What's new
What's new

So how are the ST lathes holding up?

david n

Diamond
Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Location
Pillager, MN
The ST series has been out for a bit now, any owners out there want to comment on them? Any real improvements over the SL's? Are they even getting remotely close to the Japs?
 
Been running an ST-30 since december 09. No real problems, other than some things Haas already had fixes for. One minor crash knocked the wedge alignment out.

Just purchased an 09 SL-20, so havent ran it enough to really compare, but the ST does seem to be a stronger machine.
 
I'm surprised there isn't more feedback on these yet, they've surely sold a few by now.
I've been hesitating for a while to ask for pricing on their new ST-10 to see how it would compare with 2 other machines I've had in mind for when I'll finally get a turning center. hopefully there'll be more feedback before then.
 
My thoughts exactly. Either all the guys that bought them are too busy making parts to respond or...are too embarassed. :D

The local HFO is having an open house at the end of the month. I may finally get to see one up close. They would have to be a vast improvement over the SL lathes for me to buy one. My next lathe just may be a Doosan.
 
Every time I start to compare machines, I end up back on the Lynx220LC for the simple reason that I found nobody else in that size machine that has its bar capacity(2.68ID) unless you throw more $$$$ at them, and well it does offer quite a bit for the $, although I didn't check their current pricing either.
 
I got one of the last SL-10's...was thinking of going with the ST...but really didn't have the time to wait for it, it would have added another month or so to the 6- 8 week lead time on the SL-10. Talking with the HFO rep, he summed up the new ST's as pretty much the same machine, just a slightly different configuration giving them more room to implement Live Tooling. Most of the other upgrades where added to the SL line as time went on. Looking at the spec sheet I didn't see a difference.

However curious to see if anyone chimes in on any differences...
 
Talking with the HFO rep, he summed up the new ST's as pretty much the same machine

If that is true, I'd may never buy another. If Haas could make a nice stout machine, they would sell like hot cakes. There are so many shops out there that would love to buy American but need the quality and strength of a Jap made machine.
 
Did the last of the SL's have greased rails? didn't they switch from ball rails to roller rails on the ST, or had that started on the last SL's?

The rails on the ST-20SSY I saw seemed a bit bigger than what I'd seen before on their other machines.
 
I got one of the last SL-10's...was thinking of going with the ST...but really didn't have the time to wait for it, it would have added another month or so to the 6- 8 week lead time on the SL-10. Talking with the HFO rep, he summed up the new ST's as pretty much the same machine, just a slightly different configuration giving them more room to implement Live Tooling. Most of the other upgrades where added to the SL line as time went on. Looking at the spec sheet I didn't see a difference.

However curious to see if anyone chimes in on any differences...

Sounds like your "salesman" was "selling" you to move the SL-10.
 
I was at the Haas demo day and asked about the SL vs ST. They had a few bigger STs on demo but I was more interested in the ST10.

If I remember correctly, the evolution goes something like SL20/30/40 to SL10, then the newer ST. So, the old SL10 was sort of in between the old SL and the new ST. Hence the changes to the newer ST10 were more minor.

The old SL has a wedge angle of 30 degrees while the newer ST has 45 degree to facilitate the Y axis option. On the ST and the old SL10 the casting was changed to lower the spindle height for increase rigidity and more of the mass was moved toward the front of the machine. Hence, no more augers for the ST. Before they can facilitate both by changing the sheet metal but with the new casting, it's conveyor only.

They recommend that I go with a ST20 if I frequently uses the tail stock because on the ST10 the tail stock is positioned manually with a pneumatic quail. The SL10/ST10 had an integral coolant tank to minimize footprint and they did improve coolant tank access on the newer ST10. . . though still not as convenient as an external one.

I don't need the tail stock so I am still leaning toward a ST10, just a basic machine with tool presetter, which has an automatic arm instead of a manual one as was on the SL.

Anyway, that was the answer I got. Haas still has a backlog of 7~8 weeks.
 
Haastec,
Any connection to Haas other than your screen name? Have any imput about the ST lathes?

Former tech, but still doing service; 12 years and counting. Not much hands on with the newer ST line yet, but from what I have seen they are much improved with regards to rigidity which has always been lacking IMO. Hopefully you got to see some in action at the Haas Demo Day since they were focusing on the turning centers this time.

The Japanees machines still have a big edge over the Haas lathes. Don't get me wrong, I still like the Haas line up, but I am very realistic also.

Do you have lathes or looking at first one? What are you looking to do with one?
 
Not looking at buying. Just started this thread purely out of curiosity.

If I where to buy today, I would go with a Doosan. They offer an 8" chuck machine with a 2.625 bar capacity at a very attractive price. Haas really choked with the new ST's and not offering oversized bar capacity. :nutter:
 
Sounds like your "salesman" was "selling" you to move the SL-10.


To be honest, I really hope so! I hope he was lying out his teeth and hope the ST's are a better machine. At that time, my biggest factor was time. Had jobs lined up for another machine and really could not wait for a ST to come off the line. I considered another brand for a few bucks more...but among other things I didn't have time to deal with the learning curve of a new machine.

Anyway, I hope they are better, it would help me make the decision easier on the next lathe purchase...the SL-10s have been great to me...but starting to look for more machine...in all honesty I don't see the Haas brand moving up all that much...hope so...just have a feeling. Please prove me wrong Haas!!
 
Not looking at buying. Just started this thread purely out of curiosity.

If I where to buy today, I would go with a Doosan. They offer an 8" chuck machine with a 2.625 bar capacity at a very attractive price. Haas really choked with the new ST's and not offering oversized bar capacity. :nutter:


Yes and no...the Haas brand has a difficult time turning the diameters they offer as Standard. And I like Haas! Yeah I'll cut whatever I can fit in the machine...but I also know the meter is gonna be pegged even with the Feeds cut way back.
 
We have an sl10 sl20 and an st20 the sl20 is a good machine as far as I'm concerned the st20 maybe a lil better over all at far as keeping close dimensions but not much of a differens in my opinion, And as roddyf said we also had a pretty minor crash on the machine which knocked it out of alignment and was for a few days had plenty of crashes with the sl20 and it just keeps going the sl20 we have is our oldest and first one we got and still is my favorite machine in the shop
 
One thing Haas did with the new ST lathes is mount the spindle motor up high, actually above the spindle housing. To help dissipate heat better I guess.

But no other big manufacturer of cnc lathes has ever put the spindle motor up high. Seems like an invitation for added vibration. IMO, the spindle motor should be mounted down low on the frame, like all the top builders have done for years.

Of course Mazak, Mori, Okuma, and even Doosan have gone to integral spindle lathes now on many, if not all, of their machines now. No belts, less parts, less vibration.

I for one ain't too keen on the integral spindle lathes though. No matter how good the cooling system, you always get _a lot_ of thermal drift, effecting part size. On the order of .001" to .002"! Plus, the heat inside the rotating spindle shaft has nowhere to go but through the bearings.

No way an integral spindle lathe's bearings are going to last 25 years. I have several 20 to 25 year old Mazak lathes with belt drives still turning smooth and quiet as if brand new.

Belts for me I tell ya....
 
I for one ain't too keen on the integral spindle lathes though. No matter how good the cooling system, you always get _a lot_ of thermal drift, effecting part size. On the order of .001" to .002"! Plus, the heat inside the rotating spindle shaft has nowhere to go but through the bearings.

I like the integral motor spindles. Have two Okuma mills with them and a Okuma Captain lathe with a sub with two. I never noticed thermal drift like you mention. I do run a spindle warm up program every morning though.

I looked at a doosan with belt drive spindles when I was shopping for my Captain. The Doosan was 3 feet longer than my captain for basically the same chuck size and travels. Machines with integral spindles are definatly more compact.

I wonder how much heat is actually inside the rotating spindle shaft. The electrical coils are stationary around the spindle shaft and thats where the cooling jackets are. There are also cooling jackets around the bearings.
 
I too am curious about the ST series lathes. I have been looking at an ST10. I really think I am going to pull the trigger on one soon (in the next 2 months). I have to get a rep into my shop and go over the changes from the SL's and see what if it is what will work for me (if I believe him:rolleyes5:). This is the first time I have seriously looked at a new haas and I like it.:D

Jason,
 
There not good at all. Have one of the first 2010 ST 30's and it has had more problems than you could even imagine. Design flaw. ANY little tap on the turret or even heavy roughing, it will knock the machine out of alignment(wedge adjustment). The foot print for between the trucks is waaayyy to short for how high and big n heavy the hole wedge assembly is. We have and 06 sl 20 and that thing is bullet proof! Plus, once it gets warmed up the sl20 will hold a better tolerance than the st30 will all day. I would never buy another haas ST lathe of any kind again.
 








 
Back
Top