Hi all!

Here’s the latest update from Robert about the current progress of our Optical Disc Lab:

The film processor has been ordered, with a production build time of approximately eight weeks. Shipping will be by air, which should take an additional week. This means the processor should arrive in October. Upon arrival, I’ll need to hire contractors for the plumbing, electrical, and venting (including ducting, vent fan, and cutting a hole in a cement wall to route the air outside). I’m trying my hand at building a rotary darkroom door, primarily to save money and especially space, which allows me to enter and exit the darkroom while plotting and developing. I will then build the walls and ceiling of the darkroom. It seems like this activity will last through December, so I expect to make test discs early next year.

All this would not have been possible without the generous donations from folks we’ve previously credited, along with a new and very generous donation from happy Panoptigon owner Bernhard Mueller! Thanks Bernhard! As always, let us know if you’d like to support this project with a direct donation!

In the meantime, here’s another way you can support our project: we finally have MERCH available! We’ve created a bunch of different designs using classic Optigan, Orchestron, and Talentmaker artwork, as well as a brand new design for Panoptigon! These are all print-on-demand products, and as such you’ll need to use some common sense when considering different color combinations and product types, but we’re sure you’ll find something to suit your style! All proceeds (well, our cut, anyway) go toward our Optical Disc Lab fund! Here’s a couple sample shirts we ordered to check the quality:

We plan to continue coming up with more designs to add to the store, so if you have an suggestions, let us know!