Powermatic Model 66 Tablesaw

[Steve Kinnaird]

The company that my son works for has a Powermatic Model 66 sitting in a storage area doing nothing.
He is going to find out the motor size and whether it is single or 3 phase. The table width and what ever else he can about the saw tomorrow.
His boss feels that if it just sitting there going waste, they might make him a deal that can't be refused.

Is there anything I should be aware of on this model?
The few PIC's he took makes it look like a good 6ft table.
Might be too big for my shop, but I will make room if it the right saw at the right price.

[Doug McKnight]

I have a Powermatic 66 that was built in 1968. Mine has the huge cast iron table extension pieces that, when they were last sold, were a rather expensive option (I believe).
Mine had been unused for a long time when I got it. I replaced the arbor bearings myself without too much trouble and it is now an excellent saw. The bearing type is easily found and they weren't expensive. I'm sure I got them from Accurate Bearings.

The PM 66 was made for decades and I think the only significant difference between it and the current model is that they changed the belt (and pulleys).

I made new fence for it, using the approach shown in this link http://askwoodman.com/2012/09/24/diy-biesemeyer-fence/
It works very well.
Good luck!
Doug

[Martin Wasner]

If it's build much later than a year 2000, leave it there. I've got an 89 & 04, the 04 is a piece of junk

[John McClanahan]

Don't let the 3 phase scare you. A static phase converter will let it run on single phase.


John

[Bill Adamsen]

Interesting to hear about the variable quality over time. I remember seeing PM66 units back in the '80s and '90s and coveting their polished milled surfaces (and left tilt) when compared to my Unisaw.

One thing to consider though it shouldn't be a concern with a PM66, is dust collection. Some of the old iron American made saws I've seen which otherwise have compelling features such as large well supported arbors and precision tilt, also have the drawback of poor dust collection. Sometimes this is easily rectified, other times not.

[Matt Day]

Don't let the 3 phase scare you. A static phase converter will let it run on single phase.


John

That will rob you of 1/3 of the hp. Get a VFD and get full power. A 3hp VFD will cost $120-$200.

[Martin Wasner]

Interesting to hear about the variable quality over time.


Powermatic had good times, and bad. My 04' saw I bought brand new, it was my first tablesaw. It was made after CPO acquired Powermatic and everything was shipped overseas. The tilt and blade height adjustments took a lot of fiddling and lubrication to get them to acceptable. Just a bit of tweaking and grease on my 89' and it was sweet. Even the threads on the arbor are cut better, the nut feels better being spun on/off. The motor has been out of the 04' twice for repairs, the 89' I haven't touched in the five years I've owned it, and it gets used way harder than the 04'. The 04' just does some sheet stock cutting. The Streibig does basically all of the crosscutting, and a bit less than half the ripping. The 89' gets a lot of lumber hammered through it each week. The 89' is super smooth for a light duty tablesaw, the 04' is rattly and noisy.

The 89' the trunnion is painted yellow, it's black on the 04'.

I also hate the UHMW fence face on the 04'. I've been meaning to switch it out for something else for too long, just haven't gotten around to it. I've got a piece of Richlite I want to try on there, I keep forgetting to pick up a router bit to cut the T-slots for the fasteners.


To be honest, if I didn't have two to compare against one another, I probably wouldn't notice the difference. Who knows, I might've just gotten a cruddy one too.

[Steve Peterson]

If the price is around $1000, then I would rather have an 04' PM66 than a new $1000 saw. You probably need to spend around $3000 to get a better saw.

I have an 05' PM66 and like it a lot, but I don't have an 89' to compare it against. It works well enough for me.

Don't let the size scare you off. The large table on the right is just a table that can be replaced with something smaller. The rails can be cut or traded with someone looking to upsize their smaller version of the saw.

Steve

[David Utterback]

More recent model numbers identify the year of manufacturing with the first 2 numbers. Not sure about tools made prior to mid-90s, though. I have a 66 and love it.

[Chris Padilla]

First, is it green or yellow? :) Green is very very good. Yellow is also very very good depending on the year as the folks above alluded to. :D

[Martin Wasner]

I think there was some grey area on the green too Chris.

[Steve Kinnaird]

I found out today that it is 5HP 3 Phase motor
The saw is yellow.
The Powermatic logo is a plate, not painted.
The serial number starts out with 666xxxxxx
332498

[Matt Day]

Huh, not sure about that date based on the color and SN. Gold started in the 80's sometime, but I don't see any of the SN codes that seem to correlate with what you posted. Maybe I interpreted it incorrectly.
Scroll down for table saws.
http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/PowermaticSerialNumbers.ashx

[Harold Weaver]

I have had two of these saws, one, a 1972 green one, I converted to single phase with a new Leeson motor, the other was an 1984 model with the 5 HP 3phase motor same as the one you are looking at. I got it in a package deal with another machine that I wanted. Too big (motor) for my garage shop so I flipped it. VFDs for a 5 HP motor can get as pricy as just swapping the motor out. If you have 3 phase power, then its not an issue, They are fine saws and are really easy to work on. You cannot go wrong with one. they are built like tanks. Just make sure the overall condition is good and all the parts are there. If you intend to do a motor swap, it is easy as pie on a 66, the motors a c face mount and PM used everything from 1 1/2 HP all the way to 5 HP on the 66 over the years. They are not a special type mount like on Unisaws.

Harold

[Steve Kinnaird]

Thanks for all of the follow up.
The company hasn't come up with a price yet.
Hope they do next week.
I'll keep everyone posted.