Tool Room Lathe - full enclosure or not?

[flashno]

Looking at a new TL-2, it would be our first TL-series lathe. Want your opinions, is the full enclosure a pain to deal with, or fairly easy to work around? I assume it can be overridden, like the doors on an SL or VF?

Do you have a TL without one, and wish you had one? Or is the reverse true? Or are you happy as a clam with what you have? I want to know!

Thanks,

Ed

[Donkey Hotey]

I have an open TL-1. It's a dribbling, drooling mess of a machine. Coolant drips off of the casting everywhere. I honestly think that the best thing you could do with one of these is to build a sheetmetal bathtub, about 4" deep, all the way around the machine and make sure it sticks out the front about 4-6" from the casting. That way it'll catch the drool from the carriage and front of the casting. Mine is installed so it's a bit late to pick it up and put the mentioned pan under it.

With that said, I've read on here that the enclosure deflects it but also leaks like crazy. It will reduce the amount of flung coolant (over the open TL series) but it won't be as clean as a dedicated turning center. Somebody else will be along to comment on it shortly, I'm sure. I'm not knocking the machine. I love it. It's cleaner and controls coolant better than my old manual lathe but if you're expecting it to stay dry around it, you'll be disappointed. Keep a mop handy.

The only TL-1 I've seen with the full enclosure was at the Dorian booth at Westec. When I got to see it, I was actually relieved that I didn't spend the extra to get it. It seems very restrictive, covers everything and it's very dark inside. I didn't like it. Maybe I'd change my mind after using it and having a bit more coolant control but I doubt it. I also seem to remember something being restrictive around the chuck or something. I can't remember for sure but I remember the Dorian guy fumbling around because of the cabinet and door.

[Geof]

Do I qualify as an acceptable 'somebodt else'?

I have a TL-2 with the full enclosure and am very happy with it. Apart from making flood cooling practical you also get a higher top speed option, 3500rpm I think, and faster rapids which are much better.

Yes it is not a perfect enclosure and you can get coolant splashing out of gaps; I had to install baffles above and beside the headstock and I also mounted a large one at the back of the carriage. Somewhere there is a post with some pictures.

I do not find the enclosure too restrictive, the left door slides open until it is past the end of the headstock and the right door goes back level with the front of the tailstock at its rearmost position.

The windows are quite large and it is easy to see what is going on inside so long as not too much coolant splashes. Actually there are two windows in each door; one for the operator view and the other on the top rear that lets light in. I mounted a fluorescent fixture directly above the top windows and have excellent illumination.

EDIT: Look at post #13 in this thread:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44745

[AMCTony]

Get the enclosure!!!

I have a TL-2 with the enclosure. I have tried running with the doors open from time to time and ended up closing them so I did not have to dodge flying hot chips. When running with coolant it is not a question weather to have an enclosure or not, you just need it.

[Donkey Hotey]

I finally remembered what I didn't like about the enclosure: access to the tailstock. The tailstock is already tough to deal with. It doesn't slide well. The locking handle is awkward to use. The enclosure looked like it would make it even worse.

[Geof]

Originally Posted by Donkey Hotey I finally remembered what I didn't like about the enclosure: access to the tailstock...

Grow longer arms with an extra elbow joint.

[Donkey Hotey]

One or two more joints in the arm might actually make that thing easier to use.

I will admit that if cost were no object, I would have spent the money on the enclosure. If the enclosure were a little cheaper or performed better than I've read here, I would be pining for it. As long as I keep the coolant flow down and keep the chuck guard down, it's pretty good.

I should also mention that I made this stainless splash pan to go under the toolpost. It catches a bunch of the coolant that misses the chuck guard and used to pour off the front of the machine. It still drools but it's better.


I think that I could design and build a better sheetmetal enclosure for the machine. The challenge is that I don't have a big enough brake to form the sheets. It needs a continuous gutter along the front and back of the machine. It needs sliding doors that can go completely out of the way (more like the TL-4 enclosure). Two inter-nesting doors like this could at least make the tailstock accessible. The doors don't have to be form fitting. They could be 24" above the part and not matter--as long as the coolant is caught and returned to the sump.


I still think they need a machine in a similar size to the TL-1/TL-2 but in the $40-60K price range:

• 16-18" swing
• 40-60" bed
• 14-16" of X travel (making gang tooling possible)
• Two-speed gearbox
• Absolute coolant control (no drooling)
• Optional vertical turret changer (Dorian style)

The machine could do small chucker-type jobs in a semi-production role (tooling bushings, sleeves, spacers, etc). It could do harder materials. It could handle the random long part. It could be closed and the coolant controlled when those semi-production jobs got run. An air closer and bar puller could automate it for short runs.

Nothing in the Haas stable can do all of that right now. I couldn't have afforded it on this purchase but for customers who are already 'all Haas' or for customers who have those type of needs, I don't think there is anything else out there that offers all of that.

I'm pushing for two, well optioned TL-2s at my day job but the machine I described above is what I'd pick if Haas made it. We do one-off and proof-of-concept machining. Parts can vary from tiny bushings up to chucking and turning 30" lengths of stainless tubing. Incidentally, I didn't request the enclosures on either TL-2 we're asking for.

[Donkey Hotey]

Originally Posted by Donkey Hotey Optional vertical turret changer (Dorian style)

I visited my local, friendly HFO yesterday (to get some parts). It looks like I might have found the perfect tool changer for my dream lathe (Haas, are you listening?). The GT20 has a horizontal bed (not a slant bed like the other turning centers). That cross slide looks almost like the one on the TL1/TL2. On that cross slide, they have a nice, compact vertical turret tool changer.

So we're one part closer to assembling my 'dream' Toolroom lathe.

[Wiseco]

I have an open TL-2 and as I never or barely use collant, I'm very satisfied with what I have as I don't do mass production runs.

[flashno]

Thanks to all for the info. We have decided to go with the enclosure, as we will have the need to use flood coolant at least part of the time. We have an SL-10 for small (short) parts, but need the length the TL-2 will give us. Seems with a few well placed additional splash shields (thanks Geof & Greg for the pics), it will do just fine.

Ed