Powermatic Tenoner Model 2A

[Nate Rogers]

Hello All Does anyone on here have any experience with some of the smaller Tenoners on the market, we are looking to expand our production a bit...And I think a tenoner is a very logical next step, anyone have any thoughts. The unit I was eyeing is the Powermatic 2A model...Thanks Nate

[David Kumm]

Nate, are you looking at an old one? I'm not familiar with when PM made it. Have you checked out the ones on woodweb? If you are looking at used go to OWWM.org. They will have opinions. Dave

[Jeff Duncan]

I have absolutely no experience whatsoever using a tenoner, I just want to be upfront. However a couple years ago while talking with someone much more knowledgable about machinery than myself, I was told the Powermatic was a lightweight machine that was not so hot. And that if I were to seriously start looking for a tenoner to call back and he would give me the lowdown on which ones to look for.

guess that doesn't help much;)

good luck,
JeffD

[dave toney]

Nate,
I have a Powermatic 2A, what do you want to know?
Dave Toney

[Stephen Cherry]

I use a shaper with sliding table and tenoning discs, and it works OK (I posted pictures a while back). I think that the advantage is that everything is on one spindle, so it cuts consistantly. You can match the mortising tool with great accuracy. The discs are not cheap though.

[Frank Drew]

Nate,

I can't remember if it was a Powermatic, but we used a single-end tenoner at the custom millwork that was my first job in woodworking, just over forty years ago. IMO, these machines only make sense for production work since the setup is rather time consuming (two tenoning heads w/ spurs, coping head(s), cutoff saw), but once set up they can cut coped tenons to length in a single pass all day long. I thought the machine was pretty slick.

I don't think the Powermatic 2A could be considered lightly built:

vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=11756

[Frank Drew]

Check out the photo essay of his restoration of that machine:

owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=83940