Update:
I'm currently tallying up all the parts that need to be ordered, finding the best places to source them. Confirmed signups should expect a PM with payment info in the next few days. (Most likely I'll collect everything at once, unless someone absolutely must split the payment in two. This project is challenging enough to manage!) I am now anticipating all kits to be sent out by late spring. It's going to take a couple months to order, sort, print and pack everything and I don't want to rush it and risk missing something.
From the looks of it at the moment, we'll have parts enough for 20 units and all but a couple are spoken for. Once the parts order is placed, that will be it... no more spots for signups.
Also, for those who haven't noticed, the first post has been updated. (Note: the info there is mainly for those who didn't sign up before Jan 18th. Those who did, will of course get perks for supporting the run early.)
On a less fun note, I'm very disappointed in a few of our fellow members who signed up, committing to the run, yet have been completely absent and ignoring all messages or attempt at contact. I understand that, especially last year, finances have been hard for a lot of folks, and I indicated that if someone was in real trouble, I would not force them to follow through. But there are members who have not even had the decency to get back to me with a reason for dropping off, yet they continue to post interest in other items on the RPF, so are obviously not in financial straights, nor absent from the forum. (And searching through my PMs, at least one of these people has a history of asking to buy things, then doing a disappearing act.) This run will be fine despite them, but it's disappointing that common courtesy seems to be missing in these individuals, and I encourage them to NOT ask to be in on any run or project I might do in the future. (I'm actually thinking of setting up a do-not-deal-with list and sharing it with fellow RPFers.) Anyway, enough about that.
To end this post on a positive note:
I've been continually testing and playing with the completed scanner and can report that it's still holding up and working fine! Some 'bug tests' have also been done with the software functions, testing to see what happens if buttons are held in while it starts and such and it looks like the programmed code is solid and stable!