Frequently Asked Questions

Simple — just reach out through our contact page or give us a call. Tell us what you're working on, and Mike will get back to you directly within one business day. No forms to fill out, no sales team to navigate. Just a real conversation with the engineer who will be doing your work.

You'll work directly with Mike Dunn — the founder and engineer behind Blacktail. There's no middleman, no account manager, and no handoffs. The person you talk to on day one is the person designing, building, and delivering your project.

We work on projects of all sizes — from a single custom component or a consulting call, all the way to full equipment design, fabrication, and automation projects. If you're not sure whether your project is the right fit, just ask. We'll give you an honest answer.

Blacktail is based in the Mountain West and primarily serves clients across the region. However, for the right project we're open to working with clients outside the area — particularly for design, CAD, and remote consulting work. Reach out and let's talk about what works for your situation.

Every project is different, so timelines vary depending on complexity, scope, and current workload. What we commit to is clear communication throughout — you'll always know where your project stands. We discuss realistic timelines during our initial conversation before any work begins.

Blacktail produces professional CAD models and complete drawing packages suitable for fabrication, project review, and contractor coordination. For projects that specifically require stamps from a licensed Professional Engineer, we work alongside qualified PE contacts to ensure your project has the right credentials. Just let us know your requirements upfront.

We primarily use SolidWorks for 3D modeling and AutoCAD for detailed drafting and 2D drawing packages — both industry-standard tools trusted across engineering and manufacturing. If your team or vendor needs files in a different format, we can typically convert to accommodate your workflow.

Absolutely. We're comfortable working from existing documentation, sketches, rough concepts, or even just a verbal description of what you need. Whether you have a complete drawing package or just a napkin sketch of an idea — we can work with it.

We take safety seriously on every project. For environments with specific regulatory or certification requirements, we discuss those requirements upfront and bring in appropriate additional expertise when needed. We'll never overpromise what's within our scope.

For most projects, yes — Mike handles fabrication, welding, and basic machining in-house. For projects requiring certified welding procedures, specialized machining, or large-scale production runs, we coordinate with trusted outside partners while maintaining oversight of quality and outcome.

Yes. If your current equipment isn't performing the way it should — or needs to be adapted to a new process or environment — we can evaluate it, engineer a solution, and carry out the modifications. Sometimes the best solution is improving what you already have.

Yes, we handle material and component sourcing as part of the project scope. We work to find quality materials at reasonable costs and are transparent about pricing. You'll know what you're paying for and why.

We primarily work with Allen-Bradley equipment — a trusted and widely supported platform across industrial and agricultural operations. This ensures your automation system is built on reliable, serviceable hardware with broad industry support. During our initial conversation we'll confirm compatibility with your existing systems.

That's one of the most common and impactful things we do. If you have a process that's currently manual, inconsistent, or labor-dependent — there's a good chance automation can improve it significantly. We'll assess your current setup and give you an honest picture of what's possible.

Yes. Every automation project includes operator training so your team feels confident running and maintaining the system. We don't consider a project complete until your people know how to use what we built.

Depending on the project, we work on either a fixed project quote or an hourly consulting rate. We discuss the best approach during our initial conversation and provide a clear, detailed quote before any work begins. No surprise invoices, no hidden fees.

For fabrication and design projects, yes — we typically require a deposit before work begins to cover initial material and engineering costs. The specifics are outlined clearly in your project agreement. Transparent, straightforward business dealings from day one.

We handle scope changes through clear communication and a straightforward change order process. You'll always know about any cost or timeline impacts before we proceed with changes. No surprises, ever.

When you work with Blacktail, you get direct access to an experienced engineer on every call, every email, and every job site visit. No layers of project managers. No billable hours spent on internal meetings. Just focused, purposeful engineering work — done with integrity — from start to finish.