Powermatic 15" planer

[Kent E. Matthew]

I found this item on craigslist for 500 dollars. The ad states the infeed table needs to be replaced. How difficult is this repair, and how expensive?

[Jerome Hanby]

I don't know the cost, but I think I'd be worried about what god awful thing they did to the planer to mess up the infeed table...

[Matt Meiser]

+1 but maybe its just rusty or something. You'd have to take a look. Or maybe they mean infeed rollers which could easily be damaged without doing something scary to the rest.

[James Baker SD]

if it is the solid cast iron table extension, then those are about $125 + shipping from Powermatic. Older style roller based extension should be quite a bit less. Either should be easy to install unless the threads in the cast iron main table are damaged, then it is more work. If ordered from Powermatic directly, you may want to get the mounting screws and adjusting screws as well.

If the main table is damaged on the infeed side, then I would likely pass, a lot of work (as I have just found out) getting a PM-15 that much disassembled and reassembled.

James

[Chip Lindley]

What James Baker said!

Great Price on a PM15, IF there is no damage to the planer, per se'. Short of personally inspecting the planer, we may only speculate as to what problem the infeed table has. Call the seller and ASK!

Personally, I removed those tables from a Shopfox 20". They take up valuable shop space, and serve little practical purpose. In my experience, wood must still be handled in and out of the planer to keep snipe to bare minimum. (it's worth the extra effort) But, folding/detatchable tables would be NICE on occasion, to support long, thick, heavy boards.

[Paul Ryan]

I bought the same planner last year for a few buck less, but it was missing both infeed and outfeed tables. I haven't missed the tables since I have had it. Just keep a little upward pressure when a long board feeds in and exits and you wont have any snipe. It is a great planner. I replace a nice lunch box, but this is one of the best investments I have made. The lunch boxes are too slow and loud. This sucker with sharp blades leaves a beautiful finish, chip collection is very good, and it is much quiter. Good luck.

[Kent E. Matthew]

Here is the ad.

http://denver.craigslist.org/tls/1911675882.html

I really don't know enough about planers to make a solid judgment.

[James Baker SD]

I'm guessing from the small photo's that this is an older model that had a U-shaped bracket with 3 rollers for the infeed and outfeed extensions (newer models have solid cast iron extensions) that were attached to threaded holes in the vertical edge of the main table. If a heavy enough force were applied to the infeed extension it could likely break out that vertical edge at the holes making it impossible to reattach the extension.

New main table lists for $312 on Powermatic's web site (plus some hefty shipping charges) and it is a lot of work to remove the cutter head assembly to even get the old table off. So $800 for him to fix it is probably a good deal if $500 is a good price as is (assuming no other major damage) and if you really want the infeed extension.

Others have said they do not use the extensions, so that is a possibility also.

Are you close enough to go look at it to see it in operation? Proof of its value could be in how well it planes.

Sorry if I am sounding like a expert on PM planers, but after weeks of stepping over all the pieces of mine on the shop floor as I swapped out two broken columns, I am having delusions of grandeur.

James

[Matt Meiser]

That is pretty significant damage. If you are OK without the infeed and the break doesn't affect the bed surface, I'd see if I could get it lower, and if not I'd probably walk away. If you want the infeed, the price is too high IMHO considering the amount of work to get it back to good condition. I'm not sure I'd want him to fix it, not knowing his abilities. It might be fine or you could end up with a mess.