I finally ran the same aluminum job on a 1998 Haas VF-2 and our brand new machine, and the chip difference was wild

Sandra Harris · 2026-10-11T09:05:04.035022+00:00

We got a new mill at the shop three weeks ago and my boss put me on it because I run the night shift alone. Last Tuesday I had to knock out 200 small aluminum brackets, so I split the run, 100 on the old 1998 Haas VF-2 and 100 on the new one, same program, same 3/8 carbide end mill, same coolant mix. On the old machine the chips came off stringy and long, wrapping around the tool like spaghetti and I had to stop twice per part to clear them. The new machine throws these short little C-shaped chips that fall right into the conveyor, and I finished my half 40 minutes faster without doing anything different. I checked the spindle speed and it was holding rock steady, which the old girl just can't do anymore with her worn out bearings. I even pulled the same DOC and feed off the screen to make sure I wasn't cheating myself. Now I'm spoiled and every time I walk back to the old mill it feels like driving a truck with a bent frame. Has anyone else watched a new spindle turn a job into easy mode like that, or is my old machine just due for a rebuild?

The Community Guide

Loading…

I finally ran the same aluminum job on a 1998 Haas VF-2 and our brand new machine, and the chip difference was wild | CNC Operators - The Community Guide