For many woodworkers, a CNC router is the most expensive machine in their arsenal. Starting at roughly $5,000 for light commercial models and ending at over $250,000 for industrial models, a CNC router is always a significant purchase, causing many woodworkers to consider purchasing it used. Getting a good deal on used CNC routers requires following a four-step process that is also valuable for assessing the quality of other used woodworking machines:
Step 1: Buy the Router from a Professional Seller of Used Woodworking Machinery
If you think you can get a router for the lowest price by shopping eBay or bidding at liquidation auctions, you may be right. But chances are that it won’t be subjected to a professional evaluation that determines its safety of operation, dependability, state of internal wear, etc. In other words, you could easily end up with an unreliable router when you buy it from an unreliable source.
Step 2: Check a Seller’s Reputation at the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
A seller that has unresolved customer complaints on its record has at least one of the following problems, and possibly all three: it places its customers second, it doesn’t sell quality machinery, and/or it addresses customer concerns in a way that leads to official complaints. If a seller has unresolved customer complaints, find another seller that doesn’t.
Step 3: Request a Copy of the Router’s official Logged Service Record
A router that has a spotty logged service record will likely experience premature breakdown that leads to expensive repairs, and a router that lacks a logged service record could perform even worse. Buying a router with an immaculate logged service record is key to receiving dependability, as well as avoiding unnecessary repair costs.
Step 4: Conduct a Firsthand Inspection of the Router
Because Internet and magazine photos are always flattering to the object for sale, it’s best to inspect a used woodworking machine firsthand to assess its general wear. If you can’t perform the inspection, have an expert third party perform it for you.
Maintaining Your Router With Logged Service Scheduling
Once you arrive at a quality router using the four-part process above, ensuring that it remains dependable requires regular logged service maintenance, which can be outsourced or performed in house. Logged service maintenance includes the following measures, among others: replacing worn interior and exterior parts, removing dust from the interior, and lubrication necessary parts. Because a computer controls CNC routers, occasional computer maintenance performed by a specialized technician may also be required.
In addition to preserving your router’s lifespan, logged service can also preserve its value for when you sell it and purchase another CNC router. While light commercial grade routers generally loose most of their value with a single owner, industrial models can have a useful lifespan of 30 years or more; a fact confirmed by used routers routinely sold by professional sellers of used woodworking machinery. To learn more about what types of used routers are available at what prices, visit a professional seller of used woodworking machinery online today.
