It is kinda ruff

[OakRidgeGuy]

I am waiting to hear back from a guy close to me that has a Hardinge HC lathe, with a few holders and the 3 jaw chuck. It looks to have been used bit, but was curious if it is worth picking up for 600 bucks..
Don't know that much about these.

Doc

 

[DMS]

That thing looks like it has seen better days. The HC lathe is a manufacturing lathe. No leadscrew on the thing, so no screwcutting unless you have the special follower attachment. Mainly these were production machines. They came with a 10 (?) station tool holder on the cross slide, and there was a cutoff attachment available that mounted to the headstock. These are used mostly for small parts, as you don't have much swing over the toolpost (only a couple inches) and you don't have much room for a tailstock if you could find one to fit (the didn't come with one).

A couple of these came up near me when I was in the market for a lathe. I passed mainly due to the lack of tailstock and screw cutting. If the headstock and ways are good, I am thinking it would make a great CNC conversion.

 

[OakRidgeGuy]

Well I know that it looks really ruff.. I have emailed the guy and may go look at it. For what I am wanting to do, will not need a tail stock. I read the UK site this morning and found it quite interesting in what they have to say about Hardinge. The only reason that I even took an interest is that a friend of mine suggested this type of machine for the two parts of a tool that I am wanting to make. 7/8's of an inch is the largest dia that I will be working with. I am not set on it yet. But at the price..it is something that could be considered.. pending that any extras or other parts can be had for it. From what I understand now, the bearings in these machines were the best.

 

[7mag]

I had one like this a couple years ago. Mine was a real work horse. The one you have posted doesn't have a lever collet closer, in my opinion, that detracts from the value quite a bit. I have owned a few Hardinge plain lathes and have found them to be excellent machines.
There is a Hardinge 59 split bed listed on Craigslist in Charolettsville, Va for $500. It is smaller than the one you listed and doesn't have a lever collet closer, but has a tailstock and compound slide worth more than $500.

 

[OakRidgeGuy]

Well the guy responded to my email. I will be giving him a call this evening and see if I can set up a time to go at least look at it.. He states that it is wired and working in proper order. So at least it will be interesting to see it in person ..

Here is another picture of it.

 

[OakRidgeGuy]

Here is some more pics of the machine

 

[PurpLev]

these are good as 2nd operation stations, or for mass productions of smaller/shorter parts (only held by chuck) and are usually running at ~700-1200 around here, this one looks like it has seen better days though.