HLV-H serial no. list? Trying to date this one

[dkmc]

Can we identify a year of mfg on this one? Just curious. Hardinge is of no help right now.
HLV-H 4320

 

[Billtodd]

Looks very similar to mine which has 1066 cast into the apron (so making it Norman in origin , having once belonged to William the Conqueror)

They changed tailstock slightly on later models, I believe.

 

[FredC]

Mine is 103xx made in the seventies I think. Your gear change assembly looks way different than mine. Another photo of your gear change assemble would be informative. Larry has been very helpful in dating other Hardinge lathes, maybe he has a list of HLV-Hs.

 

[L Vanice]

My list came from a local dealer in 1984. His old machinery dealers' association serial number book ended at 1966 with serial number HLV-H 2345. Maybe John Oder has a newer list.

Larry

 

[Billtodd]

Joking aside, that is identical to my machine, the switches, the electrical box , tail stock, base etc. Etc.

It has to be mid sixtys

 

[morsetaper2]

My 1983 S/N reference book places it at 1971

 

[dkmc]

Thanks MT2...
More pics

 

[moonlight machine]

Thanks MT2...
More pics

View attachment 401799
View attachment 401798

Is it for sale?

 

[Chips Everywhere]

Is it for sale?

I don’t think so, he was asking about drill chucks and live centers on another post.

Then again, everything is for sale, for the right price.

My guess it’s late 60’s machine.

@FredC The gearbox looks odd because it has the metric gear kit cover. Most of the machines I’ve seen with those covers have no gears, the gears are long gone/lost.

 

[dkmc]

Is it for sale?

Just got it a couple weeks ago. But someday, it will be I guess.
Got it cleaned up a bit and power to it this afternoon. Looking pretty good so far.

 

[FredC]

I don’t think so, he was asking about drill chucks and live centers on another post.

Then again, everything is for sale, for the right price.

My guess it’s late 60’s machine.

@FredC The gearbox looks odd because it has the metric gear kit cover. Most of the machines I’ve seen with those covers have no gears, the gears are long gone/lost.

I thought about that. A member here made a set of metric gears for me, but I do not have the metric cover. The actual gear box and selector look a lot narrower than mine not sure if it is a change in design or an optical delusion.

 

[dkmc]

I thought about that. A member here made a set of metric gears for me, but I do not have the metric cover. The actual gear box and selector look a lot narrower than mine not sure if it is a change in design or an optical delusion.

I tried searching a bit for the member or posts for they guy offering the metric gear set, no luck so far. I am interested. There is a version of the 'mounting block' as Hardinge calls it inside the cover.

 

[FredC]

9100 (Bill Plumpe) is the only member i know of that made the Hardinge gears. He ran an ad on PM offering to make them. I bought a near complete set. I just checked an old post and he has not been seen on this forum since April 2021.
Another member that rebuilds HLV-Hs sells a digital threading adapter that can generate any English or metric thread. Probably the way i would go today since Bill may not be with us anymore.
I do have his email and phone number I will give both a try and let you know what I find out.

I just tried to contact Bill, and his phone number is now disconnected, and the email came back. I did a search for him and found no obituary, he did have some very technical patents in his name. His age is 87 years so he may be in a nursing home.

 

[dkmc]

I'd prefer the gears over the electronic solution if possible. Got power to it yesterday, sounds pretty good....and smooth. Brake cork is out of adjustment, I think it needs a 'cork shaped piece of soft pine' installed instead. The collet closer has a 'tick' in it, seems like 1 time per rev....??
Anxious to get in 'evaluation' mode, and get a feel for this machine, experience it's capabilities.

 

[rons]

ahh......

 

[dkmc]

ahh......
View attachment 402271

I'm sitting down.....what does that cost?? Internally, Hardinge attempted to develop same, project dragged on for several years. I don't think it was sucessful?

 

[Chips Everywhere]

I'm sitting down.....what does that cost?? Internally, Hardinge attempted to develop same, project dragged on for several years. I don't think it was sucessful?

Last I recall 4k

 

[FredC]

Last I recall 4k

Pretty reasonable if you ask me. I paid $3500 ten years ago for most of the gears to cut many metric threads and a few odd English threads. I did not get the gear cover, and a couple of the gears are usable but ought to be reworked. I store them in a drawer in a nearby toolbox. Life would be easier with the digital set up and no thread being impossible.

 

[majohnson]

Looking on Hardinge site and came across the article below.

Rons,
Babin does a nice job. He helped me with mine and was good to deal with.