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Stop chasing customers.
We send you the work.

OpenSpindle finds the buyers and matches their projects to your machines, materials, and processes. You get RFQs you can make, quote the ones you want, and we pay you.

See how it works
Free for shopsNo subscription or lead feesNo exclusivity
New RFQ matched to your shop
9:12 AM
Aluminum Mounting Bracket
Robotics company · Ships to Denver, CO
Quantity
40 parts
Material
6061 Aluminum
Process
CNC Milling
Finish
Clear Anodize
bracket-v3.step
bracket-v3-drawing.pdf
Quote by Friday
Submit Quote
Decline

Finding customers is the hard part

You are great at making parts. Keeping the pipeline full is a different job.

1

Feast or famine.

Word of mouth and repeat customers only go so far. One slow month and the machines sit idle.

2

Marketing is a second business.

Ads, websites, trade shows, and sales hires all cost money up front, with no guarantee a single job comes back.

3

Bad leads eat your day.

Quoting requests you can't run, or that were never going to buy, is time off the shop floor.

Stop paying to maybe get customers

Finding customers yourself: Pay for ads, SEO, and listings before you see a single job
With OpenSpindle: Free to join. No ad spend, no subscription
Finding customers yourself: Hire marketing or sales people, or an agency, to generate leads
With OpenSpindle: We find the buyers and bring the projects to you
Finding customers yourself: Screen every inquiry to see if it fits and if they're serious
With OpenSpindle: RFQs are matched to your capabilities before they reach you
Finding customers yourself: Chase quotes, contracts, and unpaid invoices
With OpenSpindle: We handle the customer and collect payment
Finding customers yourself: The spend is guaranteed. The customers are not
With OpenSpindle: You only spend time on work you can make

Nothing comes out of your price. OpenSpindle adds a small markup on the customer side to run the marketplace.

How it works

Step 1Join free as a shop partner

Tell us your machines, materials, processes, and finishing services.

Step 2We find customers and match projects

Buyers come to OpenSpindle. We match each project to shops that can make it.

Step 3You get an RFQ invite

Drawings, CAD files, quantities, materials, and the quote-by date, all in one place.

Step 4Quote, win, and get paid

Send your price and lead time. When the customer awards the job, you build it and we pay you.

We handle the selling. You handle the making

OpenSpindle handles

  • Finding and qualifying customers
  • Matching projects to your shop
  • NDAs and file sharing
  • Customer communication and questions
  • Collecting payment

You handle

  • Quoting the work
  • Making the parts
  • Shipping on time

No sales team, no ad budget. You stay focused on the shop floor.

How to win more work on OpenSpindle

The shops that win the most work on OpenSpindle do a few things consistently.

  1. 1

    Fill out your profile completely.

    List every material, process, machine, and finishing service you offer. We match RFQs against your profile, so anything missing is work you won't see.

  2. 2

    Respond the same day.

    When we send you an RFQ, try to quote it the same day. Customers are more likely to award a job that was quoted quickly.

  3. 3

    Include shipping and a real lead time.

    A complete quote is easier to say yes to than one with open questions.

  4. 4

    Can't take it? Decline with a reason.

    Telling us why (too busy, wrong material, quantity too small) sharpens the RFQs we send you next.

  5. 5

    Ask questions early.

    Unclear tolerance or missing drawing? Message us before you quote, not after.

  6. 6

    Deliver on time, every time.

    Shops that deliver reliably get invited to more work.

Built for every kind of shop

If you make custom parts, there is a place for your shop.

CNC & Precision Machining

Milling, turning, 5-axis, Swiss, EDM.

Sheet Metal & Cutting

Laser, waterjet, plasma, brake forming.

Metal Fabrication & Welding

Structural, MIG/TIG, assemblies.

3D Printing

FDM, SLS, MJF, resin, and metal.

Woodworking & Millwork

Cabinetry, casework, architectural.

Countertops & Stone

Solid surface, stone, quartz fabrication.

Frequently asked questions

Nothing. Joining, receiving RFQs, and quoting are free. There are no subscriptions and no lead fees. OpenSpindle adds a small markup on the customer side to run the marketplace.

OpenSpindle collects payment from the customer and pays you by credit card, ACH, wire, or PayPal, so you never chase an invoice.

Buyers come to OpenSpindle to get parts made. We review each project and match it to shops whose capabilities fit, then send those shops an RFQ.

We match each project against your profile: processes and machines, materials, finishing services, tolerances, and the kinds of work you want. The more complete your profile, the better your matches.

Try to respond the same day. Customers are more likely to award a job that was quoted quickly, and fast responses help you get invited to more work.

No. If a job doesn't fit, decline it and tell us why. There is no penalty, and your reason helps us send better matches.

OpenSpindle manages the customer relationship. You can ask questions and share updates through OpenSpindle messaging, and we handle the rest.

Work that comes through OpenSpindle stays on OpenSpindle. Customer drawings and project details are shared with you in confidence so you can quote and build the job, as set out in the Supplier Terms. In return, we handle the selling, the customer, and the payment. Read the Supplier Terms

No. Keep your own customers. OpenSpindle adds work on top of your existing business.

CNC and precision machining, sheet metal and cutting, metal fabrication and welding, 3D printing, woodworking and millwork, countertops and stone, signage, and multi-material shops.

Let us fill your pipeline.

Become a shop partner, free. Tell us what you make, and we'll send you the work.