncovered by this remarkable craft and the scientists and engineers who have worked so very hard.

Earlier this month the team shared an incredible video covering the history of the project including many of the major accomplishments.

 We're still a long way from the end of our project but it's getting closer. We're all looking forward to shipping your Mini Museums very soon, as well as sharing more behind the scenes details about the process. I'm also looking forward to switching up to write more about the fascinating specimens in the Third Edition!

As always, thank you all so much for making this journey possible!

Now it's back to work!

- Hans

BackerKit Surveys Thursday April 20th at 3PM ET (UTC-5)
about 7 years ago – Tue, Apr 18, 2017 at 10:42:31 PM

Hello, everyone!

This is a special update with information about the upcoming BackerKit surveys. If you are new to Kickstarter you'll want to read this update carefully as it explains how we get your shipping address and a whole lot more!

BackerKit surveys will go out at 3PM ET (UTC-5) on Thursday, April 20th. 

The main purpose of the survey is to get your shipping address and telephone number so that we can ship your rewards. However, you'll also be able to purchase additional items. I'll cover all of those add-ons in just a moment, but first let's talk about the BackerKit process.

BackerKit Step-by-Step

When we send the surveys out, you'll receive an email that looks like this:

Just click the button that says "Click here to Respond" to start the process. When you click the respond button, you'll go to the BackerKit website and your pledge will load. The first step here is to confirm your shipping country.

After confirming your country, you'll be presented with a list of available add-ons. Shown here is the screen when using a desktop computer. If you are filling this out on a smartphone it will look different but the same information will be presented.

Your pledge level will already have your reward in the shopping cart. So, if you're NOT getting any additional items, you can just hit NEXT at this point. 

However, if you want to add items to your shipment, it's easy to do!  Just click the VIEW button on any add-on to see the details.

Once the details of the add-on appear, enter the quantity and select Add to Cart and your total will be updated.

You'll notice here that the total is updated but there is still an outstanding note about shipping. Add-on shipping is handled by weight and will be calculated during the next step in the process.

You can remove an add-on from your cart by clicking the little trash icon next to the item in the cart. You can also add more of the same item by clicking the VIEW button again.

When you're all set with add-ons, click the NEXT button to move on to the shipping address page:

Please be sure to triple check everything on the shipping address page before hitting the NEXT button. Your phone number is also very important, especially on shipments going outside the United States. The phone number is only used for shipping purposes, but if anything goes wrong it is an important backup to making sure your Mini Museum arrives safely!

After clicking the NEXT button on the shipping address page, you'll be presented with a summary of your pledge and add-ons (if any) as well as additional shipping charges. Again, double check the address on this page as well as the items.

If you do not have any add-ons, you should see something like this:

Make sure to click the big green CONFIRM button. This will save all of your information and submit the details to us.

If you added any items to your pledge, you'll see them listed on the left side of the screen:

You can edit these add-ons by clicking the "Edit Add-Ons" button which will take you back to Step #2.

When everything looks correct, you can go ahead and provide payment on the right side of the screen:

Enter your credit card information and press the green CONTINUE button to submit the payment.

When you see this screen you know you're all done!

Third Edition Add-Ons

Below you'll find the complete list of add-ons that will be available when you get your BackerKit survey. Some of these items have very limited quantities.

Extra Mini Museums - Large $299, Touch $299, and Small $129

As with past campaigns we are offering additional Mini Museums as add-ons. 

Large, Small, and even a few Touch Mini Museums will be available to add to your cart during the survey process.

Samurai Sword - $50

This add-on is a complete slice of a 14th century Samurai Sword (the same sword used in the Third Edition of the Mini Museum). It is also the same item that comes with the "Samurai Edition" reward tier.

Each slice is hand polished and includes a larger swatch of the Kataginu.

It should be noted that every slice will display some variation. Imperfections in the material have also been preserved and highlight the nature of this ancient blade's manufacture.

The specimen is enclosed in a glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included.

Please note, this add-on is very sharp and should be handled with the utmost care. It is not a toy and should not be handled by children without extreme supervision.

Due to the extremely limited nature of this item, we are limiting purchases to one per backer. Backers receiving the Samurai Edition of the Mini Museum are excluded from purchasing this item since it is already included with their pledge level. Thank you for your understanding.

Mosasaur Tooth - $18

This specimen is a complete Mosasaur tooth measuring roughly 1-2" in size. This is the same item that will be going out to backers in the Great Predators in History reward tier.

Size and color vary and some teeth will show signs of repair. The specimen is enclosed in a glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included.

Spinosaurus Tooth - $29

This specimen is a complete crown and partial root of a Spinosaurus tooth.

Each tooth measures roughly 2-3" in length and may vary in color.

The specimen is enclosed in a glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included.

Please note: All teeth will show some sign of repair.

Megalodon Tooth - $29

This item is a complete Megalodon tooth, measuring between 1-2" in length.

Each tooth is unique in both shape and color.

The specimen is enclosed in a glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included.

Fordite - $29

This specimen is a larger version of the Fordite that is included in the Third Edition.

Tumbled and polished, these unique Fordite chips measure roughly 1" through the shape.

As you can see, color and patterns vary widely but they are incredibly beautiful.

The specimen is enclosed in a glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included.

Neolithic Hand Axe - $29

What you see here is a complete hand tool, crafted by humans in North Africa and dating to at least 30,000 years ago.

Tools such as these are referred to generically as "hand axes" but they were used for a variety of purposes, such as scraping, cutting, skinning, etc.

The specimen is enclosed in a glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included.

This item is totally unrelated to the Third Edition, but I really couldn't resist picking these up when I had the chance. I only have a few and rather than put them in our shop I thought I would offer them to all of you first.

Insect in Amber - $39

A "super-sized" throwback to the First Edition of the Mini Museum, the Insect in Amber add-on is a self-contained bead of baltic amber dating to 40,000,000 to 60,000,000 years old.

Unlike the small beads used in MM1, these beads are quite large, with most measuring 1" or larger.  The image below shows two of these pieces with one of the remaining beads from MM1:

As you can see in the group picture below, the shape and color of each large bead is unique but they are all quite lovely.

We've inspected these beads very closely to make certain that they contain at least one insect, though in fact many contain multiple creatures not to mention plant material such as grasses and seeds, and the occasional arachnid.

The specimen is enclosed in a glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included.

Neanderthal Hand Axe - $39

This specimen appeared in the Second Edition of the Mini Museum and we have just a few remaining larger fragments left (approximately 1/2 - 3/4").

The Neanderthal Hand Axe specimen in the Mini Museum comes from the collection of a retired French postman. He spent decades traversing rural France, collecting and cataloging Mousterian stone tools. The tools have been validated by experts in the field, with estimated ages between 140,000 and 70,000 years old.

As shown, the Neanderthal Hand Axe Fragment ships in a glass-topped riker box display case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included.

Carson eFlex Digital Microscope - $50

If you tuned into our livestream, this is the microscope we used when exploring specimens like the Enigma Rotor.

The key to looking at the Mini Museum through a magnifier is focal distance. 

Some microscopes have a very short focal distance, which means you really can't get down to the specimen level due to the distance from the acrylic surface. The eFlex from Carson Optical is very adjustable, and a real favorite of ours.

The software for the eFlex runs on the latest versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple's OSX. It will not work with tablets.

Extra Companion Guides - $15

Though each Mini Museum comes with a Companion Guide, we do have a limited number of additional Companion Guides available to purchase as add-ons.

This is a great add-on if you are backing the Mosasaur Tooth tier or if you are planning to give one of the other single specimen add-ons as a gift.

Extra Microfiber Pouches - $5

Another great add-on if you are giving a single specimen as a gift or if you'd just like a backup pouch "just in case". Pouches are available in both Large and Small sizes. I should also mention that the 4 1/2" x 3 1/2" riker boxes used for most of our add-ons fit well into either pouch.

That's it!

This was a long update, so thank you for taking the time to read it. Also, as always, thank you so very much for your support of the Mini Museum. We're looking forward to the next stage of the project!

Now it's back to work!

- Hans

Production Update, BackerKit Survey Coming April 20th, Space Gems: Jewels from the Heart of an Asteroid
about 7 years ago – Tue, Apr 04, 2017 at 07:23:21 PM

Hello, everyone!

At the moment, everything is on track. The companion guide and the final packaging designs are heading off to press. The new custom, microfiber pouches have arrived and are being inspected. And the best news of all is that the final samples cleared our quality review process and we're moving full speed ahead!

Barring any unforeseen issues, we'll begin shipping the Third Edition in May as planned. 

That seems like such a simple thing to say, but the final QA sign off is a huge milestone in a project as complex as the Mini Museum. It represents thousands of hours of dedicated effort and of course the support of thousands of backers. So thank you all so much for helping to make this possible!

BackerKit Survey Coming April 20th

In order to begin shipping, we'll need to get your address, and that's where BackerKit comes in!

Surveys from BackerKit will go out by email on April 20th.  In addition to providing your shipping address, you'll also have an opportunity to purchase add-ons like the Mosasaur tooth, extra Mini Museums, and a few other surprises. :)

I'll post a detailed project update a few days before the 20th with all the information about add-ons and step-by-step instructions.  In the meantime, please email us at [email protected] if you have any questions about your pledge! 

Space Gems: Jewels from the Heart of an Asteroid

It's always fascinating to compare different Mini Museums. Small variations in size, color and shape combine to make each Mini Museum absolutely unique. So, it seems appropriate here to begin our deeper look at the specimens of the Third Edition with the very first specimen in the collection: Space Gems.

Created in the heart of an asteroid just after the birth of the solar system, Pallasite Peridot is among the rarest and oldest gems. Pallasites are characterized by a unique matrix of the mineral Olivine embedded in solidified iron and nickel. The combination of such materials is as surprising to science as it is beautiful to the eye.

Scientists often work backwards from existing materials and observations, unraveling their creation through experimentation. Studying the formation of pallasites provides insights into the earliest days of the solar system and clues to the formation of planetary systems in general. Here's an interesting example from a study which uses pallasites to model long defunct magnetic bodies:

"Among the terrestrial planets, only Earth and Mercury today have active dynamos. The pallasite parent protoplanet now becomes at least the fourth asteroid-sized body known to have generated a core dynamo, even though the magnetization of only a few meteorite groups has yet been analyzed in detail. This suggests that planetary dynamos may have at one time been common. One can imagine that the early solar system, which contained perhaps thousands of protoplanets larger than 100 km in diameter (15), once brimmed with swarms of little magnetospheres." ~ Benjamin P. Weiss "A Vitrage of Asteroid Magnetism." Science 338.6109 (2012): 897-898.

The full study is really quite interesting, but I have to admit that I just love the mental image of the early solar system created by Professor Weiss.

The unusual matrix of the Pallasite is formed by the intrusion of molten metal into layers of Olivine. Olivine is made of magnesium iron silicate, with numerous variations on Earth and beyond. We have discovered Olivine on the Moon and Mars and detected Olivine's spectral signature in the dust disks surrounding young stars and in comet tails. Peridot is the gem quality variant of Olivine.

 

While this sort of mixing is likely to occur in the reaction zones between the core-mantle boundary in large bodies, gravity should separate these materials due to their varied densities. This mystery is one reason that pallasite formation is such an active topic in the scientific community; it also explains why less than 1% of all found meteorites are classified as pallasites.

Creating the Space Gems Specimen

The pallasitic peridot in the Third Edition of the Mini Museum comes from the Jepara meteorite. 

Discovered in 2008 on the Indonesian island of Java, the original mass weighed 499.5 kg (1,100 lbs) with a diameter of just 85 cm (33 in). This very dense meteorite is composed mostly of Olivine nodules but has a fair amount of magnetite as well.

Collecting enough material for inclusion in a Mini Museum would be the first challenge to overcome.  Like many specimens, the only solution is time and patience.  In fact, it took many years to acquire enough raw material from select meteorite dealers around the world, but that was just the start.

Every specimen has its challenges, and Space Gems biggest challenge would be the careful separation, cleaning, and pairing process to create the unique specimen inside each and every Third Edition Mini Museum.

To begin the process, we started by separating the magnetite from our samples using rare earth magnets.

 From each sample, we sifted the remaining material into different sizes.

After sifting, each and every stone was examined and separated by color.

The separated peridot then underwent several stages of cleaning in acetone, and separately in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Once cleaned, the stones were separated by color and paired by hand.  To ensure that paired stones stayed together, we carefully connected the stones using thin threads of resin.

It took a fair amount of experimentation to develop a technique that would deliver just the right amount of resin to keep the stones together as the resin tends to spread out while curing.

 Completed sheets of Space Gems are heat cured to harden the resin. 

Before inclusion, each specimen is reviewed once more. The end result is a beautiful pairing of gems that is unique to each and every Mini Museum!

Below is a quote that I use to introduce the Space Gems specimen in the Companion Guide:

"On the basis of a modest conjecture, I have undertaken a dangerous journey. Yet, already I see the foothills of new lands. Those who have the courage to continue these investigations, to set foot in these lands, will have the delight of designating them with their very own names." ~ Immanuel Kant, preface to "Allgemeine Naturgeschichte und Theorie des Himmels" or "Universal Natural History and Theory of the Heavens" (1755)

It is fascinating to think about how far we've come in the two hundred and sixty-two years since Kant set out on his own journey. I wonder what he would think about ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet's spacewalk video posted a few days ago by the European Space Agency. 

As always, thank you all for making our own journey here at Mini Museum possible. We're off to a great start but we've still got a long way to go... so now, it's back to work!

- Hans

Thank you! What Happens Next? Seeing the Event Horizon
about 7 years ago – Thu, Mar 09, 2017 at 06:59:19 PM

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Hello, everyone!

There are many ways one could celebrate the successful completion of a campaign, but I can't think of a better way than spending time with backers like Craig!

Craig is a local Northern Virginia backer who has been with us since the very beginning. He stopped by today to have lunch and talk about the Mini Museum. He also shared this incredible picture of his own collection including his First and Second Edition Mini Museums!

I've said many times that bringing the Mini Museum to life is the fulfillment of a life long dream. Since that first campaign in 2014, it's been an incredible journey in so many ways. Yet sharing stories about history with people like Craig is perhaps the most rewarding part of this entire project.

Thank you for stopping by today, Craig! And of course, an ENORMOUS thank you to all of you as well! On behalf of everyone on the Mini Museum team, I want to say that we are all so grateful for your generosity and support.

We're heading to production!

What Happens Next?

Kickstarter begins charging cards immediately but it takes 14 days to settle all pledges before releasing funds to us. If something has gone wrong with your pledge, please send us an email at [email protected]. Mini Museum Helpers Stephanie, Andrea, and Jamie will all be standing by to help sort things out.

In addition to handling pledges, the whole team will be preparing for the final stages of production. I'll share more information about this in project updates as we go along. I think we'll also do a few more livestreams as well so that you can see more behind the scenes events as they are happening!

By the way, if you missed the livestream we've archived it on Vimeo as it will disappear from the project page in a day or two.

Updates Coming Soon

Speaking of project updates, below are just a few of the topics you can expect to read about near future:

• BackerKit - As mentioned in the project FAQ, we will be using BackerKit once again to manage the post campaign process. We expect to send invites to BackerKit in mid-to-late-April, so keep an eye on project updates for more information on this.
• Add-Ons - Additional add-ons will be announced once we are ready to invite backers to complete their post campaign surveys. This includes the Mosasaur Tooth and the Samurai Sword slices, along with a few additional items!
• Packaging - Once Kickstarter releases funds, we'll move forward with production on packaging. As soon as I have a production sample, I will share the design with everyone, including the new custom, microfiber pouch.
• Specimens - Of course! We have many specimens to share over the coming weeks including the specimens you saw on the livestream such as the SR-71, the First Transatlantic Cable, Viking Axe, and Samurai Sword. We have a lot to share over the next few months and I am excited to show you all that we've put into this edition of the Mini Museum!

Please Note: If you've never used BackerKit before, it's a simple way for us to gather your shipping address and for you to add any additional items to your shipment after the fact. Past Mini Museum backers will recall that we send very detailed instructions on using BackerKit and we plan to do so yet again for the Third Edition.

Seeing the Event Horizon

I want to close this update by sharing a video about a project that will link telescopes around the world in attempt to image the event horizon around the black hole at the center of our galaxy.

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is a truly magnificent project both in scale and execution. If it works, it will create a virtual telescope with a lens that is essentially the size of the Earth. In theory, this telescope will be able to see the edge of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

You can read more about this fascinating project on Science's website, but here is a brief quote from Shep Doeleman, the director of the project:

"The event horizon is the defining thing about a black hole. I hope to see it; to literally see it."

On a day like today when all of you have contributed to keep our own small journey going, I have to say that I find this quote very inspiring. We're all excited about moving on to production and getting new Mini Museums moving around the world!

Now, it's back to work!

- Hans