Building a Plaque
Quality Control
All of the Master Plaques products are individually hand crafted in Connect International LLC's own factory in the Philippines. We do NOT out-source any of our production items! We do NOT use molds, nor do we use any type of plastic, or resin to create our products. The entire process for producing an item is overseen by our master craftsmen. From the cutting and kiln drying of the wood to insure its longevity, to the packing for shipment, and all the stage in between, your item is monitored and the quality is check.
Customer Involvement
We encourage our customers to be involved in the creation process of their items. Our customer service representatives (CSR) will work with you to bring your design to life. As most of our items are one of a kind custom designs, our CSR's are happy to help you work out your design by supplying you with computer generated graphic mock-ups. (Our artists can not create it if they can't “see” it.) From the simplest design to the most intricate, it does not matter how many computer mocks are required to get it right - WE DO IT!! This a free service from Master Plaques.
Production Process
Production Stage 1: Pattern Creation
Time required 1 to 2 days. Once you have signed off on the art work, your order is handed off to the commercial design artist at Connect International. His job is to create the working pattern for the finished product. Should he have any questions or issues with the design, he will contact your CSR for directions and answers, who in turn notifies you.
Production Stage 2: Wood Selection
Time required 1 day to 1 week. Wood selection is made from our stock of kiln dried inventory, or a raw piece is selected to be dried and treated.
Production Stage 3: Carving
Time required 3 days to 1 week. The carvers receive the wood and pattern with all of the carving instructions and begin the process of giving your item it's shape and style.
Production Stage 4: Sanding and Preparation
Time required 1 to 2 days. The prep room now takes your item and meticulously hand sands the item and enhances the finer carved areas. Once this is completed to satisfaction, your item is then prepped for either paint or stain.
Production Stage 5: Paint or Stain
Time required 2 to 5 days. The artist in the paint room now have your plaque under the magnifying glass - literally! Using the finest of brushes our artists take your item and paint in even the most minuet details. Most of our products must go through a series of “paint and dry” scenarios to allow one level of paint to completely dry before the next layer may be applied.
Production Stage 6: Sealer and Drying
Time required 2 to 3 days. It’s back to the prep room for the final drying time, and application of the clear Polly-coat sealer.
Production Stage 7: Quality Control
Time Required 1 to 2 days. Quality Control now takes your item and compares it to the original computer mock up art work that you and your CSR created to insure that the colors match, the spelling is correct, there are no workmanship errors, and that the overall item looks like the original artwork.
Production Stage 8: Your Approval
Time depends on YOU. A high resolution photograph is taken of your finished item and emailed to you for approval. We will hold the item at the factory until we receive your written approval that the item meets you expectations, before we will release it for shipment.
Production Stage 9: Freight Preperation
Time required 1 to 2 days. Each of our products is carefully wrapped and sealed for shipment in custom deigned boxes or creates.
Production Stage 10: Trans Shipment
Time required 7 days. We move all of our products to the U.S. corporate warehouse of Connect International LLC in South Bend, IN via DHL.
Production Stage 11 Final Quality Check and Release to Customer
Time required 7 to 10 days. Having arrived in South Bend the packages are inspected for any obvious freight damage. Each individual order is then forwarded on to the customer via UPS Ground Service. And remember SHIPPING IS FREE WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL U.S.
