"New" (kinda) Old Arn

[David DeCristoforo]

When I set up my current shop in '87, I bought a 13" Delta planer thinking that it would get my by for a few years and then I would get a "bigger / better" one. 22 years later it finally wore out after eating many thousands of feet of wood. I used to have a Delta Rockwell 18" wedge bed and I was thinking of trying to find another one. But the ones I found were double or triple what I paid for a new one in '76!?!?. After looking around for a while I found this PM160:
139538
It is now set up in my shop and it just hums. It was totally out of adjustment and desperately needs fresh knives (which I will deal with on Monday morning) but it's up and running. I mounted it on a set of "Foot Master" HD casters (rated at 1,100 lbs each) so it is easy to move around when I need to get it out of the way. I'm not sure this qualifies as a "gloat" because I absolutely paid more than I should have for this thing. But it's a good old American made all steel and cast iron machine with not a trace of plastic or aluminum to be found anywhere and it looks great in my shop!

[Mark Engel]

I would definitely call that gloat-worthy.

[Brad Schafer]

wow - that thing is a brute. any idea what it weighs?

[Matt Meiser]

Sweet machine! The 12" version is my dream planer.

[Carroll Courtney]

What ever you paid for it,it was cheaper than what it sold for new.I just don't think that there is any other planer on the market now that can come close to the quality of what you have.I have the baby 12" and your right, they just hum.Congrads----Carroll

[Dave Ray]

Dave, great find. Would you put a Byrd Head on that machine, maybe the question should be,can you? The reason I ask is I have a lead on the same machine but I want a Byrd head on my next machine.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Oh...I see you went with the portable benchtop model!

My back hurts just looking at it.

Enjoy,
-Jeff :)

[Jacob Griffith]

Definitely a gloat. A little tune up as you say and I'm sure you will never regret it.

[David DeCristoforo]

It weighs around 1,100 pounds. It is rather large too, 54" net width including the motor for a machine with a 16" cutting capacity! But it has the "micro-adjustable" bed rollers and variable feed which are both nice features. A Byrd head is available but it costs $1,395 which is a couple of hundred more than I paid for this planer. I'm gonna be thinking about that one for a while but for now, the "stock" head stays. I did shell out for a new set of knives tho...

[Dirk Lewis]

Good score David! Thanks for sharing

[Bruce Page]

That is some serious gloat worthy iron.
I bet it purrs like a lion.

[David DeCristoforo]

"My back hurts just looking at it."

Well, that's why God gave us forklifts! It is amazing though, how easy it is to roll around with those casters (http://www.greatlakescaster.com/foot_master___leveling_caster___gd_80f___1100_lbs_ __top_plate-GD-80F.php?cat=262) under it.

[Leigh Betsch]

22 years with a 13" Delta and thousands of feet of wood. That alone is a gloat. Looks like this one will be around in the 22nd century.

[Chip Lindley]

Great old Powermatic, David! They don't make 'em like that any more! Or if they do, the cost is Five Figures!

[George Sanders]

I love old iron machinery. That planer is as solid as a rock. That was made when American companies were still based in America and they still had pride in the quality of their products. When you get it tuned in it should serve you well.

[Myk Rian]

I have access to a PM180 w/ sharpening grinder. Heck of a machine.

[Terry Welty]

$1.00 a pound... not bad!! I'll send you some boards, if you don't mind...

[Gene Howe]

Beautiful machine and definitely gloat worthy.

[Don Morris]

But it's green, and yellow and looks like maybe blue? How could you go wrong with that? The color combination alone make this a definite gloat. Great score.

[Jerome Hanby]

Guy I bought my DeWalt RAS from had one of those he was practically giving away. If it didn't weight more than my truck, I'd have nabbed it;).

He fired it up to show it off and you could tell you were in the room with a major piece of machinery. That hum just went right through me. Was very smooth, and even with slightly dull knives did a great job on the piece of maple he sent through it.

Congrats on your find!

[Gary Herrmann]

It looks like it's in very good shape too. I looked at a PM180 awhile back. I realized there was no way I'd ever get it down the narrow 90 degree turn to the basement. Oh well.

[Rye Crane]

David,

I was wondering why the sky was a little darker over Davis when I passed by yesterday. Must have been the dip in the earth's crust where you parked that planner. Congratulations that's a beauty.

Rye Crane
Pittsburg, Ca.

[Glen Butler]

That thing is great. But 54" width for 16" of cutting, wow; I think mine is 28 inches wide for 20" capacity. Can't beat old iron though. They just don't build them like they used to.

[David DeCristoforo]

"But 54" width for 16" of cutting, wow..."

Wow indeed! Later this week I will post a picture of it in my shop. It blocks almost my whole back door! That's why it was important for it to be mobile.

[Steven Satur]

That machine is maybe about 40+ years old. With new knives, maybe bearings and a good clean up, it will last another 40+ years. Try that with a import. Don't let the size get to you. I have a wedge bed and you just can't beat old cast iron. Look at the bright side, you will never have to post about any warped beds.

[Jon Endres]

David,

About the casters - how did you mount them to your machine? I have my PM180 (a slightly bigger, heavier version of yours) on a wooden skid with 5" casters under it, and it sits up too high for my liking. I would love to have something that sits much lower to the ground and stays put when you want it to. Nice to have something that you can hog 1/4" off a board without hesitation.

I am also considering the Byrd head for mine, but it's $1800. Since I paid $750 for my planer, it would be worth it, but $1800 is still a LOT of clams. I got new straight knives from CGG Schmidt, Inc. - worth doing business with.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...casters - how did you mount them..."

It was really simple. Using lag screws and the "stock" bolt holes in the base, I bolted a 2X6 running from front to back and nested in the "step" that runs around the inside of the base. I had to round over the corners and edges to get them to "nest" properly. Then I just bolted the casters to the 2X6's. It's pretty clean since you can see the casters but not the 2X6s and the weight is carried very well. I can't really get a pic of the underside without a forklift to pick the thing up again but I will post one that shows the casters and I could also post a sketch if you want one...

[Stephen Edwards]

IMO, anything that you buy that pleases you and that you appreciate is gloat worthy. You've got a fine machine that will make you happy every time that you use it. What more can you ask? Congrats on the nice score!

[David Winer]

When you get around to posting pictures of the casters, etc., please show the dust collection hood. Apparently this is a retrofit--might be a design some of us could use. There have been a couple of threads recently about hoods for old Powermatics.

[Phil Thien]

That is a beautiful planer. I don't know why, but I'd kinda like to see pics w/ the casters, too.

[David DeCristoforo]

Casters:

139782

One thing I discovered is that the "knife lifters" (adjusters) are missing from this machine. Very odd but when I pulled the knives, the adjusters were not there! I managed to "scab" something that works for now but I have initiated a universe wide search for a set (need 6) of these items. I had the impression that the knives have not been changed since this machine was new. Pretty cruddy in there! Still waiting for the new ones but I had the ones that came with the machine sharpened today and got everything "pretty well" tuned up. Still getting some very light surface "chatter". But overall, very pleased with this machine.

[Jon Endres]

OK, I see, that's pretty slick. Mine's almost 10" off the floor and it makes the bed a little too high for comfort.

Try the folks at www dot owwm dot org for a possible source for parts. I have been a member there for years, which certainly contributed to finding my PM180.

[David DeCristoforo]

Thinking that the blade adjusters from a more recent planer might substitute for the ones missing from the PM160, I called PM's customer service number and, much to my surprise, they told me that these parts were in stock and would be shipped within the hour! Not too shabby!

[Rod Sheridan]

Nice machine David.

However when anyone mentions "They don't make them like that any more", I always smile and remember what Red Green said.

"And those of you who own one, know why":D

Not that I think it applies in this case.

Have fun with the new planer, Regards, Rod.