Rookie on a Haas SL 30

[theatrewizard]

Until our new Haas is delivered late Jan. '08, the "new" lathe I've been working on was built when Kennedy was in the White House. I am self taught, but have been using the Monarch and Bridgeport for about 8 years now. I'm basically looking for guidance towards good learning software and away from the bad. I will be making mostly variation of pulleys and helical drums.
Any input would be great. Thanks

[Donkey Hotey]

I don't know what kind of budget you're dealing with but if you can swing a trip to California, this is what I'd do:

Go to the Haas website and find the Training page:
http://www.haascnc.com/custserv_training.asp

Print out the Lathe manuals and start getting familiar with the control layout and some of the basics (before it arrives). This is what's coming with your machine anyway but I prefer to have thrasher, 'work copies' in the machine anyway (I keep the factory-supplied manual put away).

Schedule yourself to get into the Lathe training class out at the factory. Do the scheduling now. The classes fill up. Ideally, you'll want the training about a week or two after your machine arrives though that might or might not work out.

It's a free, three-day class. It's well worth it for somebody new to CNC or the Haas control. It's even better if you have just a little background in the control before you arrive. You'll have more relevant questions that way and you won't feel lost the way I did for the whole first day.

They share lots of tips along the way that went right over my head because I was still getting the basics of navigating the control.

They feed you lunch each day and on the last day, you'll get a tour of the factory. Really: it's worth the trip out there if you can justify it. Airline tickets a hotel and a cheapie rental car is all it'll cost you.

If that scenario just isn't going to fit for whatever reason, another inmate here shared a link to some online training:
http://www.learnhaascnc.com