Deerpark Creations makes specialized signs and cutting boards, complete kitchen and bath remodels and everything in between, working with area contractors that need specialized woodworking, moulding, cabinets, and customer builds.

“We have never advertised, everything has been word of mouth and I would like to say it is our quality that makes us special,” said Rick Dulka. “Our goal is to give the customer what they want, not what we want.  Working with Mozaik and Aspire I can give a detailed picture to the customer of what they are wanting.”

Dulka said the history of Deerpark Creations started in 2004, after he and his wife Janet retired from the U.S. Army after more than 20 years of service for both of them. Dulka and partner Galen Peters have worked to steadily expand the business.

“I bought my mom and dad’s farm in northern Minnesota,” Dulka said. “It was a pig farm when I was growing up. I spent the first year cleaning out buildings and painting and buying machines.”

The shop’s first building at that farm in Trail, Minnesota, was 30 x 45 feet, and during the first few years Dulka said they were “pretty primitive,” with everything being done by hand, from start to finish.

In 2007 they added a 25 x 35 spray booth for finishing, and in 2009 they added a 40 x 60 x 12 main shop.

In 2012 they added a 30 x 40 office, display room and bathroom.

“So over the years it has grown from a hobby to a business,” Dulka said.

“When we first started out most projects were done on white paper, all hand drawn and hours of detail making sure everything was right. In 2009 we bought our first CNC, a CAMmaster and Mozaik software. (There was) a huge learning curve from doing everything manually to automated.

“In 2014 we bought our second CAMaster Panther which was a bigger machine and with Mozaik we went from making kitchens that literally took three months (down) to two weeks to complete.

“Our shop is relatively small,” Dulka said. “There are only four of us working but Mozaik (acts as) our fifth and sixth workers.

Bringing ideas to life

Dulka said that Mozaik is used from start to finish with cabinets.

“I will sit down with a customer and get their idea and then I use Mozaik to bring it to life for them, with 3D renderings, layouts and options that they can use to change things,” he said. “With Mozaik it is so easy to change something once I have a design in the program, and the customers love it to because I can change something for them and show them instantly.”

In the shop, they run cut sheets for each job packet, while the face frames are being cut out and assembled on a homemade Kreg table, the sheet goods are sent to the CNC and cut out, boxes and shelves first, then drawers.

“If there is something special we usually run it at the end, like custom engraving or detail,” Dulka said. “Once the boxes are assembled by Mozaik assembly sheets, the face frames are finished and attached to the boxes for finishing of exposed ends.”

Drawers are installed and doors are made (using Mozaik cutlists) and it all comes together and then is installed.

Deerpark has done some custom signs for businesses, farms, and clubs. They have also done a lot of custom moulding for contractors and for themselves for jobs, including crown, casings and coves.

Shop equipment

The equipment lineup at Deerpark Creations includes the CAMaster Panther CNC router with eight-tool changer and 5 x 8 bed, Powermatic table saw, Grizzly shaper, two Delta shapers, Woodmaster 40-inch drum sander, Woodmaster 18-inch moulding machine, Festool Kapex sliding compound miter saw,

Safety Speed Manufacturing panel saw, Powermatic 8-inch jointer, Kreg Foreman pocket hole machine, Blum door hinger, and three Craftsman table saws.

Dulka said his military experience has helped him operate a shop.

“After being in the Army for more than 20 years and a lot of it being deployed and overseas, running a business seems easy LOL,” Dulka said. “I was a Warrant Officer which meant I was specialized career field, a lot of leadership, responsibility, and teaching, so it helps me manage day to day pretty easily.

“Our future is always open. Everything we do is a new adventure so it’s never repetitive. We did this year get on with some builders on new house builds which have been a challenge but very fun.”

Deerpark Creations

Trail, Minnesota

Kitchen and bath cabinets, mouldings, signs

Employees: 4

http://www.deerparkcreations.com/