how do I become a programmer?

Hardmill · March 17, 2008

quote:

Just like the shop that went on TV and showed they had Mastercam and had to buy it soon after a call from a Dealer asking for their Sim number.

OH OH !!! Pick me pick me I know the name

PEACE

produca2 · March 17, 2008

can I have a hint?

Colin Gilchrist · March 17, 2008

Hint: they have a reality show about building motorcycles...

produca2 · March 17, 2008

oh oh I know! pick me pick me..

produca2 · March 17, 2008

its hard to believe a shop that makes as much as they do from one custom motorcycle cant pony up the cash to pay for something that is essentialy providing the reason thier product is making them so much money. the american way......greed.

Kevangel · March 17, 2008

In the homebuilding industry, that is called "The Contractor Way"

Hardmill · March 17, 2008

quote:

In the homebuilding industry, that is called "The Contractor Way"

All othas call em F#@%&^* theives

PEACE

cadcam · March 17, 2008

Hardmill got hired by another known around cali shop that makes off road stuff. Thanks again for that lead Hardmill.

March 17, 2008

re: Hardmill... Yeah but they only bought a Mill Level 1 from what I hear to keep the BSA's police out, but are/were using Mill Level 3.

quote:

...Hint: they have a reality show about building motorcycles...

:cough: Based in SoCal :cough: I saw it on the :cough: Discovery Channel :cough: FULL ON SCREEN SHOT! It was hilarious. I thught to myself, "... oh no they didn't... OH NO THEY DIDN'T...". Rewound that sucker and yep, they sure did. ROFL!!! The arrogance of some...

Hardmill · March 17, 2008

quote:

re: Hardmill... Yeah but they only bought a Mill Level 1 from what I hear to keep the BSA's police out, but are/were using Mill Level 3.

Yeah thats prolly true, but it was fun pissin em off.

I pushed for them to get legal for months.

I pushed again, they pushed back and I shoved

LOL and they thought we was BS'n

PEACE

Mr. Wizzard · March 19, 2008

I would have to say that i agree with all of the comments on pushing yourself and not relying on your employer to supply you with the answers. I am lucky to now work for someone who lets me go to any training i request. I am the sole programmer for our company. I am responsible for 6 vert. machining centers, Haas EC-400 4-axis horizontal 6 pallet pool, and a TL-25 lathe with bar feeder, sub-spindle, c-axis, blah, blah, blah. I've only been "programming" with Mastercam for 2 years. It's only because i push myself that i am moderately successful.

I began in a tool-and-die shop 8 years ago and worked in everything from the saw room to finish grinding to setting up and running multiple bandolier stamping dies and my journeyman's papers are actually in precision surface grinding. My advice is take every opportunity that comes to you. Accept every challenge and attempt things you don't think you can do. It's always more rewarding when you make yourself figure it out, but don't worry, there's lots of knowledgable people here to help you out if you need it. Hard work and dedication has allowed me to get a job as close to a dream job as i may ever get. I get to set up all production jobs, but the R&D is what i most enjoy here. I really get an opportunity to use my mind, something my other job did not offer, nor encourage.

The more you learn, the more successful you can be. Good luck and always pop in here if you need help! Oh yeah, I'm 28 and still going to college! The fun never ends. web page

produca2 · March 19, 2008

I must say, I do have an awesome job situation. I have very loose deadlines, I have no one really to report to, the owner of the company loves me, and everything I do, I get almost anything I ask for, I have complete freedom, and yet, none of things is of any value to me, because I have no one to mentor me. I have to learn everything on my own,which makes for not always learning the right things. I dont know the right questions to ask half the time, I am loving mastercam, but I want to take it so much further. I want to learn how to do the 4th and 5th axis stuff, I want to design and program 3 dimensional parts. I am taking these mastercam classes, and when I browse through the forum here, I see things being talked about and I have no Idea what they mean! I realize that if I want to get the kind of knowledge I want I need to move on, but I cant seem to find a way to get my foot in the "programmers door" anywhere else but where I am now. I know I just need to give it time, but I am anxious, I have a very strong drive. I just cant seem to find a company that wants to hire an entry level programmer with more drive than experience. I keep thinking about the catch 22 how can I get experience if no one will give me the experience?

Anywho.. I really thank all of you for your responses, they are motivating and inspiring, and I really apreciate them.

priden · March 20, 2008

I guess I'm one lucky SOB. I took a job as a manual machinist making parts for the automation group at same company. Their programmer quit and since I had seen a couple of cnc machines before, they asked if I'd try it out. I had three weeks while the current programmer was quitting to learn Camax, Smartcam, Ideas, Autocad and Vericut. Of course I wasn't an expert now or after three weeks of getting familiar with the software, but I had determination to better myself and I guess alot of luck. Guess I should be alot more thankful. Good luck and keep your chin up produca2.

produca2 · March 20, 2008

Thanks!

cadcam · March 21, 2008

Are you asking allot of questions in Class. those are long class's over there at the NTMA you should be getting allot of time and samples to work with.

I ran the class for 3 years at the north Hollywood NTMA. 144 hours I able to cover a hole lot.

The 72 hours I have now a I gram allot in there still.

produca2 · March 21, 2008

Yes, I do ask a lot of questions, sometimes I feel as if I am asking too many(Iknow I am not)but the things I am not getting out of the class are the little things I see asked about on this forum, like tool libraries, and such. I definately do learn a lot,its just the small stuff you know?