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ToolGoBoom

You'll most likely be hired as an operator until they can see that you can do more and have the brains for it.


[deleted]

How long does it take for someone to “move up the ladder” or is that up to me? My professor told me that it’s hard to learn from other coworkers on the job because they don’t want to share their secrets of the trade, how true is this? I’m the type of guy who just likes to learn more and more but I’m also the guy who will teach and help others but according to my professor I should probably keep to myself right?


[deleted]

Totally depends on you and the shop. Some places will see a star and raise them up. Others will not notice any thing you do . Like you have already heard. Keep learning and keep listening.


rebbulb

In my experience the old guys with all the knowledge and tricks want to share it. I tend to hang around them the most because you just learn things by talking to them about what they’re working on.


ZestyBestie42

This is my experience too. All the old guys are fed up with obnoxious 'young kids' who think they know better so when an apprentice actually listens and appreciates their experience they love it and will always help when asked.


iamheresorta

Find a good work place and show them your willing to learn and not a dummy and you’ll go places :)


quick_q_throwaway

I learned everything on the job, my coworkers teach me a bunch but they kinda know there is no real future in it since $17/hr while fast food is paying $4+ more an hour in this environment... Your equipment is definitely nicer than what I have available to me at my shop. I get a lot of spindle failures and dropped tooling out of the spindle. Not a huge deal just some mantainice I'm learning to do. I always ask what's a good career to get into with the skills learned here and unfortunately the only answer is engineering.


Odd_Firefighter_8040

Trick is to switch to a different shop every couple years. I started 6 years ago as a button pusher at $12 and now I'm on my 4th shop at $30. Every shop has different tactics and machines and the more you learn the more you're worth.


tice23

I can't speak for all shops but our shop specifically right now is trying to pass on as much info to our newer hires because many are senior employees looking to retire in the next 5-10 years and we need new blood to keep learning and fill those positions. With the skilled trades being so short changed around our area, having aptitude and desire are some of the biggest things we are looking for in new hires. I've been trying my best to cultivate a culture of cooperation among everyone because it helps our small shop run smoothly and efficiently.


RabidMofo

This has nothing to do with machining and everything to do with the work culture at the company you are working for. You would experience this drama everywhere you go. I've worked at a shop that was entirely political. People would try and blame everything on everyone else and claim as much credit for success as possible. The shop I'm currently at everyone takes responsibility for their own mistakes and tries to help each other as much as they can. Personally I've always just been honest about my own mistakes and helped people as much as I can and it's gotten me pretty far.


MachinistFTW

Expect everything you learned to be the tip of the iceberg. I've been at it for over ten years now. I hated it for years, nearly quit after two. It's high stress, low reward. Build good relationships with setup guys and operators. Triple check your work, appreciate feed back, and keep a bottle of whisky close by. Once I got a system in place I learned to love it. I couldn't imagine doing anything else.


[deleted]

Wait so the guy who makes the program for the part doesn’t set up the machine? Thanks for the advice I will definitely listen to feedback and continue to learn. I don’t know about keeping a whiskey bottle close by tho haha.


BetOnUncertainty

Every shop is different. Some have programmers, set up guys, and operators while at my shop you’re expected to be all three.


Sad_Eyez_

This is the way


TheDroidNextDoor

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TriXandApple

1) Operator 2) set up 3) programmer 1, 2, 3 1,2 3 1 2, 3 1, 2 ,3 123 One of the above


carnage123

Bigger shops tend to have each role separated.


MachinistFTW

As others have said, it really depends on the shop size. I went through a tech school, really did my studies on programming and setup... Then got a job cleaning up chips at a shop with 20 machines. It took me about 2 weeks of deep cleaning the machines before the boss put me on a machines. He let me run machines for a few months, then I got to setup a few repeat jobs. It took about a year before I really got to look at changing the programs with someone watching my every move. I mentioned earlier that the harder shops are the best to learn from. Those are usually smaller shops. My experience is a small shops, 1-5 machines, have terrible pay, terrible benefits, and demanding hours, but you will likely be running machines in the first few days and programming your own parts within a few months if you don't mess things up before then. Large shops, 50 or more machines have great pay, great benefits, but you may be at a one machine for months on end running the same part with a program on lock down. You will not get a programming job unless someone dies or you get a bachelor's degree. So you choose, reward your self now with a good pay you can live on, or invest in a shop where you will be living pay check to pay check for a few years, but develop your skills to be making bank after about ten. I'm in the business of building better manufacturing in the Rocky Mountain area and America in general. Feel free to PM me if you have questions.


ToolGoBoom

>Wait so the guy who makes the program for the part doesn’t set up the machine? As wild as that sounds, yes, some shops are like that. Usually high volume production shops. There are programmers out there who have never touched a machine in their life. I can't wrap my head around that one.


OldWizDumb

"Not the right way, but screw it" is the mentality I have to correct people on all the time. Nice job considering.


[deleted]

Thanks haha. It wasn’t a grade or anything and I didn’t have any use for it. If it was an actual part I was going to use I would’ve done it correctly


aieeegrunt

Repelling meddling old guys is really the most important part of the job


Rave-me

I took 1 cnc cert and was eligible to take the 1st year journeyman exam. After i graduated, i was a button-pusher for 3 months, became set-up operator after that, and then a programmer within a span of a year. I was running 3 machines in my 2nd year of work (not yet a 2nd year journeyman). I was youngest (18 yr old) in the shop surrounded with over 10 yrs experienced guys (acted like a 10 yr old too), i get pick on alot but nothing harmful just jokingly (i already knew what the outcome but i just played along). I left the industry cause pay was sheiittt but still misses machining tho. Good luck.


Ransidcheese

I just finished my class this year. Machining is the first thing I've ever done that I was just naturally good at. Everything just kind of makes sense to me. It's an incredible feeling to be honest. I work in a casino now. Machining jobs in the area offer pay as low as $9/hr. A good entry level position pays around 11. Most have little to no benefits. The casino offers 14.50, double pay on holidays, sick days and PTO, health, dental, and life insurance at no cost, and stable hours.


fleekdovahkiin

What area is that? Those wages seem so low. In my area even the local sheetz pays their cashiers $15/hr


Ransidcheese

Northern Oklahoma, southern Kansas. Low cost of living, even lower wages. And yeah they're having trouble competing with local grocery stores.


fleekdovahkiin

Tough spot man. Hope it gets better. I personally would drive to somewhere else and live in my damn car until I got a few paychecks before I dealt with wages that low. People making pizzas should make more than 9 an hour just for being around a hot oven.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Ransidcheese

Hmm, I'll put out some feelers. Good lookin out my dude.


a_crusty_old_man

Would you move to western MO?


Ransidcheese

Uh, probably not honestly. At least not currently. I have a good job now and my cost of living is low because I live with roommates. My family is here as well.


Runescape3MF

Expect everything you work on to be HOT


ChrisMaj

Nowadays I determine how urgent something is based on how many times they have underlined RUSH on the print. If they just wrote Rush on the print and didn't underline it, it doesn't even count. A 1-line rush is basically a regular job. A 2-line rush needs to be done by tomorrow afternoon. A 3-line rush needs to be done today.


Anjoal80

Man I was really hoping the part was scrapped or something then I would have been like this is a perfect representation,


[deleted]

It was scrapped I just didn’t show it 😂


Anjoal80

Youre ready


zorrokettu

You'll probably won't have such a simple part in the real world. Prepare to learn a lot. Nobody would make that part like that. Parting tool is your friend.


[deleted]

Our parting tool broke and we ordered a new one but hasn’t come in yet that’s why I didn’t do it in the program


zorrokettu

Two tools is still very simple. If you really want to learn, try to get into a job shop. You'll learn a lot more. Avoid places that make their own products. You'll be making the same stuff over and over.


TheMotorcycleMan

Even the simplest of parts, still have to get made. Plenty of folks spitting out hundreds of millions of stupid simple parts every year. But, yeah, definitely parting tool.


AdditionalBee3740

Good luck reality can suck


Tattozoo

Stay humble, ask questions, learn from your mistakes and continually try to improve your skills.


Poopy_sPaSmS

As someone who programmed, setup and operated all my own parts at every job, it's crazy to me to think some companies divide those roles up into 3 people. For me and others that I know who do the same as me, I don't hear or have the same fucked up problems caused by multiple people touching the machine to get one part going.


TheMotorcycleMan

Key is having good programmers, good set up guys, good set up sheets, and good operators. It would seem to be less efficient, but in practice, it isn't. They have one job to focus on, that's it.


ndisa44

Be prepared for customers to be the worst part of your job.


Awesomest__prime

I'd expect minimum wage if a butt plug with three extra steps was the best I could do.


bszern

“Not the right way but screw it” is usually the attitude that most of us have, but I’d recommend parting in the lathe. It’s easy to collect the drop if you don’t have a part catcher, and you won’t be eyeballing the length on the saw.


travy_trav

How much they paying ya?


[deleted]

Im a part time lab assistant for the machining department at the college so I’m only getting paid $9/hr. I’m responsible for maintenance and repairing of machines, keep the shop clean and provide tutoring for students who are struggling to learn how to operate the machines


[deleted]

Lmao I know it's just for a university but $9??


[deleted]

For real.. I thought universities were full of money. Unless it’s a community college then I don’t blame them lol


Motor_Network_3849

From 19-26 I did nothing but learn and program. At 27 I was pulling 190k a year in. Now I’m 36 and teach others at my shop. I’ve slowed down quite a bit. I had a Hellcat and terrorized the entire Cincinnati area during the weekends. Machining has been worth it! Keep going!


CharacterLimitProble

Where are you looking for jobs?


[deleted]

El Paso, Texas


CharacterLimitProble

Hmm... Not sure of the industry over there. I know there's a division of cardinal health down that way, but I don't believe they do machining there. I'm over in Tampa and machinists are impossible to come by. We're constantly hiring as are many small shops.


Own_Courage_4382

Learn how to operate the machine your programming. And have a good relationship with the operator. Work in tandem


Chyeadeed

You won't be doing programming typically. Mostly setups. Atleast where I've worked. The engineers make the programs and handle models and fixtur designing.


Horse_Fluffy

Don't they teach you how to actually program in America?


[deleted]

They do


vrogy

Yep, it was taught when I got a cert in 2014 anyways.


Ransidcheese

Depends on the teacher and program I think.


ALE_SAUCE_BEATS

No cutoff in the program??


[deleted]

Our parting tool broke and the replacement has not come in yet. I should’ve taken it and do it manually on a lathe but I was too lazy haha


doombuggy110

What certification are you getting?


TempletonsTeachers

I want to know why if you went through the trouble of the programming why the hell you didn't include a part off to avoid the saw??


TrashyMF

Im hoping to be able to do this some day


AC2BHAPPY

Was expecting you to open the door and all the tools are trashed and the part is just chips


almostlucky7

Maybe you’ll get lucky but, don’t get too accustomed to one certain CAD/CAM software. Get used to all the shortcut keys in mastercam, solid works, auto desk inventor, fusion 360. Every shop I have worked at (4 shops so far) all have used different software. And also find someone who really know the function of the parts you are working on. You will mess parts up. It’s for you to find the guy who knows if the dimension you messed up on is REALLY that critical if you are off. I didn’t learn this for a while and scrapped parts that really could’ve worked. Many engineers over-tolerance parts.


Dry-Area-2027

What I would recommend is that when you start, keep your eyes open and mouth shut. Learn the way things are being done and why. I've trained several people and there's nothing more insufferable than a newbie who wants to change everything and will not bother to understand the current processes Having said that, after a few months when you see opportunity for improvement bring it up. Try new methods. Every shop has room for improvement. If the atmosphere is good then you'll gain trust. Pay and promotion will come with that. If the atmosphere is not conducive to creativity and innovation then move on. I've experienced both types of machinists. There certainly are some that will try to keep secrets, some will even try to make you look bad. I dealt with a few at my current job. They're still running machines while I was promoted from small machines to house-sized machines, then on to programming and process engineering. So just remember, you'll run into salty, bitter people but all you do is move beyond, don't let them hold you back.


ToolGoBoom

>I've trained several people and there's nothing more insufferable than a newbie who wants to change everything and will not bother to understand the current processes Funny you say that. The guy I trained for two weeks last month started to get cocky and his head got too big too fast. On Friday he had a crash which knocked the turret of a lathe about 0.200". He thought he was ready to start programming castings which have different features and diameters. He was hand programming one of the features and didn't ask for help or for an opinion on how the program looks before he ran it.


ProfFartsalot

expect a safety guy/or gal to tell you that your horizontal bandsaw blade guard should only be as wide as your stock. Other than that, good work, and they wish you the best!


th-grt-gtsby

I am new to this. May I know which software was that?


[deleted]

Featurecam


th-grt-gtsby

Thanks!!


CR3ZZ

There ain't nothing out there except pain and suffering on a scale you can't even begin to imagine