ToolRoom Mill/Mini Mill

[StampCraft]

I was wondering if anyone out there uses the ToolRoom Mill or the Mini Mill.
How rigid is it when cutting steel say: tool steel, 4140ph, Stainless. (vibration in the table/linear ways) It seems that the dovetail on a Bridgeport would have more dampining and rigidity than the smallest point of the ball meeting the rail?(over time as linears become loose) I'm a Haas user and I like their machines, but I'm concerned that the TRM or the M-Mill might be to light duty for everyday tool and die making.

[wms]

Stamp,

I have one mini mill. It's about 2 1/2 years old.
I do some steel (4130,4140,) and some stainless (15-5,17-4).

But I don't mill anything with heavy cuts. I use small depths and fast feeds. I do this on all my machines, big and little. I feel it's better all around. Better for the cutters, better for the machines, and mostly it's faster. JMO

I have been very happy with the mini mill, and all my Haas's.

You just have to remember your not buying a VF6. There isn't much mass to absorb all the forces.

I have one Haas (VF1) that is 13 years old and all we do on it is one part, 1117 material, and it still is going strong. That's all it ever been used for that one steel part. Still holds good tolerance and it runs almost every day, has for 13 years. Very little done to it at all. Man come to think about it, that machine has made us a lot of change over the years.

[HuFlungDung]

So that's how you price stuff out, is it Ward?

Price per part: $10.00
material $2.00
programming $100.00

Oh, and incidentally, there'll be a one time charge of $35,000 for a machine for your job

[steveag]

I 've been using a TRM for about 6 months now and I am very happy with it . I wish we had gotten the mini or the super mini as I could use the spindle RPM's . I do 400 stainless ,alot of A2 and alittle AL. I sometimes have to go back and modify the A2 after it has been hardened to +58RC . Your right about the mass of the ways . I take a little smaller and faster cuts and try to stay within what I think the limits of the machine is . I get fast and accurate work done with it . Forget about Bridgeport all they have left is a name and fast talking salespeople .

[wms]

Originally posted by HuFlungDung
So that's how you price stuff out, is it Ward?

Price per part: $10.00
material $2.00
programming $100.00

Oh, and incidentally, there'll be a one time charge of $35,000 for a machine for your job

LMAO

Good work when you can get it. ( and keep it)

[StampCraft]

Hey, Ward.
This is JIM from the Bobcad forum. Stampcraft is my side company. I'm the one who's VF-3 could'nt read .tap file. I'm still having to change it standard file(O5454.FILE) to this day. Just something wrong with the floppy drive,it doesn't matter whether it's Surfcam or Bobcad.
Well, I think go with the TRM.
I'm currently using OTM cutters w/cermet inserts on my VF-3,so these should work fine for the TRM. Hey, nice job on that motorcycle part. Jim Jacobs

[wms]

Jim,
Nice to see you here.

Lot's of good people here with lot's of good info.

Enjoy.

[marto74]

Hi
I'm from Bulgaria
At the moment Our company is planing to get HAAS TRM -1H
And I'm wondering if it capable to do 3 axes interpolation linear
(I mean G1 x23 y34 z12 as an example)
Thanks : MArtin

[wms]

Martin,

Yes all Haas controllers / machines are 3 axis simultaneous.


With the addition of an optional card and indexer, they can be made 4 axis simultaneous.

Regards,
Ward

[marto74]

Originally posted by steveag
I 've been using a TRM for about 6 months now and I am very happy with it . I wish we had gotten the mini or the super mini as I could use the spindle RPM's . I do 400 stainless ,alot of A2 and alittle AL. I sometimes have to go back and modify the A2 after it has been hardened to +58RC . Your right about the mass of the ways . I take a little smaller and faster cuts and try to stay within what I think the limits of the machine is . I get fast and accurate work done with it . Forget about Bridgeport all they have left is a name and fast talking salespeople .

Hi, steveag
Is it true that TRM is not with central lubrication?
How acurate is TRM?
Can you reach +/- 0.02 mm in 400 mm?

Regads: Martin

[Tod]

Hi
Please excuse me if this isn't in the correct place, I am new to this in many ways. I am interested in purchasing something like a Haas Mini Mill in the very near future and have a few questions regarding it. I also need to purchase a Cad package to go with it. I do have some experience with AutoCad 2000 which a friend has, but would probably want to buy something more up to date, that would compliment the machine better. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[KevinWilkins]

I've been using a TM-1 for the past 2 1/2 years in my shop making knives. I cut a lot of 6Al4V titanium, highly alloyed stainless and other toolsteels. I also do glassfibre plastics and laminates and most of my fixtures are alu.

The machine has cut everything I've tried with zero problems. Accuracy is a lot more than simple machine stats; you have to use the correct cutters and workholding is very important. Any accuracy problems I've run into were the result of bad workholding or idiotic mistakes on my side... I'm sure the TM-1 will hold the tolerances Haas promises.

I have never had a vibration problem, however I think you have use the mahine within its limits. Obviously a box ways machine that weighs 10,000 kilos should be more robust than a TM-1. If I were were going to be final machining engine blocks for cars 3 shifts a day, I'd choose another machine.

Taking shallow cuts was what I started out doing but have come to find that using the correct cutter for the job and taking deeper cuts is actually better for most applications.

For example when cookie cuttering knife grips from titanium sheet I now use Ingersoll 4mm carbide endmills running at up to 4mm DOC at 400+mm/m. I used to use other carbide cutters taking a cut of maybe 0.15mm and going like 125mm/m. Took forever!

With the most cutters trying to run 3-4mm deep would result in the cutter breaking after about 10mm cut length. With the Ingersol there is no vibration at all... just a fountain of chips and presto! you're done.

So what I'm trying to say, be sure and do extensive reasearch and testing of cutters for your application before deciding there's a problem with the machine.

I love my TM-1 (or at least I really really like it! :-)) and I wish I could afford one of those Office Lathes to go along with it!