From time to time “The Monty Heat Treat News” plays the “What’s It Worth” game where we give our readers an honest and unbiased idea about what used heat treat furnaces are selling for these days.

It is a very tired cliche to say that we live in troubled times and that the future is uncertain-we doubt that there has ever been a generation in history that did not say this.  However we can say that we are seeing some very odd things happening in used furnace pricing these days.

Items which have long been in high demand are a glut on the market and others that were once very popular now languish on the market. However there are a number of items which still remain in high demand and one of the best examples are good condition name brand vacuum furnaces-let us give you an example.

Last year a VFS (Vacuum Furnace Systems) Model HL 66 X 72 EQ2 Vacuum Furnace entered the used market in North America-the complete description said this;

“This is a horizontal loading vacuum furnace manufactured by VFS  6/1997. Well maintained furnace with original hot zone. The furnace water system was on a closed loop system with rust preventative and heat exchanger / water tower open loop side.”

• Hot zone dimensions; 48” wide X 36” high X 72” deep
• Maximum operating temperature of 2,650F
• Weight capacity 4,000 pounds at 2,400F
• Nitrogen/Argon gas quench up to 2 bar
• Varian 35” diffusion pump
• Stokes 412, 300 CFM roughing pump
• Stokes 615 1600 CFM blower