I'd Like Mastercam To Allow Me To:

[Thad]

Help this a$$hole if you'd like, Colin, but don't be surprised when you become a worthless xxxx on another forum/blog 2 weeks from now because your parts are not "real world" or the audio isn't very good, or your examples aren't detailed enough, or...

 

Thad

[NeilJ]

"I know Jon has personally upset many of you. Lets all try and bury the hatchet on this one guys (and gals)."

 

An Enhancement Forum that's heavily moderated with discussion only allowed on topic would certainly help.

 

There is an off topic forum here that can be used for those who don't wish to bury the hatchet. I have no interest in posting there... ever. It’s been said that nothing brings people together like a common hatred. I happen to believe that statement and I think history proves it. I just don't think the common hatred is productive here or in an Enhancements Forum.

 

"Please post a list of your top two or three video requests, and I'll see if I can whip some up and post them on the FTP."

 

Both you and Ron Branch have had a lot to say in the past that I don't have a good grasp on. I'll start reading through those posts and find what I wish to see on video or explained in words by someone who is really patient. Ron Branch once posted a set of stairs and a concept of how to use Mastercam in another forum that went over my head. I saved it to review at a later date.

 

Thanks for your very generous offer, Colin.

 

"I've even been toying with the idea of getting into the Mastercam video production business on the side."

 

I'd like to financially donate to this effort with nothing expected in return.

 

[ 08-23-2008, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: NeilJ ]

[NeilJ]

I'd like a lot more control over Mastercam Levels.

 

It seems to me that a lot of the functionality in the Entity Attributes Manager could be applied better and faster using Levels. I see no way to assign a color, a line style or thickness to a Level and I really would like to do this.

 

[ 08-23-2008, 10:08 PM: Message edited by: NeilJ ]

[Tyler Robertson]

quote:

---

 

While were on the subject of video training. I'd like to see In House Solutions offer advanced video training... not only to end users but for Mastercam VAR's to sell to end users.

 

We're about to purchase a trunnion from Haas so we can do 5 axis machining. I mentioned this to Mike Mattera on the phone today and he's got a lot on his plate so I doubt he will be doing a 5 axis video to meet our time frame. Next up from Mike Mattera will be an advanced video on lathe.

 

To give someone who doesn't know an idea how big the market is for high quality advanced video cadcam training, check out this company that is local to me. They are doing more and more for CAMWorks and SolidCAM because the demand is there.

 

www.solidprofessor.com

 

I really wish In House Solutions would do the same for Mastercam and make this a very high priority.

 

---

I'll read this whole thread sometime, but I just wanted to comment on this and say that work has already been done on this and video training resources will be available from In-House Solutions.

[Colin Gilchrist]

I've taught many different people how to use Mastercam over the years. As a younger kid growing up I struggled with dyslexia. Struggled enough that I was put in a special class for developmentally disabled kids. It wasn't called this of course, but I knew what it was and couldn't stand the stigma I felt, even though it was the third grade. When this happened to me I vowed that I was going to do something about it. I was not going to let myself be branded as disabled or less of a person. Through hard work with my parents and other tutors, I started to read books and work on my spelling and math errors. Within a year I had finally learned to not transpose numbers and letters, leading me to substantially increase my vocabulary and reading comprehension.

 

By the sixth grade I was reading at a college level and in middle school I was doing advanced math courses that gave me high school credits. In the middle of high school when I was 15, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and have been on insulin ever since.

 

I'm telling this very personal and painful memory about myself to help illustrate a point. We all come from different backgrounds and walks of life. Everyone has different problems in their life that they struggle with. I try to be aware of this every day and not judge anyone to harshly. I try and remind myself to be humble and live my life with humility. Engineers (especially NC programmers) tend to have rather large egos, and it sometimes leads to personality clashes. I try to live without an ego as much as possible because I find that it gets me into trouble.

We also all learn in different ways, and because of my past experiences, I've always been sensitive to this fact.

 

One of the things I try to do as an instructor is get real feel for the question being asked, and answer that question as completely as I can.

 

Jon, do you have access to Mastercam at home? Or at least have a computer with internet access? The reason I ask is that I would be willing to setup a Saturday or Sunday training session with you over Microsoft Net Meeting, or a similar software. There are a couple out their and we can talk about which one would work the best. That way we can run Mastercam, talk to each other, and toggle control of the computer back and forth.

 

I'm about the most patient guy you have ever met when it comes to training. Part of this comes from my personal experiences when I was a kid, because I know how it feels to not understand something and have people give up on you. So my personal goal is to never give up on anyone. Everyone has the capacity to learn and change themselves. It is woven into the fabric of our beings right down to the DNA.

 

Jon, I genuinely want to help you learn to get the most out of Mastercam. Most of this stems from the fact that I love Mastercam and wish to see it develop into a better product. That, and the fact that I find teaching extremely rewarding on a personal level. The other reason I want to help is because of all the help and good will that I've received from the Emastercam community and other teachers in my life over the years.

 

Another little part of me feels compelled to try and find new ways to teach and develop course material that is effective. Working with someone who struggles with something in Mastercam has often helped me to figure out new ways to present the material and hopefully help make my student's experience better.

 

When I taught Mastercam programming at LWTC, I was also disappointed by lack of good training books, videos, and other material that was available.

 

Jon, send me an email and we'll talk.

 

Thanks,

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

Colin ,WHO WANTS TO LEARN ?

LOL !

This critter ?

We have seen it with other programs he "used".

He is provocator and public enemy .

And you will be his next target in a month or so .when he`ll blame you for not being able to

comprehend .

 

Best regards ,Colin and wish you luck !

[cadman2112]

Reading on this buffoon, all of the software he claims to know about, there is NO WAY he owns all of this stuff or is provided with any evaluation copies. Every damn forum kicks him out and bans him, except for this one.

 

Has anyone considered that while his job may have 5 seats, as he proclaims, evidently has been able to have verified and proven but what is he running at home? Mastercam, Surfcam, NX, Solid Edge, Workone CNC, SmartCam, Solidworks and the list goes on.

 

Isn't it kind of funny that the higher end guys who know even some of this software are the best guys around?

 

I can not believe ANYONE on this forum would raise some much as an eyebrow to help, if you give it some thought, he may well be a software pirate.

 

We can not currently prove that but all of his supposed "experience" comes from some where. Not that he appears to have much when struggling with the stuff beginners have trouble with for about a week or so.

 

Obviously people are free to do what they choose but I for one would encourage people to at least think about what they are actually contributing and to whom it is being provided.

 

Sorry but the way he berates and belittles EVERYONE, he deserves nothing but the door.

[NeilJ]

"Jon, do you have access to Mastercam at home?"

 

I'm sure my boss would allow me to take a dongle home on a weekend if I ask.

 

"Or at least have a computer with internet access?"

 

Yes.

 

"The reason I ask is that I would be willing to setup a Saturday or Sunday training session with you over Microsoft Net Meeting, or a similar software. There are a couple out their and we can talk about which one would work the best. That way we can run Mastercam, talk to each other, and toggle control of the computer back and forth."

 

Can we pay for this? I'd like to have my boss and a co-worker on-line as well.

 

"Most of this stems from the fact that I love Mastercam and wish to see it develop into a better product."

 

I'm not a product loyalist. I know/understand most people are. I doubt this part of my personality will ever change. What I am loyal to are those who can grasp who I am and accept what I'm about. I'm very independent in how I think and act. Jayson Kramer, Mike Mattura, Derek Goodwin, Bob (Black Dragon), Dave Thompson, etc. all appear to now understand where I'm coming from even if they don't always agree with what I have to say or how I say it. After many years of knowing who I was my guess would be that Jayson Kramer was very surprised when I said how helpful his videos were and how good they were. Previous to this we did not really communicate because I made it clear I didn't think much of Mastercam and I think he was very surprised I had good things to say about him and his videos. The same thing applied to Dave Thompson who before this forum was started was active on Usenet. Since I really disliked Mastercam back then there really was no common ground with either Jayson or Dave. Once I started using X2 MR2 SP1 this changed. I was always aware that Dave Thompson was good with posts and I think he offered to help me back then but I didn't like Mastercam and there was no common ground to get to know each other. Just before Dave Thompson departed In House Solutions he wrote something that really pissed me off. I was so mad that I called him on the phone. It took probably less than five minutes for what may very well have been ten years of bad feelings to be pushed aside and to move on. Unfortunately for me he left In House Solutions within weeks after this phone conversation but new management at In House Solutions seems to appreciate what I have to offer and has been very easy to work with. I wish to see them do well and offer more / better training materials because that’s in both of our best interests.

 

I consider myself to be very fortunate to now work for a large company that is very, very successful. My boss is the best I have ever had by far. Both he and the lead man really like to teach and chose me over many other applicants. Interesting to note (at least for me) was before they chose me they had read what I posted on Usenet.

 

In the past I spent most of my time working for very small job shops that often struggled. No money for training was ever available at these small job shops. My concern is that other machinists working for shops like this have affordable training available to them that they can purchase with their own funds. This rules out VAR training at $300 to $400 or more per day but it shouldn't rule out VAR's selling video and written training to them.

 

[ 08-24-2008, 12:37 PM: Message edited by: NeilJ ]

[NeilJ]

"but I just wanted to comment on this and say that work has already been done on this and video training resources will be available from In-House Solutions."

 

Tyler, any idea when advanced video will be available for Mastercam? Mike Mattera's Rotary and Contour video left me wanting more advanced stuff. I'm sure his surface video that I ordered Friday will leave me wanting for more as well. There is room for a lot of people doing Mastercam video because the subject matter is so extensive.

[Thee Rickster ™]

Jon, do you try to figure out anything without trainng, be it video help manuals o r this forum?

 

you seem to have had access to alot of software over the years, they are all so similar, and work arounds, and elbow grease don,t take up near the time like wishing for this and that.

 

I have alot of ideas and want alot of things you request, but i have learned that CNC can't impliment any thing quickly unless it has been logged for some amount of time. If others can, so be it.

 

I can do every thing I need to, to make molds, fixtures and machine castings with MC. an have a whole bunch of issue with other software's, but still can get the job done efficiently with those as well.

 

If your shop is slow I can understand digging all the time for enhancement request, but don't you find it more productive just to get the job done by any means.

 

Hope you someday get out of your career that you want, just remember that most here have been slugging it out for years. and don't always have the spare time you have to dig and or criticize the tool at hand

 

It doesent matter the inadequacies or how well you kinow a software, just figure it out while the CNC machines are running.

 

m2c's

 

Pinnie, name calling to me is so trivial that I like it once in a while, usually when meh wifey does it though...lol

 

rick

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

A psychiatrist was conducting a group therapy session with four young mothers and their small children. "You all have obsessions," he observed.

To the first mother, he said, "You are obsessed with eating. You've even named your daughter Candy."

He turned to the second Mom. "Your obsession is money. Again, it manifests itself in your child's name, Penny."

He turned to the third mom. "Your obsession is alcohol. Again, it manifests itself in your child's name, Brandy."

At this point, the fourth mother got up, took her little boy by the hand and whispered, "Come on, Dickson, let's go."

[JDowe]

It would be nice if tool libraries could be mass

edited - and if the coolant function was

seperate from the tools step and peck

[Guest]

wow, went into this thread as i like to glean knowledge from this forum when i can. ya off the clock but that is the life style of a successfull machinist-programer, as i see it as a necesity. some great ideas i see here, but can we consolidate it into reality (changes that can be made in transition and keep the current flow and functinality of master cam). remember some major changes have broken some old proven functionality. watch out. this is not to place falt other than those that just wanted more- more and more. i feel for those coding this program as it must be full of many variables. mastercam has done a great job for me (for the cost) and if it aint broke i dont want to fix it.

shoot your ideas to mastercam and im sure they will consider risk to return. i want a stable product.

 

more than i really wanted to say but their it lay.

 

Doug

[Jayson Kramer]

DegMC do you teach for the collage full time as your main Job?

 

quote:

---

Local colleges will pay an expert to teach a class,

---

I agree they pay well and give me full rain.

 

quote:

---

however they will not pay an expert to develop teaching materials.

---

They pay me Extra hours every new class for such time. it is only 10 hours but that is still extra for development.

[NeilJ]

"do you try to figure out anything without trainng, be it video help manuals o r this forum?"

 

I'll make an exception and reply to a specific thread you start on questions for me in Off Topic. I won't do it in this thread. I feel that train wreck would be best to take place there and not here.

 

I appreciate your specific enhancement suggestions in this thread.

[NeilJ]

"some great ideas i see here, but can we consolidate it into reality (changes that can be made in transition and keep the current flow and functinality of master cam)."

 

I believe I have by not asking for new Mastercam CAD even though there is another program that is now available in a limited form for $650 that is light years ahead of what exists now. I've also not suggested that maybe this program could be licensed (with source code) for use as the basis for a new foundation for Mastercam.

 

Instead, I've focused on enhancements that would keep what exists in Mastercam CAD now intact and just make what exists now easier and faster to use.

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

A lady approaches her priest and tells him, "Father, I have a problem. I have two female talking parrots, but they only know how to say one thing."

"What do they say?" the priest inquired.

"They only know how to say, "Hi, we're hot and we want to have some fun?"

"That's terrible!" the priest exclaimed, "but I have a solution to your problem. Bring your two female parrots over to my house and I will put them with my two male talking parrots whom I taught to pray and read the bible. My parrots will teach your parrots to stop saying that terrible phrase and your female parrots will learn to praise the lord and worship."

The next day the woman brings her female parrots to the priest's house. His two male parrots are holding rosary beads and praying in their cage. The lady puts her two female parrots in with the male parrots, and the female parrots say, "Hi, we're hot and we want to have some fun?"

One male parrot looks over at the other male parrot and exclaims, "Put the beads away. Our prayers have been answered!"

[Hardmill]

quote:

---

One male parrot looks over at the other male parrot and exclaims, "Put the beads away. Our prayers have been answered!"

---

 

 

PEACE

[mold100]

I am curious have a question for Jon:

 

Alot of fair points. I have seen you around in other forums pretty much openly try and tear the integrity of Mastercam apart. I have used and very well versed in many CAM packages as well as design packages. I am biased in my opinion that hands down though feature lacking in some areas Mcam still pound for pound is king of CAM world. I can throw that check the number of installed seats world wide out there just because. Also the fact that it is probably the most pirated CAM software for the same reason. Now my question and don't take me wrong I am not jumping on the hate for Jon bandwagon - Are you a programmer, a designer, what is it that you do day to day. I am curious because the tools that you bring up that mastercam is lacking may be good points and hopefully come to light someday but everything bad you point out MCAM of the 4 to 5 softwares I can run (I never found a part I couldnt work through with any of them) I can name as many if not more weaknesses in those CAM packages as well. From 2D through Multi Axis. Now my strength is clearly 3D complex surfaces, which Mastercam is very well suited for. I am trying to picture in my head what you are doing, types of parts, prototypes or production mold and die that these are Major issues.

 

On another note, being I would love to get my hands on a Multi Axis Machine like a mill turn or something I would be very interested in seeing well put together video documentation.

 

 

More Rant of my own on training :

 

Locally we have a tech center that teaches MCAM. I once briefly was a reseller some (jay maybe) remembers this and wanted to teach MCAM classes because I feel our VAR and tech schools were (and are) lacking. I have a friend who still uses V9 and sent a kid to class for the past 8 weeks. They did agree to teach him 9 which I thought was okay. I went over yesterday to link the computer to his HAAS and showed the kid how to DNC and what I did to hook it up wire the cable yada yada....Anyhow I go into configs and guess what set to 17.5 megs, thats the default 8 weeks this never came up, he didnt know what a c-hook is. I have been bitching since 1999 about the tech center guys here locally skipping that step...********, then people wonder why things are slow, I seen this problem in at least 10 shops between here and NC (No offense barefoot they opted out on your training). Just the general lack of showing people what drives software and what they can really do with it.

 

I have seen people when I programmed seat to seat with the CamTool rep, and PowerMill 4 years ago and they were like Mcam cant do this or that, well guess what it could,, the features were there and just lack of programmer training made them look way better. Most owners are oblivious to this.

 

I got off Subject in multiple stages there guess things just kept coming to me. Sorry but what is it you do day to day for a living? Just Curious.

I am a self advicate for letting people have them ball and let them run with it, and training them. I just want better training all around. When I came back to Erie from NC i was hoping to get back into a reseller position and or training but it is locally locked up.

[NeilJ]

"Now my question and don't take me wrong I am not jumping on the hate for Jon bandwagon - Are you a programmer, a designer, what is it that you do day to day."

 

Currently where I work all of us do our own programming and machining.

 

"I am curious because the tools that you bring up that mastercam is lacking may be good points and hopefully come to light someday but everything bad you point out MCAM of the 4 to 5 softwares I can run (I never found a part I couldnt work through with any of them) I can name as many if not more weaknesses in those CAM packages as well."

 

I don't wish to compare Mastercam to other CADCAM packages here. It's starts a non-productive flame war and this thread already has many people trying as hard as they can to kill it / get it locked / move it off topic. I will say I greatly appreciate John Paris saying in this thread that he likes the UG NX CAM interactive WCS.

 

"I am trying to picture in my head what you are doing, types of parts, prototypes or production mold and die that these are Major issues."

 

I'm not comfortable talking about the work my shop does. Suffice it to say that many people here know whom I work for.

 

"On another note, being I would love to get my hands on a Multi Axis Machine like a mill turn or something I would be very interested in seeing well put together video documentation."

 

So would I. Thank you for posting this. I appreciate it.

 

"Locally we have a tech center that teaches MCAM. I once briefly was a reseller some (jay maybe) remembers this and wanted to teach MCAM classes because I feel our VAR and tech schools were (and are) lacking."

 

I'm not comfortable making any comments on this here or anywhere else at this point. Sorry.

 

"I have seen people when I programmed seat to seat with the CamTool rep..."

 

I like the idea of being able to split the bottom of the graphics area for certain functions like toolpath editing.

 

http://www.camtool.net/images/featur2.jpg

 

What's below is even better to me than using a "panel"

 

http://www.camplete.com/truepath/truepath.htm

 

"Sorry but what is it you do day to day for a living?"

 

I'm not comfortable talking about the work my shop does. Suffice it to say that many people here know whom I work for. Since many machinists live to gossip I'm sure one of them will e-mail you and tell you whom I work for.

[mold100]

Well Jon, either way thanks for your input, and if they do you or anyone else will not know about it. It wasnt the who I was looking for it was more the what factor. I like to see and know what others on this forum are making, some peoples projects are very complex and intrest me.

 

As far of the lack of training comments I make it isnt toward Mcam or CNC I dont believe they have any control over this situation. It is more that I think someone that really knows the software should be teaching it at the level they use it. I for example feel comfy in a 3 to 4 axis enviroment but would have no business teaching someone 5ax (YET). This is why I would like to see what someone like Colin or other members could put together. It would be like adding another realm to our forum. A video forum, where the first post is a video like in a voting topic.

 

Thanks

[Jayson Kramer]

Mold100, I remember are conversations a few years back when we use to talk more.

Willing talk to you any time.

 

jay

[NeilJ]

"This is why I would like to see what someone like Colin or other members could put together. It would be like adding another realm to our forum. A video forum, where the first post is a video like in a voting topic."

 

Yes it would. Jayson Kramer did it on another forum and it had a big influence on me and I'm sure others there. I would have much rather seen it done here but the timing wasn't right for me. Be that as it may I'm still not sure why those videos links weren't posted here.

 

It's my opinion that people who do this should be financially rewarded.

 

[ 08-25-2008, 12:10 AM: Message edited by: NeilJ ]

[mold100]

Jay,

 

I will be in touch sometime. Thanks.

 

Jon,

 

Is there a link to this still? Jay, James, Ron, Jack Mitchell, and a few others have had great impact on me, especially about 4-5 years ago. Unfortunetly I left to move south explored differant areas, and left Mcam for well 4 years. Just recently back to a seat of Mcam and getting re-setteled here, and honing my X skills. I still even after some time am still wayyyyyyy more comfy in the old format but I was very used to it. Looking forward to X3 after everyone else debugs it.

[NeilJ]

You want the Mastercam Forum on CNC Advertising Zone. Some people call it by it's incorrect name CNC Zone.

 

www.cnczone.com

 

Most of the videos done are basic but there are a few that have some advanced stuff. Ron Branch posted a stair example which he said was a way to use Mastercam that went over my head.