The Haas that would not work---revisited $700,000 engine block project---Maybe not the Haas?

[Donkey Hotey]

One of the Haas marketing things wayyyy back in the day was selling the VF-1 for $49,999. It was always their thing to be the affordable alternative, with up-front pricing, easy service and transparent parts pricing. They held that price as long as they absolutely could. I still have ads showing the comparison of today vs then.

If you go to their website, you'll see the current day VF-1 is still $56,695. I forgot when it happened but, they did finally have to raise the price and couldn't make that claim anymore. It seems like that was in the past ten years and may have been as recent as five years ago.

We're talking 1987 to current. I didn't dig into specifically machinery and industrial categories but, the Consumer Price Index says the inflated price of a VF-1 should be $138,000 today. Haas held the price through making the design more produceable, a larger company, better assembly techniques and--yes--beating up suppliers and using less expensive components.

We can argue all day about the merits of what they've done. The bottom line is their machines are more affordable than they ever have been and we can thank them for the low priced competition from brands like DN Solutions.

It's why I'm still so absolutely blown away at shops posting on here about trying to make a living with manual machines. I'm not sure what they're waiting for but, manual machining is dead, except for some very specific niche markets.

 

[William Payne]

It's why I'm still so absolutely blown away at shops posting on here about trying to make a living with manual machines.

I think two things apply there one being cost barrier to entry. Some people can only afford an old manual machine but want to start a shop but on the other end there is the nostalgia folks. Some people just aren't interested in CNC.

Me personally I believe they are all tools and I would rather learn new tools than be steamrolled by a changing industry.

 

[EmGo]

manual machining is dead, except for some very specific niche markets.

Except, those niche markets are one of the few ways a small shop can be competitive. Anything commercial-grade and of any significant volume will go to a bigger, better-equipped shop so if you are small, doing stuff no one else can or wants to is the way to go. Manual, nc, whatever gets the job done.

NC gear hobbers are not cheap, for instance, but you can get into a nice manual hobber that will do a 40" gear for breakdown or repair work for under ten grand. What are you going to turn it with, a $250,000 cnc lathe or an antique webster and bennet vtl that cost you five grand ? It's one part, you need to do a bore, a face and an od.

Lots of small niches like this that can make a guy a decent living. You're not going to be the next manufacturing powerhouse but so what ?

 

[empower]

I have never even seen a haas let alone used one. But I can't understand why they have got themselves stuck at the bottom of the market. People buy them, people like them, I bet people would spend the money if they directly built a machine to compete with Grob or DMG or other top brands.

lazy

 

[EmGo]

lazy

Maybe burned out ? Unless he's got kids who want to go upscale or get better or whatever, the haasman has been doing this a long time, accomplished a lot, and he's got be be as old as the hills now. Car racing is probably more fun.

 

[empower]

Maybe burned out ? Unless he's got kids who want to go upscale or get better or whatever, the haasman has been doing this a long time, accomplished a lot, and he's got be be as old as the hills now. Car racing is probably more fun.

do you really think he actually does anything like that these days still? i'm betting all he does is just check in few times a year and make sure his cash cow is making enough to fund his nascar and F1 teams, lol.

 

[EmGo]

make sure his cash cow is making enough to fund his nascar and F1 teams, lol.

I would drop the nascar. It's no fun anymore.

 

[Homeshopblob]

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