Ted, you are a man after my own heart!
My firm does not now, have we ever, fabricated counter tops. My building is surrounded by counter top vendors of all varieties. Heh, I took the first Festool Solid Surface Fabrication class at a point when I was considering renting time on my CNC routers to solid surface folks.
Long ago, when interior surveying was still mostly used on huge commercial projects, I adapted that approach to interior finishing.
My shop is dedicated to custom cabinets, but we make them using the best CNC equipment available. I know that if I cut a prototype using CNC machines, as does Ted, that if the parts do not fit correctly it is because somewhere in the instructions there is a mistake. Those CNC machines can only make the same part number the same way even if months have passed since the last time the part was needed. Oh, Yes, custom cabinets are generally designed around existing modules. Sure, we can and do make drawers, but even those follow stock drawer boxes made by several very good firms who have supplied me for decades.
When we book a job, the client provides us a tentative install date at least 6 weeks in the future. They provide their working drawings of the job as well as plans from the architect. Before making a quote we convert all that data to our Plan-It system, noting which measurements need confirmation. Once we get signatures and a down payment, we order or schedule construction of the drawer boxes, any special hardwood lumber and exotic veneers. The selection of drawer hardware informs the design of the cabinets to fit available drawers. All that is plugged into the Plan-It data. Since the size of the drawers is set, we can go ahead and make their fronts as time permits even if all the hardware has not arrived.
Once the drywall or old-style plaster is finished on the site, a team takes our laser surveying system to create "as builts" to 0.10mm From the field that data is transmitted to computer central at my shop. Now all the working drawings and the computer instructions to the CNC machines are tweaked. All the material we need is in place. Ted knows how fast parts can be made from sheet material with a correctly programmed beam saw. Those parts needing significant routing or drilling are made as rapidly on our CNC nested routers. Doors for cabinets which also have drawers can safely be made in advance, because fudging will happen on other places. Thus the only last minute doors are for cabinets with no drawers. If the walls are closer together than called for in the spec, shelves can be slightly less wide and the client does not care.
Tiger Stop has recently introduced an advance version of Saw Gear, which is their entry to site work. The original required that measurements be entered manually. For the shop we spent a lot for for Tiger Stops which can receive data from a computer. A compromise system is part of the new Saw Gear, so that will accept data from the laser measuring system on site. All of our installers appreciate the accuracy and convenience, since the Kapex with the Saw Gear can be outside with a data receiver plugged in.We know that when pieces of crown, for example, get cut they will not need a return trip to the saw.
