Back to Back Tablesaws

[Kent Adams]

I'm going to be buying a used PM2000 5hp single phase TS from someone that moved and no longer has room. This is the exact saw I have today. I plan on putting the two saws together to also serve as an assembly table. Because the two saws are exactly the same, I should be able to get a flat assembly table, with a spacer board between them.

Unfortunately, the castors on this other saw don't work, so I'll have to figure out a way to get it into my shop. However, is there anything else I should check on for wear and tear before I give the seller my money? The saw is 5 years old and he's asking $2600 for it, which I think is reasonable. I plan on checking the dust flex hose, the arbor and, the fence and the tilt mechanism (to see if it tilts correctly, but I don't know anything about screw drives etc.).

[Brian Henderson]

I'm going to be buying a used PM2000 5hp single phase TS from someone that moved and no longer has room. This is the exact saw I have today. I plan on putting the two saws together to also serve as an assembly table. Because the two saws are exactly the same, I should be able to get a flat assembly table, with a spacer board between them.

Unfortunately, the castors on this other saw don't work, so I'll have to figure out a way to get it into my shop. However, is there anything else I should check on for wear and tear before I give the seller my money? The saw is 5 years old and he's asking $2600 for it, which I think is reasonable. I plan on checking the dust flex hose, the arbor and, the fence and the tilt mechanism (to see if it tilts correctly, but I don't know anything about screw drives etc.).

Seems like kind of a silly question, but if you already have the exact same saw, why not take the casters off your current saw, put them on the other saw and move it?

[Kent Adams]

Seems like kind of a silly question, but if you already have the exact same saw, why not take the casters off your current saw, put them on the other saw and move it?

Edit: Removed my snarky comment which wasn't didn't contribute to the discussion. I'm interested in aspects of buying a used TS and what to look out for. I know this TS's casters don't work going into the purchase.

[Matt Day]

Uh... You didn't explain that I'm your original post. Brian was making a suggestion and trying to help you

[Pat Barry]

I'm going to be buying a used PM2000 5hp single phase TS from someone that moved and no longer has room. This is the exact saw I have today. I plan on putting the two saws together to also serve as an assembly table. Because the two saws are exactly the same, I should be able to get a flat assembly table, with a spacer board between them.

Unfortunately, the castors on this other saw don't work, so I'll have to figure out a way to get it into my shop. However, is there anything else I should check on for wear and tear before I give the seller my money? The saw is 5 years old and he's asking $2600 for it, which I think is reasonable. I plan on checking the dust flex hose, the arbor and, the fence and the tilt mechanism (to see if it tilts correctly, but I don't know anything about screw drives etc.).
Putting two of these monsters back to back doesn't make sense to me. Side by side sure. I think its your money so go for it

[Kent Adams]

Uh... You didn't explain that I'm your original post. Brian was making a suggestion and trying to help you

In case there is any confusion, below is my question, I'm sorry if this wasn't clear, I don't mean to sidetrack replies with what I've already accepted as a problem with the saw:

Unfortunately, the castors on this other saw don't work, so I'll have to figure out a way to get it into my shop. However, is there anything else I should check on for wear and tear before I give the seller my money? The saw is 5 years old and he's asking $2600 for it, which I think is reasonable. I plan on checking the dust flex hose, the arbor and, the fence and the tilt mechanism (to see if it tilts correctly, but I don't know anything about screw drives etc.).

[Kent Adams]

Putting two of these monsters back to back doesn't make sense to me. Side by side sure. I think its your money so go for it

Barry my thinking is the following, and please correct me if you see a flaw in my logic. I would have one saw dedicated to dado cuts and one saw with a single blade. Putting the two saws together, I'm thinking that I'll have a nice flat assembly table and cut off table of decent size. The price of the used saw is not a consideration for me.

[Charles Taylor]

Barry my thinking is the following, and please correct me if you see a flaw in my logic. I would have one saw dedicated to dado cuts and one saw with a single blade. Putting the two saws together, I'm thinking that I'll have a nice flat assembly table and cut off table of decent size. The price of the used saw is not a consideration for me.

Take a look at some of Frank Howarth's videos on YouTube. He has three saws grouped similar to what you're thinking.

[Peter Quinn]

I'd make sure it goes up and down, tilts smoothly. If not it could just be dust in the gears, just check the teeth to make sure. Listen for arbor bearing noise under power if possible, you can visible check for bearing issues, give the blade a little firm side pressure ( power off of course) and spin it around to make sure there aren't any flat/dead spots in the bearings, that the blade spins smoothly. Otherwise its a pretty basic machine, not much to go wrong, especially that young, baring say a cracked trunion that would be hard to spot on casual inspection and fairly unlikely anyway.

Ive seen the back to back work station before, usually the two are off set at opposing points of say a 4'X8' rectangle, so the out feed of one is the side board of another and vice versa, not in line exactly, so you can maintain two separate sets ups most times and use them in sequence without moving the other fence. Its a pretty cool set up if space allows. I'd be curious to know why the castors are broken, did previous owner take it off road? I've never broken a castor on a mobile base before, seems that one may be no joy to fix being under the cabinet?

[Pat Barry]

Barry my thinking is the following, and please correct me if you see a flaw in my logic. I would have one saw dedicated to dado cuts and one saw with a single blade. Putting the two saws together, I'm thinking that I'll have a nice flat assembly table and cut off table of decent size. The price of the used saw is not a consideration for me.
Mr Adams, for me, adjusting the rip fence is something that happens frequently. Often it is set within 6 inches or less of the blade, sometimes much more. I picture you putting them back to back as you say meaning the rip fence on the other saw is always going to be in the way. Now you need to adjust not only the one you are working on but the other as well, hence I said side by side to imply that the two would not interfere with each other.

[Cary Falk]

I'd be curious to know why the castors are broken, did previous owner take it off road? I've never broken a castor on a mobile base before, seems that one may be no joy to fix being under the cabinet?

From everything I have read it is pretty common for the integrated moble base to fail on the PM2000.

[Kent Adams]

Sorry Pat, I don't know why I keep calling you Barry. I have a lot of friends named Barry and none named Pat so I keep defaulting to Barry when I reply without thinking.

To clarify, the table saws will be back to back, but you can only do that with the blades on the opposing sides. Each table saw would serve as an out feed for the other. Otherwise, you couldn't reach the cranks or starter switch. I searched for a picture to show you, but surprising I couldn't find one. The way I envision is that the blades will be between 30-40" apart.

[Kent Adams]

From everything I have read it is pretty common for the integrated moble base to fail on the PM2000.

Apparently they are, some right off the pallet. I'm very happy with my saw, but worry one day that the casters will stop working on it as well.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?57563-PM2000-castor-question

[Kent Adams]

Ive seen the back to back work station before, usually the two are off set at opposing points of say a 4'X8' rectangle, so the out feed of one is the side board of another and vice versa, not in line exactly, so you can maintain two separate sets ups most times and use them in sequence without moving the other fence. Its a pretty cool set up if space allows. I'd be curious to know why the castors are broken, did previous owner take it off road? I've never broken a castor on a mobile base before, seems that one may be no joy to fix being under the cabinet?



Hi Peter, that's exactly how I intend to set them up. Surprisingly, I couldn't find a picture on the internet to demonstrate. The casters and the PM2000 have a sordid history, some of them fail right off the pallet.

[Brian Henderson]

In case there is any confusion, below is my question, I'm sorry if this wasn't clear, I don't mean to sidetrack replies with what I've already accepted as a problem with the saw:

Unfortunately, the castors on this other saw don't work, so I'll have to figure out a way to get it into my shop. However, is there anything else I should check on for wear and tear before I give the seller my money? The saw is 5 years old and he's asking $2600 for it, which I think is reasonable. I plan on checking the dust flex hose, the arbor and, the fence and the tilt mechanism (to see if it tilts correctly, but I don't know anything about screw drives etc.).

Yup, and I gave you a way to get it into your shop. You're welcome.

[Garth Almgren]

Take a look at some of Frank Howarth's videos on YouTube. He has three saws grouped similar to what you're thinking.
And he has stated he doesn't like having them back-to-back - in order to use one saw he has to drop the blade on the other, losing the height setting and thereby negating any advantage of having two saws set up.

[Steve Peterson]

Mr Adams, for me, adjusting the rip fence is something that happens frequently. Often it is set within 6 inches or less of the blade, sometimes much more. I picture you putting them back to back as you say meaning the rip fence on the other saw is always going to be in the way. Now you need to adjust not only the one you are working on but the other as well, hence I said side by side to imply that the two would not interfere with each other.

The fence on my PM66 sticks out the back by around 6". Separating the 2 saws by a foot or more would solve this problem.

Another issue is the miter slots need a cutout in the outfeed table. If the saws are truly back to back, then you would need to cut slots in the factory extension table. Or add a spacer between the saws and cut slots in the spacer.

If I had the space, I would build a 4' by 7' table between the saws to give plenty of flat table space and storage underneath as well.

Steve

[Charles Taylor]

Take a look at some of Frank Howarth's videos on YouTube. He has three saws grouped similar to what you're thinking.
And he has stated he doesn't like having them back-to-back - in order to use one saw he has to drop the blade on the other, losing the height setting and thereby negating any advantage of having two saws set up.

Yessir. I can see that.

I'd probably try this configuration myself, if I had the room. (My contractor saw is disassembled and stored in a cabinet because I don't have room for two table saws.) Maybe I'd come to the same conclusion.

[Jeff Duncan]

Hi Peter, that's exactly how I intend to set them up. Surprisingly, I couldn't find a picture on the internet to demonstrate. The casters and the PM2000 have a sordid history, some of them fail right off the pallet.

I don't think it's surprising at all since it's a much less practical way to set them up. Of course it's personal preference in the end, but I've said it before that I just don't get why anyone would ever want their table saws back to back? Side by side makes so much more sense and gives you a much larger out-feed table/auxilary work surface. Back to back just means your running back and forth to drop blades and move fences all the time.

That said as far as your question of what to check, well as much as you can. You say you have the same saw so you should know exactly how everything is suppose to move and feel. I'd want to go over it with a fine tooth comb and then run some test cuts, and it better be perfect for the money your talking about. I've had 4 tablesaws over the last 20 years and so far have spent less than half of what your talking about, and built a LOT of cabinetry, custom doors etc.. For the price….it had better be perfect.

good luck,
JeffD

[Kent Adams]

And he has stated he doesn't like having them back-to-back - in order to use one saw he has to drop the blade on the other, losing the height setting and thereby negating any advantage of having two saws set up.

The way Frank has his set up is not how I plan on setting them up. He basically has a back to back mirror saw, my blades would be on opposing sides. Not the same thing as I'm asking.

[Garth Almgren]

Something like this?


----------------------------
| | |
| | TS 2 |
| | |
| ------------|
|----------- |
| | |
| TS 1 | |
| | |
----------------------------
That would work, if you have the space for it. :)

[Kent Adams]

Something like this?


----------------------------
| | |
| | TS 2 |
| | |
| ------------|
|----------- |
| | |
| TS 1 | |
| | |
----------------------------
That would work, if you have the space for it. :)

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