Powermatic 8" Jointer's - Thoughts

[Jimmy Powell]

I am considering an 8" Powermatic Jointer with a Helical Head and would like pros and cons from the collective wisdom on this forum?

[Cary Falk]

I find PM to be overpriced. That's right, I said it. I haven't heard may complaints about PM. I have a helical head on my jointer and love it. Cary and running for cover now.:D

[george wilson]

I've told before how our millwork shop purchased a PM 8" jointer,paid a LOT of money for it,and got a machine whose tables were very significantly out of alignment,cocked at angles. I mean,like 1/8" out of true at the end of the outfeed table,going downhill!!!

I had advised them to get a Grizzly. I eventually bought a cheap Grizzly for the toolmaker's shop. Its tables were dead nuts perfectly flat and aligned.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I've had a PM 60A for 8 - 9 years, and I love it. I don't consider myself expert-level, but I do know a bit about machinery and what works and, (within this weapons class) I'd have a hard time switching to something else. Very heavy (weight), dead-nuts solid, flat, parallel, etc. 'course, things may have changed over the years. The PM stuff could be overpriced - by a bit - but this jointer and my 719 mortiser have always performed very well (unlike the things I got rid of, and replaced with PM - but in fairness those were in a different weapons class - my mistake for buying them, but I didn't have SMC wisdom available back then :)). No real experience with other brands of jointer.

Don't have the helical head - would definitley get one if I was buying new - but the upgrade $$ ain't worth it to me - I can muddle through with straight blades for another decade or two.

I'll now go join Cary in his foxhole, and avoid the incoming rounds - I'll bring the beer.

[Paul Steiner]

I love old powermatic machines, but I have not heard good things about new powermatic machines. As far as jointers, the school I used to work at got a grizzly and it was great. It did not have a helical head, but if I was buying new I would get a grizz with helical head.

[glenn bradley]

I went with a spiral head and love it. The 8" PM jointers seem about $1000 overpriced though, IMHO.

[george wilson]

We had problems with PM machines when I was in college in 1960. I have never been a fan,personally. The jointer with the out of true tables I mentioned above was an import PM,but it still cost a fortune compared to my Bridgewood(which is perfect),and the Grizzly I got for the toolmaker's shop before I retired.

[Ben Martin]

I have a 1979 Powermatic 60 and love it. I would love to have a helical head for it, but ohh well....

[Rick Fisher]

It would be tough to spend ?? $2500 ?? for a Powermatic 8" Jointer with a Helical head..

If it where still an American made Jointer, it would be a no brainer..

For that kind of money, I think you could do better.

[Michael Peet]

It would be tough to spend ?? $2500 ?? for a Powermatic 8" Jointer with a Helical head..

If it where still an American made Jointer, it would be a no brainer..

For that kind of money, I think you could do better.

Can you elaborate, Rick? I'm soon to be in the market for a jointer and planer, and the PM with Byrd heads were near the top of my list.

Mike

[Kent A Bathurst]

....It would be tough to spend ?? $2500 ?? for a Powermatic 8" Jointer with a Helical head....

Not picking nits here, but........PM 60B (not parrellogram HH) available as low as $1350 and new head from Byrd $450 - didn't quickly see a 60B with helical pre-installed. Not saying $1,800 is cheap, just saying it is not $2,500, by, ummmm....3-4 LN planes:)

The HH with helical IS $2,500, as noted.

[Kevin Hartnett]

I JUST purchased a Grizzly G0490X 8" jointer for $1195 with free shipping. I had some issues with shipping damage, but Grizzly corrected them right away. (I'll be sending in a review to this forum very soon.) I'm delighted with the spiral cutter head: very quiet, very clean cuts. It's a beauty and quite a bit less $$$ than the PM.

Kevin H.

[Craig Coney]

If you shop around, you can get pretty good discounts on Powermatic right now. I have the PJ-882 and love it. I was going to get the helical head, but it cuts so great with the straight blades, I don't see a need for it on this jointer. You can also angle the fence to do a skew cut on figured and difficult grain. It's not made in the USA, but the quality is far superior to anything else I have seen on the market. The beds are easy to adjust also.

[glenn bradley]

I am another very happy Grizzly G0490X owner. At half the price of the PM, it's a no brainer. Long beds, tall fence, 3HP, p-beds and integrated mobile base.