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Anyone have experience with Machinery Values?

amaranth

Aluminum
Joined
Apr 5, 2002
Location
Manchester, MI USA
Normally these guys seem a litle pricey, but they're having a sale and they have a machine I'm interested in. They're about 800 miles away though, so I was wondering if anyone had any experiences dealing with them.
 
They are probably ok folks, but I imagine their "sale" price is still twice the going rate for whatever machine you are looking at...if it's a manual machine. Curiously, their prices aren't all that out of line on CNC machines, but on some manual machines they are in La La Land.
 
I drove 400 miles one way to look at a vertical machining center described as "excellent condition". It was junk. I had to wait an hour while they hooked up power (was supposed to be powered up prior to my getting there) and the tool changer wouldn't even work (I currently owned the same model so I knew there was something wrong with the machine). The Z-axis ways (box style) had a large number of "bruises" that appeared to have been crudely ground down with a die grinder. I saw many machines that I had seen on their web site - what looked good on their website did not look good in person. Many VERY used machines, some with horrendous paint jobs, all way over priced. I would highly recommend a very thorough personal inspection before buying anything from them.
 
Thanks, this is a CNC turning center I'm looking at. I pretty much figured I'd have to go out and look at it, but it's a little hard coming up with the time to get out there. Oh well.
 
The only machine I bought from them was known as a basket case. It was a twin spindle deep hole drill designed for a dedicated job. The beauty of it was the coolant system and it went for cheap on the bay. Many hours later I had a useful machine cheaper than buying an operational one even with time and materials to rewire it and adapt it to the job I had.
 
I live and work about an hours drive from Harrison NJ. I have wanted to visit their showroom (warehouse?) for some time just to see if their stuff looks as good as the photos on eBay. I would offer to go and visit and look at the CNC machine you are interested in, BUT what I know about CNC machines couldn't fill the period at the end of this sentence. With that said is there anything useful I could tell you about the machine IF I did go and look at it? Perhaps from that you could tell whether it was worth your time or not.

-DU-...etc...
 
David,

My experience says if you like heavy machinery take the trip it is very worth it. When I went I really wasn't looking much at their CNC just their beautiful old manual machine tools. This had to be one of the sexiest lathes I've ever seen
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If any one is near by I suggest you go it is well worth the trip. From their site it looks like they sold the 2 monster lathes I saw when I went there.

As for David, the bright side is if you do go there they have so many machines that chances are if you don't like the machine they have maybe they'll have another one. The place is huge, and I do believe that they own most every machine on their website and that it is in their warehouse. Plus they are seconds by car from Newark airport and with Jetblue you could probably get there real cheap.

Adam
 
We ordered a cylindrical grinder for the previous company I worked for very good communication on the phone they even sent digital camera footage of the machine running as we could not get out there to look at it. The bad side was the shipping they loaded it on an open truck with a tarp that was flapping in the wind all the way to canada in the winter I remember this well cause it was not to fun to clean all the rust off it when it arrived so be clear if you are shipping turned out to be a great machine though!
 
I bought a VMC from them about six years ago.

The machine was as described, and worth the money. It's paid for itself many times over in that short time.

The folks I dealt with were all very easy to get along with. They arranged shipping and delivery to podunk Missouri with no hassles at all. They also shipped the machine on an air ride trailer even though I wasn't smart enough to specifically ask for that service. It was well tarped, stretch wrapped under that, and the control panel was boxed over to prevent damage (as it protruded a bit from the overall footprint). There was no shipping damage or rust at all (of course it was well doused in some sort of very heavy and dark cutting oil).

Their prices are somewhat high, which is what has prevented me from doing any more business with them for manual equipment, but when I need another CNC machine they will be on the list of dealers I'll have on the hunt.

They seem honest enough to me, and they're pretty easy to get along with, which is more than half the battle when looking at a machine dealer (IMO at least), price you may or may not see eye to eye on, but it's not like you can't just walk away if the deal doesn't suit you.
 
Yeah, they should have made the carriage more swoopy and aerodynamic for those rapid traverses.

Perhaps a little socket to put the flower vase on the headstock too.

:D

-DU-...etc...
 
It is nothing but a bunch of boxes and squares. machines can be very well designed.The Bridgeport milling machine is a beautiful machine,So is the Monarch EE,the Rivett 1030,the Southbend heavy 10. they actually have well designed castings . The Hardinge HLVH is a beautiful machine. I enjoy using a well designed machine. Obviously it might not matter as to utility,but why not make nicely designed machinery? Cars are machines. Do you want to drive around in a cube?
 
Attaching the adjective "sexy" to that American lathe is curious, but maybe he's thinking manly man "sexy" in the sense that it looks like a machine as "rigid" as they come, that would really "perform" ;)

Probably one of those deals where the photo doesn't really do it justice...just gotta see the hulking "squarehead" beast in real life.

And of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To me the Hardinge HLV-H is indeed "sexy" and a masterpiece of design, but to my eye the Monarch 10ee, although a fine machine, has a fat butt and is kinda doofus looking in overall form. It has some beautiful details though.
 
I knew we would agree on the American lathe,Don. Wonder how far this thread will go. I find the headstock of the EE very pleasing. Wish they could have done better on the tailstock. The HLVH has a nice design in both head and tailstock. When I go up to mine,I am always inspired,and not just because of its looks. It is also the most comfortable machine to operate. drives like a sportscar.
 
gw, we don't exactly agree on the American. I agree the word "sexy" is an odd choice, but OTOH I like the overall design of the machine just fine. Nothing to write home about, but I like the "modern" look on many machines. I like the look of the 4000 series "squarehead" Warner & Swasey turret lathes much better than the old curvey 1000 series machine, for example.

But then some of those squarehead Cincinati vertical mills they came out with in the late 70's look ridiculous...so "square" they look like you are in danger of cutting your hand on the corners of the casting !

So, just depends on the machine and each design to me.
 








 
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