Powermatic 225 Question (+ gloat)

[Rob Will]

I just came home with a Powermatic 225 planer.:D
The machine had been in a school shop and has all of the usual paint spills etc. on the outside. Mechanically, it looks really good and should last me some where between indefinitely and forever.

Here's the question:
The 225 is equipped with a cast iron base. On the left side is the main motor. On the right side of the lower base are several holes that appear to be from the factory. None have ever been used and each have the original paint inside. Were these holes designed to mount some sort of accessory?

If I can learn to post a pic, I'll do so later regarding these holes. No full pics until daylight tomorrow (?).

Thanks,
Rob

[Jeff Singleton]

Rob, Powermatic may have used those holes for a quick disconnect box or conduit. They could also be used for support rods for the feed motor which is below the big piece of sheet metal under the bed. I have a PM 180 and it also has holes in the base on the side. One neat thing about PM planer from the 160 through the 225 is that they set on three points. Two points are on the backside corners and the other is in the center front. My 180 set so low that a made a T with a microlam and set the planer on it and it raised it up 9", which is perfect for me. PM made some great planers and your 225 should last you forever. Hope you got the knife grinder with it.

Jeff Singleton

[Rob Will]

Hope you got the knife grinder with it.

Jeff,
It currently has a Byrd cutterhead.
I did get a grinder bar and the OEM quiet cut head....but no grinder.
Rob

[Jeff Singleton]

Lucky boy, Lucky boy
Start making sawdust

Jeff Singleton

[Rob Will]

A follow-up question about the Powermatic 225:

One of the bed rolls is not moving up and down corectly. The right end of the back roll is not moving. Upon closer examination, the set screw in the linkage was loose at that location. It is possible that it had not moved in a long time. With a bit of encouragement with a wrench, the vertical shaft broke loose but is too tight for the bed roller control hande to move.

Will I need to remove the bed roller to polish the shaft and any related parts?

Is the bed roller bearing housing threaded onto the top end of the vertical adjustment shaft?

Thanks,
Rob

[Jeff Singleton]

Rob, It sound like you need to remove the whole bed elevation mechanisium and do a good cleaning. You may have a sticky side block that does not want to slide up and down from sawdust or dirt. It is a very is system to work on. When I rebuilt my 180 after buying it I took the elevation assembly off and threw it in a container of laquer thinner for a couple days. That freed everything up and removed the 3 coats of paint on the brackets that were not painted from the factory. I took the roller out and chucked them up it the lathe and Scotchbrighted them until they looked new, 5 minutes per roller did just fine. I keep my table rollers just barely above the table, they turn when wood comes thru but they don't cause any snipe. A good cleaning will cure your planers bad habits.

Jeff Singleton:rolleyes: