Project Wrap-up
Update #5
- For backers only
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Dec 8, 2011
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For backers only. If you're a backer of this project, please log in to read this post.
Progress so far
As of today, about 24,300 people have visited the kickstarter page, where about 0.9% of them have left a donation. Not too bad, considering the hit rate for a full-page magazine advert is about 0.1-0.25%. At this hit rate, a mere 326k visitors would fund the project.
Recent coverage:
Techzwn: http://bit.ly/udb0L3
The Bay Citizen: http://bit.ly/snJEEl
O'Reilly Media Kickstarter page: http://kck.st/p45WYr
and a *second* Slashdot hit: http://bit.ly/uCw7bk
Meanwhile I am busy scouring the surplus markets for deals. One challenge in building a large project from 'obtainium' is that finding a major bargain can result in substantial design revisions.
Thank you all for being the steadfast minority that appreciates the scientific potential in this project. -Greg
New Scientist Article
... hit the streets this morning: http://bit.ly/vdAPcU
An interview by Wired is due out later this week, and hopefully a boost from a major figure in the 'Twitter-sphere' as well. Stay tuned, and thanks for supporting obscure science!
Media Response
Hi All,
Looks like several groups have picked up the story now, including
Make: http://bit.ly/rARYo2
Slashdot: http://bit.ly/vu6hqu
Boing Boing: http://bit.ly/tbrsBQ
and Gizmodo: http://gizmo.do/ugHBGa
But perhaps my favorite one so far is: http://bit.ly/rvk8pc
"If the government is not willing to fund the building of two 10-story tall Tesla Coils, then why the hell do I even pay taxes?"
Inspired!
Hello All,
Thanks for the amazing support, and outpouring of referrals! For a non-internet savvy person like myself, getting the word out has been a daunting task... even more than designing the 40,000 volt, 50,000 amp primary drive circuitry. Here's how the 'Kickstarter dashboard' is looking so far:
It's just starting to bend in the right direction, but there's clearly a long way to go. Any help at this early stage that you can provide towards spreading the word, 'likes, RT's, etc.' will make a big difference.
Perhaps the most exciting part for me so far is the emails and comments on the scientific potential of the machine... It's incredibly encouraging to see how many people out there appreciate the scientific aspect, and who have made some great suggestions for additional experiments. I'm already working on design changes to 'stretch' the machine's capabilities, to explore some of these ideas.
Thanks everyone!
Greg
292
Backers
$35,787
pledged of $348,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Unsuccessful This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on December 10, 2011.
Funding period
Nov 4, 2011 -
Dec 10, 2011
(36 days)
- First created · 4 backed
- Lightning On Demand 36 friends
- Website: lod.org
Pledge $10 or more
66 backers
Access to the monthly project construction updates and our thanks for helping to make this project a reality.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2012Pledge $25 or more
74 backers
Everything included above, plus a beautiful high resolution 8x10 action shot of the Lightning Foundry twin prototypes in operation.
Estimated delivery: Feb 2012Pledge $75 or more
39 backers
Everything included above, plus two general admission tickets to a Lightning Foundry public performance. This special Kickstarter offering is about half of the retail ticket price.
Estimated delivery: Feb 2012Pledge $125 or more
27 backers
Everything included above, plus a Kickstarter exclusive: For the first time on DVD -- Electrum, by Alberta Chu. A documentary on the construction and installation of the largest Tesla Coil in the world. You’ll also get a commemorative Lightning Foundry 12” etched stainless-steel ruler, featuring dual units. [32nds and mm.] Please read the 'Important Notes on Rewards' for shipping details.
Estimated delivery: Feb 2012Pledge $195 or more
12 backers
Everything included above, plus two special ‘Major Lightning Foundry Backer’ invitations to a Lightning Foundry public performance. The two Major LF Backer invites will have preferred seating and access to the strike zone after the performance, so come say hello and visit the machinery. The public performances will feature first-ever demonstrations of multi-hundred foot arc discharges and their effects on objects. Please read the 'Important Notes on Rewards' for shipping details.
Estimated delivery: Feb 2012Pledge $295 or more
31 backers
Everything included above plus a beautiful high energy electrical discharge, trapped in a 2" solid acrylic block. [Please see the photo to the left] These figurines are made by using a multi-megavolt particle accelerator to trap high speed electrons in an acrylic block, then explosively releasing the charge with a grounded spike. The fractal discharge patterns continue all the way down to the molecular level. Please read the 'Important Notes on Rewards' for shipping details.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $595 or more
6 backers
The ‘Enthusiast Pack.’ Everything included above, plus an invite to transform an item of your choice with a multi-megawatt electrical discharge. Visit our San Francisco lab and personally fire our ½-ton high-energy capacitor bank into your item to help it achieve a high state of division. Optionally, you can send the item to us and we’ll energize it for you, plus provide you with a slow-motion video. Please add the appropriate return postage to the pledge for this option and see the 'Important Notes on Rewards' for shipping details.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $9,600 or more
1 backer Limited (11 of 12 left)
The ‘Experimenter Pack.’ Everything included in the Enthusiast Pack, plus three exclusive offerings: *****A) A lifetime ‘Principal Lightning Foundry Backer’ membership, providing free admission(+1) to all Lightning Foundry public performances, access to the strike zone after performances, plus invites to special testing events. Please read the 'Important Notes on Rewards' for shipping details. *****B) A ‘Million Volt Ride’ on our large experimental coil in San Francisco CA. Personally throw 25ft electric arcs at any item you wish to bring along, and live to tell about it. Jamie Hyneman climbed this coil with his custom salt-water cannon and fired a plasma discharge at the 'bad guy' in the water-jet stun-gun episode of Mythbusters. *****C) An invitation to place an item of your choice inside the strike zone of the completed, full-scale Lightning Foundry. This could be either a machine that intentionally uses the ambient fields for power [you’ll receive a special award if you can outrun our ‘Tesla Roadster’, pictured at left] or it could be an item that receives the electrical energy in an uncontrolled fashion, and is inevitably consumed.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012
