How To Build a (Propane) Fire #15: The first product drop
We wondered… would you have the information you needed to spend your hard-earned money on brand new technology? Had we done a good enough job communicating its abilities? Had we earned your trust?
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #14: Going into production
No more prototypes. No more samples. Holy sh*t. We are finally building the actual parts that will be in your hands, keeping you warm for decades to come...
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #13: So did you guys pass certification, er…? 🤔
Our shop fell silent. After years of single-minded pursuit, we were literally watching our hopes and dreams go up in flames...
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #12: What happens if you smash it on concrete?
We dropped the damaged unit directly onto its back legs, then did it again from higher up, then again from higher still. We kept smashing these rear legs against our concrete shop floors, and they ...
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #11: Ready for Certification
To pass the upcoming battery of tests, we’ve had to redesign an enormous number of components. And since every part works in harmony, this has essentially been a ground-up redesign sprint. Here's w...
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #10: What the hell is taking so long?
If there's no category for this propane fire pit, which tests does it need to pass? We don’t know. And that means we don’t know if we need to redesign it or not.
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #9: The New Twin Jet BarCoal Design
Instead of trying to pull the heat all the way down a long and twisting tube, we decided to run two burners at once on two shorter, straighter tubes. The result?
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #8: HOWL is back on track, baby! 🤞
Kelly waited a while for us to really take in what we were seeing. Then he said it, and you could hear the big smile in his voice. “This thing’s got a Stargazing Mode.”
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #7: We Blew It. Also, We’re Hiring.
We lit it. Waited a very long time but never did feel much. Eventually we killed it. It felt like we’d wasted a year of our lives...
How to Build a (Propane) Fire #6: Can This Solve the Wildfire Problem?
We need more campfires, not less. But the more campfires we have, the more forests we kill, and the more our access to public land is denied. On this track, we'll lose our campfires and our forests...
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #5: The Industrial Evolution
We needed a way to turn propane fuel into infrared heat. We got excited about industrial radiant tube heaters. But could a heavy-duty factory appliance really draw people closer to nature?
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #4: Trying and failing to Make Radiant Heat
We'd invented a new technology, and we wanted to tell anyone who was willing to listen. This is the story, step by step, of how we took the HOWL from idea to market... Howdy folks! That November ...
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #3: The Fire Pit That Pissed Us Off
“Didn’t you guys think these things would be warmer?” Randall asked again. Right about then the flames on his fire started sputtering. The tank was somehow already empty, the flames died, and we hu...
How To Build a (Propane) Fire #2: Why Flames Can't Keep You Warm
So it occurred to us: flames don’t actually make you warm. Whether they come from a wood fire or a propane fire, they are just bright, shiny objects. And that only led to more questions.
To Build a (Propane) Fire #1: Welcome to the Campfire
This is the first email we ever sent out. It was June of 2022. We'd just invented a new technology, and now we wanted to tell anyone who was willing to listen. This is what started it all...
