Honest opinions on Haas ST30 lathes...............

david n · May 21, 2015

I'm really on the fence on buying another Haas........but...............I came across a late model ST30, plain 2 axis machine............pretty cheap, low low hours. Now, I don't want to here the guys complainin about Haas and how there Mori or Mazak will run circles around them. I know all about it...............heard it all before. I want guys who are running ST30's right now and their thoughts. TIA.

Cycle1000 · May 21, 2015

Cant help with the st30 but my little st10 is a solid machine. But put the tailstock in there and it gets Cramped!

Gary

Ox · May 21, 2015

7 hours

2 comments

0 replies?

Priceless.... :stirthepot:

That's pretty sad day when you can't fill up a page in a Haas thread in a few hours... :gossip:

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

MCE · May 21, 2015

I've been running a ST30 2012 year model. I have been happy with it. It's a base machine, no frills.
It gets a little weak turning large diameters (no 2 speed gearbox). Overall, good machine. Easy to run.

david n · May 21, 2015

Ox said:
7 hours

2 comments

0 replies?

Priceless....

That's pretty sad day when you can't fill up a page in a Haas thread in a few hours...

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

I was thinking the exact same thing......................

scadvice · May 22, 2015

I have not been around the ST30's but I have the SL40's maybe 12 or 15 years back. I thought they were a little light weight also but were OK if you didn't mind taking a few more passes than say a Mazak or Mori . We were turning 17-4 Ann. stainless shafts up to 12 inches and 8 inch 316 ss. The new ones I cannot tell you about.

MK Proto · May 22, 2015

My buddies shop has one use all LH tooling on ods to press the turret into the ways. Says takes a little more tweaking to hold tight tolerances compared to his other lathes but he makes good parts everyday on that machine. I say if it is the right price pick it up.

jdowd · May 22, 2015

Dave I think it may depends on what you plan to make on it. I have 6 st30,s and we hold .0005 all day after a little warm up in the morning. Very user friendly machine. I have a 2000 sl30bb that still makes good parts every day. The st was big step up from the sl model.

Mike1974 · May 22, 2015

I don't know about much about the ST30, last shop had just bought one, did not get a chance to run. I did however run the SL30 alot. 2 speed gearbox is the way to go IMO. We ran a job in there (SL30) 11.25" od x 2.5" and did lots of hogging, had several tolerances on that part +0-.002" and the center bore was +.0005-0.0, ran these no problems. It was a 2004 model I think, was still running those jobs fine when I left there in 2011.
I have an ST20 I am running now, co complaints. I was running parts (6061) and holding +0.0 -.0005 all day no problems. They redesigned the ST models from the SL, in case you aren't familiar. I think there might be a little more clearance on the new ST models.

david n · May 22, 2015

jdowd said:
Dave I think it may depends on what you plan to make on it. I have 6 st30,s and we hold .0005 all day after a little warm up in the morning. Very user friendly machine. I have a 2000 sl30bb that still makes good parts every day. The st was big step up from the sl model.

This is the kind of feedback I'm looking for.......................

JNieman · May 22, 2015

I ran an ST20SS for a while and was able to do pretty well. Had a spring-clamp type bar-puller on the turret for bar-fed stuff. Didn't have a bar-feeder.

I wasn't require to hold stuff to a tenth or two, but .001 yes. When I needed to make an adjustment and shave a couple tenths off, it would go exactly where I wanted, and keep going there, so I was always happy. Didn't often do much work with the tail stock. Mostly short parts. Did some turning between centers and it was simple enough and worked. Never had to tram it back in - probably just didn't use it enough.

Did aluminum, stainless, various carbon steels, and a fair bit of titanium. Never did anything with hardness over 50 HRC, I don't think.

I never did care for the tool setter very much. I always had to make a test cut and adjust the offset a tiny bit, it seemed.

cnctoolcat · May 22, 2015

One thing I have always questioned about the new ST lathes is that Haas mounted the spindle motor up high, above the spindle centerline, counter-levered off the rear of the headstock casting. Not sure why they did this? Seems like the motor may be more vibration prone mounted up high like this, especially when you consider the motor probably weighs several hundred pounds.
Essentially every other belt-drive CNC lathe ever made has the spindle motor mounted down low, directly to the frame, way below the centerline of the spindle.
Gene Haas is an innovative guy, but sometimes they can do some weird stuff.
ToolCat

david n · May 22, 2015

I also wonder why they did that......................

I'm just kickin tires on this used unit. The price seems right for the condition of the machine. I would not buy one new. They are in the min $80k's. For that money I can go get a Doosan Puma or a Okuma Genos. The Moris and Mazaks are still to rich for my pocket book. I'm really eyein a Doosan 220LC machine. They are in the mid $60k's. Fast little machines with roller guides and a large thru the spindle Ø.

wrustle · May 22, 2015

cnctoolcat said:
One thing I have always questioned about the new ST lathes is that Haas mounted the spindle motor up high, above the spindle centerline, counter-levered off the rear of the headstock casting. Not sure why they did this? Seems like the motor may be more vibration prone mounted up high like this, especially when you consider the motor probably weighs several hundred pounds.
Essentially every other belt-drive CNC lathe ever made has the spindle motor mounted down low, directly to the frame, way below the centerline of the spindle.
Gene Haas is an innovative guy, but sometimes they can do some weird stuff.
ToolCat

From my understanding, with the motor mounted above the spindle, the heat from the motor has virtually no influence on the spindle at all.

I have a 2014 ST20 bought new last July. ZERO complaints about anything.

I can leave at night with a fussy job in the machine, come in the next morning and start making parts right off the bat, and NEVER have I had to chase tolerances throughout the day with the exception of insert wear which you typically realize in the finish long before it effects the size.

Best Regards,
Russ

csharp · May 22, 2015

david n said:
I also wonder why they did that......................

I'm just kickin tires on this used unit. The price seems right for the condition of the machine. I would not buy one new. They are in the min $80k's. For that money I can go get a Doosan Puma or a Okuma Genos. The Moris and Mazaks are still to rich for my pocket book. I'm really eyein a Doosan 220LC machine. They are in the mid $60k's. Fast little machines with roller guides and a large thru the spindle Ø.

What other options were you getting to get a price in the mid 80's? Website list them at $66,995 base price. Does the Doosan in the the 60K range have the same/more/less options?

I have an SL30 and no experience with the ST30. I also think the Genos are pretty nice for the price.

dstryr · May 22, 2015

wrustle said:
From my understanding, with the motor mounted above the spindle, the heat from the motor has virtually no influence on the spindle at all.

I have a 2014 ST20 bought new last July. ZERO complaints about anything.

I can leave at night with a fussy job in the machine, come in the next morning and start making parts right off the bat, and NEVER have I had to chase tolerances throughout the day with the exception of insert wear which you typically realize in the finish long before it effects the size.

Best Regards,
Russ

What is fussy = in tolerances?

David

I have 2 Doosans (2004 Puma 240mb and 2012 Lynx 220LSY) and have been very happy with the bang for buck.

david n · May 22, 2015

csharp said:
What other options were you getting to get a price in the mid 80's? Website list them at $66,995 base price. Does the Doosan in the the 60K range have the same/more/less options?

I have an SL30 and no experience with the ST30. I also think the Genos are pretty nice for the price.

A new ST30 optioned out with tool eye, part catcher, chip conveyor, tailstock, and high intensity lighting, is $85k out the door. Sure the Haas is a little bit bigger machine(3" bar), but I can get a a Doosan Puma GT2100 optioned out the same for $82K. That's a box way machine. Lots more iron. Mazaks are right at $90K and I'm double checking on an Okuma Genos. They may or may not have some deals on now.

And Russ.....fussy tolerances? I'd like to know too. Right now I'm chasin numbers on my SL20(+/-.0004).

gixxergary · May 22, 2015

My ST30 is 2 years old this month. The control is very user friendly, and the machine has alot of elbow room for a large guy like myself to work within. I have one real complaint about this machine. First and formost, the turret from the ST20 was put on this st30. Exactly the same turret. The 20 has an 8 inch chuck, clearance is all good. The 30 has a 10 inch chuck, and you CANNOT put a drill next to a turning tool, without cutting your jaws down, or hanging the turning tool out too far. By the way, this is still a a2-6 mount that just has an adapter on it to hold a larger chuck. I think this is the reason for its lack of turning ability for larger materials.

dstryr · May 22, 2015

david n said:
A new ST30 optioned out with tool eye, part catcher, chip conveyor, tailstock, and high intensity lighting, is $85k out the door. Sure the Haas is a little bit bigger machine(3" bar), but I can get a a Doosan Puma GT2100 optioned out the same for $82K. That's a box way machine. Lots more iron. Mazaks are right at $90K and I'm double checking on an Okuma Genos. They may or may not have some deals on now.

And Russ.....fussy tolerances? I'd like to know too. Right now I'm chasin numbers on my SL20(+/-.0004).

Once warmed up and using a dedicated finishing tool I hold +/-.0002 pretty easily on both the new and old doosan. After a couple warm up cycles it will move .0001 gradually for maybe 1/2 hour then stabilize and stay there all day as long as it is running. The local dealer put a probe on the doosan lathes for Tesla and said they were holding +/-.000050 with the part measuring probe. I have some parts where I've thought it would be a good investment but haven't gone there quite yet.

cnctoolcat · May 22, 2015

My 1985 Mazak QT10N (8" chuck), and QT20N (10" chuck) machines have very little thermal drift warming up, maybe a half thousandth or so. Once warm these 'ol girls just REPEAT. Even after running them for years, I am still amazed at the accuracy of these box-way workhorses.

Both my 1987 QT15's (linear-guide machines) also hold about a half thou during warmup, then they're within a tenth or two all day long.

And of course all of them have Mazatrol, which is the cat's meow for turning work. And all have functioning tool eyes, which even now set the tools within a couple tenths.

Let us know what you do Dave...

ToolCat

Honest opinions on Haas ST30 lathes...............

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