Used Powermatic 66 advice

[Philip Lipman]

Hi All,

I am thinking about setting up my own little home woodshop and I am looking into a decent saw. I came across a powermatic 66, 3hp with what looks to be a nice little set up. The saw has an extension table with a JessEm Rout-R-Lift, an incra positioner and looks like it has very little use.

Any thoughts on price? The guy is downsizing and moving to a condo so he is losing his woodshop space from his house. He wants me to make an offer. I am more familiar with Deltas, not so much with powermatics. Also will include a few other accessories.

I really appreciate any advice or input offered. Thanks

[Bill Adamsen]

I very much like the PM66, though I have a Unisaw which works just fine for me. The saw pictured looks well cared for. A tablesaw of that ilk with 3hp and a nice fence is a great tool. I'm not especially enthusiastic about the router in the saw table setup (having had several) but maybe that's just me. I'd prefer a separate table. Typically (in my geographic area) a PM66 would price out a few hundred dollars more than a Unisaw, because the company is still making them, because the "fit and finish" is a bit nicer, and because the arbor is designed so the blade tilts left. That's not necessarily better, just that fewer machines have that option. Typical asking prices here for that setup might range between $800 and $2000.

I don't know this to be the case but since I see this is your first post ... if you are new to woodworking it might be prudent (and yes I will likely get chastised for saying this) to at least look at some of the benefits provided by alternative machines such as the Sawstop.

[Matt Day]

Looks like a nice setup. Having to make an offer can be tough as you don’t want to insult him while trying to get a deal. I’d offer $750 and hope to get it fo around $1000.

That’s me though, that setup could easily be listed on CL at $2000.

Could always try to bundle with other tools.

[Nick Decker]

If everything is as pristine as it looks, I'd probably give him $2,000 for it, although that router extension looks very awkward to use (to me).

[Don Jarvie]

I'd probably offer around 1200. The lift and fence are worth 400 so it's 800 for the saw. Even if you pay 1500 your still getting a good deal due to the lift and fence.

[andy bessette]

I'd ask him if he thought $1,000 was a fair price. I bought one of my Unisaws with Biesmeyer fence and mobile base for ~$750.

[Lloyd McKinlay]

I would ask him what he thinks is a fair price. Tell him you are just setting up shop and just started pricing tools but don't have enough background to make an informed decision on how much to offer. Put it back on him, he has an idea what he thinks it is worth.

[Philip Lipman]

Thanks guys for the advice. I will keep you posted. I am not thrilled about the router table extension. As said by another member, the router seems like it would be awkward to use, but can use the equipment on another router table

I finally have space for some more/better equipment and I am tired of having to drive to my friends place to use his.

[andy bessette]

Why should the router table be awkward to use?

[Bruce Page]

Why should the router table be awkward to use?
I have a similar setup on my Unisaw although my lift sits closer to the middle of the table. There was always a lot of reaching & bending using it. It was just awkward to use. I added a Benchdog setup to the left side of the saw and it is much more comfortable. I don’t have the room for a standalone router table.

I would offer $1500 - 2000 for the 66.

[andy bessette]

My router table is a re-purposed, cast iron, table saw top that is attached to one of my Unisaws. Been using it for decades and find it very convenient and quick to use.

https://s26.postimg.org/47munt0p5/shop-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Philip Lipman]

I have a similar setup on my Unisaw although my lift sits closer to the middle of the table. There was always a lot of reaching & bending using it. It was just awkward to use. I added a Benchdog setup to the left side of the saw and it is much more comfortable. I don’t have the room for a standalone router table.

I would offer $1500 - 2000 for the 66.

Exactly my thought. I feel like this would be awkward for me but to each their own. Some people might like it and maybe I would but my thought after thinking about it is that the reaching would make it awkward.

[Don Jarvie]

The router setup isn't that far away. It's probably a foot or so. Look at the PM manual and it should give the specs.

Consider adding an outfeed table across whole length of the saw. You can use this as an assembly table. I made one and built in storage and plugs around the table.

[andy bessette]

Here is a view across my outfeed table; it's just a solid core door topped with tempered Masonite.

https://s26.postimg.org/mbrtctvbd/saw-bench-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Steve Peterson]

Why should the router table be awkward to use?

The picture looks like the router table is quite far from the edge. And table saw heights are much lower than I like for a router table. My router is mounted in the workbench with my miter saw, about 6" higher than my tablesaw.

[andy bessette]

The picture looks like the router table is quite far from the edge. And table saw heights are much lower than I like for a router table...

Notice that my table saw is raised to allow a sawdust drawer beneath. The router is easy to reach for changing bits and adjusting height. The router table, attached to the table saw, is convenient and allows the combined use of the Unifence and sliding table.

https://s26.postimg.org/47munt0p5/shop-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Phillip Mitchell]

That saw looks well cared for and doesn't look it's lived too hard of a life.

Depending on how you value the router table, I'd say that setup is worth $1200-1400 in my area. I bought a similar era 66 this past summer for $900, but drove quite a bit to get it. It was a tad rougher condition than the one you're looking at and didn't have a router table.

When someone selling something refuses to price it and says "make me an offer", I respond one of two ways. I usually first say "surely you have some ballpark idea of what you'd like to get for it...." or if that doesn't provide a starting point then I low ball, which will either get you a number from them that's closer to what they want or it will piss them off... ;)

Good luck. The 66 is a great saw; I love mine.

[andy bessette]

Low ballers do not even get a reply from me.

[John Sincerbeaux]

When I sell a machine, I usually start at a price that is half of the cost I paid for it new. I sold my PM 66 a few months ago for $1k. It was in perfect shape. I like knowing that whoever is buying my machines are knowing they got a really good deal. Seems goofy to me that a seller won't set a price???

[Phillip Mitchell]

Andy,

Yeah, but are you listing an asking price to start or just saying "make me an offer"? Why would anyone looking to buy start high with an offer if they didn't have a point of reference from the seller? My point is, just name your price to start out and it saves a lot of wasted time and anxiety.

[andy bessette]

I always list an asking price.

[Matt Day]

Andy, So your case is different than what we have here. Lowballing when being asked to give a price is fine in my book.

By the way, I like the idea of the table saw dust drawer. I need to add that to my Uni.

[andy bessette]

The drawer was re-purposed from a yacht remodel. A framework of 2 x 4 on edge worked out just right.

[marty fretheim]

I'd offer him a thou for it and go from there. In my experience when a guy says "make me an offer" he either doesn't know what it's worth or he's ashamed to say what he really wants for it. You could take the router lift out and build yourself a stand alone router table.