For small business owners keeping a tight rein on cash flow is crucial, so the financial benefits of buying a used rather than a new machine can be rewarding.

This was the case with Clayton Cabinets, which has bought a refurbished four-year-old Striebig vertical panel saw from exclusive UK distributor, T.M. Machinery Sales.

Housed in former farm buildings in the heart of rural Devon, Clayton Cabinets specialises in designing and making bespoke kitchens and furniture of exceptional quality.

It was established by Nick Clayton who trained at the London College of Furniture where he took a diploma in Furniture Design and Construction.

He then worked for joinery companies in Devon for 16 years before deciding to get back to cabinet making by setting up his own business in 2001.

All of Clayton Cabinets' kitchens and freestanding furniture is made using locally-sourced materials wherever possible, chiefly Oak but also Cedar, Chestnut and Yew.

Mr Clayton and his small team of craftsmen work with interior designers, architects and private customers across the UK. A major customer is the National Trust for which the company makes special items of furniture for their castles and stately homes.

When an elderly beam saw that had become increasingly inaccurate and took up a great deal of space needed to be replaced, Mr Clayton decided to switch to a vertical panel machine.

"I talked to several woodworking machinery suppliers but after reading a completely independent review of a Striebig machine, which was very positive, I decided to speak to their dealer," he said..

T.M. discussed with him the kind of work the saw was needed for before suggesting which model and size of machine would best suit his needs.

"As a small business I need to watch the pennies. As I did not want to borrow from the bank I told them I was perfectly happy to go for a good, used machine.

"They said that because of their long working life used Striebig machines did not come on the market every day, but kept my details. Three months later they called to say they had a four-year-old Compact machine that had just been traded in and was I still interested, which I was."

After being thoroughly overhauled by T.M. engineers the Compact 4164 was delivered and installed. Due to the low doorway in the barn where the saw was to be housed, T.M. made a special frame so that the machine could be brought into the building.

Said T.M. Machinery director Matt Pearce: “We only supply second-hand Striebig machines that we are sure will give many more years reliable service

"All machines undergo a comprehensive refurbishment with older machine being completely stripped down so that all bearings and other parts subject to wear can be replaced. Our confidence in our refurbished machinery is backed up by a six-month parts and labour warranty."

The saw is used chiefly to cut carcass materials such as Birch ply, MDF veneered board and block board. It was supplied with an optional scoring blade for sizing veneered and Melamine panels

Another useful accessory chosen by Mr Clayton was a 400mm strip cutting gauge. This has proved very useful as a great deal of of intricate work is carried out which requires 100mm x 100m pieces

He is effusive in his praise of the saw. “It's easy to use, cuts dead straight and square every time, even on small components. The scales are easy to read and it's very versatile. It has also given us a lot of extra space for assembly work to be carried out in.

"I didn't mind buying a used machine because as well as being totally refurbished, T.M. provided a six- month warranty."

Striebig's Compact 4164 is one of nine models in the series with a cutting range from 3100 x 1644mm up to 5350 x 2200mm. An automatic feed series, the Compact AV, is also available. They are all based on a single, fully welded sawing frame to give decades of reliable service whilst maintaining cutting precision

The saws can be wall-mounted or freestanding. They can cut practically all wood-based sheet materials as well as timber, plaster board, plastics, composites and aluminium panels. They guarantee impressive dust limit values well below 1mg/m3.