Ōamaru’s newest signage business can create signs (almost) as big as the imagination.

ExAxis, owned and run by Tyler Melton, is a computer numerical control (CNC) router cutting business specialising in custom-made signs and products.

The $200,000 router is an automated machine, with 10 different tools, designed to cut a variety of materials

Due to its massive size Tyler’s machine has the ability to do all sorts of projects and create very large signage, limited only by the size of the 6.5m by 1.9m table.

“There is huge potential there,” he says.

That size also means he can cut aluminium for jet boats.

Tyler grew up in Ōamaru, went to Waitaki Boys’ High School, and completed a joiner apprenticeship before moving to Australia aged 25. He has recently returned after 13 years.

He lived in Brisbane, Kalgoorlie and finally Perth doing joinery and installation in mostly hospitals, high-rise buildings and schools.

A large portion of the projects he was installing were cut on a CNC router, and this piqued his curiosity.

He planned to start his business in Australia but wanted to be closer to family - including his brother Matthew Melton who runs his own water-jet and laser cutting business, AcuCut, in Ōamaru’s north end business park.

“I was going to stay in Aussie and buy a small [machine] and run it from home, but Matt was like, ‘Nah, you want this size machine, you want to be able to do this and that’.”

Matt offered Tyler his own space at the back of AcuCut for Tyler to operate from.

“I thought, ‘why not? I'll have to give it a go.’ 

“I was always interested in this sort of thing and just, and just being creative.”

Tyler and his family moved back to New Zealand in January last year, with his new machine expected to be installed a few months later in June, however it wasn’t ready until November.

Tyler spent about a month learning the systems and testing the equipment before starting his business earlier this year.

Tyler sees the building industry leaning towards automation, but did not get first-hand experience with technology until he had his own router.

“Everything's sort of going computer-controlled these days so, I just thought I'll just give it a go, but my main thing is more custom sort of cutting. So I'm not just focused towards joinery, it's like for everything.”

Tyler and Matt’s businesses are separate but they feed off each other since they can achieve different results based on their equipment.

Tyler’s business name, ExAxis, is based on the way the router moves along different axes.

“ExAxis stands for exact axis. The reason being is on a CNC router, each way the machine turns is an axis. It cuts exactly to what you want.”

For the time being, ExAxis is a one-man operation with Tyler being the machinist and director.

The router can cut aluminium and aluminium composite, plywood, MDF, and also be used for slab surfacing and different types of engraving.

“When people have got a big massive timber slab, I can just put it on here and I'll just go up and down and get it perfectly flat, ready for sanding,” he says.

Unlike laser cutting and water-jet cutting, the routers make it possible to set the desired depth of the engraving and cut part-way through the materials.

His main focus is supplying custom pieces to businesses and individuals while selling pre-made pieces - like egg holders and bike stands - on the side.

“I like this whole range, it keeps it interesting.”

He says there is the option of doing commercialised projects like cutting out kitchens, but this is not his focus at the moment.

Designing and programming of the machine often takes longer than the cutting itself, and jobs can take anywhere between 10 minutes and a couple of hours.

Despite only being in business for six months, Tyler has completed work in Dunedin, Timaru, Ashburton, Christchurch and Alexandra.

He can be contacted through his website, through social media, or by email: [email protected].