Haas TL-3B
Key Specifications
X Travel
Z Travel
Max Spindle
Spindle Power
swing diameter over front apron
swing diameter over cross slide
Overview
The Haas TL-3B is the big-bore member of the toolroom lathe family, and the numbers make the case immediately: 178 mm (7 in) of bar capacity and 1,898 Nm (1,400 ft-lbf) of spindle torque at 150 RPM. That torque figure is more than four times the standard TL-3 and puts this machine in oilfield, energy and heavy repair territory.
Swing goes to 762 mm (30 in) and the 40 hp spindle tops out at 1,300 RPM. Low ceiling, enormous grunt. Feeding 7-inch bar through the spindle means tubing, couplings and large shaft work can be done from stock rather than from pre-cut billets, which changes the economics of a lot of oilfield components.
US$79,995 puts it US$20,000 above the standard TL-3. The alternative for this kind of work is usually a used oilfield lathe, which is plentiful but old, or a heavy production turning centre at two to three times the money. The TL-3B occupies a narrow and useful gap.
What you're trading away is speed and finish. 1,300 RPM restricts small-diameter and non-ferrous work severely, and like every TL the bolt-on turret isn't quick. This is a machine bought for bore size and torque, and it should be evaluated on exactly those two numbers.
Specs sourced from Haas published data.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Swing Diameter Over Front Apron | 762 mm (30.0 in) |
| Swing Diameter Over Cross Slide | 457 mm (18.0 in) |
| Chuck Optional | 508 mm (20.0 in) |
| Max Part Swing | 762 mm (30.0 in) |
| Max Cutting Diameter | 26.00 in |
| Max Cutting Diameter With Bot Turret | 21.00 in |
| Max Cutting Diameter With Tool Post | 762 mm (30.0 in) |
| Max Cutting Length With Tool Post | 1,575 mm (62.0 in) |
| Max Cutting Length With 8 Station Turret | 61.50 in |
| Bar Capacity | 178 mm (7.00 in) |
| Bar Capacity W Opt Workholding | 7.00 in |
| Between Centers Max | 1600 mm (63.0 in) |
| X-Axis Travel | 406 mm (16.00 in) |
| Z-Axis Travel | 63.00 in |
| Max Cutting Feedrate | 0.8 m/min (150 ipm) |
| Rapid Traverse X | 11.4 m/min (450 ipm) |
| Rapid Traverse Z | 11.4 m/min (450 ipm) |
| Max Thrust X | 24910 N (5600 lbf) |
| Max Thrust Z | 22686 N (5100 lbf) |
| Spindle Drive | 2-Speed Gearbox |
| Spindle Motor Power | 29.8 kW (40.0 hp) |
| Max Spindle Speed | 1300 rpm |
| Spindle Torque Max | 1898.0 Nm @ 150 rpm (1400.0 ft-lbf @ 150 rpm) |
| Spindle Bore | 179.8 mm (7.08 in) |
| Manual Quill Travel | 178 mm (7.0 in) |
| Turret Tool Count | 8 BOT |
| Index Time One Tool | 1 s |
| Boring Bar Rear Clearance | 41.8 mm (1.65 in) |
| Boring Bar Rear Clearance From Turret Face | 133.9 mm (5.27 in) |
| Coolant Capacity | 170 L (45 gal) |
| Air Required | 113.3 L/min @ 6.9 bar (4 scfm @ 100 psi) |
| Air Pressure Max | 8.3 bar (120 psi) |
| Air Pressure Min | 5.5 bar (80 psi) |
| Drive System | 2-Speed Gearbox |
| Electrical Low | 220 VAC 3-phase, 70 A |
| Electrical High | 440 VAC 3-phase, 35 A |
| CNC Control | Haas Next Generation Control (NGC) |
Specifications sourced from haascnc.com — verified 2026-08-31
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- 178 mm (7 in) bar capacity allows large tubing and stock to feed through the spindle
- 1,898 Nm (1,400 ft-lbf) at 150 RPM is more than four times the standard TL-3's torque
- 762 mm (30 in) swing accepts large flanges, housings and couplings
- 29.8 kW (40 hp) spindle supports heavy roughing in alloy steel at low speed
- Fills a genuine gap between used oilfield lathes and far more expensive heavy turning centres
Limitations
- 1,300 RPM ceiling is very low; small-diameter and aluminium work suffers badly
- Bolt-on 8-station turret is slow to index compared with a servo turret
- Around US$20,000 more than the standard TL-3, which is only justified if you need the bore
- No live tooling or sub-spindle, so cross-drilling and second ops move to another machine
- Haas publishes a 600 mm figure against 63.00 in for Z-travel on its own page, an error in their metric column
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Haas lists US$79,995 as of August 2026, roughly US$20,000 above the standard TL-3. That premium buys the big bore and the high-torque spindle, so it only makes sense if you need one or both.
02
Up to 178 mm (7 in) bar or tubing. That covers a lot of oilfield tubing, large couplings and heavy shaft stock that would otherwise need cutting to length and chucking individually.
03
For large diameters, no, because surface speed comes from diameter. For anything under about 50 mm, or for aluminium, yes. Buy this machine for big parts, not small ones.
04
The used market has plenty of capable iron at lower cost, but generally without CNC control, current safety systems or factory support. The TL-3B is the answer when you want programmability and a service network behind it.
Community Discussions
Owner thread on the TL-3 covering what it handles on larger steel work and how it compares with the smaller TL models.
Machinists discuss the current-generation TL lathes, including gearbox availability and where the platform struggles with heavier steel cuts.
Links to community discussions. Summaries are editorial — visit the original thread for full context.
