Our Thing
Our mission is simple - we want to build quality things with great people and make a decent living doing it. We aim to keep our team small and treat people right. We are not in this for the money, but we run a great business so that we don't have to go do something else.
FAQs
What is your speciality?
We started out doing custom wood sculpture and furniture, and we still love doing that whenever we get the chance. But these days we mostly do high-end cabinetry and millwork. This pays the bills and we build things we love on the side.
Which materials do you work with?
We primarily work with wood, plastics, and aluminum composite materials. We do occasionally build steel frames or bases for things like conference tables, but we do not cut steel with the CNC.
How do you quote?
A typical millwork project is not difficult to quote, but it is time-consuming. First we have to gather requirements, then we have to build a rough model, then we do a preliminary nesting to get a sheet count, then call various suppliers to get current pricing for lumber and hardware, then run each of the estimates by our internal team members to make sure we aren't forgetting something. We could price by linear foot like others do, but the price would have to be much higher - also our work tends to be more custom. For this reason, we don't provide firm quotes to everyone. Smaller projects are quoted based on sheet count and our experience alone.
Can you do this quick small job for me?
We often do small jobs to fill capacity gaps between larger projects. Usually these are quoted on number of sheets to cut and the complexity of cut. If the shop is at full capacity, we can't take small projects.
Can you do this quick, large job for us?
Possibly, but we’ll need to tap into our network of contractors and run a night shift to get it done and that’s not easy. You should know that rush jobs cost significantly more and are higher risk.
What file types do you work with?
Fusion 360 and SketchUp files are always nice to have. But we can also cut directly from DXFs. If you are creating your own DXFs to save costs, please include a 3/4" border and 3/4" spacing between parts. The easiest way to get a quote for a small cut job is to send us the DXF and the number of sheets you need cut. On cabinet projects, we usually work off of architectural drawings and engineer in Fusion 360.
Do you just cut or do you do design as well?
Unless the project is less than $10,000 we will probably be doing some consulting in either design or manufacturing or both. We have built so many things with digital manufacturing that it's rare that we can't improve something.
What are your favorite projects types?
Projects that make use of the Highland Collective, which is the larger group we are a part of. The collective has members that do metalwork, large-scale sculptures, murals, and electronic controllers. It's rare that we all get to work together, but that is the dream.
