Metal Fab & Etch A Sketch

Despite our city’s size (112,000 residents or so) – a fair number of the neighbors we interview cite ‘that small-town feel’ as one of their favorite things about Costa Mesa.

So what gives our town such a homey vibe? And why – no matter how robust the population becomes – does it still feel so much like ‘Costa Mayberry?’

Well, one of our theories is that it’s because so many people who grow up in Costa Mesa, stay in Costa Mesa. The city has a vigorous representation of multi-generation families, all living, working and supporting each other within these 16-square miles.

If you want an example of the deep, familial roots we mean, look no further than Ohms Way and the Harding family – busily and kindredly – doing their Costa Mesa thing, together.

CAD Man: Kim Harding melds craftsmanship with creative problem-solving at S.S. Metal Fabricators in Costa Mesa.

We had the pleasure of connecting with Kim Harding, the patriarch of the family, and his wife Cindy Harding – along with his son, Joel, and daughter, Nicole – at their industrial compound on Ohms Way. It serves as the family headquarters for at least three businesses – Kim’s S.S. Metal Fabricators, Joel’s Aqua Tech Waterjet and Laser, and Nicole’s Tiny Riot Designs.

(You can read our dedicated article about Nicole’s custom-pin business, here.)

Although two generations of Hardings currently work together – the family operation in Costa Mesa started three generations ago.

“I grew up in the San Fernando Valley,” began Kim Harding. “We had a good-sized piece of property and my dad would give us a lot of freedom. We would build things – tinkering and creating – out in the garage. I think that’s where my knack for building things started, my dad.

“In 1972, my parents moved down here. My father started a business and when I got out of the Army, I came to work for him. Eventually, I just kind of took it over. Now it’s S.S. Metal Fabricators and we design and create custom metal products – usually for yachts and homes.

“A lot of what we do is pretty high-end. We get the jobs where nobody can really figure out how to mount or build – or make something work – any other way. We do a lot of jobs for the construction industry, and for boat owners, because of that.”

As S.S. Metal Fabricators was busy growing, Kim’s kids were busy growing up. Once they were adults, Joel Harding, Kim’s son, didn’t fall too far from the tree.

“I’ve lived in Costa Mesa my whole life,” said Joel Harding. “We started on the Westside and then my dad bought a house over in the Killybrooke area. We went to Costa Mesa High School and then I joined the Marines. After I got out, I went to work for my dad.

“It’s a really similar story to his, now that I think about it.”

Eventually, Kim and Joel found themselves drawing more and more parts in CAD and needing to “sub out” the waterjet work.

“So we had this idea that we could buy our own waterjet machines and make the parts in-house,” said Joel. “That’s how Aqua Tech was born and that’s my business. Now I basically work in tandem with my dad, making all the parts. We give the pieces to the guys like giant erector sets and they build ’em.”

“I think the real reason it started was because he didn’t approve of the size of the paycheck I was giving him,” joked Kim. “He wanted to be his own boss so he could give himself a raise.”

Whatever Joel’s reasons, it was a stroke of business genius because now he doesn’t just provide components for his dad’s projects, but his competitors, too.

“My dad will bid out a job and if he gets it, great, we do it,” said Joel. “But even if he doesn’t get the job, the project will still come through here. We’re still making the parts for it. So that’s really cool.”

Keep It In The Family: Joel Harding Brought The Waterjet Work In-House, and Aqua Tech was Born.

Joel’s sister, Nicole Harding, left town after high school for a life in Los Angeles.

“Yeah, we lost her to L.A. for a while, but I always knew she’d be back,” said Joel, with a playful elbow-jab at his sister.

“I was so far removed from all of this for most of my life,” said Nicole Harding. “I thought I was too cool. But seven years ago, my life got upended and I really needed a job. Joel was there for me. He really helped me out.

“I told myself, ‘I’ll be here, like, a month.’ But it’s turned into a real career. I call myself the Operations Manager, but with me – and Joel, too – you could probably hyphenate our titles 20 times over. We do all our own quoting, material ordering, shipping, receiving, estimating, purchasing.

“When I’m not doing all that, I’m operating our little laser or running around, petting the dogs.”

Pup Power: Chloe and Sammy are an Integral Part of Operations at S.S. Metal Fab and Aqua Tech.

From her spacious office at the front of the property, Cindy Harding is the paperwork whiz keeping everything moving smoothly.

“Paperwork, that’s me,” said Cindy Harding with delight. “Anything that has to do with payroll, billing or workman’s comp – all that fun stuff. I don’t mind the paperwork, though. It’s my world. I kind of gravitate towards charts and organization and things like that – I love what I do.”

Nicole was quick to point out that she thinks both her dad and her brother are artists – which the men demurred.

“I’ve basically turned into a computer jockey, I sit at a desk all day,” said Joel. “I never thought it would happen, but it pays the bills, so that’s what I do. Yeah, somehow people think I’m an artist or whatever and I just let them think so.”

Nicole started listing off some notable local projects made possible by Joel and Aqua Tech: the Bear Flag Fish Co. signs you see around Orange County, the MUZEO living sign in Anaheim, local signage at SOCIAL and Thunderking Coffee Bar and Taco Maria – and plenty more all over Costa Mesa.

“Well, I guess the art stuff you’re referring to, the cool stuff everyone recognizes, that’s really fun and creative,” said Joel. “But otherwise, I’m in it for the money. I’m like a short-order cook just knocking jobs out. I don’t even know what half these parts are for, I’m just cranking them out as fast as I can.”

Joel also made possible the “19 West” neighborhood sign on the median at 19th Street and Harbor Boulevard.

“That was awesome,” he said. “We were supposed to build matching signs like that all over the city calling out different parts of town. I don’t know what happened. They were gonna be everywhere.”

Show Me A Sign: Aqua Tech has a Hand in So Many Cool Signs You See Every Day.

Joel and Nicole come by their creativity honestly – Kim may be modest, but he’s also an exceptional maker.

“You should see the things he makes,” said Nicole about her dad. “You should see how he engineered my doggie door. He’s totally self-taught, no engineering degree or anything.”

We asked Kim about some of the projects he remembers best.

“There was this 80-foot yacht that needed to get under the bridge in Seal Beach,” said Kim. “So we put hydraulic hinges on the top so they could lower it and get under the bridge at high tide. ”

“What about the jacuzzi thing?” prompted Joel.

“Oh yeah, I designed a lift that goes over a jacuzzi,” said Kim. “It’s a deck that you can actually stand on and then it lifts off. I just love to create, that’s the truth of it. I really want to dig in to figure out how to make a thing work.

“It’s one thing to do it on AutoCAD. But when you see my son’s machines cutting out the pieces and then it all comes together and you shine it up and it really works and looks good. I mean, people are really appreciative.

“We have the very best customers. 80% or more of our customers don’t even require a proposal. They know we do good work and that means the world to us.”

Wooing customers isn’t the only benefit to Kim’s skill set. It’s also how he wooed his wife, Cindy.

“Our first date was a blind double-date with another couple – the very first date – and he shows up with this,” said Cindy, gesturing to an elegantly-streamlined flower vase.

“Actually, I made two of them – each unique – because I didn’t want our friend Patty to feel left out,” added Kim.

“They were filled will beautiful flowers and the vase was just so beautiful,” sighed Cindy.

“No wonder they’re married now,” quipped Joel.

Romantic Fabrication: Kim and Cindy Harding With the Vase that Started It All.

While the Hardings all seem very happy – working together for the family businesses – they worry about the future of their neighborhood.

“They’re building 180 houses around the corner from here,” said Joel. “It’s an insane amount of new construction. I worry about parking around here. I worry about water pressure. They all turn on their bathtubs or flush their toilets at the same time, my machines might stall.”

“My son needs the water pressure for his water jets,” agreed Kim. “Joel and I went to those City Council meetings, but we came late in the process. If I’d paid attention earlier to make my voice known, maybe my opposition might have mattered more.

“All I want to say about those new homes is that we’re here first and we’re not going anywhere. If we make noise, we make noise, and that’s that.”

It’s clear the Hardings don’t just love their town, they feel a strong sense of ownership around the community.

“So I just bought my first house, four years ago,” said Joel. “At the time I was looking, I found a turnkey house in Huntington, two miles away, that was just beautiful and perfect. Then, for the same price, I find a piece-of-crap, fixer-upper in Costa Mesa.

“So I went to my dad and he was like, ‘You’re from Costa Mesa, you stay in Costa Mesa. You buy the house in Costa Mesa.

“So I live in Costa Mesa. But you know what? He was right. I love it.”

“He’s got a yard that most people would die for,” said Kim. “It’s something.”

No one in the Harding clan has lived in Costa Mesa quite as long as Cindy has.

“I’ve been here all my life, well since second grade,” said Cindy. “I was here all through my schooling – even went to Coastline College – then I met Kim when I was 44. We fell in love and what do you know, he had a house in Costa Mesa. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t get out of Costa Mesa.’

“But I love it. I mean, I feel blessed, I certainly do. That first year I started working here, I shared an office with Joel. He taught me all about screws and bolts and materials and stuff I knew nothing about. And then when he has questions about Quickbooks, he comes to ask me.

“We may be a newer kind of family, but we’re still family. And as for me, I love working with family. It’s really nice.” ♥

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