[Spinnetti]

Well, for grins, post the Solidworks file and I'll see if I have the same problems. We're in the same boat (Solidworks / Mastercam).

I usually import the Solidworks file, then set the stock boundary around the part, plus whatever margin I want for stock allowance. I ask it to generate lines and points with the stock. I use that stock perimeter as the basis of my work offset.

If you start with good 3D, you can load all of the geometry depths with mouse picks instead of remembering dimensions.

And keep in mind that you can do things like click the depth button, click on a line that defines the depth and have it load that into the dialog field. from there you can click into that field and do arithmetic. If you wanted to change a drill depth to be a bit more shallow, you could click in there and type +0.050 after the number and tab to the next field. Mastercam will do the math for you--adding 0.050 to the field's value. It's very useful.

I suspect that your biggest problem is making friends with the WCS settings. I too am working on making peace with the tool plane / construct plane thing.

ah, thats good stuff. Most of what you mentioned I didn't even know was possible, just not get the pockets right. In my example file, I did get the stock defined, and the major profile, just not the inner cuts/pockets... The irony is that my actual needs are dead simple, so once I can get one part to cut, I can make virtually all the parts that I want to. (its all 2.5d simple stuff).

Here's the Sw file (SW2008)

I got my PC side rebuilt, and if I can kick my daughter off the PC, I'll load up the files you guys did for me and have a look.

Thanks!