Haas Lathe Reccomendations

[molnarmachine]

I just joined this site and thought that I would put my 2 cents in about the Haas SL20. I own a 2004 Haas SL20 and a VF3 Mill. Our lathe has had minor problems such as blacked out screens that the service guy has fixed twice. My biggest beef about the lathe is the tool turret. After breaking center drills and drills in certain stations, we finally trammed each tool holder in to the spindle. Each tool holder was different, requiring you to log the 'x' location for each holder to be used when you drill at that station. There were some that you could not indicate in perfectly because the tools come down on an angle not allowing you to tram in perfect. We just don't put drills in these stations. I thought the turret should of been held to tighter specs.. Also the machine requires warm up each morning and still you will not get the same results as the night before. This requires that you make adjustments in the cutter comp in the morning and then change it as the machine begins to warm up during the morning runs. This may be acceptable to most, but I have ran other CNC machines that do not require a warm up each morning. For example the Fadal Mill that I ran was never warmed up and it ran steady. Also, while I did not particularily care for the Hundai lathe that I ran it also did not need to be warmed up. Whats up with that... the explanation that I get is thermal expansion. Anyhow about the Mill ... do not buy a Haas Mill unless it has the
Geard Head... I have stalled a 5/8 dill with a 1/4 predrilled hole in CRS. Running about 350 rpm and 3 inches per minute. That really sucks!!!!!!
I would have paid the extra for the Geared Head if my salesman would of suggested the problems that I would be having. Now we have to baby our drill cycles. but I regress.....
I hope this helps someone.
Feel free to e-mail me with any questions..
molnarmachine@direcway.com

[devilmn]

I have to agree completely with NEOMAN on the Haas SL20...I've been working with 2 of them for the last 3 years..Bought brand new and the minute they come in the door...I checked turret alignment on both...They varied from .001-.012" out of sync on the X and radial alignment. They DO NOT Hold tolerances better than .0005" No repeatablity and to top it off, the spindle motors on both only after 1 year, are whining like a hog in heat. These machines are built cheap & Haas Corp. is littering the world with there cheap crap Machine tools. I have 3 Hitachi-Seiki's that are over 20 years old..They are dead on and have no issues like the Haas brand. The reason they hold the market is that most shops can afford them and NOT a good MT. You can get 2 tools for the cost of 1 Mori Seiki. The thermal comp is a waste and a gimmick to make it look like they are state of the art. It is very cheap and the software is primitive for tweaking params and such. They cover the controls with visual bells and whistles to make up for the crap base and ways...built in Cali by Mexicans...That should speak for itself. Mr. Haas, please do some research on a quality tool and take some notes! SO waht if you have to raise the price...at least it might make for a little better MT!
Anyone who reads this, please think before you buy a Haas...Talk to other customers of similar specs to yourself before jumping in the hole!

[Machineit]

Originally Posted by devilmn I have to agree completely with NEOMAN on the Haas SL20...I've been working with 2 of them for the last 3 years..Bought brand new and the minute they come in the door...I checked turret alignment on both...They varied from .001-.012" out of sync on the X and radial alignment. They DO NOT Hold tolerances better than .0005" No repeatablity and to top it off, the spindle motors on both only after 1 year, are whining like a hog in heat. These machines are built cheap & Haas Corp. is littering the world with there cheap crap Machine tools. I have 3 Hitachi-Seiki's that are over 20 years old..They are dead on and have no issues like the Haas brand. The reason they hold the market is that most shops can afford them and NOT a good MT. You can get 2 tools for the cost of 1 Mori Seiki. The thermal comp is a waste and a gimmick to make it look like they are state of the art. It is very cheap and the software is primitive for tweaking params and such. They cover the controls with visual bells and whistles to make up for the crap base and ways...built in Cali by Mexicans...That should speak for itself. Mr. Haas, please do some research on a quality tool and take some notes! SO waht if you have to raise the price...at least it might make for a little better MT! Anyone who reads this, please think before you buy a Haas...Talk to other customers of similar specs to yourself before jumping in the hole!

I must say that for your first post, you really hit it out of the park.

You rant and rave like an idiot and__TA DA___your doing it in a thread that is 6 years old. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

[devilmn]

Originally Posted by Machineit I must say that for your first post, you really hit it out of the park. You rant and rave like an idiot and__TA DA___your doing it in a thread that is 6 years old. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks

Thanks...I'm a pshyco too! I only have 26 years as a machinist in tool and die and aerospace, medical, military and various other areas...I think I earned my belt to "Rant & Rave" about the crap Haas litters the USA with. Although you're prob. a Haas GURU! lol... I'm sure you're an expert machinist who "Loves" your Haas MT's..So, just keep buying them. I know that it's an old post, why you reading it? Or do you just like to "spew" out your pie hole? Like it or not, it's MY opinion...Ain't **** you can do about it...have a nice life!

[Machineit]

Originally Posted by devilmn I know that it's an old post, why you reading it? Or do you just like to "spew" out your pie hole? Like it or not, it's MY opinion...Ain't **** you can do about it...have a nice life!

Because when you post a reply to it, there is no way of know that it is an old post, from the new post page, until it's opened up.

Thank you so much, enjoy.

[txcncman]

Haas is what it is. I do not have any complaints about Haas. I have found work arounds for any situation that has come up. I guess my 18 years in machine shops is better than some with 26.