Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?


Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    60
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

    Hi everyone. I've had my little side business running for almost two years now and, despite Covid, I'm not doing that bad.
    I currently have a 3 axis Fadal VMC40, with rotary A.

    I desperately need a lathe. Like everyone, I want the most I can get, and I want to pay the least I have to.
    I have about 30k and I'd like to get a turn/mill with radial and axial live tool capable machine.
    I'm looking at a Haas SL20 or SL25 (because I need to save 3-5k for rigging and hookup) but I don't know anything about Haas's. People either bash them or stand by them adamantly but I've never run one.

    I am using MasterCam to program.
    I'd like 1.75 or 2" through the head stock.
    The majority of my parts are about 2 or 3 inches long. Could be up to 6 to 8 inches long.
    The majority of my parts are 1 inch bar stock, but could be anything.
    A bar feeder isn't necessary, although it would be cool.
    I'd like a chuck and 5c/16c collet abilities.
    I don't need a tail stock, but I wouldn't say no to one.
    I'd rather a sub spindle, but I'll take what I can get.
    I'd like to have control of the C axis
    I'd like the machine to accept Vactra 2 since that's what I run and I don't want to mix and match oils.
    I'd like it to be 220VAC 3 phase, under 50 amps.
    I'd like it to run on 85-125 psi of air
    And be in, or around, New England if someone knows one for sale. (Located in CT)

    I'm hoping someone can come along and say "Check out this machine..." or "Do it, I have a SL20/25 and you won't regret it!"

    Thank you.


    --Steve

    Similar Threads:


  2. #2
    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5716
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

    So you want a $100K lathe for $30K, yup, that's what we all want.

    I went through this same thought process when I bought mine. What I wanted was a full on Mori 9 axis mill/turn machining center with all the bells and whistles, but I didn't have $1.5M to spend (or the power to run it). After months of searching Craigslist and Ebay, I wound up with a 30 year old Hardinge Conquest 42, with live tooling and no Y axis and no sub spindle or tail stock. It did have a C axis, sort of, with a 1 degree resolution. I picked up this machine for $9K and had to drive 1700 miles (one way) to pick it up. The machine is in excellent mechanical shape and came well tooled, just the value of live tools far exceeded what I paid for the machine. I didn't take long (about a week) before I realized that the antique Fanuc OT control was not going to cut it, so add another $7K for the upgrade to modern controls. I lost the C axis in the upgrade process, but this has not been too much of an issue, and I will add it back in one of these days if I really need it. We just have to do some second opps on another machine, a sub spindle would be nice, but that's not gonna happen.

    Search Craigslist using Search Tempest https://www.searchtempest.com/ and Ebay. It took me a couple of months to find what I was looking for.

    As far as a Haas, they are lighter weight machines, but we have been very happy with our TM 2P mill, it's been a real workhorse for us, and have had minimal issues over the last 2 years with it.

    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA


  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    60
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

    I would gladly take a 100k machine for 30k. I'd even put the rigging on my CC at that point.

    I didn't think I was that bad on pricing for an early aughts machine. I'm nervous because of my unfamiliarity with Haas. Although the Fadal was quite quirky when I first got into that.

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk



  4. #4
    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5716
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

    That looks like a pretty well equipped Haas for the price and it looks clean. 9000 spindle hours is not too bad for 15 years, that machine sat doing nothing a lot.

    No tail stock or sub spindle, but does have the full C axis.

    I wouldn't be afraid to buy a Haas, but this one doesn't quite meet all of your specs.

    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA


  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    usa
    Posts
    162
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

    Another one if your not dead set on a haas,
    I have a Hyundai kia skt- 21 lms(long bed, milling,sub)

    I see them every now and then in the price range your looking for.

    Mine has been running 3 shifts since 2007 and is probably the most neglected lathe in the plant. But it still has the highest up time of my machines. And on the rare occasion it breaks, parts have been very reasonable(mori and Okuma parts are gold plated ). In the 8 years I've been running it, I have had 3 moderate repairs: sub spindle bearings---2500 with labor, subspindle wiring loom broke and took out the drive. 2k ish(i built the new harness) and the servo drive for the turret, 3k ish. Minor stuff like parts catcher belts and hoses,belts I consider normal wear. If I had to buy a lathe for me that would be one I would start on.

    Sent from my SM-A515U1 using Tapatalk



  6. #6

    Default Re: Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

    Be SURE to inspect the machine before you buy in person, check for any sinister stuff in the electrical box at the back, like all wires sprawled out of the trunking, oil on the floor of the box, stuff like that, another thing with old haas machines is the boards could most likely be replaced, meaning the hours are reset and not what they actually are, it looks like a good price for that setup but make sure you know what you're buying, ive made that mistake with haas before, the electronics are not known for being the most reliable, all in all from what i can see it looks good, best of luck.



  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    60
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

    How are the Okuma LU15's? They look like they meet most of my requirements and one is in my area~ish for under 20k.



  8. #8
    Member okuma1984's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    TILSONBURGE
    Posts
    101
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

    Quote Originally Posted by Paraquat View Post
    How are the Okuma LU15's? They look like they meet most of my requirements and one is in my area~ish for under 20k.
    absolutely the best



Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


About CNCzone.com

    We are the largest and most active discussion forum for manufacturing industry. The site is 100% free to join and use, so join today!

Follow us on


Our Brands

Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?

Buying a Turn/Mill with Live tooling. Haas SL20/25?