[VWbmx]

I'm psyched!
We just got our Super VF2 the other day! Tomorrow it'll be wired up, then Haas tech's come in to set us up then we'll be running!!!

I'm rather excited cause this is this company's first CNC machine and I'm the #1 programer! Funny since I haven't done any programing since 2003. (I'll be quite rusty)

A few of questions.

1. Common problems with VF2's?
2. Coolant? We cut mostly 304 Stainless.
3. The local Haas guy recomended Bob CAD/CAM. Any good?

Here it is being passed threw the door by the riggers.

[kojack]

why did they pick it up with a chain to the table ?

That looks scary ...


Most of the Haas I have seen moved they just lift it with the forks ?

[Donkey Hotey]

No kidding. Who the heck decided to pick it up that way? That's not a new machine, is it? Haas won't be happy if they see that. They ain't supposed to be picked up like that: bottom only.

[slatern44]

I think I would take down that picture before one of the Haas factory people see that if that is a new machine. You could get a nice little warranty voided letter sent to you. I think you should check your machine before you worry about what you going to cut with it. Sorry.

[HuFlungDung]

Actually there are hoisting points, on top of the column and inside, on the base near the front of the machine. The holes are plugged with setscrew plugs. From that photo angle, it is difficult to tell where those front chains are hooked. It would be a shame if they didn't read the book, being professionals and all.

[Eagle View]

VWBMX

Take a stong look at SurfCam and Truemill feature. BobCad is a good inexpensive applications but you just got a really nice machine, don't handycap yourself with old technology. It like putting cheap tires on a race car.

Always a great day when you get a new machine.

Eagle

[Mr.Xtreme]

Congrats!
It is a great day when the new machine comes in. Like children on Xmas Day.
No real concerns here. We have ours almost 2 years now.
I myself would look elsewhere besides Bob Cad software.
Maybe Master Cam. We use a full synthetic coolant and we cut all Stainless everything all day long. in both our turning, and milling.
Some people say it leaves a residue. Yes it does, but so does the others. It is a clean smelling, looking coolant, no petro odor,good tool life, good operator acceptance, no dermititus (spelling?) conditions. Sump life were told is 18 mos or more. We are beyond the 18 months. Still good
We Keep the refract reading (Brix) at 5 3/4-6 and there is no "Bug" food for anything to grow in it. It works ok with Aluminum, and doesn't stain or etch imediately, but it will discolor aluminum if left over night on it wet.
Product name is 2449 PLUS made by CLC lubricants. A really good Company to deal with. I am not related in any way to them, just a Damn good product.

Good luck with your machine.

Paul

[DareBee]

Nice machine.
Please pass on BobCam.

[littlerob]

CONGRADULATIONS

We use MasterCam X we bought the maintinence package, which gives any and all updated versions (X3 now), and really good tech support. Robert

[DEAN]

Congrats on the machine, she is a beauty.
Take a good look at ONECNC.

[Geof]

No kidding. Who the heck decided to pick it up that way? That's not a new machine, is it? Haas won't be happy if they see that. They ain't supposed to be picked up like that: bottom only.

As Hu says there are pick up points and looking at the pic they did it legit; Haas actually has a lift kit available for top lifting.

Picking up from a single hook is not really practical because the hook needs to be about 13 feet above the machine in order for the chain spread to clear the sheet metal around the head.

The advantage to top lifting is that you do not have to put the machine down on blocks to get your forks out, and then spend a lot of fiddling getting it down off the blocks.

EDIT: If you have kept copies of the magazine Haas puts out back in 2003/2003 they had a picture showing a machine being lifted into location behind a house somewhere in Italy; hanging from a crane parked on a street running up a hill and being lowered into a driveway about 70' further down.

[Donkey Hotey]

I was going by instructions given to us at my 'day job' by the HFO. We had a new VF-4 and somebody asked for top lifting instructions. They forbid us to pick it up from the top (we had a 10 ton crane--rigging wasn't going to be a problem). "Fork only" was what they said.

I still learn something every day in here.

[VWbmx]

Yeah it's a-ok with the HFO to lift it this way. This rigger was great! They had it off the truck, in the outline I drew on the floor, rough leveled and whipped off in 45 minutes. Not once did I hold my breath or anything.

and yes... it's a used machine. A local college had it on consignment and it's only got 500 machining hours on it. We bought it threw the Haas Factory Outlet in Allendale NJ so it's warrantied and all.

As far as coolant goes... I am leaning towards synthetic. I did a bit of reading on it today and it seems best for Stainless.:drowning:

As for CAD/CAM... the guy with the wallet (owner/NONmachinist) bought BobCAD today. I think he saw the price, it's compatibility to soildworks and figured I could make it work!(chair)

Thanks to all for the replies!

I'll be checking in regularly to bother you all with questions and what not.

If anyone has any manual machining questions I supose I could help. :devious:

[VWbmx]

Hey another question. (oh boy... here it starts!)

Our machine has a floppy on the side of the controler.

Can a USB drive be installed?

[skullworks]

BobCAD can give you fine part geometry - but I NEVER trust it to deliver a turn key program you can just upload into the machine.

To be honest - I have not tried the Completely overhauled V22 which has its own set of issues.

I have no connection to BobCAD except that I am a LONG time user... V10, V12, V15, V17, V19 and V21

Proof read your code carefully.

[Donkey Hotey]

Our machine has a floppy on the side of the controler.
Can a USB drive be installed?

Yes, but it will cost you about $3K. The only way to add USB to the older machines is to add the Ethernet-Hard-Drive option. If you don't need Ethernet or a Hard Drive, the $3K is tough to swallow. Actually, even if you do need them, it' still tough to swallow.

[DRD]

Nice machine for sure.
As they say, you get what you pay for, the bob cad has a lot of bad press , I hope the bob cad works for you guys, you don't need to crash the machine.

[Donkey Hotey]

I dunno' about Bobcad but it took me awhile before I trusted my output from Mastercam X. You guys talking about proofing every line of code are scaring me. There is no way in heck I could proof every line of most of the programs I run in Mastercam (literally thousands of lines).

I generally verify them in Mastercam with a piece of oversized stock (to see weird motions off the part that I might have missed). Then I run them in graphics at the machine. Finally, I switch into 5% rapid mode and run the first part with my hand over the e-stop button. It's been awhile since I've broken something.

[DRD]

I hear you there on trusting the code. I run mastercam also, with a tweaked post from my delaer, the output of the code is rock solid.
I run 5 axis code in inverse time,and some of the code is 5 megs in size, and over a million lines, no way to check every line. I run verfiy, and look for problems, been lucky so far, I am sure ther will be a day were hell breaks loose.
Be carefull, and get the rapids down, and run the feed slow for
the first time, and keep you hand on the red button. I hope the bob cad works out for you guys, if not, don't skimp on the cad cam next time around.

[Eagle View]

When we first started the machine shop, I bought SurfCam and my partner bought BobCad ver 19. We were both able to produce productive parts with the SurfCam but then we got a day of onsite training that was great with it.

We never cut a part that was produced with BobCad. It was the most expensive software we ever bought as far as production went. We looked at it again when we bought a CNC lathe but still never produced a part.

Now with the TrueMill features of SurfCam, I could not afford not to use that program. You will see a case study on the Surfware web page that we produced here runnin our old 1992 VF-0. I would expect a newer machine like yours would make money hand over fist compared to standard tooling paths. But then I am biased by success. Have your boss send me an time to call him and I will. I hate to see anyone suffer.

Eagle