In the workshop today, the next batch of LOFI stoves is taking shape. The laser marking machine hums away as it engraves safety information, the hydraulic press forms the stove bases, and the 3D printer whirs in the background, making a tool to fix a part on the press that seems to have worked itself loose. With everything running in parallel, the automation frees me to focus on moving parts through the hydraulic press — something I never see me automating in my small workshop.

It’s a good moment to pause and appreciate the tools at hand. As a small-scale designer and maker, I’ve never had access to equipment like this before: spot welders, laser markers, CNC facilities, online print services, and a wide range of 3D printers and materials.

These tools let me experiment and iterate, helping me push the limits of what compact, high-performance outdoor gear can be. They turn ideas into real objects in ways that would have been difficult or impossible not long ago.

It’s the kind of moment that makes you appreciate the tools and the work coming together.

It’s a good place to be, and I look forward to turning these resources into products you can hold, light, and explore in the outdoors.