Shop Equipment Builder / Fabricator (Short-Term Project)

Job Type

Contract / Project-based

Potential for ongoing work if it’s a good fit

About the Role

We are a manufacturing company building high-end cat furniture and are setting up an in-house production station for wrapping sisal rope around cardboard tubes (cat scratching posts).

We are looking for someone hands-on who can help us build a simple, efficient workstation using a wood lathe and custom clamping system.

This is a practical build project, not an engineering/design-heavy role.

What You’ll Be Building

A workstation that includes:

• A mounted wood lathe (already purchased or specified)
• A quick-load clamping / mandrel system (no screwing parts on)
• Rope tensioning system (simple mechanical setup)
• Minor fabrication (brackets, mounts, supports)
• General workflow improvements for production

Video Example: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m1rt1arlg39gbuj7fzwvr/FSS11-video-1.mp4?rlkey=iojp5oivciornfhypa0geafzv&st=chhlf2nj&dl=0

Project Goals

• Fast load/unload (under ~10 seconds per part)
• Smooth, stable rotation (no wobble)
• Durable, repeatable setup
• Easy for employees to use and replicate

Responsibilities

Work with our team to understand the process

Build and install:

• Mounting system for lathe
• Clamping/mandrel solution for tubes
• Rope tension system
• Recommend practical improvements (not overengineered)
• Help dial in the setup for real production use

Ideal Background

We are NOT looking for a traditional engineer.

You are likely a:

Maintenance technician

Machine builder
Fabricator / welder
Mechanically inclined builder or maker

You should be comfortable with:

Basic fabrication (metal or wood)

Mounting motors or equipment
Building simple mechanical systems
Problem-solving in a shop environment

➕ Bonus (not required)

Experience with lathes or rotating equipment

Experience building jigs or fixtures
Production / manufacturing background

Project expected to take ~1–3 days for initial build

Why This Project

• Quick, hands-on build (not months of work)
• Opportunity for ongoing projects if it’s a good fit
• You’ll be helping build a core part of our production process

How to Apply

Please send:
- A short description of your experience
- Any relevant photos or examples of past builds (if available)