Quoting is one of the hardest parts of running a machine shop.

Quote too high, and you never hear back from the customer. Quote too low, and six months later you're wondering why you're working weekends to stay busy while your bank account doesn't seem to notice.

The truth is that every shop owner has gotten burned both ways.

In this episode of MACHINE SHOP TALK, Ian Sandusky from Lakewood Machine& Tool is covering one of the biggest challenges in manufacturing: figuring out what a job is actually worth. From estimating cycle times and setup costs to balancing risk, competition, and profit, quoting isn't nearly as simple as plugging numbers into a spreadsheet.

We'll also take a look at Uptool's quoting software and how digital tools are helping shops build faster, more consistent estimates without relying entirely on gut feel and experience. Whether you're quoting your first production job or your thousandth, there's a good chance you've made this mistake before.

Try it free for 1 week, exclusively for the Practical Machinist community: uptool.com/practicalmachinist