I have been fruitlessly searching the net and forums looking for reviews on the Powermatic PM 3000 14: TS, 1 Phase 5HP. I have an opportunity to upgrade from my DeWalt 746x for a rather small investment (less than the cost of a PM 2000).
I am looking for anyone that has owns or has any experience with this saw and have formed some sort of opinion on it. It is a current model, so some one must be buying them......
SteveA
I would not expect to find much in the way of reviews on this unit. It is clearly and industrial grade beauty so you won't see many of us retail type folks having one or having hope of every getting one, so even the typical mags wouldn't review it.
That be> I have been fruitlessly searching the net and forums looking for reviews = on
SonomaProducts.com wrote: ...
I'd agree w/ same sentiments (other than my Model 66 is only 30+ instead of 50 :) ).
Not every blade has to be 14-incher, though; you can have smaller ones rebored for ordinary work (although probably will require 12" anyway; although obviously not seen this beastie up close I'd guess trunnions are too beefy to allow much useful height w/ 10" blade).
Similarly, 10" for a 12" saw work reasonably well for most work at somewhat lower initial cost (altho that's not as great a differential any longer as it used to be it seems to me w/o having done any actual recent pricing).
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I got it for 1995.00 + 95.00 shipping, brand new from the factory... :)
That be> I have been fruitlessly searching the net and forums looking for reviews > on
Ohhhhh.. Got it as in Done Deal? What do blades cost fot it? What is the minimum sized dado set that will fit?
Ok, I found out, not too bad considering the market it is aimed at. For a Forrest WWII and DadoKing set, about $500 +s&h.
I've always wondered, is there any other reason other than the thickness of the wood to get a saw with a blade that diameter? If you're cutting 3/4" plywood, some 2x4's or maybe the occasional 4x4 all day long, does one really need a blade of that diameter? Aside from one having more teeth than say a 10" blade necessitating less blade sharpenings, what would you need a
14" blade for?Also, do standard 14" blades generally come in 1/8" widths like the 10" blades? I'm guessing that blade stiffeners would be much more the order of the day for 14" blades compared to 10" models.
A 14" saw????
In general, above is true--the primary advantage imo is you have the capacity for the times you need it. Whether it's worth the extra upfront cost is all dependent on circumstance. The one advantage that doesn't go away is the extra heft and the larger table is something one learns to appreciate if use one for a while.
They're somewhat thicker--9/64" kerf was pretty standard on the blades we had in the shop in VA--about the same as those for the miter saw. I (think at least all common?) miter saws use 5/8" arbors; TS/RAS (US) use
1" typical. The 16" blades on the OSC RAS here are also 1" arbor but probably nearly 5/32" or thereabouts kerf if had to guess w/o measuring--but I've got a very rough-cut low-tooth-count blade on it for rough stock preparation/sizing.Never felt need for stiffeners in VA -- that shop was set up ages ago during the high wood-platform womens' shoe era to make the platforms primarily for Craddock-Terry shoe company in Lynchburg. It was 3" maple mostly rip to width w/ power-feeders. Then a ganged crosscut operation and a group of automated multi-spindle shapers. In heyday years ran about 40K bd-ft thru the shop. I think Craddock-Terry closed US manufacturing 20 years ago or more, though...
I suppose if one were instead trying to do finish glueline ripping a straightener might be of use, but never had that as an operation objective meself... :)
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I hate to be a party-pooper but you might give thought to a few things:
- Is this a home shop? This is a heck of an upgrade from the DeWalt. - Cost and availability of blades. I'm sure you can get them but I suspect they are made in much smaller production quantities ---$$$$! - Your intended use. The bigger blades are not necessarily noted for being as clean and accurate as smaller. Some woodworkers have been know to put thin-kerf 8" blades on their 10" machines to achieve fine cut accuracy.
Big investment in a cool machine but be sure you are going to be happy with it. The 10" PM might be a better choice.
Ron
I searched on the blades and found them to be available and not much of a premium to a 10. I was thinking about the PM 2000, but this one came along several hundred less, and having the space thought it would be a fairly good long term investment. I figured the extra HP could not hurt when ripping rough materials and figured I would only pick up a couple of blades.
Recently picked up a 12" Rockwell with a 5/8" arbor that I was going to set up just for dado's, eliminating the need to a dado on the new saw.
The biggest thing was the price, I was assuming that I would be spending at least the 2k for whatever I was looking at and probably closer to 3k since I was looking at the unisaw, pm2000 or the sawstop. Cruising eBay this one jumped out at me....
SteveA
SteveA wrote: ...
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If that comes to pass, I'll pay shipping of my Model 66 to you instead _and_ for it to pass in the night heading this way!!! :)
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These are the same guys I got my new Jet 52" Microglide fence for $45
I saw that auction, and was tempted to give that a try as an upgrade and call it a day. The last time I inquired to Delta I about a Biesemeyer fence, it would have take a lot of modification to make it work......so I went for the saw....
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I've been wishing for fence upgrade for my old Model 66 for 20 years, too...
I saw an auction from these guys that had a fence but no indication of rails and looks like needs the square or angle rail instead of the old round ones????
Sent a question asking but wasn't responded to (which doesn't give me all that warm a feeling about 'em)... :(
Did yours include rail for that and is there a product number? I'd do it for anything approaching that...
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Yes, mine had rails and indicated they were included. I had seen these same guys selling just the fence before also so I would make very sure.
Keep > S> > These are the same guys I got my new Jet 52" Microglide fence for $45
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OK, thanks SP for both the heads up on the rails and the evaluation.
The only real complaint I have w/ the original is that it isn't absolutely perpendicular; for some reason they formed a very slight taper into both sides. Whether that was for some reason I don't and never did understand. It makes the vertical operations a pita and any jig fastened to the fence needs to be shimmed to be vertical which is a _real_pita_... :( It's still the only thing I dislike about the saw after nearly 30 years.
So, I passed on that one; the fence alone was higher than what you gave before the last minute bidding-bot madness, even. I didn't bother to go look at what it closed at.
Just for the knowledge of continuing to look, would one be able to make a rail set from Al angle stock or are they a special-formed rail?
(Since I returned to KS I've not seen a new piece of w-working gear so no data on what the Jet configuration really is.)
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