Haas TM-1 Floppy drive

[speedrider]

Does anyone know if the floppy drives on a Haas controller is a standard floppy drive from a computer, or are they different so that you have to pay the exorbitant price that Haas wants for them?

[vlmarshall]

The floppy on my shop's oldest VF-3 was a standard drive, I'll take a guess and say the newer ones are too, although I haven't replaced any of those yet. It's certainly worth a try!

[Donkey Hotey]

The floppy drive isn't expensive, but the magic code to turn it on sure is.

[tobyaxis]

Originally Posted by speedrider Does anyone know if the floppy drives on a Haas controller is a standard floppy drive from a computer, or are they different so that you have to pay the exorbitant price that Haas wants for them?

You would be better off with a USB Flash drive. They will handle 2GB no problem. Better than the 1.44mb of a floppy.

[Geof]

What is the context of your question? Are you replacing and existing floppy drive that does not work? Do you want to install a floppy drive in a machine that came without it?

[speedrider]

Originally Posted by Geof What is the context of your question? Are you replacing and existing floppy drive that does not work? Do you want to install a floppy drive in a machine that came without it?

I may need to replace one that is acting up. I have a micro disk for our Mazak, and that thing has a non standard floppy drive.

[Geof]

I watched one being retrofitted to a machine and it looked the same as the ones in older computers. If you already have one installed you don't need the activation code so there should be no problem. Pull the covers off and see if you can find a manufactures name on the floppy unit.

[Doug Tyler]

Originally Posted by tobyaxis You would be better off with a USB Flash drive. They will handle 2GB no problem. Better than the 1.44mb of a floppy.

Is it possible to add a USB flash drive to a machine that just has a floppy disk?

[Geof]

Originally Posted by Doug Tyler Is it possible to add a USB flash drive to a machine that just has a floppy disk?

You need to talk to Haas for a definite answer but a couple of years ago I was told it was either/or. The machine software was different in some way and a floppy machine could not run a usb port.

[Donkey Hotey]

Since USB came up and you're gonna' be replacing the drive anyway

http://cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69389

[Guitarrero]

Geof. Are you suggesting that it's possible to put a floppy drive (or better yet a usb card) in an older machine that does not have a floppy drive? I have a 94 VF-0 that does not have a drive and I'd like to add one. Thx.

[Shotout]

Originally Posted by speedrider I may need to replace one that is acting up. I have a micro disk for our Mazak, and that thing has a non standard floppy drive.

I had to replace the one in a 2001 tm-1 at my last employer's. I bought a standard one from newegg.com for 9.98 and it was still working when I left a little over a year later.

Slightly off topic but as you mentioned it those non-standard drives for mazaks are on there too for about $20 which beats the price, about $250 I seem to recall, that I was quoted by mazak.