Mastercam Bible

[Gail Plush / Amcast Automotive]

Is there a "general" reference available for Mastercam? For Autocad, I use the Autocad Bible.

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Gail

[Hardmill]

I would have to say this forum is your best bet.

Some of the guys print out topics and save them

for future ref. You'll pretty much find

everything covered here.

There is also different manuals here and also on

the Mastercam website.

 

PEACE

[Rekd™]

There's a really good set of books out, Mastercam Handbook series. Very nicely done and great for reference.

 

'Rekd

[rex miller]

where do you get the mastercam hand books

i just started i got the 2-d pretty good

but i yant to learn 3-d.

im a one person shop so i have know one to ask

[TREV]

try the book from dr lin, and dr shiue. simply called mastercam. your dealer should be able to get one for you (not a cheep book) i dont know if a ver 9 book is out yet i know they had one for ver 8. should still get you going in the right direction thou.

hth,

trevor

[crazy^millman]

Well I have put up a MastercamHelp.doc in the Text folder on the FTP is covers some things I have picked up from here.

[Thad]

quote:

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try the book from dr lin, and dr shiue.

---

You'd be better off getting a book from Dr. Seuss!

 

Thad

[Guest]

Ron:

 

Putting up you help file would be great. Also, anybody else what has been cutting and pasting tid-bits for the forum. Please put the files up on the ftp.

 

Thanks in advance.

[crazy^millman]

Marc that doc is up there on the FTP in the TEXT folder called Mastercam Help.doc HTH

[M. Anderson]

Gail, in all honesty - I have learnt more from this site; and just setting down with old prints and running tool paths and verifying them; than from any of the books I have found!

 

Also the “ ? ” box in the corner and the “HELP” function on about any screen are my most favorite of friends!

 

None of the books I have found go into enough detail, they simply give you a sample part to draw – then a series of “Screen Shots” to match your tool path settings too; but none (I have seen?) give you any reasoning behind why you set the parameters a certain way, or what would happen if you changed some of the settings from what they are showing!

 

I have long-a-go set down with old prints, drawn the part, dimensioned the part, played with putting things on different levels, programmed tool paths too cut the part.

 

The “VERIFY” and “BACK-PLOT” functions are also an “IMPORTANT” feature in MC, I long ago discovered their importance! Plus there are many different setting for both – play around with them!

 

To each their own!

 

But before you go looking for the HOLLY GRAIL of MC – in a BOOK, try some things on your own!

 

Or even better if you or your company can afford it – contact your DEALER, they have some good courses from what I have been told!

 

Just my .0002 cents!

 

Later,

 

Mark Anderson

[Brendan P]

quote:

---

You'd be better off getting a book from Dr. Seuss!

---

+1000 on that Thad!

I think the cat in the hat did their "proof-reading".

 

Here are a couple of links to some great mastercam training cd's.

FFMT

tips and tricks for mcam

I have purchased both of these packages and they are exceptional!

 

 

As always,learning hand and hand with your dealer is prolly the best way to go.

HTH's

[Thad]

I think M. Anderson has given some very good advice here.

 

Thad

[Gail Plush / Amcast Automotive]

Well, I have done what M Anderson has recommended! Several times. During these trial and error sessions, I typically have questions that aren't answered very clearly in the help files. That is where I could use a book or reference document.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Gail

[Jack Mitchell]

quote:

---

Dr. Lin, and Dr Shiue

---

I was impressed with their first book only; since then I argue that either one know very much about Mastercam. - it's all too easy to hand the real work off to the professors helpers and to lecture on math.

 

I have witnessed faculty that hand this book out and the students that follow the bounding ball solution - spend a couple of months on these books and then take them away - wow, the student knows virtually nothing.

 

My preferance is to give a real task situation and to learn from it via the honest method; perhaps it is I that is slow - once I overcome a difficult situation I believe I own the knowledge; oddly enough, I find the expertise of this forum to be the best of the best for virtually any question/solution/result.

 

 

Regards, Jack

[M. Anderson]

Gail,

 

I in no way meant to suggest you had not tried any of what I suggested. Just don't hurt to state the obvious sometimes.

 

As I or about any other on this forum will tell you -

 

To quote Jack M -

 

quote:

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.... oddly enough, I find the expertise of this forum to be the best of the best for virtually any question/solution/result.

---

This forum is the place I come when I get stumped – so I can ask my seemingly stupid questions – but, at least I get a answer and no one laugh’s at me.

 

I have, personally, bought quite a few books over the years looking for the same thing you are! My wife even bought me a new MC book off this forum for Christmas this year, I did not have the heart to tell her I would not use it, that, plus it was for the wrong version of MC.

 

I have been using MasterCam since about 1992, and I have yet to find anything comparable to the "A/C Bible" type of book for MasterCam.

 

If you find it - Please, also let me KNOW!!!

 

later,

 

Mark Anderson

[Thad]

quote:

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During these trial and error sessions, I typically have questions that aren't answered very clearly in the help files.

---

That's where we come in. Post away! Heck, we're even open 24 hours...weekends AND holidays !

 

I've heard nothing but good things about these books, as Rekd and Rex have mentioned.

 

Thad

[Code_Breaker]

quote

_______________________________________________

I've heard nothing but good things about these books . . .

_______________________________________________

 

 

I have Vol 3 on Multizxis Machining. I am about 50% done. Sofar, it explains every aspects of each switch or method. It even has a CD with 5axis post and video clips.

 

 

I am sure vol 1 and 2 are just as good.

 

I got mine from San Diego CAD-CAM. My rep did not have it.

 

Code_Breaker

 

[Jayson Kramer]

I would say all the diffrent books have some thing to give ,for sure some have more and like the Hand books that Code-breaker is talking about have less drawings and more detail about what the buttons do.

 

The Dr.lin & Dr. shue version 9 is out and has been for a while.

This time they added solids.

This does have some good things and there are alot of mistakes to.

 

The book on this board give you alot of projects and walk you thru.

 

Code-breaker I take it you really like chariles new book.

You are right the office has not got the V3 in yet.

I think I have the only one from the CCCS offices at this time.

This is a really good detail book.

[TREV]

thad,

the book i refrenced was only to get him pointed in the right direction. i personaly have had only about 10 hours of formal training from my reseller,and that was aprox.6 years ago back then i did not even know how to create a flat boundarie.vitually all i know now is self taught from trial and error and countless hours of my own time playing with the software.since i found this sight i have not opened a manual at all.i believe now that any manual is 1 or 2 fellas instuction , and with this board i can get 7000 peoples input theoreticly .

i did not mean to promote one book over another just simply stating a book that is on the market.

trevor

[Jayson Kramer]

TREV, it's all good. you did not make a bad statment.

The books are big and contain alot but they also contain alot of issues as well.

 

We use these books at one of the place I teach for the advance class.

 

I only have the student use it some these days.

[Code_Breaker]

Jay,

 

Yes I do . . .

 

Our office gave me the 'go-shead' to but from SD office. I like it when everyone works together.

 

 

Code_Breaker

[Thad]

Trev,

 

No offense taken. I just happen to think the book sucks, that's all. Nothing personal.

 

The Lin and Shiue book is available at amazon.com. It's about $95.

 

Gail, could you please clarify your sex so you don't continue to get called both "he/him" and "she/her." Oh, and welcome to the forum.

 

Thad

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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The Lin and Shiue book is available at amazon.com. It's about $95.

---

That's about $95 more that it's worth for any body that's somewhat familiar with MC. Ya know, that has got to be one of the worst "technical" books I've ever ran my fingers through. They slapped a new cover on a Version 8 book and threw in solids with it. Believe it or not some of the screen shots are still V8!!! Just stinking pathetic. If you want to see what I really have to say about this book, go to epinions website and do a search for Mastercam Books.

 

Could I write a better book? Without a doubt. Problem is I work for a living making the software do what it's supposed to, so that prevents me from actually doing it. Perhaps some day when the kids are grown up and out of the house (which is at least 18 years from now so don't hold your breath for it just yet.

[herbert west]

I learned by hammering it out. As Sherlock Holmes said "eliminate all the posibilites and that which remains is the truth". Sure I've had classes and had guys show me some tricks here or there but I've learned the most by trying every concievable option in the program until I found what works. That said, the old V6 factory book (about 3 inches thick) is outstanding because it gives you a foundation to get started with. The newer books are in my opinion, no more than illustrated help files that are available in the help section of MCAM itself, which by the way supprisingly few programmers even bother with. Same goes for the sample files which were done by the people who make the program. Just check out how the factory concieved the toolpaths and fit them to your own application. Makes sense right?. Two more things: 1) Know your g-code (this is critical!!) and 2) Ask for help from this board.

 

[ 02-16-2004, 02:58 PM: Message edited by: herbert west ]

[McRae]

I would suggest the IHS Tutorials avail from this website. This is how I learned to use the software and the rest was by application of what I learned. Oh and reading the post CD as well.

 

Until the divinly inspired "Book of James" is published with credit notes I am sure to the deciples of Productivity; St Rekd, St Jay, Cardinal Dave, Pope Bullines II, Sir Chris Turnsalot and the rest, come here often and share your wisdom and experience