Opinions...used Powermatic 66 (1998) or brand new grizzly G0690x

[brian cammarata]

I was about the to pull the trigger on a new (and my first cabinet saw) - grizzly G0690x.

A friend of a friend who has had a home workshop since the 80's is slowing down and offering up for his POWERMATIC 66 2 hp saw.

Saw is in great cosmetic shape, but nothing has ever been replaced.

Both are same spend / costs around ~$1800.

Powermatic a bit more involved due to location / pick up / transportation vs grizz being delivered to my door

Is the allure of shiny gold clouding my judgement?


Would anyone go used over new in this situation and price? 00z0z_7ckPuWY4DXE_1200x900.jpg

[glenn bradley]

I am a Grizzly fan but, the PM is probably a superior machine but that price is high. I am not a PM expert and don't know if the late 90's was a good or bad spell for them. If it was a good spell, the PM will be better made, more solid but, lack a riving knife. There are plenty of PM 'mustard in the blood' types here who can probably tell you better about production periods. Your thoughts on a riving knife would factor in to your decision.

[Martin Wasner]

That's a really high price in my opinion for a 66. Some of that could be demographics.

Do some digging, powermatic had some good and bad years. It's probably a solid saw. I've got 99' that's been a decent saw. Smooth-ish movement of the trunnion, well cut threads on the arbor, reasonable vibration for a belt drive saw, and the motor has only been out once in the time I've owned it.

I had a 2004 that was a piece of garbage.

[Marshall Harrison]

Its really your decision and if that year was not a bad one for PM then you would do well either way but I would lean towards a riving knife.

But a lot more bragging rights come with the PM66. You too could become a mustard slob.

[David Utterback]

I have had a '96 version for about 15 years without any regrets. It also is 2 hp which is rarely challenged for sufficient power. It has a Shark Guard on it.

The asking price may be more reasonable if all the extensions are included. Even so, that seems pretty high. You might ask if the original motor cover is available.

[Dave Cav]

The Grizzly is on sale for $1695 right now. Like the other responses up thread, I think the price is about 50% high for a 90s vintage PM 66. However, if the price includes the outfeed table, mobile base, side extension, CI router table and the router, that makes it a little better, but still high, IMO. If you can live without a riving knife I feel the PM is a better saw. I have a 2 HP PM65 and it has plenty of power, and I've used lots of PM66s at school. They are simple and easy to work on.

I did have a right tilt Grizzly clone of the Unisaw a number of years ago. There was nothing wrong with it, fine saw, but I sold it when I got my Delta 12/14.

[Jeff Heath]

$1800 is a pretty high asking price, in my opinion, for a PM 66. I'm a big fan of the 66's, as I've restored several of them, and have one currently as my small shop saw. The made in the USA 66's, which a late 90's saw will be, were the beefiest, best made 10" cabinet saws available. Condition, of course, of each individual saw can vary based on whether or not it was abused. An in person inspection can tell you what you need to know in that regard. Check to make sure the arbor is running true, and listen for noisy bearings. At nearing 20 years old, it will need bearings soon, in both the arbor and the motor. No big deal, as they are easy to change on both, and buy you another 20 years of worry free service.

What makes 66's better than all others, are a few factors. Cast iron, made in the USA, is a different creature than the recycled cast iron used in asian machinery. It's not as soft, doesn't have as much recycled "junk" melted into it, and thus, behaves better. The number one reason, in my opinion, is just the size of the castings inside the saw (under the hood, so to speak). The trunnions, and casting mountings are just bigger and heavier. This makes them stronger, better, and more vibration dampening.

To put a value on a 66......mine is a 1985 (Gold era)....I completely disassembled it, cleaned it, re-machined the arbor face true (zero runout), new bearings for motor and arbor, new belts, new paint, brand new Biesemeyer "Made in the USA" 52" commercial fence (not the crap sold now) and shop made extension table. I think my saw is as well tuned as a 66 can be, and I would guess a value at around $1500.00. I paid $350 for it "raw", and restored it from there. I would not pay $1800 for one, no matter what, because I see them for sale all the time at auctions and clist for under $1000 in varying conditions.

Patience is a virtue. If you're in a hurry, you will pay more for that.....

[David Kumm]

i agree with jeff. The price is closer to what a PM 72 or Delta 12-14 would go for BUT, I would still prefer a good shape PM 66 to a new saw of the same price. Jeff explains it well and probably understates the quality differences. Dave

[Mike Hollingsworth]

No Riving Knife = No Deal

[brian cammarata]

$1800 is a pretty high asking price, in my opinion, for a PM 66. I'm a big fan of the 66's, as I've restored several of them, and have one currently as my small shop saw. The made in the USA 66's, which a late 90's saw will be, were the beefiest, best made 10" cabinet saws available. Condition, of course, of each individual saw can vary based on whether or not it was abused. An in person inspection can tell you what you need to know in that regard. Check to make sure the arbor is running true, and listen for noisy bearings. At nearing 20 years old, it will need bearings soon, in both the arbor and the motor. No big deal, as they are easy to change on both, and buy you another 20 years of worry free service.

What makes 66's better than all others, are a few factors. Cast iron, made in the USA, is a different creature than the recycled cast iron used in asian machinery. It's not as soft, doesn't have as much recycled "junk" melted into it, and thus, behaves better. The number one reason, in my opinion, is just the size of the castings inside the saw (under the hood, so to speak). The trunnions, and casting mountings are just bigger and heavier. This makes them stronger, better, and more vibration dampening.

To put a value on a 66......mine is a 1985 (Gold era)....I completely disassembled it, cleaned it, re-machined the arbor face true (zero runout), new bearings for motor and arbor, new belts, new paint, brand new Biesemeyer "Made in the USA" 52" commercial fence (not the crap sold now) and shop made extension table. I think my saw is as well tuned as a 66 can be, and I would guess a value at around $1500.00. I paid $350 for it "raw", and restored it from there. I would not pay $1800 for one, no matter what, because I see them for sale all the time at auctions and clist for under $1000 in varying conditions.

Patience is a virtue. If you're in a hurry, you will pay more for that.....

Thanks...I will bring the up the points and this is a 30 year saw - 1988 vintage , not 20 like you mention so that might even exaggerate the conditions further. Great advice all around!!!

[brian cammarata]

the seller has some after market riving knife. included. no idea on who made it IMG_0248.jpg

[Marshall Harrison]

the seller has some after market riving knife. included. no idea on who made it IMG_0248.jpg

All I see is a splitter. A riving knife rides very close to the blade and doesn't protrude above the blade. It also rides up an down with the blade so it works even for cuts that don't go all the way through the wood .

[David Kumm]

That looks like the original splitter and guard. A splitter is just as safe as a riving knife, it just doesn't retract. Not a deal breaker for a good condition saw. Dave

[Bradley Gray]

I agree that is an original guard/splitter.

I use my 66 every day. Mine is from the 60's and is an awesome saw. Super fast set-ups (6 turns from blade retracted to full height)

[Alex Zeller]

Not sure of your location or if you would want to do any work to a saw but in the last few weeks I have seen two PM66 (one green and the other gold) and a PM72 (what a beast) sell at auction near me for well under $1000 (including the buyer's premium). There's two more close by (both gold) that are very tempting and if the price stays under $500 on the 3hp single phase one I think I'll pull the trigger even though I'm limited on room. The other is a newer Houndaille (so of less interest to me) with a 5hp 3 phase motor but if it sells cheap enough I'd still be tempted. I've seen some other brands sell for cheap too. There was a nice looking General (they don't seam to have the same following as Powermatic but still a very nice saw) that sold for less than $200.