46: The Only Way Out Is Through
Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss the grueling production and assembly of their 'Mark One' pen, detailing the unexpected labor required for polishing, cleaning, and quality control due to high-tolerance mirror finishes and nickel plating issues. They explain how they adapted to these manufacturing challenges by building custom jigs and 3D-printed fixtures to manage the assembly process in-house. The episode also covers their packaging decisions, specifically the use of cork, and concludes with a tech corner segment recommending Lisa Brennan-Jobs' memoir 'Small Fry'.