How did you get here? (into programming?)

[Tony]

My mom worked part time at a Factory running

the Mimeograph (sp)? in the front office

she got me a job there in the back.

$2.50 an hour min.wage

They had the Leather belt spinning

over our heads thing going on.

They ran production So that lead to drilling

and milling which got my foot in the door for the next place down the road.

They are still there today and I bet

you could replace 75% of the work force

With Robotics.

But then What are all those people going to do?

 

[ 12-15-2003, 01:15 PM: Message edited by: Tony ]

[jimspac]

While I was growing up, my father had an old Bridgeport M Head in the basement. He did some sub contract work on it in the 60's. As a kid, I was thrilled to be allowed to crank the handles while it was cutting. I took all the Metal/Machine shop courses my high school offered and got a job in a tool and die shop the summer before my senior year. I went into the Army right after graduation, got an ear infection during basic, and ended discharged at the end of basic. Not knowing what else to do, I got a job in a production shop doing production work on Bridgeports. The shop had a new at the time P&W StarTurn(1979)and an old at the time Hillyer machining center. I got bored there so I got a position as a toolmaker. The company bought it's first CNC in 1989, and I missed out on programming training as I had the least amount of seniority. I got into programming on a Bridgeport EZ Trak SN 5(first prod. release)in 1992. At the same time I started learning Ez Cam software. In 1994 I purchased my own NC and had to learn paper tape. The only good thing about that was learning how to edit longhand programming. I decide to close my part time business in 1998, and went to college partime in 1999. I have been majoring in Manufacturing Engineering and expect to earn my associate's in the spring. I focused on 3d drafting and programming. I started in Mastercam last year getting training from a local Mastercam vendor. I finally got an excellent position as programmer/ experimental machinist. My boss is the best I have ever had, we respect and feed off each other. I sold the company on Mastercam, they were using Surfcam. I enjoy the work, being part of a new operation is a thrill of sorts, even with the inherent stress.

[crazy^millman]

Well I have gave you guys and idea how I got here. 17 shops doing all types of Machining.

 

I did not come from a background of Machinist. No one in my family has ever done this. I was suppose to be a Lawer or a Doctor. I grew up with nothing but a family that loved us and tried their best to keep a roof over our head. I had a neighbor who raced go-karts and did all his own modifications to them. He had a Knee Mill and Lathe and I would make things for him I was 14. I got my first glance of a Machine Shop at the Trade School and was hooked. I had messed with computer sicne the 7th grade and use to make my own games and programs on the old Basic Dos systems. I went to trade school for three years bypassing my parnets goals of getting full honrs and getting a full scholorship to college. I had been a nerd since the 6th grade and was considered one all the way through school and didnt see that be much fun in college. I then starting working making welding fixture making support block as well as bending dies and forming dies. I left there bad went to a tool and die shop left there bad. I then got in my car accident and almost never walked and talked again but pulled through that.

 

I then went to work in a production job shop where it was all about money and time. The times how long you took a dump and how many times you wiped your xxxx there. We made maifold blocks and you had 5 minutes to hand tap a 2" striaght pipe thread 3 " deep in Stainelss Steel. Then there was you had to single point thread to a shoulder at 1220 rpms. I was only 10 months after the accident and it was really 2 years before I was 95% of the person I was before the accident. That of course ended bad they job I got fired from reason lack of performance imagine that. Oh but it would come back to haunt them.

 

I then worked as a Plant Supervisior for a Fan company left there after i found out I was used as a mean to make soemoen esle step-up.

 

I then went to work at another place where I was told have a nice day and then one guy took me to the owner. We talked and he pretty much asked me do you think you can do the job. I told him I know I can just let me show you. I worked there till it got to the point they wanted me to go 3 weeks without a check.

 

I then went back and forth doing all types of work. I did CNC Milling, Wire EDM, Swiss CNC Machining, CAM, Welding, And a host of other thing. It just got to the poitn where I dint have to look for job they found me.

 

I was working as the shop Supervisior at one Compnay for over 3 years and did all my 3-D stuff G & M Code with Autocad and alot of Math. I then treid to convice the owenr to get a Cam program. I would have upwards of 120 hours on some programs that we was not charging customers for but telling me we where not making money drove me nuts. I got him convinced to buy Mastercam then he pulled the lease on the program 30 days after we got it. I needless to say had enough when one of his customer I had warned him about since I started the bussines for him went under and left him with over $90,000 in unpaids and stocked items on our shelf. I had guys with familes under me and this was not too long after 9/11 and knew they would not be able to find jobs easy as me so I left so they all could keep their jobs and they still have them and they have scraped by.

 

I then did 5 axis work on a Thermwood doing compsites work. After a $24,000 year pay cut after losign some key contracts and me having to work 4 jobs to make ends meet I found the position where i am now.

 

The rest is still history in the Making.

 

Crazy Millman

 

[ 12-14-2003, 09:06 PM: Message edited by: Millman^Crazy ]

[Peccator]

It was '90 and I knew I had to do something with my my life. Going to apply at Chattanooga State I had no idea what the machinists trade was all about. I didn't know a lathe from a mill. That did not slow me down though. Upon graduating I got a job in a little hole in the wall shop making parts for wreckers and garbage trucks. Going from there to a job of machining/fabricating vacuum corrugators.

 

After that I went to an aerospace shop where I was introduced to MC 8.1.1. I did not work as full time peogrammer there but I did get a good knowledge base founded.

 

From there I went back to vacuum corrugators and then that company a year after my return went belly up. Out of work for a week I found (providentially) the shop I work at now.

 

The shop had MC V9 when I started. For a couple of days one week the full time programmer had to be at cadcam school so the VP who, by my resume, knew I had MC training asked me to fill on for him. The owner, DD saw my work and immediately told the VP to get me in cadcam school asap. He said that I was to be the next programmer. So, from there on I was moved to 2nd shift to be full time programmer behind 1st shift.

 

I do not regret being moved to 2nd. It has forced me to, when I come across a problem, to dig for the answer/solution on my own which has helped me to learn ammensely.

---------------------------------------------

 

Do I love my MasterCam?

 

I do! I do! Sam-I-am.

[jrykrl]

I started in 1990 building machines for a company that had their own machine shop. My friend was the head guy in there, and he got me started.

I'd hang out on breaks, and after work to see how these awesome tools worked.

I think we had v3at the time. I left there and started a job as an operator, only problem was there was no programmer. I called my friend and got him the programming job (it was for harley parts, so he jumped on it) and after 6 months of that, he quit and I took over.

After a few paychecks that were rubber, I went to an aerospace shop.

Once I got programming (MC only, I know no other)

I got hooked. I couldn't (and still can't) get enough.

I was supposed to be a rock star!!!!

Funny, though, is most of the machinists, and programmers I know play music of some sort!

If ya wanna know about jail time, or my army time, we could star a new thread. I got lots of stories.

Bottom line is, I'm glad I fell into this, and I am truly indebted to this board, and the people here who make me seem so smart to my friend who got me into this. I've passed on the knowledge from here to him, and maybe one day, he will join me here.

Jer

[dan m]

I started back in 1985. I didn’t like going to high school, so I figured if I went to high school in the morning and vocational school in the afternoon that would make my days go better. When I went to apply for vocational school I wanted to go into Auto Mechanics but there were no openings. My counselor told me the only opening was Machine Trades. Not knowing what it was I figured what the hell I was just looking to skate through my last couple years anyhow. I always figured I would be a Fireman like my dad. What a great job only working 7 to 9 days a month (24 hour shifts though). When I got out of school I went to work in a jig grinding shop figuring this was just going to tied me over till I got on the force. I didn’t last long there I was more interested in partying every night then getting to work the next day. After moving from shop to shop for a few years I landed a job in a production shop. The work was boring but easy. After a couple years there I was doing all the setups and program editing but never even got to see the programmer do his job. He kept that a big secret. This is somewhere around 1993 when computers were really starting to become popular and a friend of mine told me he could get me a copy of bobcad. I figured why not I was just going to use it at home to figure out how these things worked. So I went out and bought a computer and loaded the software. I was playing with it for a couple weeks and really getting frustrated because I had no materials on the software and didn’t know any of the terminology. Finally I brought the software to work and asked the programmer to load it and show me how it worked. He did that and showed me the basics on it but still would not open the company’s software when I was around. One day he got really pissed after a good old fashioned a$$chewing from the boss and left and never came back. I would still go in his office everyday at lunch and play with bobcad drawing company parts when the president walked in and asked what I was doing. After I explained it to him he told me to quit screwing around and threw some MC books at me and told me to learn something useful. He gave me a print of a part we currently made and told me I had 1 week to program it so he could compare it with the program that was currently running. I had the program done in 3 days and it actually ran more efficient and I got the job. From there I moved to the job I have now where I had to start all over as a lathe operator but quickly moved up to programming with MC once again

[Jammer™]

Started out taking machine shop in high school. Liked it, went to college taking industriel engineering. Started working in small mold shop as a machinist. The guy who ran the three cnc machines we had, quit, so they asked me if I would learn cnc. I did that for about six months, then the programmer quit. Once again, I was asked to learn programming. So I did, and been doing it ever since. I am now in my 12th year in the trade, and still lovin it.

[Code_Breaker]

I was a finance manager of a car dealership. Although I was making $100+ a year, it affected my family and health. I got out of the business, and went on "unemployement" resolving to change my lifestyle. Too late to save my marriage. I received a letter from the unemployment department asking if I wanted to be trained as a CNC Operator. I would still get my benefits and they would place me into a position in the area. I took their offer and attended Fullerton Community College. Since I was not arried and my classes were paid for, I took night course in Manufacturing Processes, NC Programming, SmartCAM and AutoCAD. I finish the course, but had to find my own job. I did. It was for Luther Lane Tool Corp., as an operator. I continued taking courses until I received an AA in Manufacturing Technology two years later. At LLTC, I soon became the 2D programmer using MasterCAM 3.x. I continued to advance to 3D programmer and designer, later to Engineering Manager. I worked there for 12 years before moving to another position as Sr. Programmer for an injection molds shop in Walnut, California.

[MACHINEMASTERG]

i went to vo-tech took machine shop because autobody was filled !!got a job after high school at cherry hill percision a fast paced job shop that treated you like a dog ran manual machine for the first 3 years till the bosses daughter moved back home from fla and we started dating then i move up to the cnc dept then they teach me programming manual with punch tape and some early cad cam (anilam) on a 286 nec well after 3 years of that we break up and im out on my arse..i go to local colledge learn smart cam get a job here for an oem and swear never to go back to the job shop again we get mcam v4.? and theres been no looking back now im cnc dept head ????i wonder whats shes up to ????NOT!!!!

[Eric S.]

First took a Electricity and industrial electronics course after high school to work with my Dad as a elevator mechanic. When I finished there was no work. So I umm...bagged groceries for a year and got sick of that quick. In 1998 I went to apply at a local automotive machine shop but they would not give me a chance (I know nothing but I was very enthusiastic). So I went to trade school for a 2 year co-op course. Which exposed me to the world of machining. The CNC portion with basic mastercam I really enjoyed. The possibility of what I could make really excited me. Now armed with some experience I got a job here working with 2 HAAS mills. I waw just thrown in. The company has just gotten the haas and Mastercam so no one was very proficient at it yet. So I had to do a lot on my own which I have found to be a very good way to learn! Thanks for all your help here on the forum Now next month I go to school again for my final apprenticeship test and I'll finally have me ticket and feel free. But I see now that I can never stop learning. Machining is not my family business but it might start to be!

 

Eric

 

[ 12-15-2003, 10:31 AM: Message edited by: Eric Salsman ]

[I2B4U]

Man, this makes me feel old. always into mechanical stuff when i was young, had my first harley at 12, rode it t shool at 14. always taken things apart to see how they ticked. when i had to have a job, since my dad had been a machinist, it just seemed like the thing to do. went to work for hutson corp, a primary parts supplier for bell helicopter, running a drill press on a job that nobody wanted to run of course. they were getting about 12 parts a shift the way it was, when i ran that job last i was getting 72 parts a shift. going to college at the time taking remote terminal programming ( there were no pc's then, only mainframes with remote access). Also studied electronics about then. so when I finally got onto the nc's I was able to work on the systems when there was a problem. After a few years I went to work for a prototype shop and had to do my own programming, here I was introduced to compact language. no GUI just a remote terminal with a modem tied to a computer. It was all math , and I was always good at it. It was like solving puzzles to me. But now I could see the results of the puzzle in my hand. I spent some time traveling around the country job shopping, my wife and I and two '63 panheads. then a head hunter found me and offered me a job in the northwest, so I took it. I was doing five ax work with the compact II at this time, My favorite was the sculpturing of three dimensional parts for the aerospace themes. I was also apattering some fortrann 77 in there, then went to UG. took some management positions while I was there, but my wife died while I was there, at the age of 39. Had some hard time with that, and after 20 years lost that job. so I went to work as a network administrator for a few years for a mfg company, but cutbacks for the economy happened, and about six months ago I was offered this job. first time I've seen MC, so there has definitly been a learning curve here. not as easy as it used to be, but I still seem to pick it up okay. while I was an admin I picked up VB6, so that should help once I get more of the MC under my belt.

Gotta love this forum though, of all the ones I've used.

[Keith Graydon]

It was the mid 1970's and I was out of high schooland doing a lot of nothing. My Late father was a purchasing agent for a large local business here in central New Jersey. He gave a lot of work to a local prototype shop. My father knew that I had "IT" and recomended that I go see this guy and ask for a job. Well, I got the job as an apprentice machinist and was there five years. I realized that the really was something that was truly good at, that I have a competency in and is something that I can truly accel at.

In 3 months I knew enough to get into trouble and in 6 months I was starting to learn how to get out of trouble on a job. Remember This was in the Back-lash days! The shop did have a big Sheldon 2 axis CNC lathe with hydraulic axis drives! They bought a Bridgeport 3 axis knee mill about six monthes before i left. I finished my apprenticship there and stayed one more year. 5 years total.

I then went to Princeton University for another 5 years.Worked in a variety of shops there but the Best was the Chemistry shop. You work with a lot of graduate (and undergrads) students. I was unfortunatly laid off from there and ende up at the Cavid Sarnoff Reasearch Center. Thats was the central research facility for the famous RCA Corporation. We're still a going concern here but no longer part of RCA.

When i joined on the main shop was about 40 men strong. I was originally in the Manual department but soon moved to the CNC group.I've been here for 17 yearsand in the CNC group for about 16 of those and I'm still learning how to get out of trouble!

 

 

-Keith

 

the trade does run in the family as I've had uncles the worked at Taft Pierce , Brown & Sharpe and other semi-famous places.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Got started in 1992 at Cummins Engine Company (Diesel ReCon Div.) tearing down used and worn Lube Pumps. I graduated up to Assembly, Test, and Machining soon after that. Decided I wanted to be a Manufacturing Engineer so I started taking classes in Machine Shop, CAD, and CAM so I would be well rounded. Got a promotion to Kaizen. Did that for about a year and change. In Kaizen did Welding, Machining, Jig/Fixture Design and Fab, Industrial Engineering, etc... Worked at Cummins for 3 years until they closed our Plant - (Thanks NAFTA, I owe you one)After that I worked in a plastics machining company for a few months Programming and Machining. It took me that long to figure out that I would not make anything close to what I was worth there. Got a job at a Job Shop setting up, machining, and some programming. Worked there for a few months until the owner sold out. Got a job working for Seagate (the HDD company) as a process technician on the polishing line. Lasted on that job for only 6 months because it was soooooooo boring. You can only look at so many HDD platters before you go nuts. After that I went to work for another Job Shop in San Dimas called Mikana Mfg. If yo ever see that this place is hiring RUN FOR YOUR LIFE - DO NOT EVER EVEN CONSIDER WORKING THERE - THEY ARE A BUNCH OF LIARS AND THIEVES (the owner and his General Manager yes Richard I'm talking about you you liar and thief!!!!). Check this out. I was working at Seagate. Then I started Part time at Mikana. They advertised for a Programmer but really had no intention of hiring me as a Programmer. SO I setup and ran machines part time. They asked me to come work for them full time. We talked money and agreed on $12.50/hr ( I was making $14 at Seagate but San Dimas whas where I lived so really I was coming out even or ahead. We also agreed that my benefits would start in 30 days. I had a wife and 2 kids so this was really important. Anyway, I was there full time for a couple of weeks and I get my first paycheck. I was short needless to say. I go and ask them what's up and they say "We did not agree on $12.50, we agreed on $10... and BTW your benefits will start in 90 days..." OMG - that's a $10k per year pay cut not even considering OT. I said no way did I agree to that. So a few days later I interview for another job close by at $14/ hr and I get it. I gave them a couple days notice (shoulda just told them to take a hike but I'm not that way). Eaxcted the best revenge on them though. I was responsible for some of their best people leaving. Acively took one and passively encouraged another one to leave and he took others with him. It's had a cascading effect plus I tell every machinist I know about that place. I Worked at the next job Programming, Setting up, and running ultra high precision parts (±.001 or less sometimes) for about 9 months til I could not take it anymore. The shopfloor supervisor was just this overbearing not let me do my job kind of guy. I learned a lot from the other guys. Left there to be a full time programmer at a wind tunner model shop. Worked there till the work dried up for a few months, then worked contract at GT Bicycles whil waiting for a job at Mori Seiki. Worked at Mori Seiki for two years as an Applicatins Engineer with emphasis on High Speed Machining and FMS. After Mori I worked for the local Mastercam reseller for 2 years. After that I came to work where I am now. Been here for over 2 years and just may realize my dream of being an Engineer here. We'll see.

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[ 12-15-2003, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: James Meyette ]

[jspangler]

Hi

Just like others here, I did NOT want to do what my Dad did (tube bending, welding, etc.), and that's exactly where I ended up. The only difference is that he is afaraid of technology, and I love it.

 

John

www.hotshot.com

[kathy]

My story, and I'm (also) sticking too it...

 

see http://www.emastercam.com/cgi-bin/ultimate...ic;f=1;t=001246

 

The 17th posting on the page

 

 

Kathy

[MATT Q]

Took technology classes in high school which included Autocad, machining, casting, wood working, and auto tech. Started to work in a thermoforming company as a machine operator for molding parts while I was going to college to be a manufacturing engineer (plastics). Moved up in company to management and they got there first 5 axis machine and started doing stuff on it. Kept going to school and managing 2nd shift. Had twins and had to cut off school. Then got tired of managing and wanted to do other things they had 6 5 axis machines now and mastercam version5 I think. Moved into engineering and was offline programming plastic parts in my sleep we were super busy. Then started cutting patterns with the machines had 9 machines now. Company bit off more than they could chew lost major customers due to commiting to too much work and not enough equipment. Major downsizing I made it through it but decided to look else where. Moved to Minnesotta and doing all prototype, ISIR, and PPAP parts for large thermoformering company (5 plants and about 18 machines in each plant) also doing design work, qouting, mold work, master plates, and improving processes for assembly and trimming. This is all in about 10 years I'm 29 now.

[Toolfab]

Lets see, went to tech school for photography. Then became a printer. My buddy asked if I wanted to work on a CNC Grinder, I said..." a what? "

 

Ended up going to night school while on a machine, the offer was for all the operators, I was the only one that went. Got into the machine shop for about a year, to get practical knowledge, now I am here. Least senority in the shop (7 years) but the coolest office....

 

Who said going to school wouldn't pay off.

 

to all the grammer's!

[chris m]

Like many of you; not a very straight path for me. I was on the 'college track' in high school until I got my first hourly job at the age of 14 as a range attendant / bag boy at the local country club and discovered that I liked the Budweiser that the older [17 year old] guys were smuggling out of the kitchen. As the years progressed I became less interested in school and more interested in partying, girls, and cars. My Senior year I majored in Drafting [1st 4 hours of every day in the Drafting room] because the Tech-Voc side of school interfered less in my personal life. I liked the drafting, though, and even got a work-study job detailing simple parts and doing redraws for a local small manufacturer. After high school I tried college for a year [Purdue University] as a Mechanical Engineering Technology major but was waaaayyyy too interested in the extracurricular activities to get reasonable grades.

 

Since my collegiate career was going nowhere I enlisted in the USMC and was trained as an Assault Amphibian Repairman. Not much call for that in the civilian world and there was a huge recession on in 1992 when I was discharged so I bounced around driving trucks, working in warehouses, moving furniture, plowing snow, whatever for awhile. I was planning on going to a local tech institute for a diesel engine mechanic's course, but it just so happens that my Dad's new [at the time] golf buddy was the President of Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston so he talked me into going down and taking a look at their Mechanical and Manufacturing programs. I went in and checked it out and was pretty interested in the hands-on nature of the Manufacturing program so I took a couple of classes and that snowballed into a bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology [with, ahem, Highest Honors] in the Fall of 1997. My first co-op job was in a CNC machine shop, my second in an OEM of cryogenic vacuum pumps [lots of TIG welding, MIG welding, in-house machine shop] and my third in a contract precision sheet-metal fabricator. I knew that the metal trades were for me and since then I've transitioned from doing everything imagineable for a short-run stamping / deep-draw house to doing methods work for a good-sized CNC / weld / braze job shop to doing whatever I need to do here: program, setup if necessary, tooling design, customer interface [rarely], move machines around the shop, sweep, whatever.

 

Whew

 

Tired fingers

 

C

[jimp]

Glasgow Scotland 1965 My Dad was an Engineerand I just followed his footsteps at £2. 7shilings 6d = £2.37.5P per week=£123.24 per year(for you boys & girls across the sea =$217)

started using Mastercam 4.5 and have never looked back. worked in mould tools now machining quartz for the semi conductor industry.

 

merry christmas to you all. Thanks for the help and support over the last year.

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

It sounds like most of you guys did'nt know that you were going to be machinists. (I wanted to be a beach bum)

 

When I got my firsat maching job it was at 4.25 or 4.75 an hour as a trainee.

 

Jimmy

[MACHINEMASTERG]

in 1983 rite out of high school minimum wage was 3.65 an hour and thats wat i got

[Katie Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

Well, almost 4 years ago I took a summer job in an office for the old MC dealer. The summer job turned into a full time position. I don't work with the machines or the software itself, just in the office here at Barefoot CNC. It's a tough job working with Jimmy, Sam, and Trevor, but at least it's never boring! It's a great job, and they couldn't do it without me

[chris m]

Hey Stinky; nice to see you out here

 

C

 

Edit/

 

No I didn't give her the nickname; ask Jimmy

 

/Edit

 

[ 12-23-2003, 05:46 PM: Message edited by: chris m ]

[Hacsta]

went vo tec for electronics graduated highschool joined the army guard did that while working at pizza place (i was 19yrs old) nov. 1996 buddy calls me up says he's got job for me putting together packaging machinery for a oem , i said "SWEET " 3 weeks later i start here worked for 8-9 months straight with out missing a day then i fell part missing day coming in late. higher ups got fed up and our machine shop got slow and thats were i went, worked drill press and sander for about year then it happen i move up from sander to machine work,squareing parts up, making parts with 2 holes and a slot (2 place dec clearence holes) i always wondered how they got there (the slots). then moved to 2 axis super max conversational analam, the man should me the way, i got to use mastercam v7, i couldn't believe it , it blew my mind. i draw it, it cuts it, (well after a couple broken end mills and alot of reading and questions.(i gave this guy all his grey hair) we got a haas vf3 got to do more programming, then a v4 two mini mills then another vf4 and a tool room mill, i never though i'd be doing multi axis toolpathing

SWEET

[TheePres]

Interesting Post and storis in here..heres mine.

High school teachers filled my head with dreams about college..yada-yada-yada. They never told me that noone was gonna step up to the plate and sponsor 4 yrs of MIT. So after 1 semester came back home, freind was getting paid to attend Vocational School, hey good deal I could do that also.

Machine Shop??? whats that??

 

1st day of school noticed teacher having a beer with some of students, so i figure "why not me?", 2nd day right after lunch and "MY" beer, teacher calls me into office hands me diploma and ref. telephone of shop needing un-skilled operators ands tells me to GTF outa here.

Luckily landed at shop with owner who had alot of patience and desire to pass on his skills.

$3.25/hr was great money for a 18 yr old.

 

[ 12-23-2003, 08:04 PM: Message edited by: TheePres ]