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To determine if the investment in a larger unit is wise, Messinger advises evaluating how many lineal feet you normally place. “If you’re just doing 20,000 to 25,000 lineal ft., you likely won’t be able to justify the investment,” he says. “It’s hard to say where the cutoff point is. But if you’re doing large volumes - maybe 100,000 lineal ft. or more - you may have a large and small unit anyway.”

While a larger unit can cut to grade, a smaller unit has the upper hand in mobility and maneuverability, which is important when turning tight radii. Smaller units can also be transported with a pickup truck and trailer since they only weigh up to about 7,000 lbs., whereas a larger unit can weigh 20,000 lbs. or more. “You will need a lowboy to move them,” Messinger says. “That means you will have higher fixed costs to move the machine to the jobsite.

“The key in selecting any machine is doing as much as possible with a particular unit,” he continues. “Any of these units will save on hand forming - and the more labor you can eliminate, the better your return.”