It’s been a long journey since Space Bar hit threshold in March, and we are so, SO excited to get this one out into the world. A big congrats to ideator Mike Cavada!

We’re releasing limited quantities of FOUR brand new products, just in time for the holidays:

Order confirmation e-mails got sent out this afternoon. We’ll be fulfilling all commitments on a first-come, first-served basis, and supplies are limited… so don’t wait to complete your order if you’re hoping to receive one (or all) of these products by Christmas!

And this is just the beginning. Keep your eyes on your inboxes in the coming weeks as we continue to move products out of production and into your hands for the holidays.

Production has been greenlit!

Projected ship date: December 1st

And to make a short story long:

We just received the T4 version of Space Bar earlier this week. Great stuff! This prototype was a fully functional test to reveal any issues still remaining with the product.

There were a handful of tiny issues, but nothing major: some tweaking on the aluminum parts, finishing touches on the finish, polishing on the mold cavities, adjusting on the hex screws, etc. etc.

Overall, we were very impressed with the T4 prototype, and we’re excited to move forward with this project. To ensure the items above get resolved, our incredible partners in Asia will be reviewing parts from a small production run to ensure quality and regularity of each unit early next week. We are moving forward with this pre-production run as an extra step of quality control and opportunity to have the factory calibrate and refine their production processes before our larger run.

Some tasks to be completed before the final quantity run:

- Developing QA (Quality Approval) sheet. This will be submitted to the factory to help them understand our expectations of craftsmanship during the production phase.

- Completing packaging design.

- Reviewing the small production run for remaining imperfections.

After that, we’ll be ready to get the show on the road!

It took a few weeks to do more prototyping, and now I’m proud to present this photograph of the T3 sample that recently hit our office.

Improvements since last post:

- Continued tolerance adjustments between aluminum and plastic parts
– Specified color way information on plastic parts
– Specified and tested electronics

The next step is to get a fully functional T4 sample in to do additional testing. Stay tuned!

Today we received the second tooled sample, which we call “T2″. The good news: we’re nearly there! This version includes modifications that we requested after we received the first sample, which include adjusting the tolerances between the plastic and aluminum parts. The interaction between these materials is important to us because any gaps can disrupt the sleek character of the product.

Internally, we altered the design of the plastic housing structures that keep the various electronic elements in place. Our sourcing team is also working on securing final FCC approvals for the USB parts and UL approval for the adapter.

If you’re at all interested in product manufacturing, you can learn more about aluminum extrusion, which is a significant part of the Space Bar’s manufacturing process, through this video:

Again, thanks for your support and patience… and stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks!

We’re getting a T2 sample of the Space Bar on Monday. So enjoy the weekend. We’ll be baaaack with a full production update after we’ve reviewed the sample!

- We will provide a date estimate only when full production has begun.

- We will send confirmation e-mails and have SKU (color/version) selection only when the product is on hand.

- We will provide a full production report on each post-threshold product every three weeks.

Stay tuned for the following post-production reports coming your way…

Wrapster: later today!

Space Bar: 9/10

MugStir: 9/14

Sling Back: 9/23

Switch: 9/30

Click n Cook: 10/4

Pivot Power: 10/5

We’re truckin’ along on manufacturing for the Space Bar, and we’ll be ready to post some progress updates soon. In the meantime, whet your appetite by checking out these awesome new renders*, uploaded today by the Quirky Design Staff.

As you can see, we’ve made some small design changes to this iteration of Space Bar. We’ve added two USB ports to the back of the unit, along with mini USB and AC power ports. We’re also working on perfecting some small details so we can keep the product’s original sleek form.

*Keep in mind that these photorealistic renders represent our current plans for the product. The final product may be tweaked slightly during the manufacturing process.

1. What do you do? (job-wise, ya know, when you’re not on Quirky)

I’m a high school technology education teacher of digital photography and computer illustration.

2. Where are you from?

I’m originally from a city just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I now live far from the big cities in the small town of Selinsgrove, in central Pennsylvania.

3. When and how did you think up the idea for Space Bar?

After setting up a new iMac lab in my classroom, I thought, “How can I protect the keyboards when they’re not being used”?

4. Had you tried to make this thing on your own already?

I’ve made these things out of wood since the school got their first desktop computers. I just thought it was time they were reinvented.

5. Where do you derive your creative inspiration?

My Father, a Normandy Beach D-Day veteran, taught me well. After the full loss of his right arm, he still managed to learn a trade and work 25 years as an automobile paint and body shop technician. He continuously would attain ways to overcome his disability and always was a hard working DIY guy. Actually, there was nothing he couldn’t do.

Now that’s influence!

6. What do you wish Quirky did that it does not already?

Have a listing on the NY stock exchange and stock sharing options for its hardest working members.

7. What’s your favorite deli meat? Cereal?

Hard salami. Cereal? No favorite… how about a chilled mimosa on a beautiful Caribbean beach.

8. What are some of your quirks?

4 major quirks…

1. I have the worst memory for things I need to remember.

2. Never finishing things I start.

3. Making people laugh.

4.

A big congratulations to ideator Michael Cavada, who worked tirelessly to influence and promote his product. Read a bit about the Space Bar’s production history, then click on over to our store to order your own today.

The Space Bar is a simple, elegantly-designed desk accessory that functions to minimize clutter while providing additional USB ports for your computer. After a long day of work, simply slide your keyboard into the designated space below the shelf and store your office miscellany — keys, digital camera, Split Stick, etc. — up top. Coming back to work the next morning will be easier if you know you’re returning to a clean desk!

Features:

- Constructed of aluminum with durable plastic accents.

- Can stow a keyboard up to 18″ long by 1.5″ high.

- Six USB ports conveniently located in the front of the shelf. No need to conserve your ports anymore — now you can have your camera, iPod, Split Stick, and other gadgets hooked in all at once!