rusty 8" PM jointer - what should I offer?

[Jim Dory]

Found a PowerMatic 8" jointer that is fairly rusty. Motor was probably not wired correctly with a 110V plug on it which 110volts wouldn't turn it- just hums. I can spin the cutterhead/motor by hand though. Seems like a couple of the levers and wheels I tried do move, the guy said he used it a couple years ago. Lots of debris on the tables is old shavings.

I'm up in Nome, Alaska where shipping something like this would be rather pricey so need to consider that in my offer. The seller says he'll take another look at it before naming his price - I'm just curious what folks' thoughts here were, as I've never really restored one of these before.

Pardon the pic quality but my old cell phone camera lens is scratched:
257683257684257685257686257687

That last pic is the little shop it is located in - just for fun.

[Peter Aeschliman]

The motor would concern me. The rust doesn't concern me as much- that can be removed with some elbow grease. Even the cutterhead is rusty, which means you'll likely have to do a fair amount of disassembly to clean it up. But it isn't a big deal. It might also need new bearings on the cutterhead given the rust. But I don't think that's a big deal.

If you have to buy a replacement motor, you're still going to be up against high shipping costs given the weight. So I would say don't buy it unless you can sort out the motor. It might just need a small parts replacement, or maybe you'll be lucky and it is just a wiring issue. If you have to buy a new motor, I would pass.

[Myk Rian]

Try a couple hundred to start, and go from there.
Motors are relatively cheap. 1 1/2hp minimum for an 8". With that pulley, a 3250 rpm motor.
For a working 8" PM, up to $700 - $800 is not uncommon.
The motor might just need a start capacitor.

[Jim Dory]

Good advice Peter and Myk. I did have a 2hp motor that had the capacitor go bad and that was an easy replacement. I suspect it is just miswired at this point - should know in a day or two. /jd

[Joe Angrisani]

257687

Ah....Springtime in Nome!

[John McClanahan]

My 8" Jet has a 2hp motor, so I would expect the Powermatic to have a 2hp. Some 2hp motors can be wired for 110-120 volts, but need a 30 amp breaker. Check before plugging into 220 volts. I doubt the motor is truly bad. The rusty cutter head only really needs to be cleaned to your liking, as only the cutting edge of the knives touch the wood. That rust could save you money.

+1 on what Myk says on starting price.

John

[Tim Morton]

i paid $350 for one that was a few years newer than that one, and in a bit better shape. If you are up for about a week of clean up , you can get that thing running like a top. A new 2HP motor will run you about $300...maybe a little more. You might be in for another $50 bucks for a switch too.

[Bill Space]

Considering where you are located, I would guess $300 to $400 would be a good price. What did you say it costs to have things that big shipped in? More than that I think I remember...

Seeing that there is likely no guarantee of how it will turn out until after you get it home...and I bet you don't have a scrap yard there do you? So probably can't even get 50 bucks scrap value out of it if things would go sour (unlikely probably). Still, chances are it will work out for you.

On the other hand, is there much demand for tools like that in Nome? If not, that could work in your favor.

I am sure the seller know the cost of shipping as well as you do...

Worst case, if the motor turned out to be bad, do you have motor repair shops there, or a source of used motors?

Lots of things to think about until you hear what the seller thinks it is worth! Then you might jump or walk away laughing...

I hope it works out for you!

Bill

[Mike Cutler]

Around here it would be a couple hundred, or basically what someone was willing to pay over the scrap metal price for that condition. In Alaska, I don't really know.
Don't get me wrong now, it is a nice machine, but you have a bit of work to do.
Good news is that a jointer is a pretty simple machine. If the castings aren't cracked, the ball cranks aren't broken, and the tables move somewhat freely, it can be restored to working fairly quick. Making it pretty as new will take a little longer Even a new/used cutterhead on eBay isn't that outrageous for an 8" jointer. The most expensive thing would be if the tables needed to be run through a surface grinder, but they don't look it too me. They have a lot of junk on them, but they' don't appear to be abused.
$300-$400 seems about right to me given your locale.

[Jim Dory]

The Koreans came over one time with a barge to buy scrap metal. That was years ago. No one doing it presently. No motor repair or used motor source locally except that everybody around here is good at keeping things running.

That guy might not be all that into selling - nothing wrong with it in his book. He uses the hell of things. Kinda scoffed when I mentioned rust. He has a huge PowerMatic shaper that is rusted to heck and gone and same with a big Belsaw planer. I asked if he was into selling any of those and he said he still uses them. Here's a pic or two of them:
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[Phil Thien]

I asked if he was into selling any of those and he said he still uses them.

LOL he is full of carp.

You can't slide a piece of lumber across one of those surfaces without embedding rust stains in it.

I suspect it is worth (given your location, and IF the motor is good) at least $500, even in that condition.

Just wear him down. He will start high, you start low. Call him every couple of days, sweeten the offer a little bit.

The first increases should be larger, then they should start getting smaller.

He will take your third or fourth offer.

[Dave Zellers]

Ahhh, salt air and cast iron. Talk about opposites attracting. They hook up together and make rust.

It's just me, but i would swallow hard and pay the shipping rather than deal with restoring that rusted hulk.

But if you do buy new, including the exorbitant shipping cost, I would go out of my way to impress the seller of my situation, meaning please, please, please don't send me a machine that is untested that I might have to ship back! I don't know how exactly to do that, but I would at least have that conversation with the seller that this is not an ordinary situation.

[Jeff Monson]

Not trying to hijack your thread Jim, but what has the show "Bearing sea gold" done to the town of Nome?

[Jim Dory]

LOL he is full of carp.

You can't slide a piece of lumber across one of those surfaces without embedding rust stains in it.


No, he is the real deal. I've known him since late seventies. I think he only makes freight sleds with that stuff so no cares about rust stains.

thanks for the other advice, always good to hear strategies. cheers, JD

[Jim Dory]

Not trying to hijack your thread Jim, but what has the show "Bearing sea gold" done to the town of Nome?

There has been a gold rush. Part of my job was with the city reviewing mining permits year to year and they maybe averaged around 20-25. All of a sudden we had something like 130. The small boat harbor is jammed up with home-made dredges and strange vessels. No place to rent, there's a big tent camp (summer) just off the beach that people are staying in. I suppose the restaurants/bars like it. Most the guys probably go home broke.. it does take some knowledge to get that gold.. I worked for several years on a land gold dredge when I first came up. Wages usually pay more (not always for the lucky/smart ones). cheers, JD

[Joe Angrisani]

Jim,

What did Grizzly say on a new 8" jointer? Regardless of what you do, I think you should get a quote from them so you have a point of reference.

[Jim Dory]

To reply to an old thread, I went out when he said he had the old jointer running. It was about 15 degrees F. in his shop and we fired it up (a friend had rewired it for 220 volt) and it would barely spin. Sounded like it was still running at 110v. so I asked him if he got it wired correctly, how much was he figuring to sell it for. He said $1000, based on what a new Powermatic would cost. So I said it was probably out of my price range, didn't bear to tell him I was thinking more like $300. Besides the motor issue it had a bed tightening/lock screw stripped out. Later the next day he called and said he had heated up his shop and it ran fine, was wired correctly. So my guess is the motor has issues and would probably need replacing.

So I'm giving up on that one. More trouble than worth probably. I did ask Grizzly for a quote today on a G0490x but can't imagine I can afford the shipping. I'll report back when I hear that. There's always the lunch-box planer and a sled, though that can be so danged fiddly. /jd