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Thread: PM2000 Wheels Disintegrated!!!

  1. #1

    PM2000 Wheels Disintegrated!!!

    Just an FYI...I recently stumbled across some posts on another forum, talking about wheels going bad and disintegrating. Well, I had to move my PM2000, lowered the wheels and began to move the beast. All of a sudden, the saw tilted to one corner. I couldn't figure out what was going on, then another corner went! Now, I've only moved that saw twice...when I received it and moved it into place and few years back and this time.
    Anyways, when I got the saw up on a dolly and moved it, there were chunks of red/orange, heavy duty wheels left behind. These look like the same heavy duty wheels that I have used on heavy cabinets.
    I had no idea this could happen. What a coincidence that it happened right after I read about it happening to others. I'd call PM for replacements, but I'll just be replacing bad wheels for bad wheels, so why bother. What I'm going to do is get a Shop Fox HD base, with cast iron wheels. I think those will have a better chance of survival under the saw. I think they're rated at 1300 lbs.
    Just thought I'd post the experience here, in case others have entrusted the same type of castor wheels on their tools. Beware!

  2. #2
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    Sorry that happened. PM Has taken a lot of heat for this design in general. I think if you look back a bit you’ll see that this is been a topic of discussion for some years.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    Sorry that happened. PM Has taken a lot of heat for this design in general. I think if you look back a bit you’ll see that this is been a topic of discussion for some years.
    Couldn't have happened at a worse time. Good thing I had enough extra $ for the new base. Hopefully, it's be easier to move if I ever have to do it again.

  4. #4
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    Thanks for posting this, I’ll keep an eye on mine as well.

  5. #5
    It’s too bad, cuz I love the saw, but hate their attempt at built in mobility.

  6. #6
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    Had a similar event happen to a Shop Fox mobile base. Wheels just disintegrated when attempting to move a heavy band saw it was mounted on. I just went to the local Harbor Freight, purchased the same size caster and switched them out. Must be the material they are constructed with. Inexpensive correction.

  7. #7
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    That bad base is what kept me from getting the PM2000 and I got a SawStop PCS with an ICS mobile base instead. I bet it could fit on your saw. Best
    Mobile base I've ever seen

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    That bad base is what kept me from getting the PM2000 and I got a SawStop PCS with an ICS mobile base instead. I bet it could fit on your saw. Best
    Mobile base I've ever seen
    Frank, I don't think problems with the built in mobile base should stop anyone from purchasing the saw, as the saw itself is a great saw. That said, I think you ended up with an even greater saw. At the time I bought the PM, the SS was not yet in it's present form.
    I think I'll stick with cast iron wheels this time.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Wilkins View Post
    Had a similar event happen to a Shop Fox mobile base. Wheels just disintegrated when attempting to move a heavy band saw it was mounted on. I just went to the local Harbor Freight, purchased the same size caster and switched them out. Must be the material they are constructed with. Inexpensive correction.

    Mike, I've read about issues with the SF wheels as well, which is why I'm going with their cast iron wheels instead.

  10. #10
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    FYI horror fright no longer has cast iron wheels. They have a few iron wheels with plastic tires but most are plastic wheels with plastic tires. No iron tires are sold anymore.
    Bill D

  11. #11
    The orange heavy-duty casters from Woodcraft that I had on my router table did the same thing last winter. They were over 12 years old, so I wasn’t too disappointed with how long they lasted.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derek Arita View Post
    Frank, I don't think problems with the built in mobile base should stop anyone from purchasing the saw, as the saw itself is a great saw. That said, I think you ended up with an even greater saw. At the time I bought the PM, the SS was not yet in it's present form.
    I think I'll stick with cast iron wheels this time.
    I agree, it is a very nice saw, but when adding up all the pluses & minuses, that extra minus tipped the scales to the SawStop.

  13. #13
    I have the same saw, and I love it, EXCEPT for that mobile/immobile base. A couple years ago or maybe a couple more than that now, when I attempted to move it, the handle was stuck, and when I pulled on it, out came the entire assembly! Luckily, I pushed the assembly back in, and the bevel adjustment works just fine. The base of the saw, however, is struck, with the right side of the saw being just slightly moveable. The saw works fine, except that I can't move it, and the slight moment on the right side of the saw is aggravating and a safety factor. A small wedge has solved that movement, but spending that much money, and then having this problem is absolutely disgusting!
    The saw was still under warranty when this happened, and I contacted the Woodcraft store here in Wisconsin where I purchased it. The owner, whom I consider a friend, contacted Powermatic and I think all they basically said was that they would replace the parts that failed/were defective, etc. After having had a couple major back surgeries, I wasn't about to tackle that. Now, having just had my fourth surgery, there is no way I could even think about doing anything close to that. Interestingly enough, just prior to this last surgery, I contacted a serviceman for repairs of this type, and he guessed that with travel, costs it would be about $350 for him to come fix it!
    The whole thing is ridiculous. Do I like the saw? Except for junk advertised as a mobile base, an unequivocal, "Yes!" Would I buy the saw again, an equally unequivocal, "No!" Would I buy Powermatic again? Take a guess. Woodcraft???

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    I agree, it is a very nice saw, but when adding up all the pluses & minuses, that extra minus tipped the scales to the SawStop.
    Frank, believe me, if I had the extra $, the scale wouldn't be tipping...it would fall off the table! Back when I purchased the PM, the SS was just out of the rumor stage and untested by the masses. Now, if you have the $, it's a no brainer. All that said, it doesn't take away from the quality of my PM2K...but get a mobile base for it, if you plan on moving it from time to time.

  15. #15
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    I have had similar issues with casters from another manufacturer. I think the material was advertised as urathane. Apparantly it degrades after a few years. I have had better results with black rubber casters. But cast iron will be the safest way to go.

    MK

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