Our Story

Hello!

Michael is a self-taught designer and entrepreneur with a passion for blending modern aesthetics with functionality. What began as a hobby in woodworking quickly grew into a successful full-time business, known for its unique, well-crafted products.

Driven by commitment to quality and innovation, Michael has mastered CNC production and continuously refines manufacturing processes to boost efficiency and productivity. With a keen eye for design and an unwavering motivation, Mike leads their company with a forward-thinking vision that balances creativity and practicality.

For the VersaPod project, Mike partnered with Max, who is an experienced engineer and designer navigating the CNC world. Max has a track record of successful Kickstarter projects and innovative e-commerce shops. His innovative approach plays a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing the future of CNC workholding solutions.

Despite our compact team size, we bring a combined 30 years of expertise in process improvement and product/machine design. Each of us contributes a unique skill set to this project and have played a crucial role in successfully launching the VersaPod project.

The History of VersaPod

The Problem

CNC routers are a great boost to efficiency in any shop and getting your workpiece to stay in place while it is being cut is a critical consideration. Most of what’s on the market is cheap and ineffective or overpriced and overly complicated. Getting the balance of capability and complexity took years of hands-on use with many different types of vacuum systems.

The Idea

The initial concept for VersaPod just occurred to Michael one day when he was trying to create a setup with flexibility to cut many designs and be able to machine profiles on all the edges of the parts. The system worked so well he decided to gather a team and get all the details right, so they could share the idea more broadly.

The Solution

Vacuum BaseGrid - The underlying grid that allows you to tap into the vacuum source where you need it. Many exist, however ours is tailored to the practical needs of a demanding maker.

The Retractable Marker System - Our specially designed spring-loaded marker fits most CNC spindles and is short enough to set the z-offset with most tool-setters in the market. 

Ports and Pods - Our Patent pending system, of using a "port board" with flush fitting film valves, in combination with the marker layout tool and Pods of infinitely variable size, shape, and position. Our preferred pod is tight-tolerance composite with adhesive backed gasket. This combination makes for very reliable yet economical pods. Maybe the best part is the ability to make custom sized pods on demand.

The Test Room

"I attribute much of the success of my Etsy store, FaircraftUSA, to the implementation of vacuum fixturing in our production processes. Thanks to an early VersaPod prototype, we were able to increase our production from 12 units a day to 120-200 units a day, resulting in over $800K in annual sales from our micro production shop. Although this idea originated in a small wood production shop, it can be effectively applied to other manufactures or hobbyists. VersaPod can also make a significant production impact on much bigger manufacturers as well." - Michael

Elevate your Skills

"I want people to enjoy CNC woodworking as much as I do. Turning a neat tool into a serious workhorse requires a robust workpiece holding solution. Until now, high prices and limited options have held people back. I've poured all my knowledge and experience into creating a solution that will help you level up your CNC skills and put them to work."

- Michael, VersaPod inventor