The Tools We Dreamt Of: A New Chapter in the Castle and Cubby Workshop
Written by
Kellie Macpherson
Published
Tue, 22 July 2025
8 min. read
If you’ve followed our journey for a while, you’ll know that every product we build - whether it’s a cubby house, shop front, or a custom play panel, starts with two things: real timber and real people.
Our workshop hums with the sounds of hands-on craftsmanship. Saws buzz, timber thuds gently onto benches, and laughter occasionally echoes over the music playing in the background. It’s not a factory line. It’s a place where care, attention, and heart shape every piece we send out into the world. And now, something big is changing, not in the soul of our work, but in the way we support and scale it.
Supporting People, Not Replacing Them: Our Latest Workshop Evolution
This month, we welcomed two new machines into our workshop. Not just any machines, but ones we’ve talked about, planned for, and dreamt of for years. These aren’t here to replace the hands that build. They’re here to honour them, to support our people, streamline our processes, and unlock the kind of innovation we’ve been waiting to explore.
The Semi-Automatic Solid Timber Saw: Precision Meets Purpose
The first new addition is a semi-automatic solid timber saw. This saw is built for solid Australian timber-the kind we’ve always loved to work with and the kind that defines our builds.
What it gives us is precision. Efficiency. And most importantly, consistency across builds without sacrificing our handcrafted touch. Instead of spending time on repetitive straight cuts, our team can now focus on the finer details of assembly and finishing, the sanding, the oiling, the testing, the little things that give every product its character.
It’s already made a difference. What once took a full day of cutting can now be completed in a matter of hours, without compromising the standards we’ve set for ourselves.
The CNC Router: Opening Doors to Design
The second new tool is a CNC machine - a computer-controlled cutter that allows us to work with timber in ways we never could before. Intricate shapes, custom etching, layered signage, curved forms, interlocking pieces. These were the kinds of designs we’d once sketch and then put aside because they simply weren’t possible with our previous setup.
Now they are.
This machine gives us room to experiment, prototype, and say yes to ideas we’ve had sitting in notebooks and minds for years. It’s an open door to new products, custom commissions, and creative directions for both Gaga Games and Castle & Cubby.
We’re already working on new timber-based games, smarter joinery systems, and beautiful additions for early learning environments and schools. There’s excitement in the air. The kind that comes when something dormant starts to stir.
“For us, this is about building a better future — not just for the business, but for the people in it. These machines mean less strain, more creativity, and the freedom to explore new ways of making that we’ve only dreamed of until now.”
— Kellie & Jonathan Stones, Co-Founders
What This Really Means
At its core, this is not a story about machines. It’s a story about what happens when you give a small, passionate team the tools they need to grow without losing themselves in the process.
We still build by hand. We still start each morning by laying out timber pieces one by one. But now, we do it with support. We can move faster. Deliver quicker. Say yes to more ideas. And most importantly, we can keep doing what we love - crafting high-quality, timber-based products for children, schools, and families, without the burnout that so often comes with scale.
We’re not becoming a big business. We’re becoming a better one.
And as always, you’re part of this journey with us. Every product you’ve trusted us to build, every conversation we’ve had with you, every school yard we’ve stepped into, it all feeds into what comes next.
Thank you for helping us grow.