CNC Machining from
Hand Drawings & Sketches

Why We Accept Hand Drawings

The vast majority of CNC machining suppliers worldwide require a complete CAD file before they will quote. This locks out a huge segment of customers — individual inventors, small repair shops, farmers needing replacement parts, hobbyists, and small manufacturers who don't have engineering software.

At EKINSUN, we built our process around this gap. We have an in-house engineering team whose job is to convert your rough input — however messy — into a precise CAD drawing. We then send it back to you for approval before a single piece of metal is touched.

This service is not an afterthought. It is one of our most-used workflows, and we have refined it over years of working with clients across the USA, UK, Germany, and Australia who had parts in their heads but no way to communicate them digitally.

A hand drawing is just one way in. If you'd rather, you can order with no CAD file at all — from a photo, a physical sample, or rough measurements. For complex or freeform parts we capture geometry with 3D scanning instead.

What You Can Send Us

We genuinely accept all of the following:

• Hand-drawn sketches on paper — photographed with your phone
• Napkin drawings with rough dimensions
• Photos of an existing part you want copied or modified
• PDF technical drawings even hand-annotated ones
• Written descriptions with key measurements
• CAD files if you have them (STEP, IGES, DXF, SolidWorks)

The more information you provide, the faster we can quote. But even a rough sketch with the overall dimensions and a note about the material is enough to start a conversation.

Our Exact Process, Step by Step

Tips for a Good Hand Drawing

You don't need drafting skills. Just follow these principles:

• Draw the part from three views: front, side, and top
• Write dimensions on every feature — overall length, width, height, hole diameters, thread sizes
• Put a ruler in the photo for scale, or write "overall length = 85mm" clearly
• Circle or note any critical dimensions — the ones that must be exact for the part to work
• Note the material if you know it, or describe what the part needs to do

Common Applications

• Custom spacers, bushings and standoffs — drawn by you, machined to the exact size no catalog stocks
• Custom thread adapters — join two threads no catalog pairs (metric to imperial, BSP to NPT)
• Custom knobs and handles — odd insert threads, vintage profiles, one knob machined to match a surviving set
• Custom & replacement shafts — diameters, keyway, threaded ends; sketch it or mail the worn original
• Custom machined washers — turned to any OD, bore and thickness; shims and thrust washers no catalog stocks
• Replacement parts for discontinued machinery
• Prototype parts for inventor projects
• Custom brackets, adapters, and fittings
• Agricultural and farm equipment repair parts
• Automotive custom or restoration parts
• Marine hardware and fittings
• Industrial tooling and jigs

Parts Made From Hand Drawings and Photos

All of these started with a hand sketch, annotated photo, or rough dimension sheet — no CAD file from the customer:

A Sketch Is a Complete Order Here

You don't need to arrive with a finished drawing, a CAD file, or an opinion on how the part should be made. A hand sketch with the sizes that matter — or just the worn part and a note on what it does — is a complete starting point. Turning the sketch into a manufacturable drawing and choosing the process is our half of the work, done before the quote and at no charge.

Frequently Asked Questions