How much does an average machinist make? - Page 2


View Poll Results: How much do you make an hour (CNC only, no manual machinists)

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  • up to $17

    161 16.18%
  • $18

    71 7.14%
  • $19

    50 5.03%
  • $20

    111 11.16%
  • $21

    50 5.03%
  • $22 and over

    552 55.48%
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Thread: How much does an average machinist make?

  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by STS_John View Post
    Is that those Canadian dollars with the Queen on them.
    No, on the five dollar bill, Sir Wilfred Laurier on one side and a picture of children playing hockey, skating and riding a toboggan on the other. I am too poor to have anything bigger than a five dollar bill so I will leave it up to the well paid Canadians to report on larger bills.



  2. #22
    Member handlewanker's Avatar
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    The best advice I could give any young bloke contemplating the engineering industry for a career is to get your hands dirty early on and GET some further education or whatever it takes to learn the advanced engineering principles, so that when you're ready for that office job in a technical establisment, you'll know what you're talking about.
    I don't know how many people I've come up against who have the "book learning" skills but have never cut metal.
    Ian.



  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Janos View Post
    I wonder what the avg. is here in sunny Florida? If there are any ppl that want to chime in. I have thought pretty hard about moving but my shop is more dependant on me going to the track with a sharp pencil and making products that the racing community feels that they "Gotta Have!!" So hopefully with a bit of luck I should have a product line of my own and not require a "weakly" paycheck to keep my head above water.

    Thanks for the word

    John
    According to our HR department (florida company), we are overpaid. Machinists in my shop make between 16-25 bucks per hour. great benefits and working conditions, but here in North Florida, we have an abundance of Navy retirees willing to work for noThing just to supplement retirement pay. I'm lucky, because most of the smaller shops in town pay way less with way less benni's. Hey..it pays the bills and leave some left for bait!



  4. #24
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    Hi all, one thing for sure, don't compete with someone who wants to give it away.
    The law of the jungle soon weeds out overfeeding the hard way.
    I reckon it would be totally impractical to try and get a job in a community that was bursting at the seams with cheap skilled labour.
    In this situation you would profit more by setting up in business and employing the cheap labour.
    moral:- never sell on a falling dollar.
    Ian.



  5. #25
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    Ref: handelwanker's above #22. I served my apprenticeship during the day and attended school at night. That way you get book larnin' and hands on experience in a shorter time. Raises hell with your love life though. Another good way is co-op school and shop arrangements.

    DZASTR


  6. #26
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    Hi Rich, I think that apprenticeships then were on the same basis.
    In South West Africa in the late fifties, as apprentices, we worked our normal 45 hour shift each week and went to school two nights for two hours each and Saturday morning for four hours.
    The saturday morning was a normal working shift and we got paid for going to school in place of it.
    Then we'd catch a lift out to the mine workshops and work the afternoon overtime to make up the 52 hour week.
    Love life never came into it. We used to spend most evenings down at the local bar,(men only), playing snooker, but on friday night and weekends, thats when the partys and serious temporary courting took place.
    Courting was a carefull business as we worked with the girls' fathers and any malarky would get dire consequences.
    Ian.



  7. #27
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    i work for a company that wishes to remain nameless. .... hehehe

    i worked there for about 8 years
    about 4 years as part time .. when i was doing my schooling ..

    first here is what i have in my background ....
    computer science degree
    A++ ceritified
    mastercam all levells certificates ...
    esprit certificate
    smartcam certificate
    cadkey certificate
    solidworks profesional certificate
    autocad ceritificate ...
    and right now i'm going to new england tech to get my mechenical
    engineering deg,
    i'm a big computer junkie ... that's y i have so many ceritificates ... if somethign interst me i go and find out about it ...
    anyways ....
    what i do there ....
    i woked for about 2 years in sheet metal ... as part timer
    1 year on cnc as oporator ....
    then for 2 full time years ... setup ... fixtures ... simple programing on the machine ...
    and the i staterd programing with mastercam there ... been using it and writting programs for about 3years ... for 15 machines ...
    we also have a sheet metal shop ... i been doing the sheet metal designing and production for about 3 years ... at the same time

    now ... i'm getting paid under 30
    .... and as soon as i get my degree i'm getting the f... out off there ...
    and i already have a place to go ...


    thanks .. .sorry about the spelling ...

    Last edited by Exodus8931; 12-29-2006 at 07:14 PM.


  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by handlewanker View Post
    The best advice I could give any young bloke contemplating the engineering industry for a career is to get your hands dirty early on and GET some further education or whatever it takes to learn the advanced engineering principles, so that when you're ready for that office job in a technical establisment, you'll know what you're talking about.
    I don't know how many people I've come up against who have the "book learning" skills but have never cut metal.
    Ian.
    i deal with that all the time ... last time i had to show one of them a true table positions calculation ... he tought it was +- what ever was in the box ....



  9. #29
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    hey Exodus8931, where did you go to get all the certificates? They offer some autocad ones at my local college, but thats it.



  10. #30
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    Exodus8931, Were did the mastercam all levells certificates ... Come from?
    you should talk with the local dealer or go to mastercams Webb site and see the Certification Program.http://www.mastercam.com/TeachersStu...n/Default.aspx

    I am going to have a meeting with Haas Automation to setup a Certification Program for all the employs as I have been in the middle of trainning for few months now. The company wants to move them up and test them.

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
    Cadcam
    Turning Product Specialist for a Software Company, contract Programming and Consultant , Cad-Cam Instructor of Mastercam .


  11. #31
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    Hi Exodus, down under we had, when the unions were top dogs, a saying "Last in, first out".
    At least where you are you'll be top dog with all them bits of paperwork, and you'll have something to impress your boss with.
    I don't know what your new place is going to be like but usually when you start with a new bit of paperwork you still have to work up to prove yourself, and that means starting at the bottom rung of a new ladder, and by the time you get there you'll be part of the furniture like anyone else.
    Eight years in one firm goes a long way for building up experiance unless you are so peed off with the place you can't wait to get away.
    Ian.



  12. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by cadcam View Post
    Exodus8931, Were did the mastercam all levells certificates ... Come from?
    you should talk with the local dealer or go to mastercams Webb site and see the Certification Program.http://www.mastercam.com/TeachersStu...n/Default.aspx

    I am going to have a meeting with Haas Automation to setup a Certification Program for all the employs as I have been in the middle of trainning for few months now. The company wants to move them up and test them.
    the mastercam certification i did at
    68 Pratts Junction Road
    Sterling, MA 01564
    http://www.services4automation.com/

    autocad @ Wenthworth ins. in Boston

    the Solidworks @
    CADD Edge, Inc. | 1700 West Park Drive, Suite 300
    Westborough | MA | 01581
    www.caddedge.com
    Phone:888.223.3334 Ext. 2960| Fax: 508.366.1333

    Esprit @ Worcester - Polytech ins.

    and the rest ... well one was in chicago ... and the other i can't remember



  13. #33
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    Im about 27 bucks an hour (in UK here), but that's before bonuses- I get 5% of everything the company invoices that comes off my machine every quarter... which aint bad I spose. [Edit 5% of everythig ABOVE a certain value lol not 5% of everything ]

    I love deadlines- I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.


  14. #34
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    The best advise I even heard and followed through on: Don't try to climb the corporate ladder, OWN the corporate ladder!



  15. #35
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    Hi Blackhollow, I get your drift, taken to it's broadest interpretation, it's better to work for yourself than be employed by someone.
    Now there's a pipe dream.
    I think that if you put this into practice you'll have too many captains and not enough deck swabbers.
    Which probably wouldn't be a bad thing.
    Can you imagine a guy rolling up to a job interview in a brand new cheaufer driven Mercedes, dressed in an expensive suit?
    Apparently he was the only one left who knew how to switch the machine on, everyone else were business owners desperatrely looking for someone to switch their machine on, so's they could go off and play golf with the other business owners.
    As in nature, where there is a balance of predators and herbivores, so in the business world there'll always be "them and us".
    I don't suppose you have ever considered that co-operatives have any part in your world view?
    Ian.



  16. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by handlewanker View Post
    Hi Blackhollow, I get your drift, taken to it's broadest interpretation, it's better to work for yourself than be employed by someone.
    Now there's a pipe dream.
    I think that if you put this into practice you'll have too many captains and not enough deck swabbers.
    Which probably wouldn't be a bad thing.
    Can you imagine a guy rolling up to a job interview in a brand new cheaufer driven Mercedes, dressed in an expensive suit?
    Apparently he was the only one left who knew how to switch the machine on, everyone else were business owners desperatrely looking for someone to switch their machine on, so's they could go off and play golf with the other business owners.
    As in nature, where there is a balance of predators and herbivores, so in the business world there'll always be "them and us".
    I don't suppose you have ever considered that co-operatives have any part in your world view?
    Ian.

    Pipe dream? No, I actually live it everyday. I can pinch myself and feel it. No pipe dream here. Manufacturing business, no boats involved

    If the guy has a brand new cheaufer driven Mercedes I doubt he is in bad need of a job interview???

    I quit my job, but I never left, never cleaned out my desk, other than throw my old business cards away. I created a business (yeah, I'm the owner). Now, instead of being paid a salary working for my old employer, my company is paid to have me do the same job. On salary, I got paid the same no matter what my results were. Now, the greater my results, the more my company gets paid, and I add more value to the company that hires my business. I have a greater incentive to get greater results. I choose to get paid for my results rather than being paid for my time. When I am not in the office (I'm not an employee of the company anymore, so no set hours), I attend to my other business here at home.

    I can tell you one thing: since I started living my "pipe dream", my wealth has greatly increased. Sure couldn't build what I have now by being an employee. But, don't forget that not everyone is cut out to be a business owner, or do they want to be. Some folks are happy with a punch in/punch out mentality. I was not. I don't feel there is any fear of having too many captains and not enough deck swabbers.

    BTW, the owner of the company I used to work for more/less retired five years ago. He handed the day-to-day operations over to the General Manager. He now plays golf all day.....with other business owners....when he's not flying around to warmer climates.

    It's only a pipe dream for those that who are afraid to take the risk, or have no desire to "be the ladder." For some, getting paid the most they can get for their time is acceptable. Nothing wrong with that. It's just not for me. Like I said before, it was the best advise I ever heard and followed through on.



  17. #37
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    Hi blackhollow, I take it you're a consultant now? Ideal position to have, if there's a demand for your services.
    The bit about the Mercedes was a tongue in cheek view of the diminishing long served tradesman with all the tricks learned and able to name his price.
    You're right it does take a quantum leap to get out of the rut and play your own tune.
    If you don't do it you'll work till you hang up your overalls and be put out to grass.
    In OZ the dream is to retire at 50, owning your own home, kids all married, and getting set to do a round trip of the country.
    I was lucky, I got retrenched at 60, and a golden handshake made the world seem like a different place.
    The nearest I got to calling my own tune was setting up a home based sub-contract business part time, getting the contracts from the firm I was employed by, that is after working hours and at week ends and holidays, 15 hour working days and 4 hours sleep when the pressure was on.
    There were quite a few of us, doing the same thing and the contracts were supposed to be confidential, but we all knew what the other guy was quoting.
    The "old boy network" was certainly alive and kicking here.
    I knew I couldn't make it pay by itself, but for the 7 years It lasted, it was all quite lucrative and all go.
    In my experiance I was riding on the back of a giant, for as soon as I was retrenched, the contacts dropped away, and I called it a day.
    I weep for those guys that are hard pressed to make ends meet, and so think that the only way out is to do it yourself, because the boss is making a packet and only paying you a pittance.
    That's OK if you've got the wherewithall to sustain yourself for those times when the work just doesn't appear.
    Ian.



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    Quote Originally Posted by blackhollowmfg View Post
    The best advise I even heard and followed through on: Don't try to climb the corporate ladder, OWN the corporate ladder!
    This is very good advice, one that was instilled into me before I was even old enough to work. I had a very unsual childhood to where I always had people telling me where to go (live), what to do, what the different rules where,...ect. I remeber sitting down one day, only about 13 at the time, and saying, "man, one day I'd like to make my own rules,... and be in control of my own life".

    18 years later,... with Hard Work (understatement), Dedication, Sacrifice and Belief in myself, I'm now living that dream. Running your own company is NOT for everyone. I'm building my business right in front of my friends and they still can't fully comprehend how I make everything work, how I'm able to keep my head up out of water, but it works, going on 3 years now and I wouldn't change anything in the world, messed up childhood and all

    My advice to people: Keep your head and dreams high, Don't look too far ahead, and NEVER LOOK BACK.

    Last edited by wolfgang314; 02-17-2007 at 04:32 PM.
    Richard S.
    WolfgangEngineering.com


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    Default tbrasstam

    Hi out there I've just joined your forum.I'm based in Scotland UK. I say UK because while in Canada last year I was asked if scotland was a part of London.Anyhow your talking wages. Over here Aberdeen wages (oil)are probably pretty good.$25.00 to $32 / hour.Plus overtime. However it's one man one machine back to back on shift work. If your CNC machined trained you don't weld. Out in the sticks as we say over here you can expect a drop to as low as $20.00/hour
    Skilled labour over here is in very short supply so we tend to move about a lot to get bigger wages. If your are a exceptional machinist you can demand high wages or if your brave enough go it alone. Or if your daft like me and go into management.
    best regards.



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    Default tax vs wages?

    average wages around here (south alabama) for a 1st class machinist run $17-19 an hour, If you have all your own tools, gauges, boxes, etc...in job shops and shipyards.

    On the other hand, property taxes on my house run under $300 a year, where it would easily cost me $8,000 a year in michigan where I used to live.



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