Machines get compared on sticker price because that is the number in front of you. It is rarely the number that decides what the machine costs you.
The arithmetic that is missing from the quote
A magnetic drill is bought once. Cutters are bought for as long as you own it. For a machine in steady production, the consumables overtake the purchase price surprisingly quickly.
You can check this in five minutes with your own figures. Take your annual cutter spend on one machine and put it next to what that machine cost. For most shops running real volume, the ratio is not close.
Which means the comparison you are running may be the wrong one
Two machines a few hundred dollars apart on purchase can be thousands apart over five years – through the consumables they take, how fast you can get them, and how long the machine sits idle when something goes wrong.
The spec that decides whether you stay free
This is the one worth checking before you sign anything.
Ask what shank it takes. Weldon 19.05 mm (3/4″) is the industry standard, and a machine that takes it will accept cutters from anyone.
A proprietary or unusual shank narrows your options for the machine’s whole working life – and you will not notice until you need a size in a hurry.
Our machines take the standard shank. That is deliberate, and it means you can buy your cutters from us or from somebody else. A supplier who is comfortable with that is telling you something.
What to ask before you sign a machine order
- What shank does it take? Standard Weldon, or something that ties you in?
- What do the three or four sizes I actually use cost? Not a list price for the whole range.
- Who holds the spares, and where? A part on a boat is a machine standing idle.
- Who repairs it, and how long does it take? If the answer is overseas, add the freight and the waiting.
- What is the duty rating? A machine specified for occasional use will not survive a production week.
The number that dwarfs both
Neither the machine nor the cutters is your biggest exposure. A stopped machine is.
An idle machine and an idle crew cost more per hour than the difference between a cheap cutter and a good one across a whole month.
That is why availability and repair turnaround belong in a machine decision, and why they almost never appear on the comparison sheet.
A fair way to compare two machines
- Purchase price.
- Annual consumable spend at your real volume and sizes.
- What a typical repair costs, and how long you wait.
- Whether the spares are in the country.
Add the first three, weight the fourth heavily, and the ranking often changes.
When the cheap machine is the right buy
It genuinely is, sometimes. Occasional use, a second machine for one job, a site unit you expect to lose or damage.
If the machine is not going to run hard, most of this does not apply and you should buy on price. We will tell you when that is the case.
Ask us for the whole number, not the machine price
Tell us the sizes you drill, the steel, and how many holes a month. We will quote the machine and tell you what it costs to run – before you buy it.
Email info@neweratools.com or call +65 6241 0908.