Common Questions
Lead times, materials, pickup and custom work, answered.
Where are you based, and do you ship?
We work from a private workshop in Hammond, Wisconsin, about ten minutes from Hudson and twenty from River Falls. We ship anywhere in the United States, and offer free local pickup within roughly 40 miles, which covers most of St. Croix County and the eastern Twin Cities metro.
Can I collect my order in person?
Yes, and it is free if you are inside the pickup radius. Choose local pickup at checkout. The workshop is private, so collection is by appointment only and we will arrange a time with you once the order is ready. Please do not travel without a confirmed slot.
How long will my order take?
Items we hold in stock ship quickly. Anything made to order normally ships within 7 to 10 days, because it is built after your order arrives. Orders containing several items ship together once every piece is finished, so the longest item sets the date. You can check progress any time on the order status page.
Do you make one-off custom pieces?
That is most of what we do. Wedding and anniversary gifts, memorial pieces, signage, replacement parts for things no longer sold, and prototypes. Send us the idea through the custom quote form with any photographs or sketches and we will come back with a price. There is no charge for a quote.
What artwork or file formats can you work from?
For engraving, upload a PNG, JPG, SVG, GIF or WebP up to 5 MB with your order. For CNC work we can take vector files in SVG, DXF or AI. If all you have is a photograph, a napkin sketch or a measurement off the broken original, send that; we redraw artwork in CAD as part of the job all the time.
Do you handle bulk and corporate orders?
Yes. Challenge coins, branded merchandise, tool marking and promotional items are regular work, and we run batches of several hundred identical pieces. Orders above 50 units are quoted individually at better rates, so use the custom quote form rather than the shop for those.
What woods and materials do you use?
Boards and bowls are made from walnut, cherry, maple, acacia and bamboo, selected from Midwest hardwood stock. We also engrave metal, slate, leather and acrylic, and print in PLA and PETG in a wide range of colors. Between a 50W fiber laser, a 60W MOPA fiber, a 45W CO2, a 40W diode and a large format gantry machine, we can mark almost anything that will sit still, including stainless, anodized aluminum, glass and leather. If you want a specific species or material, ask; we will source it where we can.
Are your cutting and charcuterie boards food safe?
Yes. Boards are finished with food-safe oils. To keep one in good condition, wash it by hand rather than in a dishwasher, dry it standing on edge, and re-oil it when the surface starts to look dry. Treated that way a good board lasts decades.
Can I use a 3D printed part for something load bearing?
Be careful here. Printed parts are built up in layers and are stronger in some directions than others, so we do not certify them for critical, industrial or high-risk use. They are excellent for jigs, fixtures, organizers, housings and replacement parts where failure is an inconvenience rather than a hazard. Tell us the application and we will give you an honest answer, including when the answer is no. The full detail is in our safety and usage terms.
Can you clean and re-groove my golf clubs?
Yes, as a local drop-off service only. Laser cleaning lifts rust and old coatings without rounding off the groove edges the way abrasives do. We do not accept clubs sent by mail. See the golf club cleaning page for what is involved and the terms.
How do I pay, and is it secure?
Checkout is handled by Stripe, which takes all major cards. Your card details go straight to Stripe and never touch our servers. Sales tax is calculated at checkout, and promotional codes can be entered on the payment page.
Can I change or cancel an order?
Ask as soon as you can. If we have not started the work we can usually change or cancel it and refund you in full. Once a piece has been cut or engraved with your details it cannot be resold, so it is final at that point. Use the cancellation option on the order status page or call us and we will stop the job if we still can.
Still not sure?
Call (651) 337-8996 or send us the details and we will tell you what is possible.