FAQ

Is there a phone number I can reach you at?

Phone consultation is $100 per hour. Please send us your phone number; we'll be happy to set up an appointment at a time that works for both parties. Our PBX will call you back automatically and an expert will be on the line to talk about all technical aspects of your project. Please note that we are in Central Standard Time Zone.
Do you have a discount for students?

If you are a full time student in a STEM field, you can qualify for our academic pricing. The part you need must be strictly intended for an academic purpose: your thesis, your research, your science project, or similar academic or classroom activity that benefits education in general. It cannot be a part for your personal use. To qualify, please supply enrollment verification from your registrar and a detailed description of your academic work. If you are a STEM teacher, or even a teaching assistant, and you need parts for classroom use, as in to use them to aid teach something in your official curriculum, please bring employment verification that shows classes you are teaching, and you too can benefit from academic pricing.
Do you have a discount for veterans?

Yes. We love our troops and veterans. We have much to thank them for. Both our veterans and active service military personnel can enjoy our exclusive military pricing. To qualify, please send us a copy of your Military ID, Veteran ID, or DD form 214. Once we verify your service, we will give you a personal discount code that will unlock your pricing. Please do not share your code. It is exclusive to you and will not work for someone else.
What is your return policy?

Please see Shipping & Returns page of our shop for more information.
I would like to speak to your manager/supervisor.

We use a shared inbox system. Please write to katya.ironworks@gmail.com and your concerns will be delivered directly to management.
What forms of payment do you accept?

Payment is accepted in United States Dollars only. Our website accepts major debit and credit cards as well as PayPal as payment options. Paying with PayPal is very secure and convenient. You can pay with a credit or debit card even if you do not have a PayPal account. Verified payment is required before the job begins. You must pay the full amount you have been quoted before the job begins. We do not accept any other forms of payment: No checks. No bitcoin. No money orders. No traveler's/cashier's checks. No gift cards. No store credit. No trade-ins, or barter transactions (for example, you cannot pay for your parts in go-karts, or Plutonium).
Do you offer quantity discounts? How does it work?

Yes, we do offer quantity discounts. Ordering a single part is always going to be the most expensive per part because we have to set up and tear down tooling, write codes, configure machines, just for one part. The more identical parts you order the less it costs per part because cost of setting up the machine is amortized between more parts so you start paying for material rather than labor. And no, you cannot order infinity parts for zero cost. There is a limit after which cost no longer decreases with quantity.
Ted told me this part should cost half as much as your quote. Can you match that?

No. Have Ted machine your part.
Do you offer free estimates? How about free quotes?

Yes. Both are free.
I need a part reverse engineered but first I need to know if you can do it. Can you make and send me a free sample?

We do not bid on a job unless we are certain we can do it. To produce a sample for free, we have to invest hours and actually perform the reverse engineering, then send blueprints to the shop, and have the shop invest hours into making one. Ergo it is cost prohibitive for us to offer free samples. A sample is really a prototype, and we are a prototype shop - so you need to pay for it. If you like the sample, and decide to order for more (as 96% of our customers do) we will count the prototype price you paid towards quantity price.
Do you offer painting/powder-coating/etching/electroplating/anodizing?

No. We consider the employees' family and not happy with the concept of keeping vats of corrosive chemicals in their vicinity.
Can I send you my own tooling?

We do not accept customer furnished tooling.
For the last 35 years, I have had this old machinist making this part for me. Now that the old timer is retiring, I need a new machine shop to make it. Can you make the exact same part, and match the same rate?

We can make the exact same part. We will try to meet any official written shop quote you can bring us.
Do you machine carbon fiber?

No. Carbon fibers are best machined with a water jet and we do not offer water jetting.
Can you make parts of my Jeep?

Absolutely! We drive and modify our Jeeps too. We are particularly experienced with the JK series. We would be happy to help.
Can you make parts for my RC helicopter?

Gladly. We are RC helicopter nerds, including turbine helicopters. Name your part. We will be happy to help.
What tolerances can you achieve?

Our machines will measure down to 0.0001", and our metrology equipment will measure down to 0.00005". For an ideal, stable, easily machinable material, we can achieve machined tolerance of +/- 0.001". Precipitation hardening steel is example of a very stable material. Nylon is not stable (absorb moisture and changes size after machining) so it cannot hold same tolerance. Just because we can achieve these values does not mean you need them. Ordering tighter tolerance than you need will end up paying more than you had to. Set your tolerance as loose as possible. If your motor has a 0.005" runout putting a 0.001" tolerance pulley on it will not fix it, but it will make us work twice as much, and have you pay twice as much.