If you plan on starting a woodworking business, the price of woodworking machinery could be an obstacle to setting your business in motion. In some cases, woodworkers that plan on taking their business to the next level save for years in order to buy new machines or make financing them more feasible. But in others, they decide to buy second hand woodworking machinery at a lower price, and receive the advantage starting a higher production business now instead of in the future. If used woodworking machinery is causing you to think twice about buying or financing new machinery, you aren’t alone. And there are ways to determine whether used machinery—and what type of used machinery—will meet your needs.
Evaluating Second Hand Woodworking Machinery
Determining whether used machines will meet your needs first requires evaluating a machine’s age in relation to the role it will serve in your production. For example, if you need a CNC router to use sparingly, then buying one that has roughly one fourth of its lifespan remaining could be a wise decision. The price will be dramatically less than a new router, and the router could perform like new for years beyond its recognized lifespan due to infrequent use. On the other hand, if a router will experience high volume use, buying a model that still has 50 percent or more of its recognized lifespan would be the safest choice.
In addition to determining what lifespan is acceptable for your production needs, it’s also critical to ensure the quality of the machine(s) you plan to buy. This can be done by observing a four-step process: (1) only buy from professional used woodworking machinery sellers, (2) investigate a sellers’ reputation before making a purchase, (3) request a copy of a machine’s maintenance record before making a purchase, and (4) conduct a firsthand inspection of the machine before making a purchase, or have a trusted third party perform the inspection for you. As with other used products, receiving a woodworking machine often depends on more than a product’s specs, such as whether the seller is worth buying from in the first place.
The easiest way to get a picture of how a seller treats its customers is to check its record at the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Companies that offer poor service typically have unresolved customer complaints on their record, which reputable companies would quickly resolve if only for appearance’s sake. Similarly, only buying from professional sellers of used woodworking machines helps to eliminate poor service and the purchase of machinery that hasn’t been accurately evaluated. Even when you buy from professional sellers, it’s still important to evaluate a machine’s dependability by examining its maintenance record. The same is true of conducting a firsthand inspection of a machine to examine its general state of wear. Following these steps should lead you to used woodworking machines that perform like new for years to come.
