Frequently Asked Questions
Who is fabricating the part?
Three machinists across the US have been preapproved based on cost, respose time, and quality.
Can I ship a prototype to you instead of uploading a drawing?
Yes. Just send us an email with that request.
What file types do you allow on drawings?
Currently, we allow PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, & GIF. In the future, we plan to accept CAD files 2D or 3D.
Who is behind onlinemachinist.com?
Brad David. Brad is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Georgia, USA. He has more than eight years experience in design, fabrication, and construction of all types of engineering systems.
Julian Magnone. Julian has a masters degree in computer engineering and have been working for IT and Internet projects for more than six years.
How do I know if my drawing is sufficient? I drew it on a napkin!
Napkins or otherwise, we don't care. We only need all the required dimensions on your drawing.
What if I forgot a dimension or some other important information?
An engineer will review all submissions for the required information. If something is missing you will get an email question prior to getting your quote.
Can I upload a 3D model?
Not yet. Currently we only support 2D images or PDF files. We plan to accept 3D models in the future.
What if I delete a part from my list by accident?
Just send us an email with any details of the part or when you deleted it. We keep backups and will be glad to restore the part to your list.
What if I reject a quote by accident?
Just send us an email with any details and we will restore the quote for your review.
How much will my part cost?
That's what the site is all about. Just submit a part. An expert machinist and a professional engineer will review the part, then provide a fabrication quote.
What can I do to reduce the cost of the part?
- Reduce the quantity.
- Use a different material. Downgrade the stainless steel to carbon steel. Downgrade steel to plastic or wood.
- Reduce the complexity of the part.
- Reduce the size or weight to reduce material cost as well as shipping costs.
- Send us an email and we can provide specific advise to reduce the cost.
Can you help me with the design of my custom part? I have some questions that and engineer or machinist can help with.
Absolutely. We are always happy to help a potiental customer arrive at an effective design.
What machining capabilities do you have?
Milling, lathe work, CNC or manual, all types of welding, surface preparation, 5 axis machines, ... (Yes, we can provide it all. What we don't have in-house we can provide through vendors.)
What quality control systems do you have in place?
- We ask that our users make use of the "Description" and "Instructions" sections of your submission.
- We are not afraid to ask questions. Don;t be suprised if we contact you to clarify a point prior to fabriation.
- We review the details of your part submission carefully.
- Upon your request we can provide fabrication progress photos. This will ensure correct fabrication the first time or it will allow a correction in our shop prior to fabrication.
- We compare the part to your original design requirements prior to shipment as a final check.
I need a large quanitity of parts, what do I do?
We recommend a single part be fabricated and shipped to you first. This will enable you to test your part prior to fabricating a large quantity.
Can you give me any hints on a reasonable lead time?
Keep in mind shipment time. UPS ground will take 3 days to deliver in the continental US. Only use overnight in emergencies or where the extra shipping cost is worth it. As far as fabrication time, if your part can fit in the palm of your hand it should only take 1 day to quote, leave yourself one day to accept the quote, and estimate 2 days for fabrication. (ie most small parts can be at your door in 8 days or less)
What if my shipment arrives incorrect?
Just let us know and we will be glad to workout any problems.
What type of payments do you accept?
We use paypal to accept any major mastercard or a payment from a paypal account.
When can I request a quote?
The website is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When will I receive a quote?
If all required information in on your submission, a quote will be returned within one business day.
Once I accept the quote, when will I receive the part?
All quotes will have a lead time listed. Most small, simple parts can be shipped within two business days.
Do you have a question that was not answered here? Please contact us
