What is ‘stilt?’

Stilt is a traveling, charging dock for your new iPhone 5 and iPad mini.

Apple has released a newly designed "Lightning" cable. This new charging connector makes all your old apple cables, docks, and speakers obsolete. Your iPhone 5 is essentially homeless, and you now have only one Lightning cable to do everything.

Stilt makes your iPhone 5 cable way more awesome.

Stilt lives on the charging tip of your existing Lightning cable. Stilt is happy living on your desk but also traveling on your adventures. You will find your lone Lightning charge cable is now infinitely more useful and enjoyable to tote around.

Stilt works great with your new iPad mini.

Dock it upright, use as a 'stilt' for reading a kindle book and surfing the web, or use with a smart cover to amplify a movie soundtrack -- all while charging and traveling.

Stilt is much more fun than your ordinary dock:

• January delivery. A great follow-up to any iPhone 5 and iPad mini Christmas gifts. Apple is severely limiting the process to produce new Lightning connector docks, and there are no legitimate iPhone 5 charging docks being shipped. Also, Apple won't be making their own iPhone 5 dock. Stilt cleanly sidesteps these problems and delays. Stilt will arrive to your house in January while other iPhone 5 docks are still being developed in China. 

• Desk Organization. Stop going crazy over a messy desk. Stilt has an internal cable-keeper than lets you choose the length of your sync cable. Or completely wrap up and snap in the cable for travel. Don’t you hate the cable unraveling into ninja-knots in your bag?

• Charging Dock. Protect your phone's finish while it is precisely tilted back eight degrees. Perfect. Or tip your phone on its side and watch a video. Perfect. Charge while docked, or just wind up the cable for an untethered adventure.

• Sound Amplifier. The front ‘scoop’ directs and grows your music. Fill a room with The Beatles. Speaker-phone calls are easier too, and it cleans up background noise.

• Case Friendly. Stilt includes small shims to move the tip of the charging cable upward. This allows the Lightning connector to sit taller and help any iPhone cases fit on stilt.
• Headphone-able. Stilt gives you room to plug in your favorite head phones.

• One finger undocking. One finger + an easy lift = fast iPhone launch!

• Durable. “Strong and flexible” polyamide plastic is the perfect blend to survive daily attack. No cracks over time. The Lightning cable is very sturdy as well, so you won’t have any problems with docking for the next ten years. Stilt is made well -- and in the USA.

Whoa, why are you so excited about stilt? 

Producing a creation is a lot of fun! Stilt is designed specifically for 3d printing production. 3d printing is really changing the game, allowing designers to break some of the old rules of manufacturing. Stilt takes a unique shape that, historically, would have been impossible. No more compromising a perfect design. Stilt is purposefully enjoyable, and 3d printing is enabling enjoyable products more than ever. The world is our oyster.

What would you make if you could take the idea in your head and make it... completely without compromise? 3d printing is bringing us exciting times. Stilt is now here with all of its personality intact.

How is it made?

Stilt is made for you with love in an American 3d printer powered by laser beams! It’s grown out of 0.12mm thin layers of polyamide plastic, which are sintered together by the laser.

This specific blend of plastic is strong, but also flexible, and will last a very long time. The surface is finished in a vibratory machine with polishing abrasives. What does that mean? Stilt has a very refined finish, much like you’ll find on a high quality product in any store.

Another advantage to 3d printing is that you'll have your own stilt very soon. January. There's no crazy molds to build, no boats from china, and very few problems to derail stilt's journey to your home. 

Stilt is growing some weight inside as well. A well placed, well hidden steel frame will serve to stiffen the whole piece, giving it a nice, firm feel in your hand. This grows stilt’s weight to a satisfying five ounces (140g). This gives him some traction on your desk and a nice, firm footprint.

Who the heck are you? 

I’m Lance, a designer from Colorado. You may recognize my work from Blackbox Case, which was also a Kickstarter project that I co-ran. I get really excited about making unobtrusive creations that are purposeful and cleanly beautiful. I feel that we have an abundance of gadgets, and many of these gadgets add clutter. What if a gadget reduced clutter, 100% worked well, and just made everything better?

This is the filter stilt has been put through. Stilt helps your iPhone 5 cable work better. It helps your iPhone 5 work better, too.

Why am I qualified to fulfill this project? Well, I’m a designer and mechanical engineer. I have a lot of experience carrying out an entire product... from design, to production, all the way to the post office. My latest project, Blackbox Case, has left me excited for more. Get to know me more?

What's the money for?

This project isn't designed to make me rich. 3d printing isn't the cheapest production method. Because of this, I have set the funding level for stilt to the level that I am absolutely certain about fulfilling your reward. A lot of projects underfund themselves and get into trouble before shipping rewards. My funding goal ensures that stilt will be a resilient project that can withstand the speed bumps that always come with producing a product.