thumbtiles

Sorry for the time between updates. I've been holding off because I wanted to have these to show you. Suffice it to say that small wood and magnet pieces are not a specialty of a lot of factories. They've been a real fight. But when you get it you know it. They came out great.

Now, for the rest.

The acrylic tiles, the heart of this thing, look fantastic. They'll be produced at a factory near Shenzhen. This is a change from my previous plan but it was necessary when it became clear the first supplier wasn't going to be able to pull off the rest of the project. Sometimes best to cut your losses.

The product will also be assembled and packaged at the same Shenzhen factory, also a change. Stepping into this the first time it's hard to trust the full deal to someone, but why not? Mostly a matter of loosening up some. The packaging has been designed and I am finalizing decisions about the package materials.

The Glue Dots will be shipped from Wisconsin to Shenzhen to be included in the package. It's an odd thing to have to do. Glue Dots has a presence in China but for whatever reason it's less costly to have them produced and shipped from the US. The same may be true of the polycarbonate backing though I'm looking into further options for that.

Finally, the trademark is registered, and my travel visa is ready. We will be moving into production shortly and I will be there for that.

Thanks again for your support. Stayed tuned as things get busy.

Steve

1. Ed Guzman on May 2
  
  Thanks Steve for the update. Could you let us know an estimated shipping date?
2. Steven Johnson on May 3
  
  Hard to nail down right now, Ed. I'm doing what I can to move this along. I'll be in touch when I have more. Thanks.
3. Umberto about 8 hours ago
  
  I really hope to get those tiles soon. Hope things turn out fine with all those companies. Good luck!

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Update #8: Update

Posted on March 7

Hi Everyone. A few quick updates on the tiles.

Things are moving along well now. I've found a capable supplier for the acrylic squares, located just west of Shanghai. We've been steadily refining the production process and nearly have the pieces where they need to be. I've selected a high grade acrylic imported from Japan and it looks beautiful.

The wood pads are coming as well. I'm waiting on another iteration and will have more to say about these.

China is not a place where things get done right the first time around. For a perfectionist it is maddening. But their strength is their persistence. They've been right there willing to work to meet tough standards.

I appreciate that we're all anxious to get these in our hands. If you can allow me a bit longer to bring them around, we're getting to something good.

Thanks again for your support.

1. Luis on April 5
  
  It's been some time since your last update. It would be great to let everyone know what is the status. Thank you.
2. Penelope A Jones on April 8
  
  Hi...Would appreciate a status on the Thumbtiles. Any estimate as to when they will be shipped? Thank you
3. Steven Johnson on April 8
  
  I'm waiting on a further iteration of the wood pads. They are proving the most challenging piece to get made well. I'll be in touch with an update when I have those. Thanks.

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Update #7: Update

Posted on February 9

After an extended break for the Chinese New Year, manufacturing in China has fired up again and things are moving forward once more. I've been in touch with many many suppliers there to this point and I'm now in the process of narrowing these to the best options.

There's a wild abundance of manufacturing overseas and wide differences in how they do business. Some get you samples the very next day at no charge. Lots are most interested in short term gains and will play any relationship for whatever they can. More than a few are working scams full time. It's nothing like a simple or smooth process, but I've found good help from pros who've been through it a few times.

It turns out I will also be sourcing a portion of the tile assembly from suppliers right here in the States. As it stands now, the acrylic, magnet, and wood components will be coming from China, while the polycarbonate backing and the Glue Dots will come from the US. I will also be bringing it all together here once the different pieces arrive.

Things still look on target for a spring release. Thanks for sticking with me through this learning process.

1. Nancy J Groover on February 9
  
  Thanks for keeping us updated. Think you really have a great idea & product.

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Update #6: Survey!

Posted on January 10

5 quick questions and 2 minutes of your time. If you'd like bigger, smaller, rectangle shaped tiles, this is the place to let it be known. Thanks!

http://thumbtiles.com/survey.html

Steve

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Update #5: Update

Posted on January 7

Happy New Year Everyone.

I apologize for the lack of updates. The holidays slowed progress significantly and I wanted something concrete to report before writing again. Thanks for your patience.

After many attempts to try and make it work with manufacturers here in the States, I've moved my efforts overseas. It was not a move I was inclined to do, but much of the work was to be sent there by the folks I was looking to hire here anyway, so it made little sense to not do it myself. It is a major shift in thinking and I'm in some strange territory but ultimately it's moved the project forward and will help make it sustainable for the long term. Production samples are on their way to me now and I'm readying my travel documents to be there for the production run.

As a result of all this though, I've had to push back the ship date for the tiles. It is difficult to say with any certainty when that will be right now but early spring allows a good margin in the event that more challenges arise, which seems all but certain. I sincerely apologize for the delay and hope you'll bear with me as I work to bring these tiles to you. I will continue to hold off collecting your addresses until things are closer to shipping.

On a brighter note, I've been receiving some fantastic photo submissions for the 'Supporters Wall'. The level of talent in this group is remarkable. Remember this is one photo of anything you would like to share with us. It should be in the square format (it will be cropped if not) and at least 600px x 600px. And be sure to include a link to more of your work, I am happy to share that as well. Please send your submission to the email address in the previous update.

I'll be in touch with more shortly. Thanks again for your support.

Steve

1. BarryG on January 7
  
  Hope you get this back on track soon, disappointed that you did not have everything lined up ahead of time. Please keep communicating with us on a regular basis and let us know the progress and actual shipping dates when you have them confirmed.
2. Glenn Wolsey on January 8
  
  If we're wanting more tiles, will there be an option to add more somehow down the line? I didn't order enough!
3. Steven Johnson on January 8
  
  @Glenn Sure can. They will be available for order again just as soon as I can get these initial orders filled. I'll continue to post updates here but you can also sign up on http://thumbtiles.com/ to be notified when more are available. Thanks!

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