Thanks to the Forum! Just bought TM-3P

[omni-tracker]

Hello CNC Zone,

First, I wanted to thank the entire forum as I have been researching the purchase of my first Haas VMC for months and your forum has been indispensable in helping me form my decision. I have literally found good advice on nearly every question that I have had to date. I hope that I eventually will be able to add something to the forum as time goes on.

My TM-3p is set to be delivered the first week of August and here are the specs for the order:

Haas TM-3P
20-Station ATC
Chip Auger
High flow Coolant Pump Kit
Rigid Tapping
WIPS - Renishaw
WorkLight

Background:
I'm not going to be a job shop - I'm a product designer. I already have some products in the video/film market and will finally be able to manufacture all parts myself. Have a small benchtop CNC (CNC Jr. - plan on selling soon) since 2005, use Visual Mill 5.0, basic g-code knowledge, and several CAD packages. I'll be cutting 6061 and Grey PVC only to begin with. I'll attach a couple parts images below for reference...

In time I know I will have LOTS of questions and know there is much to learn. Again, I wanted to first say thanks to the forum for helping me get to this stage ( as a lurker ;-).

I'm moving along the list of things to do in preparation to delivery. Feel good about the used compressor I picked up (StandardAire) / got electrician lined up, etc.

I guess my first formal question to the forum has to do with bolting down the Machine. When finalizing the sale the Sales guy told me not to worry about it. Was just talking with another person from the HFO who was telling me they sell a 4 bolt kit for $400 + installation charges. Can any TM owners advise? to bolt down or not? Can I do it myself? Can the bolts be installed after the machine is placed and running?

Thanks again,

Best,
--Warren
http://www.omni-tracker.com

[KenFoulks]

I guess my first formal question to the forum has to do with bolting down the Machine. When finalizing the sale the Sales guy told me not to worry about it. Was just talking with another person from the HFO who was telling me they sell a 4 bolt kit for $400 + installation charges. Can any TM owners advise? to bolt down or not? Can I do it myself? Can the bolts be installed after the machine is placed and running?

Anchors must be installed prior to setting the machine in place.

Here is the layout for the TM-3P from the Haas website, it shows the anchoring locations:
http://haasportal.net/Portals/57ad71...ne%20Views.pdf

More information on anchoring instructions can be obtained through your local HFO. (ES-0095 is the Anchoring Instructions document)

[Geof]

Don't worry about it. The rapids on a TM3P are so slow and the weight capacity of the machine is not large so there is no chance it will move just sitting on its cast iron pads. I have numerous Haas machines, Minis, Super Minis, VF2s, HL1, GT20s, SL10s and non are bolted down.The only machine I bolted down is a GR510.

[omni-tracker]

Thanks! I'm going to forget about it for now. Should a problem arise down the road, I'm thinking I could disconnect the machine, move it out of the way, put the bolts in and then place the machine on them.

[haastec]

Don't worry about it. The rapids on a TM3P are so slow and the weight capacity of the machine is not large so there is no chance it will move just sitting on its cast iron pads. I have numerous Haas machines, Minis, Super Minis, VF2s, HL1, GT20s, SL10s and non are bolted down.The only machine I bolted down is a GR510.

+1

With your machine I wouldn't worry about it.

Heavier machines are the ones that would require bolts in place prior to the machine since you cannot easily move them once in place. Even on those machines, most are not bolted to the floor either.

Have fun with the new TM-3P!

[WATERJET71]

Thanks! I'm going to forget about it for now. Should a problem arise down the road, I'm thinking I could disconnect the machine, move it out of the way, put the bolts in and then place the machine on them.

So what compressor brand did you get? I'm getting my mini mill in 2 weeks and I need to get me a compressor, and dont know what get.

[omni-tracker]

I found a used 5hp 80 Gallon compressor made by StandardAire. The guy I bought it from has a job shop and was running 2 Haas VFs off of it until he recently upgraded to a rotary compressor. I did alot of searching here on the forum before deciding to go this route largely to save money. A new rotary type compressor seems to be in the 3500-5000 price range at the low end and I picked this one up for $650. It will be louder, but I'll have more cash to spend on tooling.

[WATERJET71]

I found a used 5hp 80 Gallon compressor made by StandardAire. The guy I bought it from has a job shop and was running 2 Haas VFs off of it until he recently upgraded to a rotary compressor. I did alot of searching here on the forum before deciding to go this route largely to save money. A new rotary type compressor seems to be in the 3500-5000 price range at the low end and I picked this one up for $650. It will be louder, but I'll have more cash to spend on tooling.

I wanted to get a 60 or 80 gallon tank but dont have much space plus the electrician told me that I only have 100 amp coming in and the mill needs 50 amp and that left me with 50 for the rest of the house so he said a big compressor might be a problem. dont know much about electric stuff. so I found a 30 gallon dont know if that's ok for the mini mill but I was just reading the reviews and it has a very good reviews at lowes web site.

[Machineit]

I wanted to get a 60 or 80 gallon tank but dont have much space plus the electrician told me that I only have 100 amp coming in and the mill needs 50 amp and that left me with 50 for the rest of the house so he said a big compressor might be a problem. dont know much about electric stuff. so I found a 30 gallon dont know if that's ok for the mini mill but I was just reading the reviews and it has a very good reviews at lowes web site.

You must realize that when it says you need 50 amps for your mill, that is with everything electrical maxed out. I ran a VF-2 for a year, before I moved it and finished wiring it in permanently, on a 20 amp circuit breaker. In reality, you will probably never exceed 15 amps draw at any given time.

As for the compressor, the tank size is important, but pressure is more important. Many small tank compressors have low limits on their cutoff pressure, maybe 110 to 120. Since your machine wants 80 psi as a minimum, the compressor will run very often.

It is better to buy a larger compressor with 135 to 145 cutoff pressure. A 5 or 6 hp motor will only take a 220v 20amp circuit and will not run near as often and will last longer. Many good compressors are available at Lowes, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, Sears and so on.

As far as the noise, set your compressor in a corner and build a housing for it. If you can get it in a corner, you only need two side and a top. Insulate the housing with regular old fiberglass insulation, paper side to the compressor. You do not want to cut off of the air. Leave a gap at the bottom and a vent at the top somewhere. I have mine under the steps at work and surrounded in insulation. I can even open the door and it's still 80% quieter than with no insulation. Closed or open, the insulation absorbs much of the sound.

Mike

[HelicopterJohn]

Hi Warren,

Looks like you are going to have a really nice machine. I have a 2007 HAAS TM-1P and love it. The Renishaw Wireless Probe and Wireless Tool Setter is my favorite option. It makes setup a breeze. You have all the other nice options as well. The only thing I would take a second look at is the work light. The one I received with my TM-1P was a joke compared to the lighting options offered in the VF series of machines. Hopefully, the optional light is improved from what was offered in 2007. Of course, that is a minor detail. I put some Halogen lamps in mine and it lights up pretty nice.

I wish I had a 20 tool changer on mine. Sometimes 10 tools can have you changing cutters more often that you would like.

You have some really neat looking items that you are going to make. The HAAS will do a fine job making those.

Check with Maritool for your tool holders if you haven't already taken care of that item. I have found the quality and service to be very good.

Enjoy your new machine! P.S. I didn't bolt my machine down.

John

[omni-tracker]

Hi Warren,

....The only thing I would take a second look at is the work light. The one I received with my TM-1P was a joke compared to the lighting options offered in the VF series of machines. Hopefully, the optional light is improved from what was offered in 2007. Of course, that is a minor detail. I put some Halogen lamps in mine and it lights up pretty nice.
.....

Check with Maritool for your tool holders if you haven't already taken care of that item. I have found the quality and service to be very good.
....

John

Hi John,
First, I want to say thanks directly to you... Loved your videos as I came across them doing my research! Hope to do some videos myself once I get over the initial shock of getting things up and running.

As far as the light goes, I hope it's good quality too. All in all I'm happy with the deal I negotiated for the whole setup (overpriced lighting included ;-). Starting to think I should have gone with the programmable fluid but figured I could add it on later and was really stretching my budget with the other options.

Been pouring over the Maritool site for the past few days getting my initial tooling in order. It's amazing how fast you can fill up the 19 empty tools in the 20 tool carousel. The product I make has to have 3 different thread types in it - so there's 6 slots - bam. Plastic specific tooling then the aluminum stuff and it's already practically full. I plan on giving them a call at the beginning of the week with a couple questions. I'm initially going with ER collets for the core tooling and will add on from there. Since I will primarily be cutting 6061 and plastic (PVC) I decided to try out the liquidicecoolant for my first pail too.

Thanks again for all your input around the forum.

Best,
--Warren

[HelicopterJohn]

Hi Warren,

The videos are just my way to trying to give a little pay back for all the help I have received here and other forums on the net. Glad they may have been of some help.

Frank at Maritool will have some good advise for you. Two or in your case 3 drill chucks will be nice in case you are loading multiple drill bits. You can do it with collets but you will need a larger selection of collets to accomplish this. If you have specific sizes of drills you are going to use for your particular product collets may be a cheaper solution. During the original purchase of my machine I got a tooling package that included both ER16 and ER32 tool holders. I find that on my TM-1P I end up using more of the ER16's for the type of work that I do. Of course the size range is smaller on the ER16's and I believe the cost is less for the collets.

Yes, that Renishaw Probe in the last position will probably be your favorite tool. Ha Ha

I have be using Castrol MB-50 (think that is the number) since I purchased my machine back in 2007 and it works really well. Doesn't hurt the paint finish on the inside of the cabinet and there are no odor issues. I also installed an aquarium air pump with a timer on it in the coolant tank.

John