[APP]

Wow. Sorry that happened.

[Geof]

Mark;

When you get it installed and running I think you will be happy; the indexing is so much faster.

But getting everything sorted out will probably lead to a lot of hair tearing.

It seems to depend on the machine serial number what software version needs to be loaded. Apparently mine needed something that was not a general release version (or something). Also it seems the list of Parameters that come with the retrofit kit may not be quite right in all instances. The technician doing mine had already done a couple and had spent days sorting out them, mine only took about two hours.

I am really going to try hard to avoid a repeat.

[fizzissist]

Geof,
I'm reminded of an old Hardinge ASM-5C my dad bought back in the late 60's...one of their first "automatics"
A combination of electric/hydraulic/pneumatic logic and power....a perfect recipe for disaster.

The turret would randomly index, usually during a stock feed...collet open, bar stock flying into a rotating turret....ouch.

Ok, so I got elected to fix it...over and over...

The Hardinge manual for turret removal (to replace the index pawl) starts on page 18 (page numbers approximate, we're running from memory)....

page 18 step 1. Follow steps 1 thru 4 on page 14
page 14 step 1. Follow steps 1 thru 4 on page 12
page 12 step 1. Follow steps 1 thru 4 on page 8
page 8 step 1. Follow steps 1 thru 4 on page 2.

Really. It really did that.

My dad finally called Hardinge after a factory guy had been out twice and couldn't fix it. Hardinge said sell it and buy a new one...which it already had been.

I ended up figuring out an electrical bypass to lock out indexing ...but by then we were so disgusted. We sold it in another 6 months.

Don't these companies understand that service is a critical part of the buying decision?

[Geof]

......Don't these companies understand that service is a critical part of the buying decision?

I think Haas has become complacent with their success and I think they take advantage of the fact that once you have laid out a big packet of money for a machine you are trapped. I am essentially trapped into Haas because I cannot suddenly run out and replace twenty machines with another make.

My local Haas dealer is really very good especially the service technician who does what is needed to get things going, and overall I am happy with Haas machines. (Touch wood) I have some machines that have done thousands of hours without needing any service.

I must be satisifed; machine number twenty is on a truck on its way here as I type and twenty one is in the quote stage.

[fizzissist]

I'm glad you're doing well enough to have to worry about more machines!!

Meanwhile, we submitted our proposal for the TL-2...but with the budget getting chopped,,or should I say minced, we're not holding our breath.

Took seriously your caveats, but still felt the machine would fit nicely into our niche.

We do have the money for and are going to get a new Bridgeport..looking forward to that! (it'll be my 4th new one...)

[JROM]

Hey Geof
Those minus signs come in handy sometimes..........LOL
At least you did not get your head knuckled.

[Geof]

I guess I did wallop it hard; it moved the headstock! Two thousandths on the diameter over 6 inches. Loosening three of the bolts and a few whacks with a plastic hammer brought it to slightly less than 0.0004" over 6 inches and I left it at that; I am getting too old and lazy to be a perfectionist.

[Mark Hockett]

Geof,
It is still sitting on the bench, I have a big job that I need to finish before I tear the machine down to install it.

I'm not sure what you mean by the zero return problem, can you elaborate on that. How much faster is the turret? Is the tail stock clearance an issue? The one thing I noticed is the shims are not fixed to the turret so I would need to mark their location as I switch from the turret to gang tool or Aloris fairly often. Is the new turret as simple to disconnect as the old style?

Mark Hockett

[Geof]

Zero return problem....not really a problem just an inconvenience; with the original turret I could turn the power on, hit Reset and then Auto Restart and it would home the X and Z and the toolchanger to position 1. Now I have to stand there and do all three individually using Zero Return and Single Axis.

I think you will find it is not as easy to disconnect and take off as the original version; many more connections to undo.

Cannot say anything about the tailstock, I only use it once every blue moon.

[Geof]

Found a 'design defect' today; see picture.

Parting tool holders hang down a bit below the slot in a tool holder; far enough down to hit the cover over the servo drive. It makes a horrible noise when it is jammed; no damage though and a milling machine quickly chewed a bit off the bottom of the parting tool holder.

[fourcylthrill]

I wish I was as lucky as you. lol I did that with an SL-30BB bolt-on style turret. I forgot to touch off T6 and ran it into the chuck spinning ~1500rpm. (nuts) I now have a custom 11 tool station turret. Mangled it so good the boring bar holder bolts won't thread in properly and there is a nice taper for the 1st inch of the od tool slot! Machine was only 6-7 months old at the time. Kick myself in the ass every time I set a job up.