February and March Fabrication Updates, and Shipping
24 days ago – Sun, Mar 24, 2024 at 09:11:08 PM

Hello Puzzlers!

We are fully in March madness mode here (more of a puzzle madness than a basketball madness, but there is some basketball playing on TVs in the background as we furiously push toward the home stretch.)

In this update you will find:

• Shipping timeline
• Our To-Do list
• Fabrication updates
• If you need to change your address

The Last Fabrication Push

We have been in the process of lasering our last few components that are going into the games. For the past two weeks, we have been cutting out the tiles for an edge-matching puzzle in the game. For this puzzle, there are a total of 9 tiles in each set. Multiplying these 9 tiles by about 800 games, we’ve been laser-cutting about 7200 tiles. Each set takes 14 minutes to engrave and cut. (All together, cutting all of them took about 80 hours.) Even for the parts of the game that take relatively less time to fabricate, there’s still a lot of cutting for the laser to do.  

We’ve also been going through the “finishing” process, which entails sanding pieces that don’t fit together correctly, staining parts of the puzzle boxes where the stain may have rubbed off, and re-cutting any additional pieces that might be missing.

A Last Mutiny from the Laser Cutter

About halfway through the process of cutting the tiles, we noticed that one batch of the tiles that were being cut weren’t the right size, in comparison to a previous set. We spend a day re-calibrating the laser, and then gave up and spent a day of troubleshooting and time on the phone with Glowforge’s customer support. We discovered that the rubber belt inside our laser cutter had stretched, causing the head to travel too far while cutting, which then meant some of the pieces that were being cut were too large. (The belt wearing out is only something that happens after thousands of hours of use.) We quickly ordered a replacement part, but it did take about a week and a half to arrive. Because of this, we are running about two weeks over on our original cutting schedule, but we are working to try to make up for this time during the shipping stage.

 Shipping Timeline:

For the most part, we are holding to the timeline posted in the last updates, and still in the packing process. (We are taking the next 2.5 weeks for packing.) This is our current estimate for shipping times, post-packing (from our last update):

• Collector’s Edition, US: 4-6 weeks
• Collector’s Edition, International: 6-8 weeks
• Deluxe Edition, US: 4-6 weeks
• Deluxe Edition, International: 6-8 weeks
• Standard Edition, US: 6-8 weeks
• Standard Edition, International: 8-9 weeks
• Treasure Hunter in-training, US: 4-6 weeks
• Treasure Hunter in-training, International: 6-8 weeks

(If you ordered any add-ons as part of your pledge, including the leather-bound solution log or collector’s chest, these will ship with your game. We're cutting the pieces for the collector's chest this month, and plan to assemble and add them to the game packages to the games during the shipping process.)

As we pack, we are also testing the puzzle boxes to ensure that everything is working properly before sending them out. Some of the boxes have been in storage for a while, and adjustments in humidity levels can cause the wood to swell, so it is best to continuously inspect them.

Larger Items on the To-Do List

The challenge coins and cardboard vr glasses: Our plan is to have these arrive at our site by the end of the month, to then be added to the packages as we pack. These are the final components that we do not yet have at our workshop space.

Folding and Taping the cardboard boxes for shipping, and adding cardboard inserts for extra padding.

We also need to install the remaining hardware (hinges and hasps) on the Safes and Puzzle Chests. We have started this process, which means tiny screws are everywhere.

 If you need to adjust your address...

If you need to change your address for shipping, there are two ways to do so. You can either log into your BackerKit account and check or adjust your address there, or send us a message with your updated address, and we can change the address in BackerKit for you. If you need to make any adjustments to your pledge, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We currently are all caught up (or, we believe that we are all caught up) on all of our emails and messages. However, if we did somehow miss a message, please do not be shy about double-emailing us! We are happy to help with any adjustments.

As always, we thank you for your support! If you have any questions that we can answer, please message us. We're planning to post our next update around this time in April to show more from the packing side.

More updates to come soon, and until then, happy puzzling!

The EAG Team

December and January Fabrication Updates
3 months ago – Fri, Jan 26, 2024 at 09:22:20 PM

Hello Puzzlers! 

We hope that you are all enjoying the new year! In this update you will find:

• Our progress from December and part of January
• A repost of our timeline from our July update (we're still on track!)
• Our shipping plan

 December Updates:

In December, we continued folding the globe puzzles, and cutting the remaining puzzle components. We also went back and recut pieces for the Atlas box, the first puzzle boxes that we constructed in the game. During the original build phase for this box, we ran out of red cedar and were about six boxes short. Since we are getting towards the end of the project, we went ahead and recut a few of these boxes so that we will be ready to pack them in the Deluxe Edition of the game, and because it is always nice to have the workshop smelling like cedar around the Christmas holiday.

Above: Cutting a set of new sides for the Atlas Box

Above: A view from the laser bed - cutting the globe puzzles

Above: A sheet of wooden globes ready to be folded

Above: A completed globe ready to be sealed away in an Atlas Box

We still need to:

• Finish up folding the mini wooden globe puzzle (we estimate this will take about a week).
• Cut remaining puzzle pieces on the laser cutter for the small puzzles in the game that do not require assembly (a few of these components, including the sketch machine puzzle and tile puzzle, were pictured in update #18).
• We are going to be working on this while also jumping back on our next timeline goal for January and February, which is sanding, staining, and sealing the boxes. With this remaining tasks, we’re still on track for the timeline set in our last timeline update post in July, in which we estimated that we will be shipping the games out in late March.

Timeline Repost:

From our July timeline update:

•  3 Weeks for Staining and Sealing Boxes and Additional Components (First week of January – Beginning of February). This is also the time when we will be completing the customization on the boxes for the Collector’s Edition sets.
•  2 Weeks to test boxes and fix any issues before shipping (Beginning of February -End of February)
•  4 Weeks to pack and ship the games (end of March)

There are several additional tasks that we’ll be working on in the background while staining and sealing, including installing thousands of tiny screws, hinges, and hasps on the boxes. We’ll also be continuously printing pages and pages of paper puzzles, and starting to organize them into the envelopes for the individual games, and we'll begin cutting the pieces for the Collector’s Crate and assembling these boxes as well.

Shipping Estimate

Once the games are sent out from our location, they will travel to a distribution center, undergo another round of packing and sorting, and then get sent out to you all. Our current estimate for the shipping process is that once the components leave our space at the end of March, they will take roughly 4-6 weeks to reach domestic backers, and 6-8 weeks to reach international backers. We will have another update in February to reaffirm this timeline, and also plan to reach out to everyone in March to double-check that we have the correct shipping address for each backer, and to convey tracking information for your individual shipment.

We are approaching our shipping strategy the same way that we would approach learning how to skateboard -- with lots of caution and an excessive amount of padding. Each game is going to come in a rigid outer cardboard box that will be double-walled, with additional padding and dividers around the puzzle boxes. The paper puzzles for the game are divided into a set of five envelopes, with each envelope containing an additional rigid piece of cardboard to prevent the papers from bending. 

 Reach Out to us if You Need to Adjust Your Pledge

We would also like to affirm, as in previous updates, that if anyone would like to request a refund, please feel free to reach out to us.

This project has stretched longer than we intended, and we continue to be honored by your patience, which we absolutely do not take for granted. If, for any reason, you would like to request a refund or ask for any additional information, please do not hesitate to message or email us.

We believe that we have responded to all of the messages about pledge updates and address changes, but if you think we have missed an email, please message us.

Until February, Happy Puzzling!

The EAG Team

Fabrication Updates for November
5 months ago – Fri, Dec 01, 2023 at 10:58:13 PM

Hello Puzzlers!

The weather is getting colder, and it is a great time of year to relax with a good puzzle. We’ve been lasering and assembling one of the last big components of the Labyrinth, and in this update you will find:

• Fabrication progress on the small game components
• Next steps in December

The Maze Puzzle

With the fabrication of the puzzle boxes wrapping up, we are getting close to the home stretch! Since the last update, we have primarily been working on cutting pieces for and assembling one of the remaining small components of the game, the ball maze.

 This puzzle a lot like a typical maze puzzle, in which a ball navigates around a series of obstacles. However, this puzzle is a twist on the classic format—-there are two different sides to the maze, and the layout changes based on the side, making it extra difficult to figure out how to correctly extract the ball. This is a tricky puzzle to solve, even for the folks who designed it.

Other Fabrication Progress

We are also continuing to stain and seal the puzzle boxes, and as we do, the work area is gradually filling up.

Next Steps

We were originally going to be finishing up the build of the matchbox puzzle box this month, but some of the walnut wood we needed was in backorder, so we jumped to constructing the maze instead. Now, we are switching back to assembling the matchboxes. After finishing this puzzle box, we will engrave and assemble the next remaining component, the folded globe puzzle. Overall, we are still on track for our last major timeline update, and anticipate shipping in March.

Please reach out to us!

We would also like to restate a commitment we have made in previous updates: This project has stretched longer than we intended, and we continue to be honored by your patience, which we absolutely do not take for granted. If, for any reason, you would like to request a refund or ask for any additional information, please do not hesitate to message or email us.

We believe that we have responded to all of the messages about pledge updates and address changes, but if you tink we have missed an email, please message us.

Thank you for supporting this project, and we hope your winter season is off to a great start. We will be back near the end of December, January, February, and March with additional updates as we get closer to our shipping date.

Until then, happy puzzling!

-The EAG Team

September and August Fabrication Progress
7 months ago – Mon, Oct 02, 2023 at 05:30:28 PM

We hope you are all having a lovely Fall! In this update, you will find:

• Fabrication Progress Updates
• Checking the Puzzle Safes
• Paper Component Notes

Fabrication Progress

We spent August and September working with the laser cutter and re-cutting many of the pieces that showed issues with delaminating. It took about a week to assess all of the pieces that needed to be recut, and then about six and a half weeks to set up the files laser them. Now that we are wrapping up the re-cutting process, we are just transitioning back from lasering to assembling the matchstick puzzle box.

The Puzzle Safe

While working on the laser files, we have also been in the process of getting ahead on the finishing process for the Safes. This process involves inspecting the Safe Puzzle Boxes, sanding down parts of the boxes that might not perfectly align, and re-staining areas where the initial stain coat may be uneven.

The Paper Puzzles

When calibrating the test prints, we are working on refining three things: the color and resolution of the prints, and the paper quality. While the color is getting close to where we want it in these tests, the paper thickness and texture are not there yet. Each edition of the game comes with about 45 printed pages, so we are going to keep honing the quality of the prints.

Reach out to Us

As we noted in our last update, this project has stretched longer than we intended, and we continue to be honored by your patience, which we absolutely do not take for granted. If, for any reason, you would like to request a refund or ask for any additional information, please do not hesitate to message or email us!

What' Next:

In the next update, we'll be back with photos from the final puzzle box build, and the small mechanical puzzles in the game, including the ball maze and folded paper globe.

Happy Puzzling!

The EAG Team

Our Updated Timeline and Summer Fabrication Updates
9 months ago – Sun, Jul 30, 2023 at 07:43:57 PM

We hope you are all having a lovely summer season. We have a lot to write about, and are going to jump right in. In this update you will find:

• A fabrication hiccup, and our updated timeline
• The final puzzle box build fabrication progress
• Making the exterior VR spaces
• Upgrading our 3D printer setup

Quality Control: A cautionary tale

First, we would like to address an unforeseen problem that we ran into in July, which has caused a ripple effect in our production timeline. We ran into an issue at the start of July during a round of quality testing, and anticipate that it will take about an extra two months to fully fix.

(I know that many of you reading this are puzzle makers and fabrication enthusiasts yourself, and for the folks who are interested in the nuts and bolts, I would like to detail the issue we ran into. For the additional progress updates and our new timeline, we’ll pick up in the next section.)

Our most recent round of laser-cutting involved preparing the pieces for the final puzzle box. We build many of our puzzles from a material called Baltic Birch--- it is a kind of plywood that is made by gluing together a series of wood layers. As we were assembling a group of these puzzle boxes, we noticed that some of the wood pieces were starting to come apart. Some of the layers in the pieces of the wood that we were working with were delaminating (meaning that the layers themselves were ungluing and coming apart.) When the Baltic Birch was in full plywood sheets, the delamination was not evident, since the areas where the glue failed inside the plywood was surrounded by areas where the glue was still holding. However, when sections of the wood were cut out in the laser cutter to make our puzzle pieces, the areas in the wood without glue started to come apart. It is also very possible that the higher humidity levels contributed to the problem. This is an especially insidious issue because there was almost no way to detect it until we started building the puzzle boxes, since the cutout pieces looked completely fine until we started handling them while building.

Fixing the Problem, and Shipping Timeline

We reached out to our Baltic Birch supplier to alert them to this defect, and are working with them to replace the wood. We are still testing the cryptex and maze puzzle boxes, as well as the other puzzles we built over the past few months, to try to figure out if any of the other puzzles from this wood shipment could be affected. We are set to receive a new order of Baltic Birch in the first week of August, and will begin the process of re-cutting the pieces from May and June.

Our original timeline from our update in February had us shipping in October. Since that update, we have finished two additional puzzle box builds (the sword box and the treasure box.) The timeline below outlines the time we will take to retest these boxes, cut the pieces that we lost, finish the final puzzle box build and remaining mechanical puzzles, stain and seal the puzzle boxes, and pack and ship.

Finishing the Remaining Puzzle Boxes and Lasering the Remaining Game Pieces:

•  8 weeks to recut the affected pieces and diagnose any defects in the recent assembled puzzles (August and September)
• 3 Weeks for assembling the matchbox (October)

Assembling the Remaining Mechanical Puzzles:

• 3 Weeks for the Ball Maze Puzzle (End of October-End of November)
• 1.5 Weeks to fold the wood paper globe (End of November – Second week of December)
• 1.5 Weeks to assemble the mechanical sketch machine puzzle (Mid-December to First week of January)

Finishing Steps and Packing:

• 3 Weeks for Staining and Sealing Boxes and Additional Components (First week of January – Beginning of February)
• 2 Weeks to test boxes and fix any issues before shipping (Beginning of February -End of February)
• 4 Weeks to pack and ship the games (March)

Updated Expected Shipping: End of March

Please reach out to us!

This project has stretched longer than we intended, and we continue to be honored by your patience, which we absolutely do not take for granted. If, for any reason, you would like to request a refund or ask for any additional information, please do not hesitate to message or email us.

Fabrication Updates: The Final Puzzle Box

Now, for some better news: despite the setback, we are still moving forward in the fabrication of the final puzzle box, which is the last box we have left.  Once we have finished cutting the replacement pieces, we will continue with the assembly process for this box, and then move to assembling the mechanical puzzles.

Additional Component Updates

While waiting for the new wood shipment, we also have been going back and adding to the 3D models of the VR spaces in the game. (These are the puzzles in the game that will be solved by putting on VR viewers and making observations from 360 videos.) Two of the puzzles involve outdoor spaces, while three involve interior spaces. Pictured above are screengrabs from two of the exterior areas.

Upgrading our 3D Printer Setup

Another improvement we have been working on is improving our workflow for 3D printing. Our two 3D printers that we have been working with so far have done very well for the thousands of hours of around-the-clock printing we have put them through. However, in the process, they have both become like the legendary Ship of Theseus---meaning that after many, many repairs, they contain almost none of their original parts. Over the past few months especially, we have found that we seem to be spending more time fixing the printers than actually printing. So, we made the decision to give our printers a much deserved retirement, and purchased two newer models.

Since we use a specialty filament for printing the knobs for the Puzzle Safe, we still needed to modify the printers themselves. (This involves swapping out the standard print head with a more robust one that is made from hardened steel, which can better handle printing with composite metal filament.) New printers also take time to dial in, and we had to perform several test prints to get the new printing settings right.

We'll be back with a new post on more of the puzzle components and final puzzle box build in the beginning of September, and look forward to keeping you all updated. If you need to reach out to us about anything at all, please do not hesitate to contact us!

-The EAG Team