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Vf2

Marcibb

Hot Rolled
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Location
Alabama
I was just offered a HAAS VF2 for around $6,000.00 it has been in storage for a year but I am told was working fine before that.

It seams to be a very good price for such a machine even a bit to good am I right about this?

Marci
 
Marci,
There's not enough info. Do you know how old the machine is? Can you see it under power? What's the physical condition of the machine? This could be a worn out machine and may need another $6-10K to repair/rebuild. Do you have some pics? Options that are on the machine? Is it offered by a trustworthy source? Do some more diggin. You may have come across a steal or a just a money pit.
 
Thanks for your reply David

No I have not seen the machine it is not under power and I am told it has been in storage in the guy's garage for about a year. That's about all I know about it right now I will call him tomorrow and ask for a serial number and more info.

Marci
 
History

Get the machine serial number. Call your local dealer and ask for a machine history.

Thanks for your reply David

No I have not seen the machine it is not under power and I am told it has been in storage in the guy's garage for about a year. That's about all I know about it right now I will call him tomorrow and ask for a serial number and more info.

Marci
 
Get the machine serial number. Call your local dealer and ask for a machine history.


+1

That will give you a window into its past.

Then the next step would be a visit to see the general condition. It really is best to see it run butt...


What year is it?
 
Pictures

Here are 2 pictures the guy E-Mailed me he is to call me tonight with more info.

3m73o23l45V85Q75R79cc2d7e70e3ce031059.jpg


3m03o73pa5Ve5Q25P39cc904e98369d4413a1.jpg


Looks like it has been painted and the table looks a bit rusted hard to tell


Marci
 
Marci,
What role would this machine play in your business?

Reason for concern is this is a brush machine. Now while this is not necessarily a bad thing. If you will be bidding against more modern machinery, the window for profit will diminish as feeds and speeds are lower and production time will be longer.
I would highly recommend a more profitable piece of equipment, say a VF-2SS.
Though the cost may be higher to start, your ability to bid the job at an economical price is key.

Regardless I highly recommend you contact your local HAAS HFO or local machine tool service company and schedule a P.M. This should cost approx $800.00 $1000.00 and should give you a ball-bar (this will verify machine accuracy and condition of motors/drives and ball screws) both spindle analyzer and draw bar force (key to knowing condition of spindle bearings/ transmission if applicable and draw bar clamping force, should also give condition of spindle taper. General cleaning of machine and inspection of all mechanical / electrical components. If applicable Gear box oil change(condition of old oil is key) spindle orient and tool changer alignment if needed may be an additional cost as soft (belts) and hard (extractor keys) may be required.
Talk to the seller to see if they will absorb the cost.

Better to know what you're possibly getting in to than be stuck with an anchor.
 
Marci,
What role would this machine play in your business?

I do not have a business per say, I do do some small jobs here and there since I started playing around I probably maybe did somewhere around $800.00 worth of work all this year if that much.

I am more of an enthusiast and I must admit that, this machine if in good shape is much more machine than I can ever see needing. But for $6,000 why not it is $5,000 cheaper than the hobby/grade ones I was looking buy.

I understand your reasoning Vstrom about production time, biding, and having Haas diving it the once over is a very good idea.

Marci
 
What might the serial number be? I am curious and would like to see the history of the machine.

I just received a call from the machine owner's son. The guy is gone on some business and should be back late to night or early tomorrow I should be able to get the ser# and other info tomorrow.

Marci
 
Marci

Wow, well for a learning machine tool, if in good nick...that's wonderful.

Do you have a shop in an industrial zoned area?

The reason I ask is most residential districts do not make allowances for 3 phase service and the machine you are looking at will require such power. Granted there are ways of getting around that, but the cost factor will rise.

BTW is the machine wired for 240 or 480? If you look at the transformer in the lower right of the control cabinet it will be marked.

If single phase is your only option, try looking for a good used HAAS Mini Mill or any of the HAAS Tool Room products as they will run on either 208 3 phase or 240 single phase.
 
What's your budget? If you're just a weekend warrior or a hobbiest, a nice cnc bed mill or plain cnc mill may be a good option.
http://www.machinetools.com/us/machines/view/70001
http://www.machinetools.com/us/machines/view/79500

Marci

Wow, well for a learning machine tool, if in good nick...that's wonderful.

Do you have a shop in an industrial zoned area?

The reason I ask is most residential districts do not make allowances for 3 phase service and the machine you are looking at will require such power. Granted there are ways of getting around that, but the cost factor will rise.

BTW is the machine wired for 240 or 480? If you look at the transformer in the lower right of the control cabinet it will be marked.

If single phase is your only option, try looking for a good used HAAS Mini Mill or any of the HAAS Tool Room products as they will run on either 208 3 phase or 240 single phase.

Power requirements are not a problem.

True actually a manual Bridgeport converted knee mill or a Industrial Hobbies mill would do me fine but then it would cost me about the same as this VF2 and be much less capable.

Marci
 
If that machine isn't a total POS, grab it and do a happy dance. Holy cow, a VF-2 for that price? Look it over, make sure it doesn't have some obvious physical damage, rust, etc. I'd be wary of it at that price, but times are tough. If he was a functioning business and just needed to move out when the lease ran out, it might be a solid machine for a screaming price.

There is no knee-mill conversion or hobby mill in the world that is going to hold a candle to a VF-2 (even if it's an old one). Repairs could get pricey, replacement spindles are in the thousands, ditto for the spindle amplifier but, you can't avoid the fact that it's a real CNC with a real toolchanger, a real coolant system and a real enclosure. The instant depreciation on a new VF-2 would exceed the purchase price of this one. If you try it and it doesn't work out, sell it for parts on eBay and you'd still be ahead of the game.

Things to consider:

  • What's it going to cost you to get three phase power (rotary phase converter) for it? Include installation costs if you aren't handy with electricity.
  • Do you have enough cool, dry air to keep up with it? My Husky, two-stage, 6 HP runs about 30% of the time, keeping up with the tool changer and the spindle purge. Anything smaller will run continuously and destroy itself. It also needs to be dry air (chiller/dryer). This is important if it's humid where you live.
  • Transportation and installation: it's a heavy machine and professional riggers are a pretty good idea. It takes a big forklift and some big roller skates to move one safely.
  • How high is the ceiling where it will go and will it fit under the doorway? The wire guide track on top can be disassembled and the Z-axis motor can be removed to get it through a 7 foot doorway but, it's tight.
 
If that machine isn't a total POS, grab it and do a happy dance. Holy cow, a VF-2 for that price? Look it over, make sure it doesn't have some obvious physical damage, rust, etc. I'd be wary of it at that price, but times are tough. If he was a functioning business and just needed to move out when the lease ran out, it might be a solid machine for a screaming price.

There is no knee-mill conversion or hobby mill in the world that is going to hold a candle to a VF-2 (even if it's an old one). Repairs could get pricey, replacement spindles are in the thousands, ditto for the spindle amplifier but, you can't avoid the fact that it's a real CNC with a real toolchanger, a real coolant system and a real enclosure. The instant depreciation on a new VF-2 would exceed the purchase price of this one. If you try it and it doesn't work out, sell it for parts on eBay and you'd still be ahead of the game.

Things to consider:

  • What's it going to cost you to get three phase power (rotary phase converter) for it? Include installation costs if you aren't handy with electricity.
  • Do you have enough cool, dry air to keep up with it? My Husky, two-stage, 6 HP runs about 30% of the time, keeping up with the tool changer and the spindle purge. Anything smaller will run continuously and destroy itself. It also needs to be dry air (chiller/dryer). This is important if it's humid where you live.
  • Transportation and installation: it's a heavy machine and professional riggers are a pretty good idea. It takes a big forklift and some big roller skates to move one safely.
  • How high is the ceiling where it will go and will it fit under the doorway? The wire guide track on top can be disassembled and the Z-axis motor can be removed to get it through a 7 foot doorway but, it's tight.

Lots of good points there thanks
 
Marci,

Machinery Values have a sweet little Haas TM-1 on sale.
At least you can take your time and not buy under presure.
So called deals are like a bus, one every half hour.
Check them out :
http://www.mvalues.com/xdetails.cfm/QN/144905
$19,500.00

OX : That is totaly discusting and gross :rolleyes5:
I perfer cats.

<a href="http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff220/shawbridge/?action=view&current=black-cat-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff220/shawbridge/black-cat-2.jpg" border="0" alt="TiBrousse"></a>
 
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