FAQ

• Will you be selling the design files and/or PCB?

Currently we have no plans to do so.  Those were exclusive to the Kickstarter campaign.  We may make an exception on a case-by-case basis so please contact us directly if you wish to do so.  Our preference for offering this are mostly for businesses that engage in promoting Maker spaces, STEM education, and the creative arts.

• Does it make noise?

Aquarius does indeed make a sound.  It sounds similar to a small stream of water hitting the surface of water (like pouring a bottle into a cup).  Do take that into account before purchasing.  That being said, its not loud and you won't hear it unless you're in the same room.  Some have used it for ASMR/relaxation therapy so its highly subjective.

• Will you ever stop making these?

Yes!  Our production run is currently targeted for 2000 pieces, at which point we will likely stop and release all files to the public.

• How comes it takes 3 weeks to ship out?

Each one is handmade.  The wood is CNC routed, and then sanded down heavily which takes roughly a day.  It is then stained with color and set to dry for 2-3 days.  4-5 layers of gloss polyurethane is then applied which takes 1 day per layer to dry.  Then it is sanded lightly again to smooth out any particles and another 4-5 layers of gloss polyurethane applied (again, 1 day per layer to dry).  Then the electronics are installed and some internal parts are glued in (which take 1 day to dry).  The final day is to run a stress test on it to "break-in" the water pump and internal springs/magnets.  In total, it takes roughly 16 business days which is about 3 weeks.  Our rush option reduces it to 1 week as we sub-contract the staining/glossing stage out to a 3rd party (they have industrial ovens that reduce drying time significantly).

• What is the return policy?

As each piece is handmade, we cannot accept returns.  Though, we may consider this on a case-by-case basis.  If accepted, we charge a 15% restocking fee on the lamp cost (not including shipping) once we receive the lamp back (customer ships it back at their own expense) with the remainder of the balance being refunded back to the customer.

• What's the warranty on Aquarius?

Our limited warranty period is 60 days from the date of you receiving the product as per shipping tracking information. It will cover electrical malfunction or physical damage caused by shipping/handling.  Damage due to user negligence will not be covered.  Once received, we will confirm the serial ID of the lamp with your order as proof or purchase otherwise warranty is voided (and the lamp will not be returned unless provided with a return label at your expense).  Please email us should you have an issue and we'll assess the best possible course of action.  Flexibility on these requirements may be subject to change on a case-by-case basis.

FAQ for String of Pisces ♓

• What is it made out of?

All pieces are 3D printed using FDM PLA on our Creality CR-10 V2 setups.  We have made heavy calibrations over time to create mirror-like finishes on the flat surfaces of all the parts that are comparable to injection molded pieces.  Due to the structure of PLA, it means it is biodegradable and thus environmentally safe unlike injection molding.

• What colors do you offer?

The base and the main lamp can be customized to be different colors independently.  By default, we offer black and white but many more colors are possible due to our 3D printing flow.  As there are far too many colors to list, we suggest you visit Amazon to and search for "PLA filament" to get an idea of what color you want.  Most will opt for Black and/or White as that fits in the most settings.

FAQ for BREATHE Valves (V1 and V2)

• What is the risk of using the BREATHE Valves?

As with all exhalation valves in general, the BREATHE V1 Valve will NOT protect those around the wearer.  It will only protect the wearer as the exhaled air is not fully filtered. 

The BREATHE V2 valve provides an additional OBSTACLE against exhaled moisture droplets with its brass mesh filter but will not completely eliminate them if they are small enough (less than 250 um, mesh hole measured with a microscope).

The BREATHE V1 and V2 Valves are not intended to be used as an absolute defense against bacteria/viruses/pathogens such as COVID-19.  The user assumes all risks when retro-fitting a mask (whether commercial or homemade) with the BREATHE valve.  We are not liable for any harm that results directly from the usage of the BREATHE Valves as it is up to the user to retrofit a mask themselves.  We are not a company that specializes in medical science, PPE (personal protective equipment), biotechnology, virology, and any other related fields and thus cannot provide absolute guarantees with regards to the BREATHE Valves.

That being said, exhalation valves, in general, do provide advantages to the wearer and are covered in numerous research articles.  These articles of research are numerous and available widely.  We rely on these bodies of evidence and as such, do not perform any studies ourselves.  We modeled the BREATHE Valves directly from commercially available valves from 3M and Benethal (all of which are sourced from a select few manufacturers from China).  We improved upon these valves by adding a seamless removal and reattachment facility (without directly affecting the one-way valve operation itself).  For the V2 Valve, we added a brass filter to further strengthen the protection for people around the wearer (any obstacle is better than no obstacle).

• Why use a brass filter?

Brass (an alloy of copper) contains anti-microbial properties and there are studies showing inactivation of bacteria and viruses upon timed surface contact. 

Here are 2 government sponsored research articles detailing this:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3067274/
2. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973

While the brass filter itself acts as an obstacle against exhaled moisture droplets, it will not completely eliminate it.  There is a trade-off between exhalation efficiency versus adequate filtration.  The BREATHE V2 valve will convey all the wearer advantages of an exhalation valve while providing additional protection for those around them (but not complete elimination).  The brass filter will catch exhaled moisture droplets that are large enough but will not catch ones that are smaller than 250 um.

• But I already purchased a V1 Valve recently before the V2 was released...

We have you covered!  If you are a previous customer of the V1, let us know and we can credit you with a 30% discount on the V2 Valve (regardless of quantity).

• Do you provide plans to print these ourselves?

We do provide plans for the V1 Valves on Github.  The V2 Valve plans are currently not available.

• What is your production capacity?

Up to 300 per day with an additional 2-3 days for testing and cleaning.

SHIPPING/PRODUCTION DETAILS

For all Aquarius orders, allow roughly 7-10 weeks for shipping.  The extremely long delays are due to:

• Shortage of Baltic Birch Plywood (of which 99% of the supply comes from Russia).
• Polyurethane stage of which 12-15 layers are manually applied on and each layer taking 24-48 hours to fully cure and dry.  This is required to waterproof the exterior of the wood surface.
• Shortage of custom internal Aquarius PCB due to a worldwide chip shortage.

For all Pisces orders, allow roughly 5-10 business days for shipping.  This time is spent on:

• FDM 3D printing all parts of Pisces in biodegradable PLA (8 pieces)
• Assembly and gluing
• Testing

For all BREATHE valve orders, allow roughly 1-2 business days for shipping.