Kickstarter to Open a Studio

Kickstarter needs a Kick-Starter!

It’s a really long way of saying “Buy a press for me.”

there have actually been a number of letterpress related kickstarters… some are funded, some not. When you make it sound like Megahurt, you usually don’t get funded.

My advice: Good Rewards. That’s what people really want.

This is more of a critique so take it how you may. Typically Kickstarter is about one single project with a definite beginning and end of completion. So take your idea of restoring a press. One press, get it purchased, get it running.

Your Kickstarter seems to be about starting a business. That is where it gets questionable for people. It would be better if you have the ability currently to produce the rewards than having rewards seem like they rely on the starting of your business. I would have left the starting a business aspect completely out of the idea and just focused on the press.

If Kickstarter allows it I don’t see much harm in doing it as long as your rewards are worthwhile to the people donating.

Two years ago I drew up plans of creating a mobile studio as a way to teach and bring screenprinting and letterpress to the community, but knew nothing of Kickstarter. Recently a printer out of Portland, OR did it successfully and is on the road. An excellent example of using Kickstarter. Maybe in a year or two I will have the time to follow my plans and try to make this happen.

Ask the local print shop/current owner if you can buy the press with sweat. Tell the owner you will clean, sweep, whatever. Show interest and be willing to work ernestly. If you do that and the press is not being used, the owner may sell it to you cheaply. She or he may like your plan and may participate through a reduced price.

Inky -

Believe me, that was my first thought. There’s only so much of that to offer when you’ve got a FT job, though.

It’s taken a year to convince him to consider giving it up. He’s a sweet, sentimental man and not hurting for the space (yet).

Afinepress: is it that hard to get a C&P ? What’s so special about this press?

Looking at your project, it does seem a bit in the lines of “help me buy a press for my business”. Honestly I wouldn’t back your project, as I wouldn’t back many others on those lines.
But hey, that’s just me, and I’m not right.

Good luck anyhow. I hope your dream does come true.

Of course part of this is about getting the press and getting set up. And, of course, I could find another C&P (probably for $100-200 less than this one). A big part of it is about this particular press, as I’m kind of enamored with the history of this city and there aren’t very many locally.

I certainly wouldn’t expect most members of this community to be probable backers, but they’re starting to come out of the woodwork locally.

Even though, I doubted you, I must say, congratulations on the funding of your project.
I was watching it up until a day or so before the funding closed, and I did not think you were going to make it.
You did. My best wishes.

Steep curve… good luck.

I doubted me, too, up until Thursday afternoon.

I have a wonderful local community who loves their history and loves to help each other. I had people offering to match pledges to kick me over.

Now, some prep work before the money’s transferred and I move this thing.

Congratulations on your Kickstarter funding, afinepress!

I spotted this letterpress project there a few days ago and wanted to spread the word—no affiliation, although I have pledged an amount to support it:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/josephrose/autism-letterpress-learni...

The Autism + Letterpress project is mine. With just over 1 day to go it doesn’t look like it will be funded, but I guess we’ll see.

Thanks for the support!

Common thing to do on Kickstarter and the like is simply fund the rest yourself, if you can afford it. That way you’ll still get the other funds committed.