New to this forum - Buying a PowerMatic 66 tomorrow for $500

[Richard Precht]

Hello, this is my 1st post on this forum. I have been looking to purchase a cabinet table saw for about 4 months. I have considered buying a ShopFox W1819 which runs about $1,800.00. But seeing that I am retired and on a small income, I needed to weigh that large cost against the possibility of finding a good used saw.

Well yesterday I found a PowerMatic 66 about an hour from me. Pretty sure it is a mid-eighties vintage machine. The price is $500.00 It is a 3HP single phase and has the long fence rails. The seller also will throw in a set of the 3 new V belts which have yet been installed. So knowing that it is a 3-pulley arbor leads me to conclude it is of the older vintage as well. Going to go see it in person probably tomorrow afternoon.

Part of my career was as a technical trades instructor and I had a newer PowerMatic in the college shop. It was a nice machine but I have become convinced the older models are well worth the effort to get a hold of, and I really like that there are so many parts available. Plus there seems to be a vast number of posts and topics on the web regarding the PowerMatic saws.

I will try and upload a photo of it here.

What do you all think of my find? Richard (MN)

[scott spencer]

That's a heck of a nice deal on an amazing saw. Worth every penny and then some! Congrats! Might even be worth going over the bearings before putting it in service so you'll get a lifetime of trouble free operation from it. Did it come with a fence, or is that something you'll be looking to add too?

[Allen Breinig]

Hello, this is my 1st post on this forum. I have been looking to purchase a cabinet table saw for about 4 months. I have considered buying a ShopFox W1819 which runs about $1,800.00. But seeing that I am retired and on a small income, I needed to weigh that large cost against the possibility of finding a good used saw.

Well yesterday I found a PowerMatic 66 about an hour from me. Pretty sure it is a mid-eighties vintage machine. The price is $500.00 It is a 3HP single phase and has the long fence rails. The seller also will throw in a set of the 3 new V belts which have yet been installed. So knowing that it is a 3-pulley arbor leads me to conclude it is of the older vintage as well. Going to go see it in person probably tomorrow afternoon.

Part of my career was as a technical trades instructor and I had a newer PowerMatic in the college shop. It was a nice machine but I have become convinced the older models are well worth the effort to get a hold of, and I really like that there are so many parts available. Plus there seems to be a vast number of posts and topics on the web regarding the PowerMatic saws.

I will try and upload a photo of it here.

What do you all think of my find? Richard (MN)

I think I would hold out for a 24 volt version. I'm not sure how well that 12 volt battery is going to hold up.

[Bill Space]

I think I would hold out for a 24 volt version. I'm not sure how well that 12 volt battery is going to hold up.

I am not the sharpest tool or brightest bulb... perhaps that is the reason this reply makes no sense to me....

[Sid Matheny]

Looks like early 80's but a good deal. Great machine and I worked for Powermatic when that one was made.


I think I would hold out for a 24 volt version. I'm not sure how well that 12 volt battery is going to hold up.

Funny Allen, I noticed the battery in the pic also. LOL

[Paul Girouard]

I am not the sharpest tool or brightest bulb... perhaps that is the reason this reply makes no sense to me....


Look at the photo , there's a car battery , 12V on the floor to the left of the saw. There's wire's or cords on the floor , one could , as did Allen, conclude that the current owner, or at least the person who took the photo of the saw has been running the saw off that 12V battery.

So ya it's easy to see why you concluded you're not the brightest bulb , nor the sharpest tool , LOL.;-))

[Steve Peterson]

Welcome to the forum Richard. Hopefully, the seller is a friend that is willing to hold the saw for you. That saw listed for $500 in my neighborhood would have a dozen buyers lined up with cash in hand before you could get there.

Steve

[Jim Becker]

That would be an incredible buy if you can score it!

[Rollie Meyers]

Go for it! Looks like the saw has a funky molded case switch instead of a starter, but that is a minor issue.

[Jamie Buxton]

But where's the fence and rails? That makes a nice price considerably more expensive.

[jack duren]

Its about an average price...

[Joe Jensen]

Its about an average price...

That really depends on where you live and the economy. Here is Phoenix 80s PM66 saws sell for between $800 and $1200. I've seen some go as high as $1500. I sold a 1990 model with a steel motor cover and a wider fence for $1400 in 2005. The only ones I see here at the $500 price point are beat to death production shop saws.

[jack duren]

That really depends on where you live and the economy. Here is Phoenix 80s PM66 saws sell for between $800 and $1200. I've seen some go as high as $1500. I sold a 1990 model with a steel motor cover and a wider fence for $1400 in 2005. The only ones I see here at the $500 price point are beat to death production shop saws.

Pricing depends on patience, not location.

[Sam Layton]

Hi Richard,

Welcome to the forum. That is a great saw, and wow what a price...

Sam

[Tim McCarthy]

Pricing depends on patience, not location.


Amen to that! My dad used to say "you can sell anything for whatever you want and buy anything for whatever you want to pay IF you are willing to wait long enough".

[Matt Day]

I hope this isn't another thread where we never find out what happened.

[Al Launier]

The bottom line is if you think it's a good deal, then go for it!

[lee cox]

I think it will make a great table saw. I restored an old Unisaw 1950's model and I really like it.

[glenn bradley]

I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[John Lanciani]

I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Me too. I could flip that in a week here in MA and make a few hundred bucks easy. It's not bottom feeder price but its not far from it.

[Bob Vaughan]

You've got the start of building yourself a $3000.00+ table saw.
The down side is that you'll start to look for other machinery quality upgrades using restored machines.

[Chris Hachet]

Let me be the first to tell you officially ...wow...I am jealous!

[Chris Hachet]

You've got the start of building yourself a $3000.00+ table saw.
The down side is that you'll start to look for other machinery quality upgrades using restored machines.


That is exactly where I am looking now for a few for myself.

[Doug Ladendorf]

That is exactly where I am looking now for a few for myself.

Once you get a taste of the good stuff there's no going back.