New Workshop...Tool Advice Needed

[DampRobot]

If you can get the HAAS, the TM1 is an awesome machine. I love ours to pieces.

Make sure to get the ATC--it really isn't worth CNC machining without one. Besides that, the probe can really make your life a lot easier (although it will cost you). I wish we had one, zeroing everything by hand is a real drag. I'd skip the fourth axis, you really don't need it all that much for FRC. Besides that, make sure to get about 15 tool holders (ER-71, extended tool holders, holders designed for tools with Weldon flats, a Jacobs chuck, etc) so you can leave all your tooling set up and the important stuff in your ATC.

Also, invest in a good CAM program. We use BobCAD--don't use it, it's bad. HSMworks is free, and pretty good, so that might be a good place to start. MasterCAM is really the industry standard CAM package, but it's quite expensive. If you can, get that, but I doubt your budget will cover it.

Last tip, whatever machine you get, make sure to use it, and really get to know the ins and outs of it. I know teams that build championship winning robots with a dinky little Tormach P1100, and I know teams that go 5-7 even though they have 4 HAASes. An expert user really makes the difference.