Purchased a New Tablesaw Today!

[David2T370]

I just wanted to share my good news.  I know Festool does not make a cabinet saw, so I purchased a Powermatic PM2000, 3 hp, 1 ph, 230 volt with a 30" accu fence and the table to the right of the saw. 

I am getting rid of (selling) my Grizzly G0715P cabinet saw.  The fence was junk in that there was never any repeatable accuracy and the motor was making some bad sounds.  I shut it down and felt under the motor and when I pulled my hand out it had a clear oil on it.  I had thought something smelled like it was burning.  It seems that one of the bearings leaked lubricant out and it got in between the armature and the windings - I am assuming that is why it smelled so bad.

The old saying "You get what you pay for" seems to hold true in my case.  I paid $800.00 for he Grizzly thinking I got a really good deal - but didn't.  I paid $3,000.00 for the Powermatic and from everything I have read this seems like a really good quality saw.  I can't wait for it to get delivered!

David

 

[GPowers]

Congratulations on your new Saw purchase I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with it

 

[jacko9]

David,

I'm sure you'll be happy with your new table saw.  I've had my Powermatic 66 for over 20 years now and it's nice to go to the saw without any concerns about ripping 8/4 stock or cutting fine joints.

Jack

 

[jtwood]

I've had my PM2000 for a couple of years and love it.  The riving knife is great and the saw is very accurate.
Make sure the plastic faces on the fence are flat -- use a straightedge to check them -- mine were a little wavy when I first got it.  A phone call to Powermatic took care of it - they sent me new ones at no charge.  A quick fix.  Probably a problem they have taken care of in the last 2 years, but check them anyway.

Have fun with it,
Steve

 

[Gary in Texas]

David, congrats on the new PM cabinet saw, it a really nice saw.

Like Jack09, I've had my saw (Jet Cabinet Saw) for getting close to 20 years, almost identical saws.  Never had an issue with my saw.

Just curious, did you consider the SawStop?  If I ever have to replace my saw, I would really have to take the SawStop into consideration just for the enhanced safety aspects.

Gary

 

[jacko9]

While I'm pretty sure you purchased your saw set up accurately but moving a heavy machine sometimes get's things a little out of alignment.  I bought a Woodpeckers saw gauge a few years back and getting my table to miter slot and fence within 0.002" is quite easy with the Woodpeckers gauge.

http://www.woodpeck.com/sawgauge.html

Jack

 

[Kev]

I'd personally lean towards a slider, but I did look over cabinet saws a while back and I liked the powermatic ... a near new one was for sale locally and I put in a cheeky offer, but was unsuccessful.

Hope you enjoy it - be safe [smile]

 

[Cheese]

I bought a Woodpeckers saw gauge a few years back and getting my table to miter slot and fence within 0.002" is quite easy with the Woodpeckers gauge.

http://www.woodpeck.com/sawgauge.html

Jack

[thumbs up] I'm all over this, I tried with Starrett squares and all sorts of jerry-rigged contraptions to measure the parallelism of my table saw to the fence and I always got different numbers. Purchased the Woodpeckers gauging system and it was simple & accurate. Sweet

 

[Motown]

David,

Congrats on your new saw! Did you go with the 50" fence?

Please report back on the set up and your first impressions. I am going to make a purchase in the next few months and trying to decide between the PM2000 and a Sawstop so I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Motown

 

[David2T370]

Thanks for the tips, guys!  Tomorrow I am going to purchase the JessEm roller guides for the fence and maybe the Woodpeckers dial and cradle for the miter slot.  Good point about checking the fence for being "wavy".  I am also planning to go through Marc Spagnolo's Wood Whisperer videos on table saw tune up.  I think he has the same model - mine does not have the flames, though...

 

[David2T370]

Oh, yeah - I did look at the SawStop, but was informed that it was not as accurate as the Powermatic.  I think it cost a little more as well. 

I went with the 30" fence.  Kinda limited for space at this time.  I have my shop set up in part of our old milking barn - narrow isles and no heat in the winter.

I will take pics and report back to the F.O.G. after I get the saw set up and running, etc.

David

 

[Gary in Texas]

Oh, yeah - I did look at the SawStop, but was informed that it was not as accurate as the Powermatic.  I think it cost a little more as well. 

I went with the 30" fence.  Kinda limited for space at this time.  I have my shop set up in part of our old milking barn - narrow isles and no heat in the winter.

I will take pics and report back to the F.O.G. after I get the saw set up and running, etc.

David

That's the first I've ever heard of issues with the SawStop fence accuracy, not disputing the comment though.

I had my cabinet saw originally set up with the 52" fence, then switched to the long Incra rails (92" overall length), and over the years as I acquired more stationary tools, and added a miter station, etc., I found myself running out of floor space quickly.

I realized with the Festool rails and track saw, I didn't need my cabinet saw set up to make that wide of a cut, so reduced the size to the shorter Incra rails.  Very pleased with the shorter set up, gained back some floor space, and safer for me to cut any sheet materials down with my track saw instead of the cabinet saw.

The long table on the cabinet saw was used to collect junk/tools/debris and when cleaned off, was used as an assembly table.  The Incra system takes up that table space (unless you want to remove the fence, but then you need a safe place to hang/store it.  Shorter footprint table saw and an MFT worked out well for me.  I don't think you will miss that extra length table.

 

[Birdhunter]

I hope you enjoy your new Powermatic table saw.

I cannot speak for any Sawstop than mine, the Industrial model. Mine is dead on accurate.

I've used it for a couple of years and it's still as solid and accurate as the day it arrived in my shop.

My guess is that once you get into the Powermatic and Sawstop market, quality and accuracy are excellent in both saws.

 

[David2T370]

Bird Hunter - I think you are correct about the Sawstop and Powermatic accuracy.  I have nothing against Sawstop - excellent product. 

I am also planning to get the MFT that would serve as my woodworking bench.  Eventually I will build an outfeed table for the PM2000. 

 

[rst]

I worked in a custom cabinet shop out of high school in 1971.  There were Delta, Rockwell, and Powermatic table saws.  The guys would walk past all the others to get to the PMs.  The ease of raising and changing the angle setting was so much easier and more reliable.  It took me till 2001 to get mine.  Thanks Amazon- $1850 delivered with drop gate truck)

 

[Birdhunter]

David2T370,

I replaced a home built bench with a pair of MFTs. I was disappointed with the stability even after adding the leg braces.

I wanted a heavy duty vise so I added an extension and greatly increased the stability. Now, I can cross saw, plane, and sand without the MFTs moving at all.

By the way, a great table saw is significantly augmented by the Kapex.

 

[fshanno]

Can't help wondering if the story would be the same if you had bought the G0690 or perhaps the G0696X originally. You kind of jumped right over Grizzly's 3hp and 5hp single phase offerings.

Seems a little unfair to me.

 

[Kev]

Can't help wondering if the story would be the same if you had bought the G0690 or perhaps the G0696X originally. You kind of jumped right over Grizzly's 3hp and 5hp single phase offerings.

Seems a little unfair to me.

I can fully understand brand dissatisfaction ... why would you take the risk if you ...

1 Know what you want
2 Know a product that will meet your needs
3 Are happy to pay the premium

People tend to stick (or persevere) with a brand based on good experience or outstanding customer service.

Your kinda saying you got a cheap Ford and it failed you so you should buy a better Ford ...  [smile]

 

[HDClown]

I replaced a home built bench with a pair of MFTs. I was disappointed with the stability even after adding the leg braces.

I wanted a heavy duty vise so I added an extension and greatly increased the stability. Now, I can cross saw, plane, and sand without the MFTs moving at all.

[member=15289]Birdhunter[/member]

What kind of extension are you referring to?  A CMS-VL or a custom built one?

 

[Birdhunter]

It's custom built. I know there are photos somewhere on this site. Perhaps, searching on Birdhunter and vise might turn them up.