# 46: The Only Way Out Is Through

- Show: [Thoroughly Considered](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered)
- Published: 2018-12-21
- Length: 42m
- Episode: 46
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-12-21-46-the-only-way-out-is-through
- Listen: http://relay.fm/tc/46

## Summary

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'.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-12-21-46-the-only-way-out-is-through#t=8) Mark One Sales and Shipping Updates
- [5:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-12-21-46-the-only-way-out-is-through#t=333) Assembly Process and Manufacturing Hiccups
- [16:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-12-21-46-the-only-way-out-is-through#t=989) Design Lessons: Mirror Finishes and Tolerances
- [27:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-12-21-46-the-only-way-out-is-through#t=1638) Packaging and Custom Jigs
- [35:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-12-21-46-the-only-way-out-is-through#t=2133) Dan's Tech Corner: Small Fry

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Packaging design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/packaging-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Studio Neat (company)
- Mark One (product)
- Small Fry (other)
- Lisa Brennan-Jobs (other)
- Steve Jobs (other)
- Apple (company)
- Relay FM (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 065: A mallard is a tool you use when you do chisel work](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work) (Making It)
- [437: This is a terrible thing to say…](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2024-04-12-437-this-is-a-terrible-thing-to-say) (Making It)
- [348: Swimming with icepicks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2022-03-25-348-swimming-with-icepicks) (Making It)
- [525: All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2026-05-15-525-all-i-got-was-this-lousy-t-shirt) (Making It)
- [Episode 293: My pants are here!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2021-01-29-episode-293-my-pants-are-here) (Making It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-12-21-46-the-only-way-out-is-through. 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 Thoroughly Considered.