Wood Burning Stoves 2.0 Kickstarter

The kickstarter is done! Thanks for your help everybody!

The 4-DVD set is now available for folks to purchase!





Click Here to check out the final product!














http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/wood-burning-stoves-20-the-dvds

Great kickstarter video and look forward to getting the final set. Looks like it will be a great set of DVD's.

Finally BOOM SQUISH explained. Darwiniasm commence.

Excellent! Thank you very much for making the DVD set -- I've signed up for my set...

The video looks great! Good Luck on the kickstarter and finishing the DVDs!

Looks like it should be good. I signed up for the set.

Go Paul go... Your video was enough to get my wife to buy into this whole concept too. Kudos for that!!!
100 bones for 4 dvds. 25 each, hell ya! Great value & a great cause!

Let's all chant...
"get Paul land"
"get Paul land"

We all know that once you get your lab (land), that you'll innovate faster than Wile E. Coyote himself. ACME will be hiring you as their consultant in no time.

Thanks for all that you do Paul... Truly!
...of course Ernie & Erica too!!!

Right on,
Randy
(a computer nerd waiting/hoping to become a permaculture nerd)

Let's all chant...
"get Paul land"
"get Paul land"

I'm really hoping it goes well over $100,000. That would be seriously cool.

So I had several fans email me a while back and say "let me help you with video" and most of them seemed to suggest price structures. And they sent samples of their work. And one guy was super emphatic that he wanted nothing in return - he wanted me to get land and he wanted to help the empire. And I liked his sample videos the best. Bart.

And then Bart said his current job is working for Cirque du Soleil as a clown. Very cool.

Bart edited the current teaser. I think it is EXCELLENT!

Bart is going to edit the four DVDs - but the idea of Bart getting zero was something I couldn't do. So I've arranged to give Bart a big cut of the kickstarter.

Thanks Bart! This is awesome!

It was pretty good! I had a nice grin on my face with the bouncing still-faced expressions to empathize with the audience......really amusing!

Well done! The look and feel of that video was spot on.

Paul, here's a suggestion for a major-player website. Contact the folks at 350.org. http://www.350.org.

Bill McKibben is the main Dude in charge. He wrote what is considered to be the first non-academic book on Climate Change over 20 years ago. Yesterday, they were in Washington to do a march on the White House, protesting Big Oil, but more specifically, the Keystone Pipeline. 40,000 people showed up, from across the US and Canada. Speaking of numbers, 350.org has 250,000 "likes' on FaceBook, and 125,000 followers on Twitter.

350.org isn't interested in just doing marches, rather, they be interested in building a Sustainable Movement focusing on Sustainable Energy and Renewable Resources. I'm thinking a device that generates sufficient heat from 1/10th the wood normally used, while generating 1/100th the pollution of normal wood heater, would probably interest an organization interested in reducing the ecological footprint currently imprinted heavily by Big Coal and Big Oil, and branching more and more into Natural Gas.

fyi .... 350 refers to 350 parts per million of CO2, which is considered the "safe" upper limit for Earthlings. Currently, much of Earths atmosphere is somewhere around 390ppm. time to pare that back a touch!


Rocket Stove & Rocket Heater ..... I wonder what it might take to get an endorsement from Rocket J. Squirrel .............

Paul, was just thinking about this, one of the more PG thoughts that went through my mind today.

After watching the video I would assume some people would actually want plans or something in order to put to use what they saw in the video. Until the shippable core is released (probably less than a year) to the masses, they would need some type of "guide".

So, as part of the kickstarter process, would it be possible to include Ernie and Erica's (subject to their blessing and approval of course) plans in one of the rewards, or as an add-on, probably at a slightly discounted "bundled" rate?

Doing this would help boost the numbers and most likely get more people actually DOING something, rather than watching four excellent DVD's. It would also give people all the information needed, and probably motivation, to actually follow through with what they learned.

There was even a good article in the Sunday Idaho Statesman on Bill McKibben and the 350 effort...apparently big fossil fuels stock could lose 60% of value if the low-carbon movement is successful in getting the 2degree guarantee by 2050 instigated. Here in 1A county, we feel the pinch of the 2C county woodburners all winter with bad air quality leading to burn bans in 1A. As part of the video series, I hope we have some metrics on just how clean burning rocket stoves really are. I have lots of sticks and after this past month of Siberian winter, I really need to find a 'green' way to keep my goats and chickens warmer, and am thinking that a short burst of rocket heat to mas, will make them happy during cold weather and I can go back inside after the flames are gone...

Here's to making Paul's vision as success...wish I had $4k!

What's the connection between this Kick-starter campaign and the one I already subscribed to? https://permies.com/t/20522/rocket-stoves/Thermal-Mass-Rocket-Stove-DVD

Richard Kutscher wrote:After watching the video I would assume some people would actually want plans or something in order to put to use what they saw in the video. Until the shippable core is released (probably less than a year) to the masses, they would need some type of "guide".

So, as part of the kickstarter process, would it be possible to include Ernie and Erica's (subject to their blessing and approval of course) plans in one of the rewards, or as an add-on, probably at a slightly discounted "bundled" rate?

Doing this would help boost the numbers and most likely get more people actually DOING something, rather than watching four excellent DVD's. It would also give people all the information needed, and probably motivation, to actually follow through with what they learned.

DING DING DING DING DING!!! We have a winner Folks!

I second Richard's brilliant suggestion.

I'd also suggest considering an addition to the DVDs, in the form of a "mini-manual" that can be PDFed on line, which could include the fancy-schamncy diagrams you mentioned Paul, as well as additional clarification text, and a "catalog" of the recommended YouTube videos, and in which order to view them. The easier you can make participation, and the more "value" you can add (but WAIT! there's MORE!), the more sales will be realized from more interested parties, including "mainstream" peeps who want to do more than just drive a Prius and turn down the thermostat.

One more thing ..... consider the packaging, or better still, the lack of hard-shell packaging. I've ditched almost all the hard-shell cases of the CDs and DVDs I'm keeping, and store them in 72 and 98 slot zipper cases. That makes for a MUCH smaller footprint on the shelf. You can buy good quality DVD cases from China (in bulk) for less than $0.50 each. I think from the dollar Days website, they are no much more expensive than that, well under a buck.

Rocketstoves are AWESOME! Have sent your links to friends and shared on Facebook, tho I do not do Facebook much. No time with all the projects going! Keep it up!

Gonna tackle all the questions here in a moment. First, I need to upload these banners from Bart:

.

Paul, would you consider a digital delivery tier? I am not interested in owning any more DVDs, but a digital download would be sweet, and would reduce your costs for fulfillment. I personally might price it at $60 for all four videos, or 20 apiece.

Going in this direction would likely reduce your number of backers at the $100 tier, but I think you'd make up the difference in volume at the lower tier. A few other successful kickstarters I've backed have used this format.

You're well on your way to being funded, I hope you have some great stretch goals planned! Congratulations on the inevitable success of this campaign!

Neil,

Excellent idea! Would you be so kind as to post it here - where we are amassing a list of sites like that?


Richard,

I suspect that Ernie and Erica would be glad to do that. But .... kickstarter frowns on selling stuff for more than what they cost outside of kickstarter. And then kickstarter takes about 8% of the gross. And then I say "I need to x amount of money to start" but for each one or E&E's plans, I need to pay them for the plans. So the income is reduced. So I think it is much wiser to stick to offers directly attached to the kickstarter.


D Elliott,

Last month's rocket mass kickstarter was about a project ernie and erica were involved in a couple of years ago. That is a cob based rocket mass heater.

Nathan,

Can you give me links to services that provide that sort of thing?

paul wheaton wrote:Nathan,

Can you give me links to services that provide that sort of thing?

I'm not Nathan, but I know a website (Vimeo.com) that does that, because I have purchased that way before. It's great because of instant gratification.

You can password protect your videos, send your purchasers the link and password, and you can even put a download button on the video.

Aaron, that would be agree at way to do it.

I was a KS backer of Double Fine Adventure, and they use Vimeo to distribute their backers-only video updates.

I was also thinking that there might be a way to use existing channels- Paul, could you generate coupon codes for people to download movies from scubbly? Could you do so without getting charged? Maybe there's a way to use shopify or something like that. This would be a GREAT question for Jack Spirko.

I did notice that Indie Game the Movie distributed some of their stuff through http://vhx.tv/. Th also used apple store and steam.

paul wheaton wrote:

D Elliott,

Last month's rocket mass kickstarter was about a project ernie and erica were involved in a couple of years ago. That is a cob based rocket mass heater.

Thanks for the quick reply. I wanted to be sure the older DVD wasn't one of the four in this new series. No cob in the RMH? (Trying to avoid duplication.) Also, there is a reference to the "Fire Science" workshop in the posts of the previous thread. So, this series supplements the previous DVD? Or is it competing with it?

Well, you got my pledge. I'd also prefer the download to a physical DVD.

Julie

Here is a case study from IGTM (Indie Game: The Movie) about their experience with digital distribution after a kickstarter campaign.

The previous kickstarter was put on by Calen. I was gearing up to start my kickstarter when I got an email from Ernie and Erica saying that Calen had started a kickstarter.

We sorta compete and we sorta don't.

The important thing is that getting rocket mass heater info out there is mega important. So I put my kickstarter on hold and promoted his kickstarter. Now that his kickstarter is complete (and funded!) I have started mine.

Less than $800 to go!

$94 to go now. I too would prefer a digital download rather than physical DVD's.

Although I have already committed, my money is with a download...no more DVD's please.

Congratulations on completing your kickstarter Paul. I look forward to the videos as much as I look forward to more ideas being brought out using this means. It is great that the community saw value in your vision and backed it. I hope this is just the beginning.

Loved the video teaser. So glad you have someone good to edit this.

Let us know if you do want to put some of the plans up on the incentives - we can do a deal that is tidy and doesn't involve future obligations.
Printed materials are more obnoxious to deliver, so digital downloads would be best.

Yours,
Erica W

Tower banner from Alex

Your well over the kickstart requirement and 27 more days to go! Congratulations. If it goes insane on the kickststarter are you considering adding any extra video footage or anything?

Jack emailed me and said he is gonna tell people again about my kickstarter. But since it is already funded, what would be my reasons to them about why they might want to chip in to an already funded project?

My response:

1) With more funds we can get even better graphics and animation done.

2) We are not yet sure if we will sell these DVDs outside of the kickstarter.

3) I think the most powerful thing a person can do to prepare for the future is build knowledge. This is something that can be built from junk, uses one tenth the wood of conventional "efficient" wood stoves. And provides heat without giving away your position. This knowledge is of use if times get tough, or even if they don't.

4) If folks follow the link from TSP and hit $4000 to this, I will list Jack and TSP as "Supreme Executive Producer with bacon, cheese and sparkles" complete with a sound track of cheering. At the beginning and end of the DVD. Plus say it on the box.

5) I like the idea that this is not a charity. You don't give money and hope things work out. I like the idea that you are buying something in advance. There is no bank making business loans. Plus, if you do like giving money to charity - I cannot think of anything in the world that will do the world more good than this. Buying my stuff furthers my empire to build a better world one brick at a time.

6) I like the idea that if this information becomes well known, it could eliminate fracking and greatly reduce other energy based pollutions. I'm tried of other people polluting the air I breath and the water I drink. I suspect this could also reduce energy based wars.

7) Nobody should buy this for the sake of the idea that it makes me richer. But it does make me richer. And I like that.

8) If we can cross the $100,000 mark for this kickstarter, I think it adds a level of legitimacy to this technology and to all of my projects.

9) Last month I tried to give advice to a youngster putting together a rocket mass heater DVD and he didn't take my advice. I like the idea of gleaning ten times more after his effort. Showing that there might be some value in listening to the ugly old geezers.

10) If there is a more sustainable way to heat a conventional home, I would very much like to hear about it. In other words: this .... is ..... it.

11) Rocket mass heaters is just a part of it. There is fire science, rocket hot water, j-tube rocket stove, the poor man's forge, the pocket rockets and more.

12) (I like the number 12 - so I needed 12 items on this list) You can get your name to appear in all of the videos.

Related to items 6 and 7 on your list: The more successful the campaign, the sooner Paul gets on to a nice big piece of land and starts showing the world what's going on with Husp, Wofati, etc.

Maybe this has already been planned, but I'd love to see some stretch goals go up. A lot of kickstarter campaigns that go really big announce stretch goals once they are funded.
For example, I backed a radio show (99% Invisible- AMAZING show/podcast) and they had a funding target of 42k. They ended up with 170k in the campaign, and became the biggest Journalism KS campaign yet. Their stretch goals were:

Raise over $80,000- Hire Sam Greenspan 3 days a week to work on 99% Invisible exclusively and increase production to 35 episodes/year.

Raise over $90,000- Produce a video episode with ZeroOne Productions as part of Season 3.

Raise over $100,000- Hire Sam 4 days a week to work on 99% Invisible exclusively and increase production to 40 episodes/year.

Raise over $115,000- Website redesign. Tumblr served me well (and it was free), but doesn’t have the functionality the audience demands.

Raise over $175,000- Hire PRX app team to develop a 99% Invisible smart phone app. Something amazing like their Radiolab or KCRW Music Mine apps.

Raise over $200,000- Research cloning Roman so we can get this all done.

So for the WBS2.0 campaign, there could be stretch goals like (and this is completely off the top of my head):

$40,000- We produce an outtakes video of any bloopers or jokes that were captured on film

$50,000- Featurette on other rocket stoves that Ernie and Erica have made and how/why their designs have evolved over time

$75,000- Paul builds a RMH-heated Wofati once he has land

$100,000- Ernie gets a monthly stipend for 6 months to fund his RMH research. Paul gets a big shiny crown with the kickstarter logo emblazoned on the front for all to see, because he is the king of kickstarter.

Obviously each of these goals come with increased costs to produce, but it does provide both new and existing backers with a reason to increase their contribution, and it builds a "snowball" of interest and involvement. You can't do a kickstarter campaign every month, so might as well capture as much attention and funding as possible.

Paul,
I can't find the other thread about which folks and networks to connect with. here is an addition to that list:

http://www.youtube.com/user/kirstendirksen
she is the co-founder of Fair Companies which creates videos about all kinds of nifty ways to live well.

Her youtube account has as of this moment, 46,745 subscribers and her videos have been viewed 34,938,447 times.

Here is the Fair Companies website--community and access to tools on sustainable culture:

http://faircompanies.com/videos/kirstendirksen/

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Dan Philips and Phoenix Commotion in Texas. He's been on TED talk about his mission to help build homes from salvaged and recycled materials (TED talk link on their homepage)
They have had folks come from all over to visit their materials facility and to help design such in other cities and places.

http://phoenixcommotion.com/

What is the Phoenix Commotion?

The Phoenix Commotion is a local building initiative created to prove that constructing homes with recycled and salvaged materials has a viable place in the building industry. This process uses only apprentice labor and teaches marketable skills to anyone with a work ethic who is willing to swing a hammer. By keeping labor costs low and using donated or found materials, the homes created are truly affordable. No two are alike due to the myriad of materials used, so there is an artistic element that makes Phoenix Commotion homes unique. We target single parents, artists, and families with low incomes.

Congratulations on the growing enthusiastic response to this techology and the video/plans desires of folks. May the fires of enthusiasm continue to grow strong!

Gail

Here is the link for the sites we are trying to connect with:

https://permies.com/t/21783/tnk/kickstarter-connecting-networks

Nathan,

I like the idea of stretch goals!

I think it is hard to come up with stuff to add to DVDs that have not been created yet. After all, we don't yet know how full they will be.

As for me building a wofati - well, we already know that is going to happen.

I think we could say that there will be higher quality animations. ??

If a DVD is like a CD, I think I should be able to read it in my computer...
...but I do not have any DVD yet!
And sending outside the US cost 10 to 20$ more.

Then I do not understand oral English as well as written English...
So it makes me difficult to take the decision of ordering...