I am one of those guys with over 20 years experience, but, unfortunately, it is all in one place. So I don't have as much experience as many having the same number of years in the business.
Of the machines you listed, I am only familiar with the Hardinge lathes. I started on CHNCs (no longer have any), but we soon went to the Hardinge Conquest lathes. All but one of ours are barfeeds with the exception of the EMAGs which load from prisms. Two with tailstocks, the rest with subspindles (again except EMAGS). The oldest (has OT control) is about 20 years old and still going strong. Several of our lathes run from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Would run more of them, but it is hard to find anyone willing to work nights.
Don't know what kind of work you will be doing. Our 51 Conquest (another OT control, and older machine) is set up with a 2-jaw chuck, and I don't think its tailstock has ever been used. However the oldest Hardinge is running with the tailstock as I speak. It doesn't get used often, but is indispensable when you need one.
About my only dislike with the 42 series is the limited distance between the main spindle and the subspindle/tailstock. The 51 is much better in this area as it is a bigger machine. I have nothing to do with purchasing, so I don't know if any of these models would fit within your budget. Sorry, but I've never checked online either.
We are currently running 10 Hardinge lathes. Most of them with 18 controls. I would suggest the 18 or 21 control. The OT doesn't have an equal sign so you can't change variable values from within a program on the control. I can't understand why any control would be purchased without Macro B option. Hardinge lathes come with a deep drilling subprogram that works very nicely. Don't let Hardinge know, but I use it on all our Fanuc controlled lathes.
I also use their safe index subprograms on all the lathes that will work the same way.
We run 8 other brands of lathes, but you didn't ask about any of them.
Almost forgot. We have had to rebuild the turret on one of the T42 lathes twice after switching to water. Finally went back to oil. No problem since. However the other T42 purchased at the same time hasn't had this problem, and is still running with water based coolant. The one running water is a Big Bore (20C collet) and has broken the belt that drives the subspindle several times. (Subspindles all use 16C collets.) The one with turret problems has only broken a couple times. I think you can get a heavy duty belt which is what we did. They will still wear out over time. Both these machines run 2 shifts.
The Hardinge barfeeds have good and bad points. 12 and 6 footers are available. You can only load one bar at a time, and it needs a 30 degree chamfer on the pusher end. The bigger the material the slower the maximum RPM. Max RPM varies depending on which length barfeed you have. Hex material is run slower yet.
Good point is open the collet and material is instantly pushed against the barstop. Put contol in manual to open collet with push button, and there is no pressure against the bar, unlike the IEMCA we have on one Hardinge. Lost some meat on a finger learning that!
Other quick change barfeeds can be set up to leave the pusher inside the spindle for faster barfeeding. Tried it a couple times, but didn't like the results. Too often the pusher would start whipping, so we retract all ours to home position. Makes for longer cycle times, but is much safer.
Edit. Forgot to mention that I much prefer the Hardinge collet set up. We are running some Daewoo Lynxes with 16C collets. Daewoo uses an adapter, and the collet sticks out several inches in front of the wall. Two problems with this set-up. First is chatter. The adapters are more prone to it with smaller parts. I don't care what the office people say about how sturdy it looks! Second is holding power. I can make .08/.09 D.O.Cs at F.01 in 52100 all day on the Hardinges without the bar pushing back. (This is on the 42 series.) For the Daewoo Lynxes I went to G71 canned cycles anytime there is very much material coming off. Have to keep the cuts to no more than .05 DOC. .06 is enough to push the bar back. I often will go into the .03s and increase the feedrate to F.012. Drill feedrates have to be kept way down also.
Sorry for the length of the post. Get me started, and I can't shut up.
