Even Makers Make Mistakes

But We Always Make It Right

Sometimes the shop humbles you.

This plaque has been a special project honoring a Command Sergeant Major I served with. Most of the carving went beautifully. The U.S. seal relief, the crossed cannons, and the branch insignia all came out exactly how we envisioned.

But right after the seal… we made a mistake. Forgot to re-enter the logo after adding the purple heart accents. Ouch!!

The area to the right of the logo...

Originally, that area was meant to stay clean.

During the carving process, we ended up cutting a relief of a 155mm artillery shell that wasn’t part of the original plan.

Now here’s the thing about craftsmanship — you don’t hide problems.

You solve them.

Instead of scrapping a beautiful piece of hardwood, we decided to turn the mistake into a feature.

The plan now is to 3D print a detailed 155mm artillery shell inlay sized precisely to the relief pocket we carved. Once finished, it will sit perfectly recessed into the plaque and become a striking design element that actually balances the entire composition.

Sometimes the best ideas come from unexpected moments in the shop.

That’s part of handmade work.

Every piece has a story.

And one promise we stand behind at McSquared Customs:

If something isn’t perfect — we make it right.

Stay tuned to see the finished inlay