---
title: What to Put on a Drawing Before a Quote | Wolf Machine
url: https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/what-to-put-on-a-drawing/
business: Wolf Machine & Fabrication, Inc.
address: 4812 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502
phone: (775) 359-5570
hours: Shop Monday-Friday 7:00 am-3:30 pm; closed Saturday and Sunday
type: Metal and plastic fabrication and machining (custom and CNC machining, welding, metal and plastic fabrication, gearbox and part repair, align boring, metal spray)
---

[Photo: Stock photo: gloved hands measuring a part with a digital caliper]

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- What to put on a drawing before you ask for a quote

# What to put on a drawing before you ask for a quote

A drawing a machinist can quote from shows the material and condition, every size with a tolerance or a general tolerance block, the threads, any surface finish that matters, the quantity and the revision. When there is no drawing, photos, measurements and the part itself do the same job.

Stock photo: gloved hands measuring a part with a digital caliper

Key takeaways

- Name the material and its condition on the drawing
- Give every size a tolerance, or add a general tolerance block
- Call out threads by their standard, not just a diameter
- State the quantity and the revision letter
- No print? Send the part, photos with a scale and the sizes you have

A shop can only price and make what it can see. The clearer the print, the closer the estimate is to the part you expect. This guide goes through the items a machinist looks for, in the order they usually matter, and what to send when you do not have a print at all.

## What does a machinist read first?

Most machinists look for three things before anything else: what the part is made of, how big it is, and how many are wanted. These three decide how the work is set up and what material is ordered. A drawing that leaves one out starts the conversation with a question.

After that, the eye goes to the tight features: bearing seats, sealing faces, hole patterns that must line up with something. Mark those clearly, because they take most of the shop's attention.

## The checklist

Use this as a last check before you send a print. Each row is something the shop would otherwise have to ask about.

| Item | What to include | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Type, grade and condition, such as annealed or as supplied | Decides cutters, setup and the stock that is ordered |
| Sizes | Every dimension, with units stated | A missing size becomes a phone call |
| Tolerances | A tolerance on each critical size, plus a general block for the rest | Tells the shop which features matter most |
| Datums | The surfaces other features are measured from | Keeps related features in the right relation |
| Threads | Standard, size, pitch and class, and depth | A diameter alone does not define a thread |
| Surface finish | Only where it matters, such as sealing and bearing surfaces | Finish drives extra operations |
| Quantity | How many now, and how many over the year | Changes how the job is set up |
| Revision | A revision letter or date on the print | Keeps quote and part on the same version |
| Notes | Edge breaks, coatings, markings and anything unusual | Prevents surprises at the end |

## Tolerances: tight where it matters, general elsewhere

A tolerance is the amount a size may vary from the number on the print. Tight tolerances take more time and more checking, so put them on the features that need them and use a general block for the rest. Anyone reading the print can then see which surfaces do the work.

When fits and positions are specified, many prints follow the dimensioning standard ASME Y14.5. The glossary entries on [tolerance](https://wolfmachinenv.com/glossary/tolerance/) and [GD&T](https://wolfmachinenv.com/glossary/gd-and-t/) explain the terms. If you are not sure how tight a feature must be, say what it does and let the shop suggest a sensible figure.

## Material, quantity and revision

Write the material as precisely as you know it, because grades differ in how they cut and in what they cost. If you want a particular condition, say so. If you are open to a substitute, say that too.

State the quantity in two parts: the first order and what you expect over a year. A part that will be reordered is worth a proper setup, and the shop can plan for that. Add the revision so the print in your file and the print in the shop are the same.

## No print? Send these instead

The shop works from specifications, drawings or samples, so a missing drawing is not a dead end. The most useful substitute is the part itself, or a worn or broken original. The next choice is photos from several sides with a ruler in the frame, the sizes you can measure, and the machine it fits.

For help, read [how to photograph and measure a broken part](https://wolfmachinenv.com/blog/photograph-and-measure-a-broken-part/) and [what to do without a drawing](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/no-drawing-what-now/). Then send the files through the [quote request](https://wolfmachinenv.com/request-a-quote/), or call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570), Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm.

### Sources

- [ASME Y14.5-2018, Dimensioning and Tolerancing](https://www.asme.org/codes-standards/find-codes-standards/y14-5-dimensioning-tolerancing) (2026-10-18)
- [Protolabs help center: quoting and files](https://www.protolabs.com/help-center/quoting-platform) (2026-10-18)
- [Fictiv: preparing files](https://www.fictiv.com/articles/preparing-files-for-fictiv) (2026-10-18)

### Talk to the shop

[(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570)

| Monday to Friday | 7:00 am - 3:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Closed |

[Request a quote](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [What file types can I send with a quote request?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/what-file-types-can-i-send/)
- [I do not have a drawing. Can you still make the part?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/no-drawing-what-now/)
- [Tolerance](https://wolfmachinenv.com/glossary/tolerance/)
- [How to photograph and measure a broken part](https://wolfmachinenv.com/blog/photograph-and-measure-a-broken-part/)
- [Custom machining](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/custom-machining/)

### Terms on this page

[Tolerance](https://wolfmachinenv.com/glossary/tolerance/) [Surface finish (Ra)](https://wolfmachinenv.com/glossary/surface-finish-ra/) [GD&T (geometric dimensioning and tolerancing)](https://wolfmachinenv.com/glossary/gd-and-t/)

[The full glossary](https://wolfmachinenv.com/glossary/)

## More guides

Machining October 18, 2026 5 min read

### Signs a machine needs align boring

A machine probably needs align boring when pins bind, bushings wear out far faster than they should, bores have gone oval, or a pin that used to slide through now will not. These are signs that bores

Repair and rebuild October 18, 2026 5 min read

### Repair or replace: deciding what to do with a worn part

Repair when the part is sound, the wear is in one place and the original size can be put back. Replace when the damage runs through the part, when a crack cannot be removed, or when the failure will s

Repair and rebuild October 18, 2026 6 min read

### Metal spray, sleeve or weld: rebuilding a worn surface

Metal spray suits bearing and seal surfaces where you want little heat in the part, a sleeve suits a surface that needs a fresh hard face, and weld build-up suits parts that need strength across the r

Repair and rebuild October 18, 2026 5 min read

### Getting a machine ready for line boring in the field

Before a portable line boring visit, make the bores reachable, clean and supported, take out the pins and bushings, and have power and light at the machine. Then send the shop photos, bore sizes and t

Repair and rebuild October 18, 2026 6 min read

### A gearbox rebuild: what to expect

A gearbox rebuild is a teardown, a full inspection, repair of whatever has worn and a careful reassembly with new bearings and seals. Noise, heat, oil leaks and metal in the oil are the signs one is d

[All guides](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/)

## More from the blog

Machining October 18, 2026 4 min read

### Making a part that is no longer made

A part that is no longer made can be made again by measuring the original, choosing the material, drawing it up and machining one. Keep the drawing so the next one does not start from scratch.

Sending a job to the shop October 18, 2026 4 min read

### How to photograph and measure a broken part

Photograph the part on a plain surface in bright light with a ruler or tape measure in every shot, cover every face, and add close-ups of the wear or break. Then measure the key diameters and lengths

Machining October 18, 2026 4 min read

### From one prototype to a production run

A prototype is made to learn whether a part works, and a production run is made once the design is settled. The steps in between are locking the drawing, building fixtures, checking a first part again

[All posts](https://wolfmachinenv.com/blog/)

## Questions people ask

Still have a question? Call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570), Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm.

### Should I send a 3D model as well as a print?

Yes, when you have both. The model shows the shape, and the print shows the material, sizes, threads and notes.

### What is a general tolerance block?

A note on the print that sets a default tolerance for every size that has none of its own, so the drawing is not cluttered.

### Do I have to follow a drawing standard?

No. A clear print in your own style works. A standard such as ASME Y14.5 helps when fits and positions must be specified exactly.

[Photo: Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying]

## Request a quote

Tell us what you need, attach a drawing or photos of the part, and we will get back to you during shop hours. Free consultations; prompt estimates.

[Call (775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570)

- From your specifications, drawings or samples. We can also assist you in designing your product or part.
- Free consultations and prompt estimates
- Stands behind the work: Our rates are very competitive and our quality is second-to-none. Wolf Machine stands behind the work we perform.
- Company accounts: all major credit cards, or we can open an account for your company

Shop hours Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Send your request any time and we will get back to you during shop hours.

Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying