Finding the Best Source for General Woodworking Machinery

The term general woodworking machinery encompasses various grades of machines, from domestic to industrial. However, what general woodworking machinery refers to all cases is the equipment required by most woodworkers at every level of woodworking, such as lathes, sanders, grinders, and routers. If you have woodworking experience, then you probably have a preferred source for your woodworking needs. But if you're just starting out, finding the best source for your equipment will accomplish two things: it will offer you the broadest range of machines at the widest range of prices. Below, we look at the commonest sources for acquiring general woodworking machinery and examine how they compare to each other.

Hardware and Department Stores

When woodworkers have a woodworking need, they traditionally go to a local hardware or department store-a tradition that, once formed, often continues in spite of broader and less pricey buying options available through reputable machinery websites. While shopping at local hardware and department stores supposedly offers "convenience", what it really offers is the psychological comfort of shopping at a physical location-a comfort that could make you pay more than necessary for any number of machines or supplies.

Website Retailers of Woodworking Machines

Shopping for woodworking machines and supplies online brings the aforementioned advantage of shopping a broad range of buying options, with some websites offering the best in equipment and supplies from around the world. However, as with all e-commerce websites, there's always the chance that someone could give you the shaft and have a chance of getting away it with due to their remote location. Before you make a major machinery purchase online, it's best to research the seller's reputation at the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Retailers of Used Woodworking Machines

If you need to buy industrial grade woodworking machinery, buying it used is perhaps the best option. With many industrial machines costing over $100,000 new and possessing a useful lifespan of 30 years or more, getting your industrial machinery used typically amounts to receiving new machine quality at a used machine price. But you have to be vigilant about assessing the machines' quality, implementing the following steps: researching the seller's reputation at the BBB; requesting a copy of a machine's official maintenance record; and conducting a firsthand inspection of a machine prior to purchase.

eBay and Other Online Auction Merchants

eBay and other online auction sites offer some of the best deals on anything that you need to buy, woodworking machines included. But here's the question: Will you be buying from a merchant who possesses the expertise to assess the dependability of used woodworking machines? Unlike website retailers of woodworking machines, it's often impossible to check an online auction merchant's record at the BBB, making it best to avoid these sellers unless you can arrange a purchase that's contingent on you inspecting a machine and liking what you see.

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