Just got a Powermatic 65

[Rick Breininger]

It seems to be in good condition. There is a crack in the bottom right corner of the table Runs good. Has a 2HP motor set to use 220v. I plan to replace the switch for motor with a newer one with the off paddle. It's missing the motor cover. I would like to find one, but I guess that's pretty much impossible. I plan to get a Biesemeyer fence on it and extend the table.

[Bradley Gray]

you could make your own motor cover:Untitled 17.jpegUntitled 16.jpeg

[Bill Dufour]

I would keep the switch and just add a remote station(s) with the buttons of choice. Most of those big paddle switches are just on off switches and you lose the safety features for both you and the motor.
Bill D

[Tom M King]

Mine is a newer model that was also missing the motor cover. I made a wooden box that holds a slide in 12x12 furnace filter that serves as the air intake for the DC. Not to filter the incoming air, but to keep stuff from getting thrown out. Close off the bottom of the base, the air gaps between the top and the base and cover the blade tilt slot. My motor never gets warm and the DC works great. No dust settles on the motor since the air is drawn in over it. I can cut MDF inside a finished house and not get a spec of dust on anything with a 3hp DC close by. There is an overarm pickup too.

At first I just used blue tape over the tilt slot, but switched to magnetic sheets of synthetic rubber to make it easy to change.

[Michael Schuch]

I have owned a Powermatic 65 for 30+ years. It has been an excellent table saw. I have a Vega fence on mine but a Biesmeyer fence should also do an excellent job.

Considering the age of Powermatic 65 saws I would inspect the arbor bearings and motor bearings and possibly replace them. If the bearings are original they are getting awfully old by now.

I have been told the the Powermatic 66 model strengthened some of the internal castings... but I have never found any weaknesses in my 65.

[Carroll Courtney]

Tom, maybe sometimes post pic of your filter setup. Rick and myself would love to incorporate your idea into our saws. My motor is always cake with dust. Rick that be your last saw you will ever need. They last lifetime, just have keep dust down to minimum including control box. Don’t know how dust gets in there but it does. Congratulations, PM is built to last.

[Tom M King]

Picture has been here a long time, so it's easy to find in my gallery. It's not a Powermatic, but they were made very similarly back then. This is my jobsite saw, moved with a loader. The front door on the bottom was missing when I bought it off CL, so that's where I pull the DC air out of. It's done a Lot of work since then. The overarm guard cost more than I paid for the saw. I thought I might end up changing where I was pulling the air out from, but it's absolutely never been in the way so I haven't bothered.

6" flex hose to the DC never far away is moved to cover the table saw and jointer only when they are used. Really not that much trouble and not worth the trouble in temporary setups to run enough ductwork to bother with gates. 3hp DC gets all the dust, no exaggeration. After using this setup, I say less than 3hp is wishful thinking.

I have since taken that router wing off. It made too much mess.

[Cameron Wood]

Now that's a jobsite saw!


Nice Powermatic saw. I also wouldn't replace the switch, but then I probably wouldn't replace the fence either...

[Bill Dufour]

I do not think that is a switch. Turn on the saw and unplug it while running. wait 10 seconds and plug it back in. See if it starts up or not. Probably easier to just flip the breaker on and off. If it restarts you probably just have a simple switch.
If not you have a contactor and likely overloads. possibly a transformer for low voltage controls.
Bill D

[Rick Breininger]

PM65 belts.jpgI took the top loose to get a better look and it appears that there is no way to access the belts. They are totally enclosed by a housing. I don't see any way to remove them from the motor shaft.

[Patty Hann]

Picture has been here a long time, so it's easy to find in my gallery. It's not a Powermatic, but they were made very similarly back then. This is my jobsite saw, moved with a loader. The front door on the bottom was missing when I bought it off CL, so that's where I pull the DC air out of. It's done a Lot of work since then. The overarm guard cost more than I paid for the saw. I thought I might end up changing where I was pulling the air out from, but it's absolutely never been in the way so I haven't bothered.

6" flex hose to the DC never far away is moved to cover the table saw and jointer only when they are used. Really not that much trouble and not worth the trouble in temporary setups to run enough ductwork to bother with gates. 3hp DC gets all the dust, no exaggeration. After using this setup, I say less than 3hp is wishful thinking.

I have since taken that router wing off. It made too much mess.

*Temporary thread hijack*.. Tom, what is that ply(?) box on the right side of the cabinet?

[Tom M King]

It’s a right tilt saw. Motor box would be on that side. Please read my earlier posts in this thread.

[Tom M King]

If you want to move a lot of air you need a large inlet.

[Tom M King]

I like to pull the inlet air over the motor.

[Patty Hann]

I see... thanks