Hardinge\Bridgeport VMC

[Travis2282]

Our company is thinking about buying a new vertical mill, All the mills we have now are Haas, but we are looking at a HardingeBridgport VMC1000xp3. Any opinions on these machines?

[Cad-Camr]

Ive heard good revues about them. What would be the advantage of this machine over a Haas?

[cunder]

The Hardinge I seen at the last show looked like it has a nice system for monitoring loads.

[Travis2282]

Not sure of any advantage, I believe they just found a great deal on one and got interrested in buying it.

[Odell]

We have a newer Haas VF4 and it's load monitoring is excellent!

[JAMES GABEL]

I would go with Makino. They have better service and the best technology. A makino will smoke a Hardinge.

[chris m]

Not thinking Makino and Bridgeport are in the same price range

 

I'd go with Haas all day over Hardinge/Bridgeport. I don't have any "modern" experience with these machines but their older machines are junk.

[Oppiz]

I have a Bridgeport VMC 760. We bought it not long before Hardinge acquired Bridgeport. This machine has been nothing but great! The accuracy has been right on. The machine has giving us minimal problems.

I know nothing about theses machines since Hardinge took over.

[Newbeeee™]

I think they're made in Taiwan for Hardinge by Quasar machinery

[frostfritt]

I have a Hardinge Bridgeport VMC 760. Its a great machine, worked fine for 3 years now.

/frostfritt

[Colin Gilchrist]

A HAAS is still made in California. At least it's got that going for it. I'm pretty leery of machine tool manufacturers that give steep discounts to try and move their machines. It tells me that their financial position might not be that strong.

 

Look at Fadal. Aren't they gone now? What happens when your machine that you got a great deal on needs parts or service. A broken machine is a huge boat anchor if you can't get it fixed promptly...

[Fred @ Slate Industries]

HURCO fan here, more bang for the buck.

Building molds and die's with them for 15 years.

Not a single hickup.

 

I miss our precision Hardinge lathe !

Man did that thing Rock.

I was pulling my hair out with an Enco !?!

and not as bad our Weber 3 jaw.

[JAMES GABEL]

I am all about service when purchasing a machine and I don't think anyone can beat Makino. The techcolony on the pro 5 control is unbelivable. They support you through everything you need.

[Guest SAIPEM]

Bang for the buck, Haas is hard to beat.

 

Makino is a level of quality and precision higher than a Haas and the price will reflect that.

 

Hurco is boat anchor as far as I'm concerned.

The fact that they actually sued Haas over their conversational programming ticked me off.

The idea that Hurco's patent is actually valid is nonsense and the judge who decided the case is an idiot.

I avoid Hurco on principle.

 

I would avoid any VMC with the name Bridgeport on it.

I'm still smarting from their DX-32 control.

http://www.allbusiness.com/legal/legal-ser.../6456016-1.html

 

[ 07-01-2010, 05:59 AM: Message edited by: SAIPEM ]

[Mike Cox]

Colin,

 

Fadal is still around they were aquired by MAG who also owns Cincinnati Machine and VDF to name a few same machines. We have a VMC 4020 it has treated us well. When we looked at the Haas we found this machine to be more rigid.

 

Mike

[Josh T™]

We have a Hardinge/Bridgeport XR 600 5AX at the Techinical College I teach at. Super Solid machine! Heidenhain TNC530i control, 15,000 RPM standard and can handle heavy-highspeed cuts.

[Dave.L]

quote:

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Bang for the buck, Haas is hard to beat.

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I can't speak for the last 4 years but 5 years ago I looked at Haas when we bought our Mazak 410A.

 

When all the options were added to meet what comes standard on the Mazak, the Haas was more money and IMO, not even close to the same quality.

 

I am a Mori fan now but "Bang for the buck" still has to be Mazak.

 

I still cannot understand how Haas sells machines compared to all the much better equipment out on the market.

[Dave.L]

quote:

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Fadal is still around they were aquired by MAG who also owns Cincinnati Machine

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Nope, MAG closed Fadal. Their was a thread here about the machines left in stock and for sale for cheap since they are DONE.

[mxdan]

we have a Hardinge VX710 Great machine , no issues, would buy another one

[chris m]

quote:

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I am a Mori fan now but "Bang for the buck" still has to be Mazak

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[Dave.L]

quote:

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quote:

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I am a Mori fan now but "Bang for the buck" still has to be Mazak

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Chris, I will clearify:

 

I feel Mori builds the best machines (based on the ones I have had experience with), and in our area they also have the best support.

 

BUT, Mori verticals are way more expensive than Mazak, NV verse Nexus Mills.

 

Makino and Matsura seem to be equally respected (from what I have read) to Mori, but in our area the dealers for those machines are far less substaintial than our Mori dealer.

[Storkman]

quote:

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When we looked at the Haas we found this machine to be more rigid.

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HAHAHA! I never heard Fadal or Haas described as "rigid" before.

[chris m]

Matsuura, in my opinion, builds a far superior VMC to Mori Seiki, but we digress, as our original poster is not going to spend $140K.

 

Not enough bad things can be said about the Yamazaki Mazak Corporation; I'll leave it at that.

 

Terry, I agree: "rigid" and "Fadal" are on quite divergent paths

[Joe788]

quote:

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Not enough bad things can be said about the Yamazaki Mazak Corporation; I'll leave it at that.

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LOL! My experience is 100% opposite.

[chris m]

Not unusual, different strokes for different folks. I have nothing bad to say about their machines, just the company.