I've been a long time reader but this is my first post. I have learned a great deal on info from the group. Thanks to everyone for the wealth of information.
I have been looking at purchasing a different table saw for a few months. I started with a job site Ridgid unit and it simply is not cutting it anymore. I have come across and older Powermatic 66 unit. Based on the serial (166884) I believe it is a 1968 model. I have a vintage Powermatic 6" Jointer and love it. With the exception of the task of swapping out the knives. The saw is a unit someone purchased from a school auction and is now reselling so he knows little about it. But he said it shows little wear. Based on the pics and the information from the seller, it is missing the front cover and the fence. It is a 3 phase 3hp unit. I understand it is a 3 phase unit but I have a VFD so that is not an issue.
He is wanting $550 for the unit. Is this a good buy? Since the fence in missing I would likely put a Vega fence on the unit. With the cost of the saw at $550, a fence at about $300, and the $150 I have into the VFD, I would have about $1000 into the saw assuming nothing else is needed. Is this a good buy or would I be paying more for the saw then it would be worth? Any feedback, thoughts, or suggestions would be great.