# Episode 065: A mallard is a tool you use when you do chisel work

- Show: [Making It](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it)
- Published: 2016-04-01
- Length: 56m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work
- Listen: https://making-it-with-jimmy-diresta-bob-clagett-and-david-picciuto.castos.com/episodes/episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work

## Summary

Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the realities of making physical products, from prototyping failures to manufacturing delays. Jimmy details the year-long journey of producing his custom action figure with Carlos from Toy Backer and the sculpting work by the 4 Horsemen, while also explaining his decision to keep manufacturing his ice picks in-house due to quality control issues with overseas factories. Bob shares his experience with a failed dog ramp project and the technical challenges of welding equipment grounding out, while David discusses the difficulties of estimating materials and managing multiple concurrent projects.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work#t=2) Introduction and House Updates
- [5:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work#t=337) Bob's Failed Dog Ramp Project
- [14:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work#t=848) Jimmy's Action Figure Manufacturing Journey
- [22:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work#t=1360) David's Book Delay and Project Estimation
- [38:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work#t=2326) Welding Equipment Troubleshooting
- [43:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work#t=2610) Managing Concurrent Projects and Deadlines
- [51:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work#t=3098) Recommendations and Closing

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Toy Backer (company)
- 4 Horsemen (other)
- Tomahawk plasma cutter (tool)
- Lincoln (company)
- Longevity (company)
- Make magazine (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [46: The Only Way Out Is Through](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-12-21-46-the-only-way-out-is-through) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [57: Mashed in the Gears](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-02-19-57-mashed-in-the-gears) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [69: Nice](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2021-05-05-69-nice) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [186: Sleeping on the Factory Floor](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-02-09-186-sleeping-on-the-factory-floor) (Embedded.fm)
- [44: A Good Two Weeks of Stress](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-11-21-44-a-good-two-weeks-of-stress) (Thoroughly Considered)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Making It.