Powermatic Model 80 20" Bandsaw - Yes or No?

[Brent Ring]

All,

I have been in the market for a bigger bandsaw. Starting to build some rocking chairs a la Hal Taylor, and my PM 141 does not have enough clearance to make a few of the cuts needed. A Powermatic 80 20" had come up in my area, for a little under $1k. Owner states it runs smooth, cuts well. Both upper, and lower guides are ball bearing. Table tilts 10 degrees left, 45 degrees right. Currently set up to run on 115 Volts. Comes with two new blades and is ready to plug in and go to work. Pics look like I would expect for old iron. Worn, but in good condition. I also want the 12.5" of resaw clearance. I suspect this has had power converted. I would have expected to find this with 220V, 3-phase power.

I saw a Delta 28-350 recently that was trying to be sold for $900, but never got the seller to respond, so I dont have a good frame of reference for comparison. Interested in your opinions on the PM 80, on it being 115V power, pricing, and any other opinions you may have.

Thanks,

Brent

[Mike Hollingsworth]

110 motor is probably not the original. 2hp 220 was probably available.
5HP is what the beast deserves.

[Chris Hachet]

110 motor is probably not the original. 2hp 220 was probably available.
5HP is what the beast deserves.Agreed, but both the Delta and Powermatic are very good saws. At roughly a grand or so, what they usually sell for, you are paying Rikon or Laguna 14 inch money for a 20 inch industrial saw.

It will be obviously very heavy, take up a lot of floor space, and probably need bearings/tires/cosmetics/electrical work/guides, et al. But dollar for dollar probably the best bandsaw on the amrket IMHO...along with the PM 81, PM 87 (Metal version of same saw, just like PM 141/143). The older Delta 20 inch saws are amazingly nice also. People don't seem to like the 1970's Era Rockwell Delta saws as much so they seem to be available cheaper, but still work amazingly well.

Price is important, but the only thing that seems to kill these saws is very serious rust or being dropped from a fork lift and bent badly.

[Van Huskey]

Solid late 50s saw, like the PM 140 you don't see many of them around, they made the 80 and 140 for a fairly short time compared to how long they made the 81 and 141. If it runs well that is a good price, I would take a close look at the tires, they can set you back over $200 easy. It was likely a 1.5-2hp 220v motor as both the Powermatic and Delta welded steel saws were marketed to schools and light commercial shops so they were never designed for production, keep in mind much larger cast saws that weren't built as resaws at the time usually had about 3hp. I wouldn't bother putting anything more than 3hp on it with only a foot of resaw height. If the side guides are indeed bearings that may be a retrofit as well, while I have only seen 3-4 of these in the wild I think they were all block side guides. The 81s aren't really a better saw in any meaningful way and they usually command a price premium so a PM80 can be a good buy and if complete and functional I think under $1k qualifies it as a good buy.

[Don Jarvie]

A 20" band saw under a grand is a good deal especially for a Powermatic.

[Keith Hankins]

I'm with Don I'd take it fast

[Brent Ring]

How are parts for this saw? I have heard that parts can be hard to come by. The saw runs well, and I might be able to get it for less than $900, but I am concerned about parts when things go bad. Tires and blades dont bother me,nor bearings, but any other parts concern me.

[Van Huskey]

How are parts for this saw? I have heard that parts can be hard to come by. The saw runs well, and I might be able to get it for less than $900, but I am concerned about parts when things go bad. Tires and blades dont bother me,nor bearings, but any other parts concern me.

Like I said the saw is pretty rare, so it won't be as simple as a few clicks of the mouse and a credit card number for parts but there are a few sources for old Powermatic parts. It is the same story for a lot of old iron but you have to consider what is it that will break.

Bandsaws are pretty simple machines and on a well built old saw you are unlikely to break anything in normal use that will be an issue. All the electricals can be replaced with new off the shelf parts, so can the motor, pulleys, belts, bearings and tires. The things to consider are the tensioning/tracking parts and the table/trunnion area and the wheels/shafts. If those are all in good shape and functioning well it is likely you will never have need for any of those parts and likely could find them with a little searching.

I suggest if it is running well buy the saw.

You are tempting OWWM rule #5: In the time between finding a machine and asking others if you should buy it someone else will come to the proper conclusion.

[Frank Drew]

110 motor is probably not the original. 2hp 220 was probably available.
5HP is what the beast deserves.

20" is a very nice size saw for most kinds of furniture making, but I wouldn't call it a beast; that would be a 36" or larger machine.

A sharp blade doesn't need tons of h.p.; my 18" Oliver had a 3 ph., 1/2 h.p. polyphase induction motor (whatever that is) and it never bogged down on me.

[My dream band saw would either be a Yates snowflake, or a Tannewitz 24", although I don't think they made too many of those.]

[Dave Cav]

You are tempting OWWM rule #5: In the time between finding a machine and asking others if you should buy it someone else will come to the proper conclusion.

I just saw some guy from Provo headed out to get it.

[Van Huskey]

I just saw some guy from Provo headed out to get it.

Honestly, that is exactly the kind of saw/price I would buy splash a little paint on it and maybe some tires tune it up and flip it... or keep it if I could find a corner to fit it into.

[Chris Hachet]

20" is a very nice size saw for most kinds of furniture making, but I wouldn't call it a beast; that would be a 36" or larger machine.

A sharp blade doesn't need tons of h.p.; my 18" Oliver had a 3 ph., 1/2 h.p. polyphase induction motor (whatever that is) and it never bogged down on me.

[My dream band saw would either be a Yates snowflake, or a Tannewitz 24", although I don't think they made too many of those.]Yesterday I saw a Yates 16 inch Snowflake, which is extremely rare. I also looked at a 30 inch Tannewitz in pieces....Oliver 192 is one of my quest machines...

[Chris Hachet]

I'm with Don I'd take it fastDepends strongly on condition...when I was looking at Powermatic 20 inch saws, one of the saws I had a chance to buy had spent its life around battery acid and was in terrible shape....condition really matters when buying used.

[Chris Hachet]

How are parts for this saw? I have heard that parts can be hard to come by. The saw runs well, and I might be able to get it for less than $900, but I am concerned about parts when things go bad. Tires and blades dont bother me,nor bearings, but any other parts concern me.You might keep your eyes out for a cheap parts machine. That being said, very little will break on these.

[Chris Hachet]

Honestly, that is exactly the kind of saw/price I would buy splash a little paint on it and maybe some tires tune it up and flip it... or keep it if I could find a corner to fit it into.Agreed...although I have absolutely zero plans on selling the Powermatic 87 I just placed into my wood shop.

[Darcy Warner]

Condition isn't everything, wait until you see the turds showing up at my shop.

[Frank Drew]

Yesterday I saw a Yates 16 inch Snowflake, which is extremely rare. I also looked at a 30 inch Tannewitz in pieces....Oliver 192 is one of my quest machines...

Chris,

We've so gotten away from incorporating design for design's sake in machinery manufacturing, which is a shame -- the Snowflakes are beautiful enough to put in a living room!

My 192 was from the '40s, I think; I bought it used around 1983 from a dealer in Baltimore (Skarie?). Even the doors were cast.

[Chris Hachet]

Chris,

We've so gotten away from incorporating design for design's sake in machinery manufacturing, which is a shame -- the Snowflakes are beautiful enough to put in a living room!

My 192 was from the '40s, I think; I bought it used around 1983 from a dealer in Baltimore (Skarie?). Even the doors were cast.Sadly had to pass on a really decent 192 to buy the Pm 87 I just acquired. If I add yet another band saw to the shop, it will be between something like the Oliver 18 inch 192 and a MiniMax 16.

Wells and Davis apparently build a really nice band saw, prices for these are all over the place. Right now too busy making sawdust to think of buying another band saw for a good long while.

[Chris Hachet]

Condition isn't everything, wait until you see the turds showing up at my shop.I actually like buying machines in "turd" condition so long as they are not badly abused-much easier to deal with that then a quick coat of paint and hide all of the issues.

I like repairing and tuning a machine once.

[Brent Ring]

Well - Its mine - picked it up last night. Talked him to $800. And yes - pics are coming. One thing I noticed is that the tension spring is very nearly completely compressed. It cut very well with the 3/8" blade on it, but I know I will want to put a 3/4" blade on it in the future. The tires will need replacing, but seem to be serviceable for now. Any thoughts on sourcing a new tension spring? Can I use a tension spring from a newer model PM saw?

[Van Huskey]

Well - Its mine - picked it up last night. Talked him to $800. And yes - pics are coming. One thing I noticed is that the tension spring is very nearly completely compressed. It cut very well with the 3/8" blade on it, but I know I will want to put a 3/4" blade on it in the future. The tires will need replacing, but seem to be serviceable for now. Any thoughts on sourcing a new tension spring? Can I use a tension spring from a newer model PM saw?


I doubt any current models will have the same spring but the 81/87 may have shared the same spring. My first call would be Redmond Machinery after I verified it was not in stock with Powermatic or any of the online new parts dealers.

[Chris Hachet]

Well - Its mine - picked it up last night. Talked him to $800. And yes - pics are coming. One thing I noticed is that the tension spring is very nearly completely compressed. It cut very well with the 3/8" blade on it, but I know I will want to put a 3/4" blade on it in the future. The tires will need replacing, but seem to be serviceable for now. Any thoughts on sourcing a new tension spring? Can I use a tension spring from a newer model PM saw?Congrats and pics please. I think you will be very, very happy with it. For me the larger table made a larger band saw kind of a no brainer.

[Brent Ring]

Here are the pics as promised. 357692357693

[Brent Ring]

357694357695357696357697Showing pics of power switch, overall machine, upper and lower guides.

[Brent Ring]

More pics, lower wheel, foot brake, tension guage, upper wheel, back, and motor area.357698357699357700357701357702357703357704357 705

[Brent Ring]

Need a new tension spring.... notice the one in is all compressed. Only has a 3/8" blade on it.

[Brent Ring]

I just saw some guy from Provo headed out to get it.

He must have not been very smart then :D

[Chris Hachet]

Need a new tension spring.... notice the one in is all compressed. Only has a 3/8" blade on it.I would check with OWWM (old Woodworking Machines website.) McMaster-Carr should have things like hand wheels and other supplies.

Fantastic saw, enjoy it....thanks for the pics, I greatly enjoyed them.

[Chris Hachet]

...also, I would not restore or repaint it. I love the patina of age on old woodworking machines, kind of like the patina of age on a nice old pick up truck. Very nice looking machine in every respect.

[Bill Dufour]

Resurrecting an old thread to ask does a Powermatic 87 have a threaded hole in the top to lift it with an eyebolt or is it lifted with a sling under the upper arm? I understand a Doall uses a 3/4 lifting ring on their 1612. Seems like such a nice safe method of rigging.
My lathe uses one 16m eyebolt to lift 1750 pounds at the balance point.
Bill D.

[Mickey Plunkett]

Just bought a model 80 myself. Wondering about your restoration progress and where/if you found parts including the tension spring. My saw doesn't have the tension scale at all so I may be doing some fabrication. Would love to know if parts from the model 81 or later saws are useable on the 80.