Prototypes, Jigs & Short Runs in Las Vegas
Product developers, engineers and production teams in Las Vegas use The Job Shop to turn a CAD model into flat parts without waiting on a quote request: prototype panels and brackets, enclosure sides, test fixtures, assembly jigs and short production runs. Upload a STEP, DXF or SVG file to the CNC routing or fiber laser quote, see what it reads from your file and what that costs, change the design and upload again — then order the version that works, in the quantity that makes sense.
While laser rates are being finalized, approving a laser quote sends an order request: the shop confirms the price by email, then you pay online. Nothing is charged until you agree.
Services: CNC Routing · CNC Fiber Laser Cutting
What gets cut
What the shop cuts for prototypes and short runs
Wood, plastic, composite and foam parts are cut on the CNC router; metal parts on the fiber laser.
- Enclosures and panelsCNC routed
- Enclosure sides, faceplates and mounting panels in ABS, HDPE, acrylic or plywood, with pockets for components and holes for fasteners.
- Jigs and assembly fixturesCNC routed
- Drill guides, assembly nests, locating fixtures and gluing cauls in Baltic birch plywood or HDPE, cut from the same CAD that defines the part.
- Test and inspection fixturesCNC routed
- Check plates, inspection nests and pocketed trays that hold parts in a known position.
- Brackets, gussets and platesLaser cut
- Steel, stainless and aluminum brackets, gussets, tabs and mounting plates for prototypes, machine builds, fabricators and off-road trucks.
- Sheet-metal flat patternsLaser cut
- Flat blanks for parts you’ll bend in your own shop, with etched bend lines to line up on the brake.
- Short production runsCNC routed
- Tens or hundreds of the same part once a design settles, priced at each quantity before you order.
Also quoted instantly
These services have their own instant quote: upload a file on the service’s page, see the price and order online for pickup or local delivery.
- Live — quote, pay & deliver
FDM 3D Printing
Printed plastic housings, clips and test parts with real three-dimensional shape.
- Live — quote, pay & deliver
Resin (SLA) 3D Printing
Fine-detail resin models and appearance prototypes.
Also quoted on request
These services don’t have an online instant quote yet: request a quote on the service’s page with your drawing or file attached, and the shop replies with a price.
- Custom quote
CNC Milling
Machined blocks, housings and plates with features on several faces.
- Custom quote
CNC Lathe Turning
Turned shafts, pins, bushings and spacers.
Materials that fit
Materials for prototypes and short runs
- CNC routed
ABS
Tough, easily machined plastic for enclosure panels, covers and trays.
In stock: 1/8″–1″ in 1/8″ steps
- CNC routed
HDPE
Slippery, moisture-proof fixtures, wear strips and guides.
In stock: 1/8″–1″ in 1/8″ steps
- CNC routed
Baltic Birch
Fast, stable jigs, nests and full-size mockups.
In stock: 1/8″–1″ in 1/8″ steps
- CNC routed
Clear Cast Acrylic
Clear covers, windows and see-through test fixtures.
In stock: 1/8″–1″ in 1/8″ steps
- CNC routed
EPS Foam
Light form studies and fit-check blanks.
In stock: 1/8″–1″ in 1/8″ steps
- Laser cut
Aluminum
Light brackets and plates: 6061 for structure, 5052 for parts you’ll bend.
In stock: 0.04″ – 1″
- Laser cut
Mild Steel
Economical brackets, plates and fixture bases.
In stock: 18 ga · 0.048″ – 1″
- Laser cut
Stainless Steel
Corrosion-resistant parts for wet, washed-down and outdoor prototypes.
In stock: 20 ga · 0.036″ – 3/4″
Stocked thicknesses come from the live catalog; the quote picker always shows what’s in stock today.
A practical guide
Planning prototypes and short runs
Iterate on the quote, not by email
Upload the STEP model straight from Fusion 360, SolidWorks, Onshape or Rhino: the routing quote reads the stock thickness from the solid and finds holes, pockets and dados at their real depths. DXF and SVG work too — you tell the quote which shapes are cut through, pocketed or engraved, or name your layers and it reads them. Each upload shows what was found and what it costs, so a design review can include the price.
Upload a revision as a new part beside the old one. Cutting is priced per part and changes only when that part changes, so two versions sit side by side in the same quote and the loser can be deleted. The file prep guide covers the export settings that keep each round quick.
From one prototype to a short run
Every part has a volume pricing table: the exact price at each quantity where its price steps, as a total and per part — click a row to set that quantity. Longer routed runs earn a volume discount on cutting, and identical laser parts get automatic quantity discounts on the cutting from 2 pieces, with setup and programming charged once per design. The example prices compare one laser-cut bracket with a hundred.
Material is the other lever. Routed parts are billed by the whole sheets they nest onto, so once a sheet is paid for, filling it with extra parts often costs only their cutting; laser parts are billed by the area of metal they use. When a run repeats, Reorder in your account starts a new quote with the same parts at current prices.
Fits, tolerances and when to ask an engineer
The router positions to ±0.001″, and finished parts typically hold ±0.005–0.010″ depending on the material — plastics and plywood move with temperature and humidity. Design clearance into fits instead of relying on an exact cut, and test a press fit or a bearing bore on one part before you order the run.
When a fit has to be checked, a feature can’t be read or a hole is smaller than the standard drill, send the part to an engineer from the quote: the shop reviews it before anything is cut, and its price may change. Plastic parts with true three-dimensional shape can be 3D printed from an instant quote of their own. Machined features are quoted on request: CNC machining isn’t on the instant quote yet, so request a quote on its page with the drawing or file attached.
Design tips
Design tips for prototypes and short runs
Sizes here are read from the shop’s current machine settings — the same rules the quote checks every part against.
- Inside corners
- Routed inside corners keep a 1/16″ radius from the 1/8″ bit, while laser-cut corners are nearly sharp. Add dog-bones where a square part must seat in a routed pocket.
- Holes for fasteners
- On the router, round holes from 3 mm (0.118″) up are drilled. On the laser, holes are cut and should be at least about half the material thickness across. Draw tap-drill size for any hole you’ll tap yourself.
- Thin walls and webs
- Keep routed walls several bit widths thick and laser webs at least the material thickness wide; thin features chatter, warp or break during cutting.
- Size limits
- A routed part can be up to 61 × 121″. Laser parts can be up to 72 × 144″ on the bed, depending on the sheets stocked in the metal.
- Small parts
- Very small routed parts are hard to hold down once cut free and are flagged in the quote, and laser parts under 1″ both ways may be held with small tabs. When you need many tiny pieces, design a frame that holds them together.
- Mixed processes
- A prototype with a routed plastic panel and a laser-cut steel bracket takes two quotes, one per portal, and each checks its parts against its own machine’s rules.
How ordering works
From file to finished parts
Quote online, approve a proof, pay, then pick up at the shop or get local delivery.
Upload your files
DXF, SVG or STEP — routed parts to the routing quote, metal parts to the laser quote. Quoting needs no account; you sign in when you approve.
Check the instant quote
Confirm what the quote read from each part — cuts, holes, pockets and engraving — and see each part’s price and the total. Change anything and it re-prices.
Approve the proof
The proof lists every part, feature, material and quantity. Add notes for the shop before you approve.
Pay online
Routed parts are paid by card or US bank account (ACH). While laser rates are being finalized, approving a laser quote sends an order request: the shop confirms the price by email, then you pay online. Nothing is charged until you agree.
Pick up or get delivery
Choose free pickup or local delivery when you approve. The shop emails you at each step — received, programmed, cutting and finished.
For prototypes and short runs: Pick a faster speed only when the date matters — lead time counts business days from when payment clears, and faster speeds cost more.
The practical details
Lead times, pickup & delivery
Lead times
- Standard · 5–7 business days
- Fast · 3 business days
- Rush · Next business day
Lead time counts business days from when payment clears; orders paid by 3 PM Pacific on a business day join that day’s schedule. Your quote shows the estimated ready date for each speed, and faster speeds cost more. For laser parts, the shop confirms timing with the price before cutting.
Pickup & local delivery
Collecting parts at the shop is free. Pickup is by appointment — call (702) 755-4722 or reply to your order email to schedule a time. Local delivery covers Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City: $45 flat, free on orders of $500 or more. Your quote checks the ZIP; outlying towns are priced for pickup or arranged freight.
How it’s priced
Routed parts: cutting per part, plus material by the whole sheets your parts nest onto — or a per-sheet handling fee when you bring the sheets.
Laser parts: each is priced on its cut length, each hole by its size, its pierces and any etched lines, plus setup and programming once per design, handling for each piece and loading for each sheet the job uses, and metal is billed by the area your parts use, cut from the shop’s stock.
Order minimum: $95.
Prototyping & Short Runs FAQs
Can I upload a STEP file of a whole assembly?
Yes. A multi-body STEP file is split into its flat parts: each panel is laid flat with its machined face up, identical parts become one line with a quantity, and components that aren’t sheet parts, such as screws and hinges, are skipped with a note.
How fast can a prototype be cut?
Your quote shows the estimated ready date for each speed on offer, and lead time counts business days from when your payment clears. While laser rates are being finalized, approving a laser quote sends an order request: the shop confirms the price by email, then you pay online. Nothing is charged until you agree.
Is there a minimum order for one prototype?
Yes. When a small order comes in under the order minimum, the quote is priced at the minimum and says so, so you know exactly what you pay. Adding a few more parts uses that room instead of paying it as a top-up.
Can you cut brackets and gussets for an off-road build?
Yes. Brackets, tabs, gussets and mounting plates are laser cut from mild steel, stainless or aluminum, with holes cut to size and bend lines etched if you want them. Parts ship flat — bending and welding happen in your shop — and anything safety-critical should be checked by whoever builds or certifies the vehicle.
Can you cut flat patterns for parts I’ll bend?
Yes. Upload the flat pattern with the bend lines set to Etch line, and the laser cuts the blank and marks the bends; bending happens in your shop. Build the bend allowance into the flat pattern, because the laser cuts the shape exactly as drawn.
Who sees the files I upload?
Uploaded files are used only to quote, make and support your orders — never sold or shared with other customers. How files are handled explains how long they’re kept and how to ask for deletion. If a project needs a signed NDA, contact the shop before you upload.