Haas TM-1 Mods. How to make this a less messy machine.

I thought I would share a few pics of some modifications I have made to my Haas TM1. I really like my machine and the only complaint I have on it is how messy it can be but thats to be expected on a non enclosed machine. As you can see I screwed a large sheet of plastic chloroplast to each outer chip trays. That works good for catching most chips from flying too far out of the machine. I also took some tubing, metal strap and some more chloroplast and made a taller drip pan up front. It keeps coolant dripping off the table from splashing out onto the floor. The last thing I did was put a shower curtain up around the machine. Its good to have when the ripper mill comes out because it throws coolant every where. I was looking at the machine today and I am seriously considering taking all the grey sheet metal off of the table. If I did that I could put up a bigger shower curtain all the way around the machine and I think that would be more effective at containing chips and coolant and chips anyway. Plus it would make getting to the table easier and faster. What does everyone think should I get rid if the table enclosure or not? Someday I would like to upgrade to a VF2 machine but thats a few years off. Anyone have any other tips for making the machine work better faster cleaner?

We also put some panels on our TM-2 but your shower curtain is worth some thought. I know one place that did a full home brew enclosure but there was a lot of effort involved. I like the idea of taking the grey metal off and improving the curtain (and use something that can handle the odd hot chip in case you run steel) but be ready to put it all back. We are scheming about upgrading to a Vf-2 as well and an important part of that is the trade in value on the TM.

The shower curtain enclosure is a common benchtop machine mod. Other than going to MQL for profile cuts, or putting a full enclosure on the machine when you need to use flood coolant, the mess comes with the territory. It's an open envelope machine, by the time you put up enough shields to stop every avenue of escape, you're interfering with travel, your vice, your toolchanger, etc.

If you can definnatly try MQL as it makes parts so much cleaner to handle. As to removing the table guarding, just consider the health and safety implications.

Instead of shower curtain, i would go for something heavier like the cloth reinforced PVC curtain side lorry's use. Even red hot chips just bounce off it, i use it with my bridge-port as way covers. That said, keeping to clear keeps it nice and bright in the machine, even if its not exactly transparent after a few months use.

For my open Deckel and my open Interact before it, I made a rigid plastic sheet enclosure with three sides that just sat on the table. I could lift it off easily to access the work, then lift it back on to machine. One problem with any full enclosure on a toolroom mill is it limits access to the work. This is true even of the fold down one on my current Deckel FP3NC. You can flip all the sides down pretty quickly but its still not the same as an open table.

One comment about MQL: I have run an Acculube system on the mill and will do so again. This limits - almost eliminates - the mess from the coolant, because so little is used. However, because compressed air is used to apply the coolant droplets, it will blow chips all over the place, making MORE of a mess, perhaps, that you had before. So you still need a strategy to contain the chips. OK, not as bad as having to mop up coolant from the floor, but not like an enclosed mill either - chips will get blown everywhere.

Been there done that...had a Bridgeport Retrofit that got me into CNC. No matter how I constructed chip and coolant guards I found someplace that either leaked or let the chips fling out. Some just got in the way. But it was making the best out of the situation and would not have given up a minute of it. For a little while we considered putting machine into a basin with an enclosure all around a put a pump at base to recirculate coolant...but bought a new CNC instead and only used the ol girl for dry running secondaries...then as a bench for jobs and tooling before we realized we needed to move forward.

Full enclosure is truly sweet with the doors opening up for access in a second. But you also loose the ease of full access and possibility/versatility of parts overhanging table and clearances with enclosure...it's another learning curve.

Factory steel enclosures (guards) may be cumbersome, but keep in mind they may also be safety features that if removed can open the door to legal action if somebody should get hurt. At the very least save them and reinstall when you sell machine.

Curtain around looks to be a great idea.