Carpenters and other woodworking professionals understand that making the most of woodworking machinery distributors is necessary when growing a business. Suppliers don't just sell products, they should also play a large part in balancing your bottom line.

To pick and choose the ideal suppliers, determine your business objective and find out how potential distributors can help you meet it. Suppliers should offer the right price, service or financing package. By making the most of a limited number of suppliers, you can build stronger relationships. Consider the following when selecting suppliers of industrial woodworking machines:

1. Many suppliers of woodworking machinery offer leasing program benefits and easy financing options.

2. Find a distributor that offers a warranty on products that meets your business needs.

3. Consider choosing distributors that provide factory installation and training on their products. Many offer these services free, as it benefits them.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy used woodworking equipment or consider leasing to cut down the costs of your small business

As you build your business you should look for ways to increase your service capabilities, but that could be expensive. For this reason, you should look to purchasing used woodworking machinery. Leasing your equipment is also an inexpensive option.

I recommend: Biesse Exchange America's resale service allows you to upgrade to newer, more advanced machinery for less. California Woodworking Machinery offers both used machinery and leasing options that business owners can take advantage of. Read this article at ToolCrib to get a rundown of the benefits and disadvantages of purchasing used woodworking equipment.

Consider a woodworking machinery distributor that offers spare parts or reconditioning services

A business owner should always be prepared for the worst, so it's smart to partner with a distributor that offers spare parts. Some distributors not only provide small parts, they also offer reconditioning services for your old equipment.

I recommend: Pruitt Machinery stocks parts for its new machines and those they rebuild. RT Machine Company reconditions its machinery to meet the custom needs of clients.

Enhance your business by choosing distributors of woodworking machinery that offer superb services

Small business owners would be wise to partner with suppliers that help develop your business. Look to suppliers that offer events or information on events, conferences and educational opportunities. Some will even market and sell your current machinery to make way for new product.

I recommend: Brooks Machinery offers a calendar of events that include industry conferences and training seminars. Woodworking Machinery Distributors USA features a news section that includes tradeshow news and a tracking tool. If you want to compare prices between distributors, check out the online bluebook from Modern Woodworking.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Partner with workshop tool suppliers that offer the types of customer services you wish to offer to your clients, such as 24-hour service.

Woodworking machinery distributors provide the tools you use in your woodworking business. For furniture makers, cabinet makers, carpenters or any business providing quality woodworking products for builders and consumers, workshop tool suppliers are vitally important.

You must make wise choices. Distributors of woodworking machinery vary greatly in the types of woodworking machinery they provide. There’s also a wide price range to choose from. One-man woodworking operations may need less from a workshop tool supplier than a larger, more versatile operation.

1. Decide what you need from distributors of woodworking machinery before you shop. Industrial woodworking machinery cuts into the budget quickly. Smaller, more compact woodworking machinery works fine for small businesses such as furniture-making from your home shop.

2. Distributors of used woodworking equipment help save you money. Used woodworking machines are usually as efficient as new ones, if bought from a reputable dealer.

3. Find workshop tool suppliers who provide replacement parts for used woodworking equipment. Of course, whether your equipment is used woodworking machinery or brand new, spare parts are a necessity.

Action Steps
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Beware when buying used woodworking equipment

Look for distributors of woodworking machinery who offer used and reconditioned machinery at reasonable prices and stand behind their products. Whether you're a one-man shop or a larger operation, used can be useful.

I recommend: Advanced woodworking technology is used to provide dependable used woodworking machinery from Advantek Machinery in Lakeland, TN. They sell reconditioned, new and used woodworking equipment. Contact them by email for more information.

Whittle away with wide selections of woodworking machinery

If you do wide ranges of woodworking jobs, several kinds of woodworking machinery are needed. Industrial woodworking machinery such as an industrial sander, drill presses, table saws, jointers, shapers, lathes, bandsaws and panel saws are a few in woodworking needs.

I recommend: Southern-Tool.com has a wide variety of woodworking machinery available. See pictures of many models and get complete ordering information for your specific needs.

Sharpener your sharpener, bore your boring machine

Spare parts are a necessity from time to time, whether your woodworking machinery is new or if you purchase used woodworking machinery. If you purchase used European machinery here in the US, it's good to know that spare parts are available for many types of woodworking machines.

I recommend: European Woodworking Machinery Co. is a US distributor providing parts for woodworking machinery made in America, Canada and Europe. Click on the brand name and see spare parts for a variety of woodworking machinery.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look for suppliers of woodworking machinery who sell scrap grinders. Scrap grinders process your waste from woodworking projects, saving you time and providing a way to make extra money. Advantek Machinery in Lakeland, TN sells scrap grinders.
• •  Find woodworking machinery distributors who provide machinery for wide-range project uses such as work on solid wood, particle board or solid surface plastics if you do more than one type of woodworking.

The success of small business owners in the woodworking industry is often dependent on staying abreast of woodworking machinery distributors news and trends. In doing so, a carpenter, furniture manufacturer or any small business owner who makes products from wood can offer the most fashionable and current product on the market.

Many resources offer suppliers of woodworking machinery the news and trends they need, but most business owners don't have the time to read them all. Ideally, you should get the most current and detailed information from the fewest resources. An easy way to stay informed is through professional associations, publications and websites. To get the latest information about new and used woodworking machinery, remember the following:

1. Often a distributor or workshop tool supplier will offer current news on industry machinery and equipment.

2. Attending industry events is a great way to stay abreast of the latest trends in the woodworking business.

3. Look for the most current news from associations, publications and websites to stay informed about the woodworking machinery distributor industry.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Join an association and stay abreast of the latest new and used woodworking equipment

Becoming a member of an industry association opens the door to a wealth of news and other informational resources. Additionally, associations often provide you access to further news outlets that have current information on woodworking machinery and equipment.

I recommend: The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) offers industry news and its quarterly newsletter, The Supplier’s Edge, offers information about the industry including export development and tradeshow and association news. The Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America (WMMA) features a newsroom in addition to its monthly newsletter, The Cutting Edge, which offers industry news including product and engineering standards.

Attend events and educational opportunities for workshop tool suppliers

Attending industry events is a great way to keep up with the latest news regarding distributors of used wood working equipment. Additionally, taking advantage of educational opportunities is a smart move to learn more about new developments as a woodworking machinery distributor. Both allow you to meet professionals in the same business so you can network with as many people as possible.

I recommend: The Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA) offers an industry news section featuring events, awards and other industry happenings. In its WMIA Publications section, you’ll also find information about online seminars or webinars that covers things like training and testing your manufacturing employees and starting a certification program. The International Woodworking Fair sponsors the New Product Showcase, which features a generous selection of companies showcasing their latest woodworking products so you can see what’s new in the woodworking machinery distribution industry.

Subscribe to publications for up-to-date news on distributors of woodworking machinery

Business owners might consider subscribing to industry publications for up-to-date news and reviews of woodworking machinery. Many publications offer free subscriptions and industry newsletters. You can even register to have email newsletters sent to you.

I recommend: Modern Woodworking is an online publication that features up-to-date news on woodworking machines, equipment and supplies. You can subscribe to several trade publications at WOODWEB, including the popular Wood and Wood Products, which is free to qualified subscribers and offers information on machining trends and developments and management and marketing techniques for your woodworking business. Woodworking Machinery Distributors USA also offers current news and reviews on industry machinery.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Joining an online forum is another solid resource for meeting professionals and staying current with industry news and trends in woodworking machinery.

Woodworking is a specialized skill. Those in woodworking strive to create quality wood products that include furniture and other decorative elements. Woodworking machinery is essential to this process. Woodworking machinery distributors offer a variety of new and used woodworking machines that help to cut, shape and sand wood into a marketable product. Knowing how to choose the right equipment for the job is essential to woodworkers of all kinds.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Reconditioned machinery

Reconditioned machinery is machinery that has been returned to the manufacturer due to a number of reasons. Since the product can no longer be sold as new, it is inspected, graded and sold as reconditioned.

I recommend: CPO Delta offers answers to frequently asked questions about reconditioned machinery.

Industrial sander

An industrial sander is a large, stationary machine that sands wood. Some common types of industrial sanders include belt sanders, edge sanders and drum sanders.

I recommend: Builders Square offers a buying guide for industrial sanders that covers portable to industrial sizes. The guide provides tips on what to look for when considering sanders.

Wood lathe

A wood lathe is a piece of woodworking machinery that spins a small piece of wood for detailed shaping and smoothing. Lathes are often used to create table and chair legs.

I recommend: Woodturning Online provides a host of articles for the beginner or expert wood lathe operator.

Scrap grinder

A wood scrap grinder is a machine used to pulverize scrap wood into recyclable materials. Many versions of the wood scrap grinder are automated and allow woodworkers to fill the grinder and let it do the rest.

I recommend: Wood Digest offers an article on choosing between chippers and scrap grinders for your woodworking needs.

Particle board, composite board

Particle board is a wood product made from wood scraps, dust and chips. The materials are combined with heat and pressure to make flat boards. Particle board is graded by the size of the scrap materials used. Plywood often has large, visible wood scrapes while particle board does not.

I recommend: The Woodworker's Club provides hazard information for working with solid woods, plywood and composite particle board materials. Scroll down to the Plywood and Composition Board section to see the information.

Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA)

The Woodworking Machinery Industry Association is an organization dedicated to providing news and resources for those who sell and use woodworking machinery.

I recommend: The Woodworking Machinery Industry Association Web site offers a comprehensive technology resource guide to find the latest woodworking machinery.