Mesquite, TX received $91,542 for Artisan Dice, crafted from various woods (including 50,000 year old ancient Kauri wood), and $291,920 for Polyhedral Sided Dice, made from a variety of exotic species. Michael Woods of Mountain View, CA attracted the greatest number of backers among the woodworkers with 1,876 people funding $96,248 for a snap-together model Trebuchet. This Middle Age catapult is billed as “perfect for office warfare or annoying your roommate!” and almost all the contributors wanted one. Kickstarter also has been used to raise money for educational ventures. Woodworkers’ Clubhouse in Buffalo, NY is an open access community wood shop that offers educational classes. This organization sought funding in 2012 to bring their space into building code compliance and purchase tools. The goal of $5,000 was met by 39 backers to total $6,448. Premiums included crafted gift items and club memberships. Grain Surfboards of Maine, the “most experienced builder of hollow wood boards,” sought $38,500 “to share the rewards and the fun of building wooden surfboards” to the West Coast. Their objective was to purchase, customize, and equip a truck into a mobile classroom to offer workshops, as they drove up Pacific Coast Highway, probably surfing the entire way. During their 30-day window, they did attract 474 backers to the tune of $43,184, with offers of various promotional items and instructional lessons. Finally, there is C.C. Boyce. She came to Los Angeles for an acting career, and now, she is getting a Fine Woodworking and Cabinet Maker certificate from El Camino College in Torrance, CA. Her concept is Would You Woodwork?; a comedic, instructional woodworking web series, giving very basic information about different equipment in the woodshop. Obviously, she’s already developed an audience for her show, since she surpassed her goal of $7,500 with contributions from 153 people. And within two months of funding, she shot video for four different programs, covering the band saw, planer, vertical belt sander, drill press, table saw, and the lathe. “I think some people on the crew became converts; the make-up artist turned her own pen on the lathe before she left! I think these videos are going to do what I wanted them to do, which is take the mystery out of the woodshop and show people than anyone can do it, and it’s fun!” Editting is almost complete, with a target of July for posting them on the Internet. You can follow C.C.’s adventures in woodworking on her blog: few-bits.com.
Artisan Dice and Polyhedral Sided Dice by Charlie Brumfield
Michael Woods’ Trebuchet, 16" tall, made of 1/8" Baltic Birch plywood.
C.C. Boyce of Los Angeles utilized Kickstarter to underwrite a web video series Would You Woodwork?, a comedic, instructional look covering a variety of woodworking equipment.
NOT ALL ARE WINNERS
This is not to say Kickstarter is the home of free money, as there are plenty of proposals that did not achieve funding. However, it is a potential avenue to get a business or project going or a way to gain market visibility and gather pre-sale orders. There are also a number of websites emerging with strategies of how to best achieve success on this service. If you haven’t yet, its worth taking a look at www.kickstarter. com.
July-August, 2013 Woodworker West Page 41