[gunsmither]

Sure wish some genius would write a "Haas for Dummies" book. I'd be first in line to buy one.

I have a gang tool set up I built for my Dorian toolpost, using Omniturn tool holders. For the life of me I can not get my tool offsets correct. I switched over to "gang" mode as per some other threads I've read here. I have 3 tools set up. One is a multiple grooving tool, one is a drill bit, and one is a turning tool to chamfer the front edge after the grooving is complete.

I've tried the individual tools in the IPS system, one at a time, but no joy. The tools are all over the place. I can find nothing in the manual about gang set ups. Called Haas today for a better manual, but no such luck.

My pea brain must have missed something somewhere. Can anyone point me in the right direction for a gang tool set up? Especially would like to know how to set up a center application tool / drillbit.

Any help will be much appreciated! Joe

[Geof]

My system simply assigns the same primary tool number but a different offset number to each tool in the gang.

Normally I call the tool nearest center T101, the next one T111 then T121 and enter the tool offsets on line numbers 1, 11 and 21. With a single tool post that would be all I use but I also have machines with the four place toolchanger. When I have multiple tools at different positions I just change the first and last digit in the number, for a tool at position 4 it would be T404, T414, T424 with the offsets being entered on lines 4, 14 and 24.

[WallyL7]

Sure wish some genius would write a "Haas for Dummies" book

Isn't that redundant...?(wedge) lol...j/k

Here is a excerpt from the manual:
NOTE: There are up to 200 offset values available so that multiple offsets
can be recorded for a single tool. In a program, an example would look
like: “T417” which would select tool number 4 with offset number 17, etc.


And here is the manual:
http://www.haascnc.com/pdf/96-8700.pdf

[gunsmither]

Thanks for the help gentlemen. How does one access the 200 additional offsets? I looked thru the entire Haas manual online per WallyL7's link, and could not find how to access them.

My TL-1 is a 2006 machine. Perhaps it doesn't have the extra offsets? Not sure.

The Haas manual that came with my machine is written for a CNC full turret machine mainly, and really could use some improvement for the TL machines, as could the new manual I read today.

The manual that came with my machine seems like they had the floor sweeper guys write it in their spare time. It's really very poorly written in my opinion.

I downloaded a PDF operator's manual for an Omniturn machine today. What a difference! It explains tool set ups much more thoroughly than the Haas manual, so it's been a big help to me.

Thanks very much! Joe

[Geof]

Thanks for the help gentlemen. How does one access the 200 additional offsets? .....

Just go to the Offset page and scroll down.

[WallyL7]

There is a setting (number 90) that may be limiting how many tools you see. Check it.

If, like Geof said, you scroll down and don't see all 200 numbers, go to setting 90 and change the number of tools that you are limited to.

[KenFoulks]

Sure wish some genius would write a "Haas for Dummies" book.

Here is a pretty good book, www.cncforengineers.com

It’s been a few weeks so I hope you’ve solved the initial problem with the tool offsets. If you ever have trouble with programming your Haas machine or finding the right setting, check out the official Haas CNC Answer blog: Haas At Your Service. There is a bunch of detailed Frequently Asked Questions and specific answers on the site. Haas also has an “Answer Man” page that allows you to ask your question directly to a Haas professional.

[behindpropeller]

Here is a pretty good book, www.cncforengineers.com

It’s been a few weeks so I hope you’ve solved the initial problem with the tool offsets. If you ever have trouble with programming your Haas machine or finding the right setting, check out the official Haas CNC Answer blog: Haas At Your Service. There is a bunch of detailed Frequently Asked Questions and specific answers on the site. Haas also has an “Answer Man” page that allows you to ask your question directly to a Haas professional.

I have sent in a couple questions to the HAAS answer man. No reply. I also signed up for the HAAS magazine a few times....no magazine. I don't think HAAS has email

The best thing to do is call support in oxnard or post here.

[KenFoulks]

Sorry it hasn't worked for you. Send an answer man question and application for CNC mag. Send a copy of both and your location to me: [email protected]

[gunsmither]

Thanks for all the suggestions fellows. I'm still real green on the TL-1, but learning! Only crashed it once. I wish the dead man switch had a longer cord; it would actually be useful then.

The CNC for Engineers link seems like a general sales page for a whole bunch of different stuff. Am I missing something? Where is the book? It says the domain name expired on 3/25/11 for that site.

I've managed to get a few items machined out of Delrin and drill rod. Here's a U-Tube video I put up showing my first gang tool item; machining the tool body for one of the tools I manufacture for a S&W revolver. Quite a rudimentary set up for sure, but it worked, and beat the old manual lathe hands down. Pardon my narrators skills; he got stage fright!

The second video shows the completed tool in use. I used a gang tool set up to machine the tapered tool head end for a recent batch of these tools. It cut a 10° tapered end on 3/16" drill rod very nicely. Beats doing it manually any day.

http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=Hz2A6zCKfR4

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiOKcJ06bLU"]YouTube - Smith and Wesson Revolver trigger spring tool[/nomedia]

Thanks again for all the help! Joe

[Donkey Hotey]

I guess I will soon be switching my TL-1 over to Gang Tool mode, though I'm going to have a turret. I just bought an Air Dex 8-position, air-indexed turret on eBay. I guess they were originally sold for Bridgeport EZ-Path lathes.

The plan is to switch the machine over to 'GANG MODE' so the tool offsets can execute 'tool changes' without stopping the spindle.

The turret will index by firing air valves from M-codes. Without the macros option, it will be totally open loop which is the only thing that worries me (what if the turret mis-indexes?). With Macros, I could install a home switch on the turret, fire it until the switch activates, set a variable, etc. I think it will still work fine without it.

This honestly looks like the easiest full-size turret to incorporate into a TL lathe. From what I've researched, they don't even make this turret anymore.

The Dorian power turret seems incredibly expensive; the cost of the turret, software and the lathe exceeds the cost of a GT-20 with a built-in Haas turret.

IMO, the Haas 4-position turret is too limiting for the price. The ideal solution would be an adaptation of the GT-20 turret but, that's not an option.

I'll probably soon discover why they don't sell the Air Dex anymore.

[KenFoulks]

I wish the dead man switch had a longer cord; it would actually be useful then.

The CNC for Engineers link seems like a general sales page for a whole bunch of different stuff. Am I missing something? Where is the book? It says the domain name expired on 3/25/11 for that site.

I will relay your longer cord suggestion to engineering.
The book website is being migrated to a new site: cncuniversity.net which will be up in about 3 weeks. You can email the author, Charles Davis directly for a copy: [email protected]