Hardinge HLV-H abandoned project

[C-Bag]

I don't understand why someone would pretty much destroy a HLV-H like that. If I wanted to convert a manual lathe to CNC a HLV-H would not be my first choice.

THIS! In reading up, why would you pull the bearings on one?

Now as I get a clue (thx for the link) even though there is one in LA for $1500 and one in Petaluma for $1000, the way the universe works by the time I get it they will either be gone or into the stratosphere........

 

[jdedmon91]

My two cents is go with a working lathe, the Enco’s are decent lathes, one of my friends has one. The up side they are easy to fit in smaller shops.

The ideal situation is upon examining the Hardinge if the seller is correct and your willing to put in a bunch of work, is to purchase it use the Enco to help make parts, then you’d have an awesome lathe cheap. Of course you’d need the space, time, and cash to do so


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[Toolmaker51]

You misunderstood my statement there. The actual quote is: ''Why somebody would do that to a HLV-H is beyond me.'' Meaning: I don't understand why someone would pretty much destroy a HLV-H like that. If I wanted to convert a manual lathe to CNC a HLV-H would not be my first choice. If I had room for another project, I would be tempted to make a road trip and drag the HLV-H home to restore just because I don't have one.

Yes, I did. Too reactionary for a clear phrase; a honed response more appropriate for certain wads @ Practi-Machi, IYKWIM. I understand their viewpoint of fine capital equipment and tooling; years of running what SOMEONE else paid for, installed, maintains, etc.
Things change when you brown-bag lunches, skip certain events and schedule vacation trips back hauling a lathe, mill or what ever fits your process improvement scheme.
Yessir, that I understand even more clearly.
Hardinge has surprisingly few lathe models, simplicity, likely good interchangeability, and excellent design features. C-Bag reports plenty of opportunities in his locale. fittingly with aircraft, aerospace, medical, and electro-mechanics as prevalent industries. Seem rare in other realms. 'Heavy' shops liked the EE, such as the Navy, mold shops and at least one firearm plant. . .
I worked at a shop repairing printing and paper industry machinery. Everything was import [not Japan] and just plain depressing to start and run, even large supposedly heavy-duty lathes.
Yeah heavy dooty alright;

 

[Latinrascalrg1]

Yeah heavy dooty alright;

Bahahahahahaha

 

[Aaron_W]

Aren't a lot of the "cheap" Hardinge lathes chucker or turret lathes not really suitable for hobby use which is why they are cheap? Now a very narrow, and somewhat obsolete use in a commercial CNC world? I've seen a few posts of people lamenting the mutilation of them in an effort to turn a specialty lathe into a general purpose lathe for a home shop.

I know this doesn't apply to all Hardinge lathes.

 

[Aaron_W]

THIS! In reading up, why would you pull the bearings on one?

Now as I get a clue (thx for the link) even though there is one in LA for $1500 and one in Petaluma for $1000, the way the universe works by the time I get it they will either be gone or into the stratosphere........

If the one you mention in Petaluma is the purple lathe in Sebastopol (about 20 min from Petaluma) it has been identified by another member as a "chucker" lathe meant for repetitive work, and apparently not terribly useful for us hobby guys. That seems to be how it goes with the cheap Hardinge lathes, basket case or wrong type.

 

[JimDawson]

There was a local guy that had a Hardinge chucker lathe for sale, wanted $250 for it. I looked at it and declined because it had a semi-fixed ''carriage''. Some other guy bought it, and the funny thing was I saw it on Ebay about a week later for $6000, then about a month later for $1000, then down to $750. Later I saw it back on Craigslist for $250, I wonder if he ever sold it. Just because it said Hardinge on it he thought he was going to make some money. The potential buyers knew more about the equipment than the seller did.

 

[macardoso]

I have an ENCO 12x36 (different model from that one) and have been very happy with it. Paid $1120 for it. It has worked great since I got it. It may be an import, but it works well, has cheap replacement parts available (Grizzly), and didn't require any work beyond cleaning to get it running.

 

[Toolmaker51]

there really isn't anything unsuitable about chuckers or turrets for hobbyists. what happens is the 'kit' gets broken up at sale or auction by un-versed agents, and the comparatively odd tooling which make them efficient is nowhere to be seen. The only [seems real anyway] lack is a tailstock, everybody see pictures and think lathe work is on centers a much higher percentage of time than reality. a bed turret could run centers if there were a ram turret as part of the machine. i'll bet as well many readers could fab a serviceable tailstock - get busy do a lot of work, while another feller awaits an engine lathe.
there are engine lathes with accessory ram turrets which work out configured exactly as described.
btw. ram turret rotates end-cutting tools along the centerline of spindle rotation; to center drill, drill, countersink, ream tap etc, and limited od turning with hollow mills [like a thick holesaw]. bed turret [aka chucker] isn't far from a engine lathe carriage and rotating toolpost, just the tools aren't tied together. it does take a bigger handful of holders, but can be shop made.
sorry. no upper case text this evening. onehanding letters right handed while left protects a handsome burrito from two good pretenders at starving. one shown in lawn chair to the left.
you think he looks serious there; that ain't nuthin!

secret about machine pricing. at this instant hardinge. parties at the smart end know hardinge symbolizes and is 1st rate performance. built in collet spindle, big clear dials, zippy rpm changes, big fat e-a-s-y to clean bedway, hardened no less, all on a spiffy bench. . .you can tic off all kinds of positives.
the biggest you'll never know until you move one; they hardly weigh anything. not intimidating to round up a pallet jack, flatbed trailer and a handful of ratchet tiedowns. wouldn't call it portable, but 1/3 that of EE's, southbends, half or so of a enco/ jet/ grizzly.

 

[Bob Korves]

The only [seems real anyway] lack is a tailstock, everybody see pictures and think lathe work is on centers a much higher percentage of time than reality. a bed turret could run centers if there were a ram turret as part of the machine.

I think the biggest things missing on chuckers for having an all around useful lathe in a hobby setting is lead screws, especiallly screw making lead screws.