The Short Version
machinist.com is a directory connecting people who need machining services with the shops that provide them. I built it because finding a good machine shop should not be this hard.
The Longer Story
I am John, and I have been around manufacturing and machining for a while. If you have ever needed custom parts made - whether you are a product designer, a hobbyist with a one-off project, or a procurement manager sourcing production runs - you know the struggle: How do you find a shop that does what you need, where you need it, that actually wants your business?
Google helps, but it is a mess. Yelp is not built for B2B. Industry directories are often outdated, cluttered with ads, or feel like they were designed in 1998. Word of mouth is great if you already know people. But what if you do not?
That is the gap machinist.com fills.
What We Are Building
A straightforward, no-nonsense directory of machine shops. Search by location. Find contact info. Reach out directly.
For shops, it is a chance to be found by people actively looking for your services - not just whoever happens to drive by your building.
We started with the San Francisco Bay Area because that is where I am, and I wanted to build something useful before trying to build something big. We are expanding from there.
Why This Matters
American manufacturing is having a moment. Reshoring is real. Supply chains are being rethought. Makers and startups need prototypes. Legacy companies need new suppliers.
But here is the thing: most machine shops are small businesses. They are busy actually making things. They do not have marketing departments or SEO budgets. They rely on reputation and relationships - which is great, but it means good shops stay invisible to people who would love to work with them.
machinist.com is my attempt to fix that asymmetry. To make it easier for customers to find shops, and easier for shops to be found.
The Philosophy
Keep it simple. A directory should help you find what you are looking for, not sell you seventeen things you did not ask for.
Respect everyone time. Shop owners are busy. Customers are busy. The site should be fast, useful, and get out of the way.
Grow with the community. This is not a VC-funded land grab. It is a project I am building because I think it should exist. If it is useful, it will grow. If not, I will learn something.
What is Next
Right now we are focused on:
- Growing our listings, starting with California
- Making it easy for shop owners to claim and update their listings
- Building features that actually help (not features that just look good in a pitch deck)
If you have ideas, complaints, or just want to say hi, I would genuinely love to hear from you.
Get In Touch
Email: contact@machinist.com
Or use the contact form - I read everything.
For Shop Owners
Your listing is probably already in our directory. Claim it here to make sure the information is accurate and to unlock additional features.
It is free to claim. Paid upgrades are available if you want more visibility, but the basic listing costs nothing.
machinist.com - Connecting makers with the shops that make things possible.