Great post, I really want to see more stuff like this on HN. And congrats on shipping!

I'm curious about the final financial outcome: after all the rework, mistakes, and learning costs, did the project end up net positive, or was it ultimately a loss?

Just a few slots down in my YC feed: the benefits of bright light

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44271-025-00373-9

Dang 560 watt draw. About the same ratio as other LED options at 90 limens per watt though.

Great write-up! Thanks for sharing your journey

Congratulations on the successful launch and excellent write-up. Hardware is fun but also much more challenging.

The $10 deposit validation approach before committing to manufacturing is underrated. So many hardware projects fail because founders fall in love with the build before confirming anyone will pay.

What stood out to me: the factory miscommunications and quality issues compound because you can't iterate as fast as software. Each mistake costs weeks and thousands of dollars.

For anyone considering hardware: if you're not getting deposits or strong signals of purchase intent before tooling up, you're basically gambling. The author's approach of getting commitments first is the right playbook.

I want a bright lamp like this but not for $1200...any suggestions?

Great post. Thank you.

How/where did you find your suppliers/factories?

What a great article. It's amazing to see how many simple things can go wrong, and I'm sure there could have been more. Great work keeping your tenacity up and sticking through it.