Good morning 🌅, I am retired, now living in France, but from the Uk , nearly 50 years working for myself, obviously starting out did not have a lot of money, so I always purchased secondhand, and if needed, restore the piece of machinery, but I found sometimes that then outweigh the cost of a new one, Back in the early 2000s my business were starting to grow as I was doing barn renovation projects, a planner/jointer, that I’ve purchased back in the late 80s, finally gave up. I’ve already rebuilt it once., so this time I decided to go for new, SCM , PLANNER, classic E450 and SCM THICKNESS MACHINE 500 Classic Electronic , this has a digital readout, both pieces of kit are excellent, in fact I still have them today and now I’m in my 70s, some of the doors I was making were 75 to 100 ml thick, and very large windows 4mt x 2.8 mt wide , that went into ends of building, I always had access to 3 phase electric, it is the cheapest way to run any decent machine, Stay safe keep up the great work , France.

Except for my table saw, I've purchased all my large tools second hand. I have a very capable jointer, planer and bandsaw and paid less for all three that what it would cost to buy one of those machines new, less than $2000 for the three of them. The key is patience and being willing to travel outside where you might live. You might have to look outside where you think you would normally go. Also, consider how you will get the tool home. I recently bought my used bandsaw and rented a truck with a lift gate to pick it up and get it to my shop.

I just checked out your website Bryce. Very nice work. Keep it up.

There's some great information here, condensed into a very view-able video :) I am based in the Netherlands and own both new and used woodworking machines ranging from entry level to premium. Buying used is a great way to get started although you have to be prepared to work on the machines. If you don't own any tools for doing so, factor in some $500 in wrenches and sockets and such. Another investment that's easily overlooked is a pallet jack. Once you get into the professional (euro) machines you'll need at least a decent pallet jack to be able to move them around. Even an entry level jointer/planer will easily weigh over 500 pounds with premium sliding table saws and widebelt sanders easily weighing over 3000 pounds. If your shop has central dust collection, each new machine will bring a certain cost in new ducting to connect it to the system. The same goes for compressed air. I've found that a machine always costs more than the price tag says, whether new or used. You'll need saw blades, planer knives, a fritz&franz or a crazy horse dolly. In case of a spindle moulder; make sure to shop around for tooling before buying the machine. If you're used to router bits you'll be in for a small heart attack.

Bryce, You are a kindred spirit. I too love a bargain and can be a cheap bastard too! But that does not mean I will not spend a lot of money on top quality machines. Moving to three phase power opens you up to a bunch of machinery like you said, but that machinery has a much smaller market than the single phase machines do. That means, three phase machine often go for pennies on the dollar used. I went from no 3 phase machine three years ago to eight machines now! Three were purchased new and the other five were purchased used. The prices were from 50% to 90% off a new machine. Get a Phase Perfect or rotary phase converter and enjoy the better machines!

I had heart palpitations when I saw this video. Of course you went and posted this video after I bought a shop worth of machines! 😅

I have a shop almost exclusively full of "used" machines. Used industrial 3ph machinery is ridiculously cheap compared to new. Its also really build to last. My 16" 2500lb newman jointer was made in 1946 and is as perfect as the day it was made. Should something break (unlikely) I can still call newman-whitney and get parts. Im still kicking myself for missing out on a local 4 head moulder last month that went for $3 at auction. Imho used is the way to go for most large stationary equipment.

the other thing to keep in mind, that when buying used, you should buy the older used because nothing they make today is up to the same standards of quality that used to be made, before everything went over seas

Buy low sell high!

Individual choice for sure.Second hand or brand new.for me always reasonable priced brand new.i am a professional.Cannot trust some bodys second hand :) Keep up the good work and stay thirsty my friend !

Ive had a few bad experiences with auction sites ,such as mislabeled machines . Example ; i bought a 10hp 3 phase that turned out to be 15 hp 3phase my converter will only run 10 hp . I got lucky and was able to get a full refund. (very rare)with auction items its buyer beware.. I have a couple more bad storys but my advice is, if you're not willing to drive and pick it up yourself, dont bid..

As someone currently going the process, I would avoid buying 3 phase machines if you don’t need them. Unless you already have 3 phase power, or already own a phase converter and necessary accessories, it is t worth it. It is costly to get phase converters and not as simple as just getting a phase converter. In my region, I also need a breaker or fuse for overload protection. Additional disconnects as well as something for regeneration protection maybe needed. There are more things to deal with when it comes time for electrical inspection. Realistically, small shops and hobbyists usually don’t need 3 phase machinery. Entry level industrial grade equipment is available in single phase. On the used market, you will have to be patient because it is less common but it is out there. For example, I bought a used 3 phase Felder K500S. 5 months later the same machine, three years newer, was available for just $600 more than I paid. My phase converter cost $3800 alone. An expensive lesson for me.

Used