[pagoda]

Well after looking at the Tormach for over a year I got my own brand new Haas on the way! I knew the Tormach would have been "OK" but I work with Haas machines at the day job and did not see myself enjoying the Tormach. I run a small business on the side making hardware for furniture and also want to do some personal hobby work with knife making ect.

What I ordered:
Mini Mill
Probe / tool setter (having used this at the day job i cant see living without it)
Pcool
IPS
Rigid tapping
Coolant
extended warranty

Questions:
Tool holders and studs: Maritool be OK?
Can you move a Mini Mill with a pallet jack?
Would something like this get me enough air? (with no other tools hooked up)
California Air Tools - The Largest Manufacture of Ultra Quiet, Oil-Free & Lightweight Air Compressors - CAT-10020

[Machineit]

A pallet jack will indeed move the mini. No, that compressor is not adequate. Do yourself a big favor and get a full size compressor. 135psi or higher max pressure, 30 or 40 gallons of tank. You should end up spending $500 to $800 for an inexpensive compressor.

Mike

[WOTDesigns]

Good buy! I have a Tormach and a TM2P sitting 6 feet from each other and the Tormach just got listed on Craigslist and eBay. They are phenomenal machines, but running a HAAS all day then switching to a Tormach at night is a little frustrating that you can't feed hold the same or jog away and the programing definitely requires a different approach.

I'm happy with my maritools. Good holders. Triple the price for tenth or two less run out doesn't matter unless u r running 0.003 engravers.

I have a $800 60 gallon from home Depot. It's a rebranded Ingersoll Rand. I cab still read the IR name plate under the paint. Running full time dual head fog buster with the comp out side for a year behind my garage burned up the motor so I bought a replacement motor from Harbor Freight of all places. They were open on Sunday. $100 motor is a year old still running strong.

If you have the money Polar Air are MUCH quieter compressors.

Brian
WOT Designs

[pagoda]

Brian,
I watched more than a few of your posts! I predicted exactly what you state about the tormach just not being in the same league. While this machine is going to be making me money, part of the purchase was for personal hobby use and I did not want to be cursing a lesser equipped machine. With the Haas resale value I do not see how you can get hurt if you take care of the machine.

As for the air, I need to keep it quiet... I dont want my neighbors getting bent when I run this thing.

[Geof]

......As for the air, I need to keep it quiet... I dont want my neighbors getting bent when I run this thing.

Look into getting a screw compressor. These are very quiet but something like 3 or 4 times the cost of a reciprocal.

[WOTDesigns]

Short of finding a good deal on a screw compressor the polar air runs at 1725 rpm vs the normal 3400 rpm motors. My experience is a small compressor isn't any quieter than a bigger one and runs a hell of a lot more often. Putting a programmable timer helps too. I wired a 110v switching relay to my overhead lights on the mill so the compressor would only fire when I was using it.

Brian
WOT Designs

[jid2]

Maritool is awesome for ER holders and Endmill holders, they are all I buy in those types. I do find benefit in running better holders for roughing at warp speed.

I run a VMC in my garage and just sucked it up and bought a screw compressor. An Atlas Copco GX series is very quiet, we have one at work. I bought a Kaeser for home. It's a nicer compressor, but the Atlas is a little quieter, and less money.

[D.D.Machine]

I started running Emglo compressors on my two fadal and haas a few years ago and will never go back to running a big compressor. the little Emglo ( jenny) compressors are "VARY" will built and being constant run they stay nice and cool and are quiet. I picked up mine in good used shape of Craigs list for like $350 .
there just 3/4 HP but are made to run full time and they last forever.

[pagoda]

Yea I was running our VF1 today and dont see why I need something big. I does not call for air often and does not use much. That brand I posted above is on par with the Emglos for power and CFM but almost silent. Its not going to kill me to try it. If it does not cut it I can use it elsewhere and go bigger.

[Machineit]

Yea I was running our VF1 today and dont see why I need something big. I does not call for air often and does not use much. That brand I posted above is on par with the Emglos for power and CFM but almost silent. Its not going to kill me to try it. If it does not cut it I can use it elsewhere and go bigger.

O K A Y ! ! !

[l u k e]

I started running Emglo compressors on my two fadal and haas a few years ago and will never go back to running a big compressor. the little Emglo ( jenny) compressors are "VARY" will built and being constant run they stay nice and cool and are quiet. I picked up mine in good used shape of Craigs list for like $350 .
there just 3/4 HP but are made to run full time and they last forever.

Do you have a link to the compressor you're using? I would like to look at the specs on the one you're using, I did a search but a bunch of diffrent size compressors popped up.

[jid2]

That California Airtools compressor will not run at anywhere near 100% duty cycle. I bought one for my Tormach sized machine hoping it would also work for a VMC. It was fine for mist collant and tool changes on the little machine. But most VMCs run air through the spindle casing to pressurize it and keep coolant out. This takes more air than you think. My 5 CFM CA compressor was on at about 95% duty cycle and would overheat and turn off.

I thought I could make it work, but it couldnt keep up.

[DLawrence]

But most VMCs run air through the spindle casing to pressurize it and keep coolant out. .

Hummm That sounds like a highly desirable feature....Does the Haas Toolroom Mill series run air that way?

Dave

[mactec54]

Hummm That sounds like a highly desirable feature....Does the Haas Toolroom Mill series run air that way?

Dave

No unless they have changed, the Spindle Bearings Design, they are Grease packed in those machines, the air for these machines is not to keep the coolant out, as stated in the other post( although it would help it is not what the air is for ) it is to carry the oil mist to the Spindle Bearings, this air must be dry, & water free, or you will have damaged spindle Bearings in no time

[U00mem9]

The minimill is grease packed, and the super speed minimill is air lubricated (according to current Haas website). I think the air consumption on the grease packed spindle would be fine with the small compressor.

[mactec54]

The minimill is grease packed, and the super speed minimill is air lubricated (according to current Haas website). I think the air consumption on the grease packed spindle would be fine with the small compressor.

I see that they are advertising grease packed spindles for the Mini Mills, but that may not be correct unless it is a very recent change

All the Mini Mill series spindles, we have are air/oil lubricated, you need a minimum of 13 cfpm compressor 60 gallon tank is best, or it will be running all the time


All Mini Mill models now employ the consolidated air/lube manifold found on every Haas CNC machine. A simple, clean, and highly organized way to keep things under control.

[KevinWilkins]

I'm sure the info on the Haas website is correct. I purchased a 2005 TM1 new and it came with a grease packed spindle. Any medium sized compressor from Home Depot will be fine for those. Then a couple of years ago I bought a used 2001 Mini Mill standard and it had an air oil mist spindle. That thing used so much air I would have needed a new screw compressor to keep it going without constantly running the smaller compressor. I had the Mini Mill spindle rebuilt with greas packed bearings and have had zero issues since then. Still running both machines on my medium sized compressor.


wilkins-knives.com
facebook.com/wilkins.knives
[email protected]

[mactec54]

KevinWilkins

Hi Kevin, it looks like they may have changed it on this new model to grease, the TMs have always had Grease filled spindle Bearings,I think anyone getting a new Mini Mill should check with the factory, to see what air requirements they need, & if the spindle is air/oil injection, they have Grease listed for the Mini Mill2 also, it makes sense to have them grease filled, as they are not a high speed spindle