Received my board yesterday. Without having assembled it yet, I am unimpressed.
The good:
- The carving is intricate and I think it looks quite good. I plan to brush off any excess sawdust and apply some mineral oil.
The not so good:
- The external packaging was sufficient, but the internal packaging was severely lacking. The weight was loose inside the case and able to move freely. Three of the PCB standoffs were broken off, presumably from being repeatedly struck by the brass weight as it shifted around during transit. I should be able to superglue them back in place, but it was disheartening to see that upon opening the box.
- I believe I should have ordered the additional brass weight. It was listed as optional, but it appears to be required to hold the circular weight in place. As is, the weight simply sits in the cutout and is held in place by friction. When I flip the case upside down to admire the weight, it gets dislodged rather easily. Looking at the photo album with hindsight, I believe I could have inferred this from the photos. Given that there are four additional screw holes (not shown in photos of the prototype) around the cutout for the weight, I may be able to jury rig a system to secure the weight to the case. Consequently, I think the design of the product is rather lacking in this regard.
Overall, with some work, I believe I will be able to complete a build that I am happy with. I think this is a great product, but the execution was a bit lacking.