SterlingMakes is run by two people, Sterling and Meagan.

Our Process

For the most part, Sterling communicates with clients, designs, and creates, while I help out with photography, this website, and adding my creative touch to the epoxy pours. We are grateful to have an artistic outlet that is supported by all of the people who have ordered from us.

For all orders with customization, there is a varying amount of time from concept to completion.

First, a type of wood must be selected. For lumber trays, check out our gallery and shop for pictures that show the different species of wood. We can also use other wood species not listed, but a longer wait and possible price increase may apply, depending on what we can source.

For stump trays, we proudly source all of our cut offs from our own land here in Missouri. We will send pictures of options available 1-2 days after your order. We most commonly have cedar, walnut, and cherry in stock, but oak can be used as well.

Secondly, a design will be drawn up using your ideas and concepts. Symbol engravings are appreciated at this stage, so they can be tied in with the final cut. There is a lot of back and forth communication in this stage, and it could take up to a week to finalize depending on what you have in mind. The stump trays in particular take extra time as each one is a unique shape, and a new design and toolpaths for the machine have to be created.

Lastly, the tray is set up to be cut. Lumber trays are usually straightforward and quick, and stump trays a little longer as a new form is cut for every tray to hold the epoxy pour. If you have a particular color in mind outside of the base colors, it is helpful to have a reference photo for us to work off of. Epoxy takes a minimum of three days to cure, and for multi step engraving pours, could take up to six days to complete.

Expect a two week wait for all custom orders to turn around. We work to get things out as quickly as possible, and appreciate your patience with any delays.

We currently do not refund returns, except for in the case of damage during shipping. If there is damage, send us pictures, and we’ll make a new tray and send it without extra cost to you. We send many pictures during the process to make sure each item is tracking with what you’d like, and once it’s sent, it is yours to keep.

Our backstory

A couple of years ago, some online gaming friends invited Sterling to join a Dungeons & Dragons campaign they were starting. He somewhat reluctantly joined, and then I jumped in after listening to the first session they played. We were hooked on the fun and imaginative play immediately, and have been playing ever since then, experimenting with characters and builds, joining new groups, and eventually pulling together a group that Sterling now performs as Game Master for.

Sterling has always been an out of the box thinker, and endlessly creative. By day he works for a wooden toy and education company, designing, cutting, sanding, and sealing as needed. He has several years of professional skills built in bringing a concept to life, using mainly wood and design software as his tools.

Playing D&D inspired Sterling with fresh ideas, and he began bringing those ideas into form in 2021, using his previously developed skills and learning new processes along the way to create the products we now offer.