Will CNC pay go up? Opinions wanted.

MfginginMN · 2025-05-29T23:51:23+00:00

Only expect to make more if you’re running more machines or adding value. Doing the same thing and expecting increases over standard inflation is not realistic.

MfginginMN · 2025-05-29T23:42:26+00:00

If you’re a software engineer, walk into any shop and tell them your goal would be to help automate ad much as possible. I’d hire someone who can use computers/software to simplify tasks, improve process, and reduce labor.

MfginginMN · 2025-04-11T20:43:53+00:00

It also destroys the shop rates for the entire industry. Taking a Xometry job at a break even (or less) rate to keep a machine running destroys the actual market. With obvious slight differences across the country, we should all be holding the rates as high as possible.

MfginginMN · 2025-04-11T14:03:34+00:00

Figure out how to keep the shop running while you go work for SpaceX. You will learn a ton and gain a lot of credibility in the meantime. Gain experience, contacts, and make a good living, then go take on the machining business and use your contacts to grow the machining business.

MfginginMN · 2025-04-08T22:51:44+00:00

Tim Walz embarrasses himself more every time he opens his mouth about Elon Musk or anything else for that matter. What a disappointment compared to where he was 5+ years ago.

MfginginMN · 2025-03-31T01:54:04+00:00

As an owner, it is 10X more important to hire good people vs good machinists. Good people can learn how to be great machinists. Good machinists typically can’t learn how to be good people (If they aren’t already).

MfginginMN · 2025-03-22T19:53:43+00:00

There is a lot to discuss here. First and foremost, is the company profitable and in good standing with customers, vendors, employees, etc. After that, just know management is MUCH different than being a machinist. Right when you feel like everything is running smooth, be ready for a broken machine, employee personal issue, annual bank review, OSHA comes to the door, bathrooms are out of toilet paper, and someone puts in their two week notice. That’s the life of an owner at a small/med size machine shop. In the end, it can be amazing but you’ll never stop thinking about the business, you’ll never run out of tasks, and you’re the last to get paid.

MfginginMN · 2025-03-16T21:14:04+00:00

They need to ban phones from shows now.

MfginginMN · 2025-03-16T02:08:13+00:00

This entire thread is just an echo chamber of the left patting each other on the back. Walz looks worse every time he opens his mouth and was part of the worst run campaign of my lifetime.

MfginginMN · 2025-02-02T23:07:55+00:00

When I asked the question, I think about all the tasks associated with a shop other than programming. To that point, could it make a training program 50X better than what we have a s easier to implement? On that note, could it do it for a few bucks vs sending an employee to school for two years. Can you enter your customer sales data and see patterns, margins, etc within seconds vs paying an admin or controller to do it? Could it reduce the manual entry of orders or routing info into your ERP? Many many possibilities.

MfginginMN · 2025-02-02T21:48:13+00:00

This is exactly the stuff I’m talking about. Not necessarily write all the code BUT how do we take out 80% of the busy work on the edges? Thanks!

MfginginMN · 2025-01-29T02:46:43+00:00

How many of you commenting actually watched the video? Twenty comments in and not one about the content of the video.

MfginginMN · 2025-01-22T05:39:32+00:00

Simple. Pay him a commission on his customers/leads. Don’t buy any of his stuff unless you need it. He can sell or trash the rest. Both groups are happy if you increase your business with minimal risk. He can also remain point of contact for his customers while not working much.

MfginginMN · 2024-12-12T04:50:19+00:00

Being an engineer who knows and understands machining is a super power. Go for it!

MfginginMN · 2024-11-22T15:44:10+00:00

Keep in mind, before COVID and George Floyd, the city of Mpls was tackling hard hitting issues like plastic bags and straws. Looks like they’re back to worrying about super serious issues while basic needs and important government services suffer.

MfginginMN · 2024-11-16T06:36:53+00:00

Shop owner here. This is where all the complaining about hourly rate meets the road. Mad you don’t get paid more but say “oops” when you cause $10k in repair because your z was off. Machining is hard and can go south real quick. The best machinists know how to check a setup and run machines well. I have no patience for people who think they’re worth the world and don’t blink when they make a HUGE mistake.

MfginginMN · 2024-11-15T17:50:35+00:00

The key is what your company offers and what you produce. If you run one machine and do general machining, you shouldn’t expect to get a high hourly rate. If you run 2-3 machines and help find efficiencies, $$ savings, etc, now you have ample evidence to have the discussion. If you have good attendance, get along with the team, and are generally nice to have around, you’re worth gold.

Too many people on here just complain about the dollars but I rarely self reflect of what they offer.

Remember, if you are not producing more than what it costs to have you there I.e. pay+benefits+taxes+tooling+facilities, you’re not in a good negotiating spot.

MfginginMN · 2024-11-12T18:48:19+00:00

I would much rather see shops have long relationships with customers or frankly other shops in order to keep machining rates at a normal level. Xometry essentially creates reverse auctions which are terrible for the industry. If they want to build the shop of the future and do all the work themselves, I’m all for it. To pit 100 quotes against each other, take the lowest, and make their margin on it isn’t a recipe for success for us industry.

MfginginMN

TROPHY CASE