--- title: Plastic Fabrication and Machining in Reno | Wolf Machine url: https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/plastic-fabrication-and-machining/ 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) --- - [Home](https://wolfmachinenv.com/) - [Services](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/) - Plastic fabrication and machining # Plastic fabrication and machining We fabricate and machine plastic parts at our Reno shop, from a drawing, a sample or an idea. Plastic work sits beside our metal work, so one shop can make a plastic part, a metal part or an assembly of both. [Photo: Technician measuring a part with a vernier caliper] A technician measuring a part with a vernier caliper (stock photo). Wolf Machine & Fabrication is a metal and plastic fabrication and machining shop for Northern Nevada. This page covers the plastics half: what the work looks like, how plastic parts are cut on the same mills and lathes as metal, and what to send when you want a quote. The shop is at 4812 Longley Ln in Reno and is open Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. ## At a glance - Plastic parts made from a drawing, a sample or an idea - Plastic parts for the medical industry - Metal and plastic chutes for cement and mining work - Prototypes and production runs - Design help and free consultations Love working with these guys, and gal. Great customer service and knowledgeable skill base. They have helped with many big projects and have always pulled though when our machines went down. JoHannah W. ยท Google review, March 2017 [Leave us a Google review](https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJVWVOfCI_mYARibcFMPsDEKc) ## What does plastic fabrication and machining involve? Machining shapes a part by cutting material away, and fabrication builds a finished piece from several parts. For plastic, that can mean a single block cut to a drawing on a mill, a round part turned on a lathe, or a chute where plastic sections are mounted on a metal frame. The shop lists plastics among the materials it machines, alongside aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, stainless, steels, titanium and tool steels. Because plastic and metal are handled in the same place, you do not have to split one assembly between two vendors. The metal frame, the plastic lining and the fasteners that join them can all be planned together, so they fit when they arrive. ## Metal and plastic together: chutes and assemblies Wolf Machine makes metal and plastic chutes for the cement and mining industries. A chute carries loose material from one point to another, and the surface the material slides over takes the wear. General references describe ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene as a slick, abrasion-resistant plastic widely used to line chutes and hoppers, which is why plastic and steel so often appear in the same chute. If you run a plant or a quarry, the useful starting point is the place where material hangs up or wears through a surface. Bring a photo, a sample of the worn part or a sketch with the key dimensions. See [cement and aggregates](https://wolfmachinenv.com/industries/cement-and-aggregates/) and [mining](https://wolfmachinenv.com/industries/mining/) for the kinds of work that come through, and [metal fabrication](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/metal-fabrication/) for the steel side of a chute. ## Plastic parts for the medical industry The shop's industries list includes plastic parts for the medical industry. Parts like these usually come with a clear drawing, a named material and a quantity, and they are often small and detailed. Send the print and any notes about how the part is used, and the shop will tell you what it needs to know before starting. If you only have a sample or an idea, that works too. The shop will gladly work from specifications, drawings or samples, and can assist you in designing your product or part. Our page on [part design from samples](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/part-design-from-samples/) explains how that starts. ## How plastic is cut on the same mills and lathes Plastic goes onto the same kinds of machines as metal: [CNC milling](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/cnc-milling/), vertical milling and lathes. What changes is the technique. Machining references note that plastics conduct heat poorly and move with temperature, so machinists use sharp tools, take lighter cuts and clamp gently, because heavy clamping can distort a soft part before it is even cut. The practical result for you is simple. Tell us the temperature range the part will see and how it is used, and plan the design around a material that behaves well there. Read more on the [plastics materials page](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/plastics/), or see [custom machining](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/custom-machining/) for the wider service. ## From one prototype to a production run Many plastic jobs start with one part. A [prototype](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/prototypes/) shows whether the shape works before you commit to more, and changes are easy to make between versions. Once the part is proven, the same drawing moves into [production runs](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/production-runs/), with repeat orders handled from the same file. Consultations are free. Call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) or use the [quote request](https://wolfmachinenv.com/request-a-quote/) to describe the job. A drawing or CAD file is ideal, but a sample part or a sketch with dimensions is enough to begin. Add the plastic you want if you know it, the quantity, where the part will be used, and when you need it. Photos of the part in place help a great deal. ### Sources - [Wolf Machine & Fabrication services list](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/) (2026-10-19) - [Wolf Machine & Fabrication home page](https://wolfmachinenv.com/) (2026-10-19) - [Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-high-molecular-weight_polyethylene) (2026-10-19) - [Engineering plastic (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_plastic) (2026-10-19) ### Plastic work we take on - Plastic parts made to your drawing or specification - A new part copied from a worn or broken sample - Metal and plastic chutes, built as one assembly - Plastic parts for the medical industry - One prototype, a small batch or a repeat production run - Help with the design of a part or product ### Typical parts - Chutes and chute components - Medical industry plastic parts - Wear surfaces and guides - Prototype and production parts ### Materials [Plastics](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/plastics/) [Aluminum](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/aluminum/) [Stainless steel](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/stainless-steel/) [Steels and steel alloys](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/steel-and-steel-alloys/) [All materials we machine](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/) ### How to send us the job Send a drawing (PDF, DWG, DXF, STEP or IGES), a sketch with sizes, or photos of the part with a tape or scale in the shot. A sample works too: bring it to the shop. [Request a quote](#quote) [What to put on a drawing](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/what-to-put-on-a-drawing/) ### 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) ### Related - [Plastics](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/plastics/) - [Metal fabrication](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/metal-fabrication/) - [Custom machining](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/custom-machining/) - [Prototypes](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/prototypes/) - [Request a quote](https://wolfmachinenv.com/request-a-quote/) ### Questions about this service - [Will you make just one part?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/will-you-make-just-one-part/) ## Work from the shop [Photo: Looking into a perforated strainer basket: six welded flat-bar spokes meeting at a welded center hub] Job 05 Looking into a perforated strainer basket: six welded flat-bar spokes meeting at a welded center hub. [Photo: A tall conical strainer of perforated sheet, seam-welded and welded to a flat ring flange] Job 06 A tall conical strainer of perforated sheet, seam-welded and welded to a flat ring flange. [Photo: A custom-fabricated steel tank with a domed head, a bolted mid-body flange and nozzles, installed in a plant] Job 04 A custom-fabricated steel tank with a domed head, a bolted mid-body flange and nozzles, installed in a plant. [See all our work](https://wolfmachinenv.com/gallery/) ## Related services - [Welding, all types](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/welding/) - [Aluminum welding](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/aluminum-welding/) - [Stainless steel welding](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/stainless-steel-welding/) - [Cast iron welding repair](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/cast-iron-welding/) - [Metal fabrication](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/metal-fabrication/) - [Automated machines and fixtures](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/automated-machines-and-fixtures/) ## Plastic fabrication and machining questions Still have a question? Call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570), Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. ### Can you make a plastic part from a sample? Yes. The shop works from drawings, specifications or samples, and can help you design the part from the sample you bring. ### Do you do both metal and plastic in one job? Yes. Metal and plastic chutes for cement and mining work are an example, with the metal and plastic planned together as one assembly. ### Do you make just a few plastic parts? Yes. Prototypes and single parts are welcome, and the same drawing can move into a production run later. ### What should I send to get a quote? Send a drawing, CAD file, sample or sketch, the plastic if you know it, the quantity and how the part is used. Call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) or use the quote request. [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