Choosing your first or next VMC: size, taper, spindle, new or used
Size a VMC from your largest part, its weight and the tools it takes: they set the travels, the table load, and the taper and spindle. Then choose new or used: a new machine built to order gets the spindle and options you pick, while a used machine comes with its own, so check them and its condition before you pay.
Published Nov 10, 2026
What will the machine run?
Write the work down before you compare machines. Every number in this guide comes back to these answers:
- Your largest part: length, width and height, and what it weighs with its fixture or vise.
- The material, and how much metal comes off.
- Your biggest tools: face mill, drill and tap.
- Quantities: one-offs, batches or production runs, and how many setups each part takes.
- The tolerances and finish you have to hold.
How much travel and table do I need?
Enough for the part to fit inside the X and Y travel with room for the tool around it, and a table rated for the part and its fixture together.
Then check height. The part, the fixture and the longest tool all have to fit between the table and the spindle, which Hwacheon gives as the distance from the table surface to the spindle gauge plane: 5.91 to 17.72 in (150 to 450 mm) on the HiT-400, 3.54 to 25.2 in (90 to 640 mm) on the VESTA-800.
| Model | Travel X / Y / Z, in (mm) | Table, in (mm) | Table load, lbf (kgf) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HiT-400 | 20.47 / 15.75 / 11.81 (520 / 400 / 300) | 23.62 x 15.75 (600 x 400) | 441 (200) |
| VESTA-800 | 31.5 / 21.65 / 21.65 (800 / 550 / 550) | 39.37 x 21.65 (1,000 x 550) | 1,323 (600) |
| VESTA-1100 | 43.31 / 23.62 / 23.62 (1,100 / 600 / 600) | 51.18 x 23.62 (1,300 x 600) | 2,205 (1,000) |
| SIRIUS-650 | 51.18 / 25.59 / 25.59 (1,300 / 650 / 650) | 70.87 x 25.59 (1,800 x 650) | 3,307 (1,500) |
| VESTA-1300+ | 52.36 / 26.38 / 25.59 (1,330 / 670 / 650) | 59.05 x 26.38 (1,500 x 670) | 2,866 (1,300) |
| VESTA-1650 | 64.96 / 29.53 / 26.57 (1,650 / 750 / 675) | 66.93 x 29.53 (1,700 x 750) | 3,307 (1,500) |
The other Hwacheon vertical machining centers we list, from 20.47 in (520 mm) of X travel to 236.22 in (6,000 mm), are on the Hwacheon page. If a second table, pallets or a horizontal machine is on your list, see when an HMC makes sense.
30, 40 or 50 taper?
The number is the size of the spindle taper, and your tool holders have to match it. On these Hwacheon models, the heaviest tool allowed rises with the taper:
| Taper | Model | Top speed, rpm | Largest tool, in (mm) | Heaviest tool, lbf (kgf) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBT-30 | HiT-400 | 12,000 on FANUC, 15,000 on Siemens (24,000 optional) | Ø3.15 (Ø80) | 6 (2.5) |
| BBT-40 | VESTA-800 and VESTA-1100 | 12,000 (PRO: 15,000) | Ø2.95 / Ø5.91 (Ø75 / Ø150) | 17.64 (8) |
| BT-50, optional | VESTA-1300+ | 8,000 | Ø4.92 / Ø9.65 (Ø125 / Ø245) | 44.09 (20) |
| BBT-50, gear driven | SIRIUS-650 | 5,000 (8,000 optional) | Ø4.33 / Ø8.66 (Ø110 / Ø220) | 33.07 (15) |
In Hwacheon's figures for these models, torque climbs with the taper and again with a gear drive: 117.8 Nm for the 12,000 rpm BBT-40 spindle on the VESTA-800 and VESTA-1100, 287 Nm for the 8,000 rpm BT-50 option on the VESTA-1300+ and VESTA-1650, and 1,145 Nm (30 min) for the SIRIUS-650's 5,000 rpm spindle, which shifts through three gear ranges.
Magazines hold 21 tools on the HiT-400, 24 on the VESTA-800 and SIRIUS-650, and 30 on the VESTA-1100, VESTA-1300+ and VESTA-1650, with larger magazines optional on some.
What each is built for, in Hwacheon's words:
- HiT-400: a spindle that "enables stable rigid tapping and drilling during prolonged machining".
- VESTA-800 and VESTA-1100: "designed for reliable daily production".
- VESTA-1300+ and VESTA-1650: "recommended for powerful cutting".
- SIRIUS-650: box ways on all axes and an auto-shifting gear spindle that "delivers high torque cutting performance at extra low speed".
If you already own holders, count them: a different taper means a new set. Hwacheon lists BBT-40, CAT-40 and SK-40 shanks for the VESTA-800 and VESTA-1100, noting that standard specifications vary by country, and CAT-50 as an option on the SIRIUS-650. Name your holders on the quote. On its HiT series, Hwacheon describes the BBT-30 spindle as two-face contact and says it "prevents the Z-axis displacement and reduces vibrations during high-speed rotations".
How big is too big for my shop?
Too big is anything your floor, your power or your doorway cannot take. Check the builder's figures before you settle on a size:
| Model | Floor space L x W, in (mm) | Height, in (mm) | Weight, lbf (kgf) | Power, kVA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiT-400 | 82.09 x 64.96 (2,085 x 1,650) | 93.86 (2,384) | 5,512 (2,500) | 25 |
| VESTA-800 | 121.46 x 102.2 (3,085 x 2,596) | 114.41 (2,906) | 9,479 (4,300) | 30 |
| VESTA-1100 | 138.74 x 99.61 (3,524 x 2,530) | 116.26 (2,953) | 13,000 (5,900) | 30 |
| SIRIUS-650 | 168.50 x 157.87 (4,280 x 4,010) | 126.38 (3,210) | 26,896 (12,200) | 40 |
| VESTA-1300+ | 188.5 x 146.5 (4,787 x 3,721) | 133.27 (3,385) | 22,046 (10,000) | 45 |
| VESTA-1650 | 165.35 x 177.56 (4,200 x 4,510) | 125.98 (3,200) | 26,455 (12,000) | 45 |
Then plan the air supply, the slab and the path from the truck to the floor: Before your CNC machine arrives covers each one.
New or used?
Buying new
New models are built to order, so ask for the lead time with the price. You pick the spindle and magazine from what Hwacheon lists for the model, and we price the machine with freight, rigging and the options you need. New machines already on our floor are listed under Machines in stock.
Buying used
A used machine comes with the travels, taper, spindle and control it already has, so hold those against your parts first. Then check its condition before you pay: our used machine guide lists what to look at and what to ask for.
Used machines on our floor are listed under Pre-owned machines. Where one shows a price, the listing gives its FOB point: freight and insurance from there, and rigging and unloading at your shop, are the buyer's.
Financing, trade-ins and Section 179
- Financing: ask about financing a new or pre-owned machine. Tell us which machine and when you need it.
- Trade-ins: tick "I have a machine to trade in" when you request a quote, or get a free evaluation on Sell your machine.
Section 179: IRS Publication 946 sets four tests for the deduction: eligible property, acquired for business use, acquired by purchase, and not on its list of property that does not qualify. None requires the machine to be new, and machinery and equipment are eligible property. On bonus depreciation, it says qualified property "can be either new property or certain used property" (chapter 3).
What should I send for a quote?
The part, material and quantities from the top of this guide, plus:
- The machines you run now, and the taper of the holders you own.
- New, used or either, and when you want it running.
- Any machine you plan to trade in.
Common questions
What sizes of Hwacheon VMC do you offer?
The Hwacheon vertical machining centers we list run from 20.47 in (520 mm) of X travel on the HiT-400, HiT-360D and VESTA-500T to 236.22 in (6,000 mm) on the HiREX-6000, a column moving type machine with a 25.59 x 255.91 in (650 x 6,500 mm) table.
30, 40 or 50 taper: what changes?
The tool holders you need, and how heavy a tool the machine takes. In Hwacheon's catalogs, the HiT-400's BBT-30 spindle runs to 12,000 rpm on FANUC and takes tools up to 6 lbf (2.5 kgf); the VESTA-800's BBT-40 runs to 12,000 rpm with 117.8 Nm and takes 17.64 lbf (8 kgf); the SIRIUS-650's gear-driven BBT-50 runs to 5,000 rpm with 1,145 Nm (30 min) and takes 33.07 lbf (15 kgf).
Are new Hwacheon VMCs built to order?
Yes, unless one is already on our floor, so ask for the lead time when you request a quote. Machines in stock lists the new and pre-owned machines on our floor.
Can a used machine qualify for Section 179?
It can. None of the four Section 179 tests in IRS Publication 946 requires the machine to be new, and the publication counts machinery and equipment as eligible property. This is general information, not tax advice: your CPA decides what applies to your shop.
Can I finance a used VMC?
You can ask about financing a new or pre-owned machine. Tell us which machine and when you need it, and our sales team will follow up.
Sources
- 1.Hwacheon catalog: HiT Series (PDF) · hwacheon.com
- 2.Hwacheon catalog: VESTA Series, VESTA-800 and VESTA-1100 (PDF) · hwacheon.com
- 3.Hwacheon catalog: VESTA-1100 (PDF) · hwacheon.com
- 4.Hwacheon catalog: SIRIUS-650 (PDF) · hwacheon.com
- 5.Hwacheon catalog: VESTA-1300+ (PDF) · hwacheon.com
- 6.Hwacheon catalog: VESTA-1650 (PDF) · hwacheon.com
- 7.Hwacheon catalog: VESTA-500T/650T (PDF) · hwacheon.com
- 8.Hwacheon catalog: HiREX Series (PDF) · hwacheon.com
- 9.IRS Publication 946 (2025), How To Depreciate Property · irs.gov