The Machine Shop
CNC machining is a precision and tolerance business: you sell the ability to hold tight specs repeatably, on machines that cost six figures and in the hands of machinists who are genuinely scarce. You are not buying a storefront; you are buying spindle hours, a book of repeat parts, and the certifications that unlock aerospace and medical work.
Read the launch plan: every step from deciding to opening, free →The Snapshot
Is this worth your attention?
Estimated Typical bands for this kind of business, estimated from adjacent public data where no direct benchmark exists; treat them as rough. Estimates, not forecasts; a specific business varies with its location, lease, equipment and owner. Last reviewed 2026-07-07. smbnest is a self-assessment tool, not individualized advice.
A fit if you…
- Can recruit, train, and retain skilled machinists and programmers
- Want repeat, contract part work over one-off jobs
- Can fund and finance expensive CNC equipment
- Sweat tolerances, setup time, and spindle utilization
- Can pursue AS9100 / ISO certification to win premium work
Probably not if you…
- Want a low-capital, hands-off business from day one
- Are uncomfortable carrying six-figure machine debt
- Dislike the discipline of inspection, QA, and documentation
- Expect high margins while machines sit idle between jobs
Step Inside the Layout
A live look at one tool inside
This is the actual 3D floor from the full model - drag to explore it. Inside, you configure the space yourself and watch the economics move with every choice.
Sources and method8 public sources, with the year and a link where the source gives one. The benchmark bands on this page are estimated from adjacent data and labeled as estimates.
Sources & Method
Figures are estimated from the public sources below and from adjacent data; the bands are labeled as estimates
How these numbers were built: machinist wages and employment come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, SOC 51-4041, Machinists); establishment counts and industry size come from the U.S. Census Bureau (County Business Patterns and SUSB for NAICS 332710, Machine Shops); precision-machining benchmarks come from the National Tooling and Machining Association; financing terms and the size standard come from the SBA; and establishment survival comes from the Census Bureau’s Business Dynamics Statistics. Every source below links to the underlying public material so you can check any figure yourself. These are starting assumptions; the moment you enter a real shop’s revenue, cell count, contract mix, and labor and depreciation costs, your numbers should replace ours. Figures are current as of 2024-2026 and refreshed as the sources update.
Cost shares for the starting shop (materials, rent, utilities, repairs and overhead) follow Statistics Canada small machine shop financials for 2024; BLS wage data backs the labor anchor and BizBuySell sold-business data backs the revenue range, owner cash flow margin and resale multiples. Utilization figures are industry estimates, so overall confidence is marked estimated.
This is just the surface
The full model is the complete, interactive deep-dive, and every business here is built to the same standard: a live economics simulator you tune to your own numbers, an interactive 3D walkthrough, a location scorecard, an owner-fit assessment, a buy-versus-build comparison, and the full breakdown of how it makes money and what quietly kills margin.
then $29 a month
Time to choose and start, then month to month.
$99 today for your first 3 months, then $29 a month until you cancel.
about $17 a month
The best price: a year to decide, open and run it.
$199 today, then $199 each year until you cancel.
Renews until you cancel. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access to the end of the period you paid for, and your saved plans stay in your account. What membership opens
smbnest is a self-assessment tool. It does not give individualized financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Figures are estimates and benchmarks, not forecasts. Speak with a qualified financial adviser and a licensed attorney before you start, buy, finance or sign anything.