Three CNC shop owners get real about the biggest thorn in their side: quoting. In this honest, detailed conversation, they explore why quoting is harder than it should be and how they’re working to fix it, including where Toolpath fits in.
Quoting isn’t just a task, it’s a make-or-break challenge for every CNC shop. In this episode of "Chips and Tips," Justin Gray (CTO at Toolpath) sits down with James Dyer of Accurate Dial and Name Plate and John Rabinowitz of The Shop Inc. to unpack the complexities of CNC quoting. Their shared confession? They’re not great at it, and they’re not alone.
These shop owners don’t just run parts; they run into walls when it comes to estimating time, pricing, and feasibility. With aerospace and defense work, tight tolerances and ITAR compliance aren't the only things that complicate a quote. As John points out, simply not having the right tool on hand or underestimating lead times can throw off a job's profitability entirely.
“Not having the right tool on hand or not taking into account the due date—those are the mistakes that haunt you later.” - John Rabinowitz
The conversation highlights a powerful insight: quoting is often based on assumptions, not data. James explains how outside processes like plating or heat treating regularly blow up timelines, and how guessing on those details often comes back to bite. Toolpath isn't about magic answers, but it is about bringing clarity and consistency into a historically gut-driven process. For shops like theirs, that's a big shift.
They also touch on the evolving role of CNC in their businesses. Both James and John are growing their CNC capabilities from partial to central roles in their operations, which means quoting complexity is only increasing. The mix of fabrication, welding, manual machining, and CNC makes every quote more nuanced than a one-size-fits-all solution can handle.
"We probably feel like we don't know what we're doing with quoting more than the ones who are very dialed in." - Justin Gray
This episode doesn’t promise a perfect fix, but it does offer a refreshingly grounded take on what quoting really looks like from the floor. For anyone trying to grow a shop, reduce waste, or just get paid fairly, it’s a must-listen.