Powermatic Reviews

Oddly enough, these knives were not quite as wide as the original blades (by perhaps an eigth of an inch.) Otherwise, they were fine.

I have two problems with this insert and I consider them very important. First, the insert was not flat. I had to run it through my jointer several times to flatten it. So don't buy this insert unless you have access to a jointer.

But, the major problem was the adjusting set screws were too short to bring the insert to the top surface of my jet saw. I ended up inserting normal pan headed screws from the bottom. This gave me enough adjustment room to get the insert level.

So again, don't buy this insert unless you have access to an assortment of screws.

This table saw insert took a little time to fit. First,the tabs need to be filed down to get the proper fit. To cut the blade opening, it takes a two step process involving a 7" blade and a 10" blade for the final cut. The adjusting screws were very tight, but manageable. I also had to sand down some excess pvc on top of the insert around the screw holes to flatten them out. Once I finished the insertion process, I have been very pleased with the results.

This Base DOES NOT FIT the Powermatic 64 with a 52" fence!

I haven't actually used this mobile base yet. I got it
with my new Powermatic 64 saw, which I also haven't used
yet (need some time to set it up). But I put this base
together already (a small job that I could handle with my
time constraints). First of all, I'm disappointed that the
bolts don't fit in the holes that are tapped in the steel
bars. Maybe it's just paint, but the holes are too small
and need to be re-tapped. Seems like a small thing, but
with a "tool" as basic as this, you'd at least like the parts
to go together without too much trouble. And now that I have
it, I'm a little worried about both its stability and its
ability to lock down the wheels and stay put. It may turn
out to work fine, in which case I will rescind this comment,
but I'm already thinking that maybe I should have got one of
those bases that sit flat on the ground with no wheels and can
be levered up onto their wheels when you need to move it.

If I'm wrong, and this baby ends up working, I'll be sure to
let y'all know.

The above was written back in Mar, 2002. I've now had a chance
to use the mobile base with the saw on it. The locking mechanism
for the wheels seems to work pretty well (once I retapped the
bolt hole). However, one of the wheels slipped on my concrete
floor while I was pushing a huge piece of plywood through the
saw. It was locked up, but it's not "sticky" enough rubber and
was able to slip across the floor without rotating. And my
concrete floor is pretty rough (not polished smooth like garage
floors -- more like a sidewalk). On the plus side, the three
wheel design is more stable than I feared -- it's very difficult
to tip. But with the slippy wheel, my review stays at 3 stars.

The Powermatic 66 saw is an excellent saw. Without exception it represents one of the best American made cabinet saws. My problem is not with this saw but the listing Amazon has posted on this saw. The image is not correct there is only 4 1/2 inches from the right miter slot to the black accessory table. The image represents a much larger distance because it shows the saw with its right cast iron wing extension. To be exact, looking at the technical data Amazon has posted for this listing shows an overall length of 74 inches. The actual saw has an overall dimension of 64 inches because it DOES NOT include the right cast iron wing. The listing for the 1660802 has the correct dimensions and image (less the router lift) for this saw. With a little effort you can buy the same router lift install it on the 1660802 and save between 150 and 250 dollars.

There were a couple of features that attracted me to this unit like the built in dust-collection and the circle sanding. However, so far I am disappointed with the unit. It has severe run out on the disc(3/64in.) on the outside edge. Powermatic sent me a new disc and it is almost as bad. Still waiting to hear from them. I purchased this unit because it was a Powermatic and expected the quality to be set to a higher standard.

I bought one with my PM66, and I don't much care for the design and the price. Although it's well made, the three-wheel set-up is unstable, and the saw will tilt with a fairly light touch. The swiveling wheel does not have a swivel lock, so even when everything is locked down, the saw will still shift unexpectedly. I drilled and tapped holes for heavy eye-bolts in the corners opposite the fixed wheels. The eye-bolts form outriggers that steady the saw and compensate for any uneveness in the floor. This is something that the maker should have provided. I'd recommend instead the Grizzly Shop-Fox mobile base which has four wheels and outriggers and costs less.

I bought a very similar base from this company. Note that there is no brake on the swivel wheel. If you don't mind your surface planer swiveling around while you try to use it, go ahead and get this base.

Constantly having problems getting these bags. Ordered four bags that were shipped in three different shipments of $6.99 each. The fourth bag was canceled by the supplier. Overall delivery time was a month plus. Wish I had purchased a different dust collector.