Going price for a VF-1 ???

I’m wanting to know what the going price of a Haas VF-1 is?
This is a 97 model that has been crashed a few times by the head.
And the tool changer is a bit out of whack but a bit of the old Jack.. may fix some of that.
The head is sitting on blocks right know do to there is not enough nitrogen in the counterbalance?
The nitrogen keeps leaking out even after the tech guy was there time and time again?
So the counterbalance will not hold the proper presser to hold the head at full staff.
What $$ would it take to fix that to?
Any Q’s just ask? I will see what I can get.

I would say 5K for it or close to scrap price. It is a total crap shoot and you can end up spending more than it is worth. New ball screw sets are 3K each, Rails, misc electronics, you can put 10-12K in it in a blink. Sounds like this one has issues and has not been taken care of and that hurts the Haas machines. You also need to figure your time in there. The ballast cylinder is a cheap fix but a pain to remove. Is this a local machine for you or are you going to have to ship it? I would sure want to see it first hand if I was to "pay" for it.

At scrap price, you can recoup your investment if you find the machine is junk.

That’s interesting that some one from KS responded (You must know me) as this was just trying to get a price on something.
I was just about to put in what is the scrap price on a 7’000 pound machine
I am wanting to save a junk yard dog from drowning.
And your right its maintenance has been a bit laxed over the years as this will come from a manufacturing place of ( origin ) sum what.
And that cylinder ( counter balance is NEW ? ) and could get the old one witch I thank is still good.
That was replaced about a year or so ago but still it has a leak (sounds like a half a$$ job to me) And the guy presser checked it to ?_?
The machine runs but has been sitting on those blocks for about 3 months or so and no tech guy has came to the rescue so here I am trying to 5s the sum bit (if you know what I mean).
It has ran for sometime… Well back when it was moved about 10 years ago it did the same thing and was never fixed just re nitrogen zed (go figure).
A prier employer will be moving it for me but that brings me to something else how to move it ?
Can you pick this thing up with chains?
I’m going to tell them that it has to be out the door and sitting on the ground before I get it.
I and we are not going through the building to get it they can move it outside.
Anyway how to tell how good the screws are (I have run it for some time) say jogging or some sort ?
Or maybe looking at the screws to tell?
But I for the most part will not know what I am looking at <_>

If you don't mind me asking, what area are you in? I may be able to help you. The screws can be assessed without running the machine but if it is under power, it helps. I would assume this one is not since things are crashed a bit. The axis motor couplers do damage easily but the screws wear out too. I have also had to pull our transmission and they are NOT serviceable so beware on that. 4K for a motor, trans assy. Not saying you have problems there but you never know.

What I would near plan on to be safe is a spindle rebuild and screws. Those are the things that make a tight machine into a POS. If you are looking to hold .010, then it might work but surface finish and repeatability will suffer.

I would also want to know more about the TC problems because that gets expensive too if the bottom plate is hammered and there is generally a reason the TC is jacked. I have know mfgs to just swap tools by hand because they could not get the TC working or it would cost too much.

All in all, it will just depend on your expectations of the machine and if you are looking for a reliable machine or if you have time to work with it.

OH, scrap on it should be around 2500 if I remember correctly.

And, yes, they can be picked with chains but it is not worth it to get eyelets, and take the machine apart. I believe you need to expose the front of the saddle to lift it. We fork em, CAREFULLY!

We’ll its under power for now, but you can’t move anything as you get the emergence shut down alarm that won’t clear off the controller so its not moving and I don’t thank you would be able to move it in a manual override ?
( Do to the low nitrogen level i'm thanking. )

Although? The gas is at 600 should be at 750 and has held at 600 with the spindle sitting 8 or so inches off the table for the past 3 months.

I thank your probably right on the spindle rebuild and screws.

A guy I talked to that has ran it for some time said that the spindle got reground about 6 years ago and is fine to run and doesn't need to be rebuilt. ?_?

I’m going to tell them this one ( If you are looking to hold .010, then it might work but surface finish and repeatability will suffer ).
Thanks didn’t thank of that as it is true to the temperament of the machine.
And all this time I thought it was the tooling
They will probably tell me that’s all you have to hold we will fill the nitro. <_>

But I WAS told that its in the budget to get a NEW machine this year.

O the TC
I was told that has been replaced 2 times because of programmer errors ?
Said that it went into a tool change changed tools never moving the TC and wanted to go to > G0 Z0.0 < ?_?

That has happened to me over the past year but didn't rip off the TC.
But when I noticed it ( I must have seen something coming )
I was watching the program and it was like it skipped lines and went straight to > G0 G55 X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0 < BAM!! WTF!! ?
It was running parts fine before hand ?_?

But that was about the time a recharge to the nitro was needed.
( always needed it from time to time for the past 7 to 8 years )

And the set screw on the arm for the tool changer was noticed to be lose.
( That was the first time that the arm was noticed to be out of place. )
And that arm needed to be moved back into place to contact the servo.
That gives a 113 alarm and never got fixed just moved back into place?

And from time to time the spindle will go into a tool change raise the head never moving to the next tool and then the machine will just shut down and drop the head on that tool and the TC. I'm thanking that from the low nitro?

And the TC still works to this day just a bit roughed up :0

Time, We’ll I’ve got plenty but money is a bit on the hard to find list
As long as I can just make it run that is good for now.

Forks it is (6” by 5’ right) will talk to the old boss.

Thanks Viper