Fretnot Products Bottle Opener

Starting as a fun gift idea for my music friends, Fretnot Products has evolved into an enjoyable product venture. As the idea has progressed over the years, so have my abilities and methods of production. The need to streamline and simplify the process while reducing waste and time has helped me think of problems from different production angles that utilize basic woodworking tools, a CNC router, laser engraver, and vacuum holds/clamping. Since the start of the idea I have created a number of custom jigs that help hold the stainless bottle opener, hold pieces on the CNC router table for rapid machining and changeout, custom molds for vacuum clamping, jigs for sanding tapers and curves, and other small machining tasks. This product development has helped to refine my skills in rapid prototyping, implementing CNC machining, lean manufacturing, and efficiency in production methods. I am proud of the final product and continue to improve my processes with each batch and continue to modify and develop new variations. The final product can be seen and purchased at the brand website https://fretnotproducts.com.

Stabilized and Cast Hybrid Guitar Tops

Derived from the ideas of salvaging beautiful burl wood I had acquired and making boutique guitar builds, I have found this design project to be the most rewarding. Through several years of research in drying material, color penetration, and resin stabailizing techniques, I have developed what I feel is an impressive and inspiring product. To complete this work I have created several custom molds in various materials, a custom sized vacuum chamber from scratch, utilized pressure casting, and learned a vast amount of prototyping/R&D techniques. My methods have led to me learning to use various sized pieces of wood that are soft or unstable, penetrate with color, and stabilize them to a point where they can be used for items such as handles, guitar tops, and more.

Home Decor & Personal Care

As I developed a working space and design style, developing and selling products helped me test the waters of my work. The majority of the items developed were based on easy-to-access materials and the capabilities of my current workspace. A large emphasis on my work was creating daily use products from off-cut, smaller but beautiful pieces of material.

Custom Guitars

Building guitars has been a passion of mine since the age of 16. Over the years I’ve built a range of custom instruments based on client desire for physical specification, tonal qualities, and aesthetics. Through building guitars, I have been able to expand my design capabilities with a variety of materials, CAD designs, CAM programming, tooling, and client interaction. The process of material selection, instrument design, fabrication, assembly, and setup goes as deep as the origin of the materials itself, impacting the final product with each detail.

Client Based Work

Client work stems a wide range of design projects from custom small gifts to in-store products for brands. Clients have been everyone from personal acquaintances to larger regional retailers. I have been taking small random client work that interests my current design endeavors since 2012.

Laser Cut Project

Students were taught the basics of 2D design and given the task to design a project that had separate pieces that must fit together. Students were taught how to tolerance parts, design a lean layout, create for and send to the laser cutter. Projects shown: fingerjointed live hinge boxes, MN coaster set, phone stand.

CNC Routered Sign for Client

Students were taught the basics of 2d design and toolpath creation in VCarve software. Students were tasked with finding a client to create for. Projects shown: star wars dishes, family signs.

Student Project Design Work

As an Engineering, Technology & Design teacher for 11 years, I had to create learning projects for students ages 11-18. The goals of the projects were for students to learn a variety of design skills, machine use, programming, problem-solving, and utilizing the design process. Here are a few samples of from different design projects over the years.

Woodworking I Mantle Clock

The clock design was an intro to woodworking project that taught students basic machine safety, intended use, design concepts, plan reading, measurement, laser/cnc design, assembly and problem-solving.