Has anyone replaced a tabletop on PM2000?

[Lewis Cobb]

Well I just cleaned the packing grease off the top of my new PM2000 to discover there's a mess of black spot pit like marks all over the surface of it. I'll be calling Powermatic's tech service in the morning but I was just wondering if anyone else has had something like this on a new saw and had to replace the top? I might be needing some pointers to make sure I get it all aligned and shimmed properly if I have to do it.

[Neal Clayton]

it's not difficult to do. just loosen the bolts, raise the blade as high as you can go, wedge a micrometer between the blade and a miter slot and lock it, and tap the table around with a rubber maul until you get it as close as humanly possible from front to back of the blade.

you'll have to re-align your fence and re-zero the fence afterward too.

[Eric Roberge]

For the money, you would think that they would have a authorized service tech replace it for you onsite.:confused:

[Lewis Cobb]

For the money, you would think that they would have a authorized service tech replace it for you onsite.:confused:


They just might - I have not contacted them yet as I just discovered this mess about an hour ago :mad:

[Eric Roberge]

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

[Peter Quinn]

Thats tricky business shimming a new top. I'd want a new saw, shipping their cost. Can you imagine receiving a new car with a rusted hood and being told to replace it your self? I don't care where they make them, they sell premium tools at premium prices, and you should get what you paid for. If my PM66 had shown up pitted I would have driven it back to them and thrown it at them one piece at a time. Just my $.02.

[glenn bradley]

Danger Will Robinson; pay close, close attention to where the shims come off so they can go back in the same place. Oh, wait a minute . . . new top . . . shimming will be different . . . you'll have to shim it yourself . . . . not on your life! New saw, new saw!

[Steven DeMars]

Have them replace or pay for shipping both ways to Quality Grinding . .

P.S. That is why I drive to New Orleans to R.J. Marchand for all my stationary tools . . . If it weighs to much to carry in my arm, it comes from Marchand . . . A dealer has the clout to make things right . . .

If they let you keep the old top, it would make a heck of a router table with a little creative engineering . . .

Steve

[Edward P. Surowiec]

Lewis I received my PM 2000 about 18 months ago. It had a problem starting-up with a full dado stack. I was very happy with PM's Customer Service, although a bit slow. Long story that unfolded over four weeks but PM authorized a repair technician to come out to repair the motor. He replaced the starting capacitors (2), internal centrifugal switch, and armature shaft bearing. My saw runs great. I suggest that you work with PM's CS techs. I worked with three different techs before getting one that was helpful. Good Luck.
Ed

[Lewis Cobb]

Couldn't call them today - had to run the roads for work and ended up getting home too late. I did send the tech that helped me with my 14" bandsaw table corrosion issue an e-mail and he responded telling me to send me some pictures and then call him in the morning.

Will let you know what comes of that. I am real leary of trying to put a new top on and do the shimming process - and even more leary of who they are likely to get in my neck of the woods to come out and do it as a service call. I'm more apt to attempt it on my own with dozens of calls to the tech guys to step me through it. I do have access to a good machinist with lots of gear to measure and check if it comes to that.

Here's a pic of the top of the table so you see what I am talking about. It's not really pits per se - but jet black spots all over it - and they are not coming out with kerosene or any other solvents. Almost looks like weld splatter that burns dots in the surface and even when you brush the globs away, still leaves the marks. These marks were under a good coat of packing grease - it's nothing that happened after it left the factory.

Something else that I just discovered while trying to take some decent pics tonight - look at the edge of the table - there's a ragged edge all along the edge on the side that bolts up to the extension table. It's like something was dragged across it, and has actually created a rippled "lip" of sorts that would at the very least have to be filed down before one would attempt to align it with the extension table. Not sure how that will look if I attempted to file it. Will bring this up in the discussions as well.

Despite all this trouble I do like the design of this saw and hope I can get something I am happy with in the end. I was aware of some of the issues with the PM2000 before I bought one and still bought one.

Here's the pictures -

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn286/LHC_02/PM2000/PIC1.jpg

And here's a closer one of that ragged edge on the side of the table -

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn286/LHC_02/PM2000/PIC3.jpg

[Lewis Cobb]

Looks like I will spend the weekend re-crating the PM2000 - Powermatic's CS is going to swap the saw rather than subject me to the re-shimming of a new top. A bit of torment, but these things can and do happen from time to time. Ten thumbs up for Powematic's CS though - at least the tech service guy I was dealing with. I still feel good about spending my money with them :)

Someday, I may even be able to post up a gloat about this saw .....when it's in the shop, set up, and some sawdust on it...

Cheers,
Lewis

[Peter Quinn]

Good to hear it Lewis. They are a good company there at PM. When I got my PM66 a few years back, it arrived perfect, all alignments were dead on, and it has performed flawlessly since. You should expect the same from your PM2000, plus you get a riving knife! Enjoy that new saw. My table top was a perfect mirror when it arrived, not so much any more.:D

[Robert Parrish]

They should come out and replace the top. They sent technicians to my home several times to replace the motor and several switches on my PM2000!

[Lewis Cobb]

Thought I would post a little update on this.

PM customer service shipped me a brand new PM2000 and took the one I had back. That exercise says something for them - it can't be cheap to ship a 600 pound beast like this back and forth from the east coast of Canada to TN. Not to metion the paperwork moving it across the border - I literally had to sign 2 pieces of paper that were already prepared for me and that was it.

Within hours of it arriving, I stripped the packing grease off the saw table - this time without even taking the saw off the pallet....just in case ;). I was happy to find that the top of this one is almost perfect - one little tiny tiny mark on an otherwise perfect surface. Great ! Moved the saw off the pallet and checked out the operation of the casters - they are slick and work like a charm, put the knobs on the handles and wheeled it out of the way.

Tonight I go back out to the shop and opened up the extension wing boxes, as well as a little box with an extension wing that they replaced for my 14" bandsaw- :eek::eek::eek: - every one of them are corroded even worse than the last ones I got !!!!!! :mad::mad::mad:

On the phone again in the morning...*sigh*

Lewis

[Matt Bickford]

Personally, I would ask for $250 back. The spots won't affect performance. It's probably a vain waste of effort to send it back. Offer to take the money instead. You certainly paid for, and deserve quality. But mistakes happen and they may give you that substantial discount.

I'm amazed that 8 out of 10 people believe in man-made global warming yet 10 out of 10 people say send a 400 lb.(?) table saw across the country to fix a couple spots.

[Steve H Graham]

If they keep sending you garbage, it's their problem, not yours. Make them keep shipping you saws until they get it right.

[Lewis Cobb]

I admit it's just an appearance thing - but it would constantly remind me that I paid top dollar and settled for something far less than showroom condition.

At least I am inching in the right direction - the first saw had a rusted top, a ragged edge on one side of the top that looks like someone hand filed it, and both extension wings that were corroded. Now I have a good saw and 2 corroded wings. Maybe if they send me 2 more wings I will get one good one out of that and get that much closer again:D

[Lewis Cobb]

Hey Lads -
Just thought I'd post up a little update.

This saga is still on-going but I have been in no real panic and probably made the mistake of telling that to the PM customer service rep ! He has been great though and called me back today to tell me he has had people opening up extension wings and stripping grease off cause he wants to send me 2 pristine replacements. Can't argue with that !.

I have to hand it to the customer service at WMH - they have been great to deal with and really do want to put things right .

There's been no talk of them wanting the existing wings back (yet). If they don't want them back, maybe I should have them re-ground and then get a new router table top made by Quality Grinding to bolt 'em up to.:)