Alpha dice manufacture
Ok, here is the topic to get in real time the last news about the dice making.
As of today, the molds should be finished in one month. The manufacturer in Taiwan started by building a mold with Banner, the Amazon and another third die of another third color. this makes the mold unusable. Don't ask me why they started to do this, my instructions were very clear, and I didn't change my mind anytime... Well the steel molds should be ready in one month from now, id est on the 15th of September. Then I think it takes one month to mold and paint the 24000 first dice, which would bring us to the 15th of October. Considering 15 days of packing and shipping, we are in November. If we have troubles with the name Dice Age, or no news from FOX - they don't answer me today, as you know my goal would be also to know what FNin name they would be FNin okay with, but they FNin don't answer: practical! - We'll have to all wait until I can change every printed stuff: Labels, rulebooks, stamps on the pouches. Thankfully, the printing process is one of the fastest. Therefore, should we have trouble with Dice Age the name or should our gremlins moldmakers decide to mix colors in molds for some out of nowhere reason, we could be late. Welcome to the amazing world of starting Dice Age.
At least, everything else is awesome.
The proxy dice are being sent to ambassadors.
The first test in the steel molds was run on monday. I am awaiting the results.
The steel molds should be finished on the 10th of September.
If it's at all possible you might want to rethink the insanity maze both of the ones you gave me have chipped because they are simply to dense do be rolled safely
The alpha "Lair of insanity" are smaller than the ones you had.
Furthermore, the ones you have are made of polyester. Polyester is not really too dense, but it breaks like sugar. Today, proxies are made of polyurethane resin and they positively don't break.
The final material is not decided yet. It should be acrylate, but I want to make tests to find the right balance between hardness and toughness.
I am waiting for the first molded samples for Hong Kong to make sure they meet the quality requirements. As the molds should be done today, I guess we are running late - again. I'm waiting for a firm time frame from the manufacturer. But it should go faster then. In the meanwhile, the packaging is being made here in California.
I have been told yesterday the whole 24 dice steel molds should be ready in three weeks. This delays again the whole process of one month, and I am hoping to be able to deliver the alpha dice for Christmas.
You bet that sucks, but I am doing my best.
Actually, it can also go faster than that, depending on whether or not there will be alterations to be made on the molds. Also, you know, the factory will do the job on day n, but says day n+15 to my provider to be sure. Then my provider says day n+30 because he wants to make sure too. Then I give a large estimation for shipping to you, to make sure also and we end up with n+45. You know, project management... Stuff I rediscover with the kickstarter adventure. In the end, it's exiting.
You want to be in! I am waiting for the delivery of the first red mold run. It's DHL parcel number 7986007352. It had to be resent because of custom delays. Once this first run is validated (I am happy with the quality), the rest of the molds will be made in the same manner.
As I expect very specific technical result, it takes a while to tune.
I just received the reds first steel mold test run. While the dice are of good quality, some were not made to my specifications. This means I will need to talk to the manufacturer and make some adjustments. Unfortunately, this also means there might be a delay in the full production.
The Barrel of Godewaersvelde, steel injection molded, as I received it today.
The Manufacturer just told me these are the runs on the first molds made before correction and the next molds should be done in a few days. Maybe we are on time.
It is going to turn out well, the only concern is when!
The manufacturer is discussing with the mold maker to get a new time frame for the next molds, with the feedback I gave on the first runs.
Polymethyl methacrylate, polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride or polyvinyl chloride but the latter may not comply with the latest child toy safety requirements. It's being discussed, but it has no technical implications on the mold making. Why?
