What's new
What's new

Newbie looking for CNC VMC, any experience with Hardinge VMC 1100 ii?

gsondubs

Plastic
Joined
Oct 19, 2016
Location
USA
Hello everyone

I'm new to this CNC world. Been playing with a tormach 1100 w/mach3 for about 40-50 hours/week the past 6 months. I'm interested in buying a bigger machine and start messing with it.

I found a 2001 Hardinge VMC 1000 II for $23000 obo locally (w/pallet changer) Not sure of the hours on the machine, but looking at the company that is being sold by, they mostly cut aluminum (Car parts like spacers and such) He is not the original owner, so I can't tell what it's life was like before him, but the condition looks pretty new on it.

I am trying to find some reviews on this machine, but no luck. Can anyone charm in? Any common issues? Are parts expensive to replace compared to HAAS?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help.
 
My 2 cents since this thread has been sitting here all alone for about 6 hours...

What happens 3 months down the road when something breaks and you come here looking for help? In 6 hours nobody has
acknowledged that they have any experience with the machine, what are the odds that somebody has experience with the
problem you are having (unless its standard to the control Fanuc or Seimans I would assume)..

I'm guessing you aren't rolling in dough, and I'm guessing you aren't a machine tech...

Like when looking for a car, you want it cheap to fix, you want it easy to fix, you want it reliable, you want to be able to
get a part for it on Sunday Afternoon down at the Carquest. That porshe 944 is only a grand, the Chevy next to it is $2k.. The
clutch on that 944 is mad expensive, the clutch on that Chevy is $125 and its in stock just around the corner and your neighbor will
show you how to change it...

That might be an awesome machine, but the purchase price is just the beginning.. There are a lot of other things to consider.
 
Hardinge has been through a lot over the last fifteen years and their support has suffered. Many of the old guys who know the machines are retired or otherwise gone, and the ones that are left have a hard enough time supporting the current US and Taiwan models (I have an older US machine and a three year old Taiwan model). If I was thinking about buying that machine I would make SURE that it had ALL of the manuals (especially the electrical ones) and you were on good terms with a local service guy.
 
I've got one with umbrella, geared head, 4th, and Siemens.

Only regret - I wish it had a Fanuc.
Otherwise - very good machine!
VERY wide base, and base to column mount!
VERY wide rails! Enough so that they added a 1/2 length 3rd rail in the middle to make sure that it didn't get skewed.

I have a 600 of the same model as well. Had them both for 8 years.


No parts issues that I know of.


--------------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 








 
Back
Top