powermatic 66

[timothy mckee]

Thinkin' of buying one.....being a left tilt, is it a hassle if your using a blade that is not 1/8" thick..doesn't it throw off the reading on the tape> Thanks for any input.

[Mark Singer]

Any 3 Hp saw will cut better wit an 1/8" blade. It won't throw off the tape though....the hairline on the plastic viewer is adjustable for accuracy....that is on the Biesmeyer that my 66 came with. A great saw..

[CPeter James]

I have used a left tilt with both 3/32" and 1/8" blades for years. I always rip by the tape measurements ( they are accurate to +/- .005" or less if you take the time to set it up. When using the thicker or thinner blade, just add in or subtract out the difference. I set my jointer to take a 1/32" cut and rip my stock 1/32" over and just make the compensations on the tape. My tape has 1/32" graduations, so I just add or subtract 1 line. Easy, once you get used to it.

CPeter

[Dave Brandt]

I don't get it? What difference does it make if you use a thin-kerf blade? The blade is still up against the arbor, which makes the space between the fence and blade consistent no matter what the blade thickness is. Am I missing something here?

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

On a left tilt, the arbor/shaft assembly is reveresed from from the right...so the LEFT side of the blade is a consistent distance fron the fence, not the right.

KC

[scott spencer]

As Mark mentioned, you can easily adjust the cursor to compensate, or I just add a shim from my dado set against the arbor. It's a really minor "con" against the LT's that I doesn't bother me in the least.

The one "pro" for LT that I don't think gets enough discussion is the orientation of the arbor thread...it's normal on a LT and reversed on RT....that used to drive me nuts with RT.

[Doug Shepard]

...
The one "pro" for LT that I don't think gets enough discussion is the orientation of the arbor thread...it's normal on a LT and reversed on RT....that used to drive me nuts with RT.

I'm not sure lefties would agree with you, but I do.

The other thing that does take a little getting used to is that blades go on backwards. Every blade I've seen has the printing or label on the blade so that it shows on RT saws. On LT saws you've got to turn the printing into the arbor. Not a big deal - just something you need to be aware of.
The only other pro/con issue of LT vs RT that I'm aware of is with dadoing. With a dado stack the measurement on the fence scale is the same as with a normal blade on a RT. On a LT with a dado stack, the fence scale measurement isn't usable for anything.

But the biggest thing you need to be aware of - and why Powermatic doesn't put this warning in their manual is beyond me - :eek: DO NOT put your ROS (with the switch in the on position) on top of your 2 week old gorgeously polished TS surface while you plug in your ROS. Sheesh - do they expect us to think of everything??

[Rick Lizek]

Dave...thin kerf blades have a smaller piece of carbide so the fence calibration would be off by the difference in carbide thickness of an 1/8" blade divided by half. Pictures would clarify the situation, but thin kerf on right or left tilt requires recalibration of the cursor.

[timothy mckee]

Dave, I wasnt entirely clear..the saw would normally be used with a 1/8" blade, but would also be used with Forrests' 3/32" panel blade for sheet goods. I'm glad I asked the question, since it brought other things about the saw into the discussion.I guess it isnt a big deal to factor the 1/32" into the measurement, but with a right tilt it doesnt apply...being prone to measuring mistakes, I like that aspect of the right tilt saws. My big choice is between the PM saw, and the General cab. saw, and then rt or lt in the General. Also, for any one that bought a PM new, during steup, did you have problems with assembly, such as alignment of parts, or major issues with flatness of the top....just curious since some of the reviews on amazon stated this..thanks all, and sorry for any confusion.

[Hal Flynt]

Awesome saw, love mine. Baldor motor is the best. 3 point top to cabinet interface , simplifying the adjustment.

If it were me and I was using a thin kerf blade, I would make a rip cut, measure it and set the tape to that measurement. ( I use a 4" MDF piece at my set up block.)

[Rick Lizek]

A thin kerf blade will change the calibration on a right of left tilt saw. Think about it!
If a thin kerf blade is 3/32" then the difference is 1/64" It may be small but there is a mistaken notion that a right tilt saw doesn't make difference and a left tilt does. Someday I'll show my left tilt dado compensator... actually works on a right tilt as well to expand it's versatility. I work as a problem solver in the business as well as a Wood Machinist and repair tech and purchasing agent and builder of tools and machines.

[Richard Wolf]

Rick, first the difference between a full size blade and a thin kerf is 1/32, not 1/64. A right tilt saw has the arbor on the right side of the blade which the blade rest againest. With the rip fence on the right side of the blade the distance from the right side of blade and the rip fence will always be the same. If you set the rip fence to 3 inches, it doesn't matter how thick the blade is, the space between the right side and the fence will always be 3 inches.

Richard

[Rick Lizek]

[QUOTE=Richard Wolf]Rick, first the difference between a full size blade and a thin kerf is 1/32, not 1/64. A right tilt saw has the arbor on the right side of the blade which the blade rest againest. With the rip fence on the right side of the blade the distance from the right side of blade and the rip fence will always be the same. If you set the rip fence to 3 inches, it doesn't matter how thick the blade is, the space between the right side and the fence will always be 3 inches.

There is a popular misconception that putting a thin kerf blade on a right tilt saw will maintain the calibration of the fence. It will not! A thin kerf blade is 3/32" so the calibration will be off by 1/64". The plate of the blade rest against the abor but the carbide overhangs the plate which is what most people forget. Check the numbers. I work on machines for a living.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Rick is bang on correct here. The teeth of the blade are what register against the fence when setting "zero". Additionally, when switching blades, don't forget to have a dedicated zero clearance insert to boot.

[Ted Shrader]

. . . Also, for any one that bought a PM new, during steup, did you have problems with assembly, such as alignment of parts, or major issues with flatness of the top?
Tim -

No problems with mine. Was right on out of the crate. I got it in 2001 at a woodshow from a local dealer who had several there at the show. It did not have to be shipped to me (obviously it was shipped to the dealer). Shipping may be a factor in the alignment. The table top and both wings were flat and bolted up fairly easily. The fence comes in separate boxes and you will have to assemble the rails and bolt them to the saw. No problem there, either.

Regards,
Ted

[Richard Wolf]

So Rick, what you are saying is that on a thin kerf blade the overbite of the carbite is 1/64" less than the overbite on a normal blade. You could be right but I always assumed that the plate was equally thinner.

Richard