--- title: "CNC Turning Services | Custom Lathe & Turned Parts | OpenSpindle" description: "Get quotes for custom turned parts from independent machine shops. CNC lathe, Swiss, and mill-turn work in metal and plastic bar stock. Upload a drawing." canonical: https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-turning --- # 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. ## Turning shops on OpenSpindle Real shops that turn custom parts on CNC lathes. See their equipment and talk to the person making your part. [Browse all turning shops](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?capability=CNC%20turning%20%2F%20lathe) ## 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. - [Aluminum](https://openspindle.com/materials/aluminum.md) -- 6061 · 7075 - [Stainless steel](https://openspindle.com/materials/stainless-steel.md) -- 303 · 304 · 316 - [Carbon steel](https://openspindle.com/materials/carbon-steel.md) -- 1018 · 12L14 · 4140 - [Titanium](https://openspindle.com/materials/titanium.md) -- Grade 5 - [Brass](https://openspindle.com/materials/brass.md) -- C360 - [Copper](https://openspindle.com/materials/copper.md) -- C110 - [Delrin](https://openspindle.com/materials/delrin.md) -- Acetal - [PEEK](https://openspindle.com/materials/peek.md) - [Nylon](https://openspindle.com/materials/nylon.md) -- 6/6 ## Tolerances | Feature | With drawing | No callout | | --- | --- | --- | | 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. ## Threads, Inserts & Finishing 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. Applied after turning. As-turned ships fastest; passivation, anodize, and plating are common on turned metal parts. | Finish | Materials | Adds | Stacks 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. ## What Makes a Good RFQ | Instead of | Send | | --- | --- | | "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. ## Industries Served - Aerospace - Defense - Automotive - Medical devices - Hydraulics & fluid power - Firearms - Robotics - Industrial / OEM Turning shops on OpenSpindle produce shafts, pins, fittings, and fasteners for demanding industries, including AS9100 and ITAR-registered shops. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the difference between turning and milling? 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. ### When should I use Swiss machining? Swiss (sliding-headstock) lathes excel at small, slender, high-precision turned parts in volume, like pins, contacts, and medical components. Note high quantities of small diameter parts in your request and shops with Swiss equipment will respond. ### What tolerances can turning hold? Diameters commonly hold ±0.002 in, tighter with grinding or reaming. Lengths hold ±0.005 in. Call out the critical diameter and mating feature and the shop confirms before turning. ### Can turned parts have flats, holes, or threads? Yes. Live tooling and mill-turn machines add cross-holes, flats, slots, and threads in the same setup. Simpler features may be done as a secondary milling op. ### Is there a minimum order? No. Shops turn single prototypes and production runs. Expect a setup charge on one-offs that drops on repeat orders. ### What file formats should I send? STEP, IGES, X_T, DWG, DXF, or a dimensioned PDF. Include material, the critical diameter and its tolerance, length, quantity, and any finish. ## Other Capabilities - [CNC Machining](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-machining.md) - [Swiss Machining](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?capability=Swiss%20machining) - [5-Axis Machining](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?capability=5-axis%20milling) - [EDM & Wire EDM](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?capability=EDM) - [Grinding](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?capability=Grinding) - [Sheet Metal](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/sheet-metal-fabrication.md) - [Welding](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?capability=Welding) - [3D Printing](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?capability=3D%20printing) ## Design Notes That Move Your Price 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. ## Get CNC turning quotes Upload a drawing once and compare quotes from independent turning shops.