CNC turning from independent machine shops
Round, cylindrical, and shaft-like parts turned from bar stock on CNC lathes, with live tooling and Swiss options for the tricky ones. Upload a drawing and hear back from shops set up for turning.
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Turning shops on OpenSpindle
Real shops that turn custom parts on CNC lathes. See their equipment and talk to the person making your part.
★ Top rated
"Precision CNC Machining & Fabrication Near Austin - 40+ Years"
"Rapid Prototyping, Digital Manufacturing & CNC Machining Since 1994"
"Hard Metal CNC Machining & Complex Parts Experts"
"Multi-Material Contract Manufacturing in Milwaukee"
"From Art to Part: Product Design, Prototyping & Manufacturing"
"Highly Complex, Close-Tolerance CNC Machining in Orange County"
How it works
How OpenSpindle Works
Upload your files
Share your CAD files or drawings (STEP, DXF, DWG, PDF) and note material, tolerances, and quantity. It takes a couple of minutes.
Get matched quotes
We route your part to shops with the machines and materials to make it, and they send competitive quotes.
Compare and choose
Weigh quotes, methods, and lead times side by side, then pick the shop that fits your budget and timeline.
Bar stock our turning shops run
Turning starts from round bar. Common alloys are below; if yours is not here, ask when you request a quote.
Specs
Tolerances you can expect
| Feature | With a drawing | No drawing supplied |
|---|---|---|
| Turned diameter | ±0.002 in | ISO 2768 Medium |
| Length | ±0.005 in | ISO 2768 Medium |
| Bore diameter (not reamed) | ±0.003 in | ISO 2768 Medium |
| Surface finish | 63-125 Ra | 125 Ra as-turned |
Diameters hold tighter than lengths on a lathe. Reamed and ground bores go tighter; call those out on your drawing and shops confirm before turning.
Secondary operations
Inserts, hardware and finishing
Threads and inserts
Single-point and die-cut threads, cross-drilled and tapped holes, knurls, and pressed inserts done in the same setup or as a secondary op.
Finishing
Applied after turning. As-turned ships fastest; passivation, anodize, and plating are common on turned metal parts.
| Finish | Materials | Adds | Can be applied with |
|---|---|---|---|
| As-turned | All | +0 days | Anything |
| Passivation | Stainless only | +2 days | Bead blast |
| Anodize | Aluminum, titanium | +3-5 days | Bead blast |
| Zinc / nickel plating | Steel | +3-5 days | Passivation not needed |
Threads made before plating can go out of spec after the coating adds thickness. Tell the shop so they cut for the final size.
Get a better quote
Getting a quote that comes back fast
| Instead of | Send this |
|---|---|
| "Turned part, need a quote" | "303 stainless shaft, ⌀0.500 x 3.0 in, ±0.002 on the OD, qty 100" |
| "Threaded on one end" | "1/4-20 UNC x 0.50 deep, tapped, one end per drawing" |
| "Smooth finish" | "63 Ra on the bearing journal, as-turned elsewhere" |
Say which diameter is critical and where it mates. That is what sets the tolerance and the price.
Applications
Industries we serve
Turning shops on OpenSpindle produce shafts, pins, fittings, and fasteners for demanding industries, including AS9100 and ITAR-registered shops.
More on OpenSpindle
Other capabilities
Need a different process? Browse shops for these too.
Designing for this process
What actually changes your quote
Not a definition of turning. The design choices that move your price and lead time.
Length-to-diameter drives cost
Long, slender parts (past about 8x diameter) deflect and chatter, needing steady rests or slower feeds. Keep parts stubby where you can.
One critical diameter, not five
Every tight OD needs its own inspection pass. Tolerance the one that mates a bearing or bore and leave the rest as-turned.
Undercuts need clearance
A tool has to reach the groove. Add a relief or a tool-clearance radius at shoulders so the shop is not forced into a special tool.
Deep bores get expensive
Boring past about 3x the bore diameter needs a longer, floppier bar and slower cuts. Through-holes and shallow bores turn cheaper.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Turning spins the part against a fixed tool to make round features like shafts, pins, and bushings. Milling holds the part still and spins the tool to make prismatic features. Many shops do both and pick the right one from your drawing.
Get CNC turning quotes
Upload a drawing once and compare quotes from independent turning shops.
STEP · STL · IGES · DWG · DXF · PDF · and more
Uploads are secure & confidential