New Member

[Robert M]

Hello all,

 

I registered quite a while ago but I really have not taken advantage of this forum. I have a machine shop in Silicon Valley and I use Mastercam exclusively. I have noticed that when I run and add looking for machinists with Mastercam experience I usually get Surfcam and Geopath people for the most part. I have been in business for 12 years. I have been mostly a prototype shop. We are now working our way into more production (or I guess repeat product) and I am falling behind on programming and setup. My Questions are.

 

1) Does this area have a strong presence of Mastercam users?

 

2) What range of salary should I expect to pay a programmer?

 

Thanks

[Kannon]

quote:

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1) Does this area have a strong presence of Mastercam users?

 

2) What range of salary should I expect to pay a programmer?

---

answer to question 1...very strong presence

answer to question 2.. if you do a search maybe on salary, it has been covered a couple times on what range of salary should be expected.

welcome to the forum

[gcode]

quote:

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What range of salary should I expect to pay a programmer

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It depends on the level of work you are doing.

In Southern Cal, the pay scale ranges from the high teens to $35/hour.

Try giving your local Mastercam dealer a call,

They usually have a pool of local talent that

they can send your way.

[savagkd]

+1 Kannon.

 

Welcome Robert.

If you are looking for a Mastercam Grammer. This is the first place I'd ask.

[Guest]

Welcome to the Forum Trebor

 

The reason you get other guys from smurfcam and such is they are slummin' and looking for the step up.

 

 

They're out there

[Nick_AFRL]

welcome to the forum... to bad you are so far north i was thinking about a weekend job...

[Bruce Caulley]

Welcome Robert.

 

BTW Nick, is the plan for that bloke in your sig to get skinny?

 

Bruce

[JazzBass]

Welcome Robert!

 

I think most of the good Mastercam Programmers stay employed in this area. Pay range is between $20.00 to $35.00 an hour. Based on experience.

[Robert M]

Thanks for all the replies. I am having a tough time finding someone that can Program, setup, and run a job (and make money at it). I guess I'll lurk here and search through the old posts to see what this place is all about. I just ordered a fourth axis so I will be trying to figure out how to program and set it up. I have never used one before. Any ideas on a good place to look for examples of fixturing? I'd prefer not to re invent everything. This is one of the problems with owning a small company. You don't get to see how others are setting things up.

[Guest]

Trebor as far as fixturing a 4th axis, it really depends what you are going to use it for. I have seen full rotary setup with tombstones and supports for 4 sided machining all the way down to people just using the t-slots in the face plate to mount things.

 

Your work is going to dictate which method is best for you.

 

I have a couple of 4th axis' set up right now with a subplate mounted, I use a Jergens round and diamond pin along with 4 - 3/8-16 helicoiled holes to mount every fixture to it. All of my fixtures are made with this configuration and all the faces plates are the same size, I can mount any 4th axis fixture on any of our heads. Quickly too.

 

Depends how YOU want to do it.

 

 

On the programming end, right from the start get into the habit of programming everything from rotary centerline. To touch you tools off, make a block the distance from your table up to the centerline of the rotary axis. MAkes touching off tool quick and efficient.

[Thad]

Welcome to the forum, Robert!

 

Thad

[John13]

Welcome to the forum

[Robert M]

jmparis,

 

Can you send me a pic of one of your tooling plates. I drew one up in Solidworks but I now realize that the 5c collet setup that I ordered is going to mean removing the plates every time I switch from plate to collets. I think that I should be able to use the t-slots as a locator for replacing plate but I do not know how accurate that is yet. I would like to create a modular setup. I ordered a chuck, and 5c collet closer as well as a pneumatic tailstock. I hate to build a couple of blank plates and then throw them away because of something that was not that obvious to start.

 

P.S. If I am asking for something that is out of line. Please let me know without killing me. I read the posting rules but I know there are probably some unspoken rules as well. Thanks

[Guest]

Mail Robert