New TL-1 finally up and running

I posted a while back about ordering my TL-1. It arrived in town about two weeks ago and has been in the shop now for over 10 days. The chuck that Haas sent with the lathe was the wrong one, and I had to wait for a replacement. Once the new chuck did arrive, I had to wait for my local HFO to have the time to schedule the install. After two months of anticipation, the spindle finally turned on this morning. I had a rather abbreviated training session, and then spent the rest of the day installing the chuck (adaptor plate had to be machined), setting up tools, tramming in the tool post, and trying all the bells and whistles I could find. What a step up from a regular manual lathe! Arcs, chamfers, threading, and rigid tapping are a snap. The final test article before calling it quits today was an ornimental knob for the hinge on an antique safe. Unfortunately, the camera didn't focus real well on it, but I was impressed. No way I could have done that on my old lathe. This test article was out of aluminum, but tomorrow I'll make eight of them from brass, with a 5/8"-10 thread on the back end.

Thanks for listening,
Eric

Doesnt get much better than that. Enjoy!

Thanks to ExKenna and MariTool

I'd also like to say a big "Thank You" to ExKenna and Frank Mari, both PM contributors. They both supplied me with tooling at good prices to get my lathe going. The stick tools, inserts, and coolant came from ExKenna, and the straight shank ER 16 and ER 32 collet chucks and collets came from Frank. All have worked flawlessly so far!

Thanks,
Eric

Eric,
I hope you enjoy your HAAS Lathe. HAAS has improved their lathe line quite a bit over the years. I had one about 5 years ago but I traded it in for a Daewoo in 9 months. But we run our lathes pretty tough. At that time 24/7.

Take advantage of the tool load monitor. I wish all my lathes has that option. Clear the tool load monitor and run 2-3 parts. Set the tool load limit for each tool 10-20 percent over what it is normally. This way if an insert chips or drill breaks the machine stops instead of burning up a holder or tool.

Ah yes, I remember the day I got my TL-1. Nearly brings tear to my eye.
For the quickie one offs I do, I don't know how I lived without her.
Enjoy.

I have had mine for 6 months and havent had a single paying job on it since I got it. Of course that could change any day. The job that I had in mind for it went away and I just never have found a single good use for it. Everyone that has approached me wants parts in the thousands, I should have gotten a regular turning center instead.

Hope you injoy yours, sounds like you found the right thing for what you wanted.

Charles

Congrats!! Ok, I posted a wanted to buy post in the want ads here. Not expecting much, just thought I would try. I am in the market for a TL-1. I would like new but if a used one comes up optioned out Im on it (low miles of course).

The build menu on the Haas site had me wanting every option. I want the tail, and chuck, bare min. But I would like the additional speed offered but it looks to be only offered with the full enclosure. Dunno why but then I would be looking to add that. Would come in handy if Im wanting to fling coolant everywhere.

Then the turret looks like a sweet lil option. Dont really see the purpose of having a CNC without a turret really..

The steady was iffy at a grand..

Now, the control options are kinda difficult.. Spindle orientation. Any good purpose for that. Also, extra M funtions. Im assuming M-code programable funtions. Is it needed, I dont see it.

Is the upgraded coolant pump a needed item. Why? Is the eight hundred dollar one not enough?

Ok, yer gonna tell me to go to the Haas dealer to get the questions answered. Oh, I am sure they can answer them LOL No, I just wanted some real world customers advise first before I chum myself to the sharks LOL I live in Venture, Ca. Basically nieghbors with Haas in Oxnard..

Any advise would be worth real money to me. Thanks, JRouche

TL-1 options

My opinion on TL-1 options...

If you get a turret, high speed spindle, and enclosure, you might as well start looking at a real turning center for that price, unless you need the work envelope.

For the prototyping that I do and very small scale production (no more than 10 parts), I think that a 4-position automatic tool turret would be more of a hinderance than a help. My quick change tool post with 15 toolholders and programmed offsets is more versatile.

High pressure coolant would be wasted unless you get the enclosure. As it is right now, I probably lose 1/2 gallon of coolant a day because this machine really isn't made to fully contain coolant and chips. I like the coolant option but it is messy, even with the petcock valve turned waaay down. I've got ideas on how to manage the coolant leakage on mine, but it is still a work in progress.

I haven't seen a real use for spindle orient.

I have used rigid tap and find it very useful.

From what I understand from my fairly unknowlegable salesman, the machine already has 4 "extra" M-functions that are unused. I think one of those is used if you get the factory coolant.

The chuck...I went round and round on the chuck that came on my lathe. I need a "set-tru" chuck to do the kind of work I'm interested in. Everyone I talked to at my HFO said the chuck I would get if I ordered it would be a BTC set-tru chuck. Well, when my lathe finally arrived, it had a made-in-Korea Samchully chuck in the crate. It was a very nice looking chuck, and probably better quality than the made-in-China BTC, but wasn't adjust tru. I sent it back and got the BTC. In hindsight, I would have been better off just buying a Bison adjust-tru, at about the same price as Haas charged for the BTC. I would have been about $200 ahead if I had waited until one of J&L's 25% off sales took place (like is running right now). The Bison chucks I've had in the past are much better quality than the BTC I got.

A few other accessories that I didn't even think applied to this machine, that I have since added are TB (Tool Bin) and FT (Front Table). The TL lathes have notches cut in the splashguard at the headstock end of the machine. Those notches fit some of Haas's "toolholding solutions". When you get your lathe, Hass will generously send you a grease gun and a chip brush. I put the TB option on the back side of the splash guard, and will hopefully never misplace my chip brush or grease gun. Since I use the quick change tool post (Dorian, bought locally for 75% of what Haas wanted to charge), I use the FT option on the front side of the splash guard to store my tool holders, at least the ones I'm not actively using. The ones I'm actively using sit on the headstock. Can be seen in picture #3 I posted at the beginning of this thread.

I will probably some day get the steady rest, but just didn't have the money for it when I ordered the machine.

I bought and mounted a Sunnex 35 watt work light to the back side of the little splashguard that moves with the carriage. Cost a little more than 1/2 the "option in a box" light that Haas wanted to sell me. The installer commented that it was the best looking light setup he had seen on one of these TL's. I can't comment on the Haas option as I didn't get it.

Hope this helps,
Eric

TL

Eric,

Glad to see it's up and running!

Shane

Hi Eric.. Thanks, that was some of the info I was looking for. You answered many of my questions.. I am still in the market for one. Still kicking around the idea for the higher spindle speed, I wish it was offered without the full enclosure. I wonder if they do it for safety reasons? Not like Im gonna try to spin up a three inch part at 4000rpm. My monarch spins to 4000 RPM and it never sees anything but collet work at that speed.

How bout yer load readings. I have read that the machine is easily maxed out but didnt hear if it was bad for the machine. A two speed gear box would be nice but then that would drive the price higher too. Not complainin, there has to be a cost consideration.. Thanks for your input!!!! JRouche

I haven't even come close to maxing the spindle out yet. The largest dia of steel has been 1.5", and aluminum 4.0". I've taken .100" per side off the steel, but it didn't max out the load meter. Genearlly, I'm still feeling out the lathe so have been running it fairly lightly.

Eric

those tl-1's are the greatest. we ordered two more of them and they also sent the wrong chuck with both we ordered. I love these machines tho.