How big is too big for a table saw?

[Dwain Lambrigger]

All,

I am looking for advice. I have an opportunity to by an 8 year old powermatic 12" table saw. 5hp, 3phase. 52" Bies fence. Buyer claims "good" shape. I am going to look tomorrow. Here is my question.

I need to convert to single, and I am a hobbiest. The price is good, $700.00, but firm. I guess I would have to invest a couple of hundred to get this running on single phase, but is this just too much saw?

I know powermatic is usually a good purchase, but would I be getting myself in to deep? I don't usually see 12" blades out there, and am wondering what the additional cost would be.

Again, the price is good, but should their be fears with this size of saw?

What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

[Lance Norris]

Dwain...12-14" table saws are common industrial sizes. Blades are easy to find. I wouldnt see any problem using a saw like this in a hobby-semi pro shop. As long as you have room for a saw this size, itll do a great job.

[Karl Brogger]

Just my experience with the 74. The blade is way forward on the table. It can be a bit of a reach, which can be somewhat dangerous. A shop I worked at had a 12" Powermatic that used to only have a stock feeder on it. For what ever reason it was put into general use. A couple of guys got hurt, (one of which was a moron and it was his destiny to loose a digit or two), and they sold it for a $1000. I wish I would have bought that saw. But I don't have 3 phase, and at the time I didn't have a shop of my own anyway. But for $700 I would leap all over that saw now. I would use it for ripping only, with a feeder. My $.02

If you don't want it, where is the saw located?

[David DeCristoforo]

I am of the "no such thing as too much saw" school. I would think that for the seven hundred plus what you would have to spend on either a phase converter or a single phase 5hp motor you still would be at around 1/2 the cost of a "pro quality" 10" saw. All other things being equal, I would go for it.

YM

PS 12" blades are a bit more costly but no harder to find than 10s. Plus, you can run a 10 on the 12" saw. You just have the capability to run a bigger blade if you need it.

[Karl Brogger]

PS 12" blades are a bit more costly but no harder to find than 10s. Plus, you can tun a 10 on the 12" saw. You just have the capability to run a bigger blade if you need it.

I'm not sure about that. I think the 7.5hp Powermatics use a 7/8 arbor. Not positive on that though.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

More runout and noise from a 12" blade. Will a ten inch blade cut the same depth?

[David DeCristoforo]

"I think the 7.5hp Powermatics use a 7/8 arbor..."

That might be true... I don't really know for sure either. In fact, I don't really know squat about PMs having never owned one. But I'd still go for the deal!

YM

PS..Ask about the arbor size. My PM lovin friend tells me that some 12 PMs had 5/8 arbors and some had up to 1". If this saw has a 5/8 then you can mount a "typical" 10" blade. If not, the blade would have to have the arbor hole reamed at which point it would be more sensible to just get a 12" blade.

[Vijay Kumar]

I dont think 12 inches is too big a saw. It will cost you a about $ 200 to $ 400 to either buy a phase converter or a new single phase motor.

12 inch blades are easy to find (make sure this saw takes a 1 inch arbor otherwise you will need custom boring).

Also on my 12 inch Wadkin the miter slots are 3/4 inch wide x 1/2 inch deep, and much further from the blade than traditional 10 inch saws. So normal accessories such as commercially available tenoning jigs, miter accessories (such as Incra miter gage) will not fit without customizing. You can certainly work around these limitations but just be aware of them. The Powermatic may have the std slots and std distances.

Vijay

All,

I am looking for advice. I have an opportunity to by an 8 year old powermatic 12" table saw. 5hp, 3phase. 52" Bies fence. Buyer claims "good" shape. I am going to look tomorrow. Here is my question.

I need to convert to single, and I am a hobbiest. The price is good, $700.00, but firm. I guess I would have to invest a couple of hundred to get this running on single phase, but is this just too much saw?

I know powermatic is usually a good purchase, but would I be getting myself in to deep? I don't usually see 12" blades out there, and am wondering what the additional cost would be.

Again, the price is good, but should their be fears with this size of saw?

What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

[Peter Quinn]

Used a 12" SCMI at my last job, there were a few times when you just needed that extra 2" diameter for deep cuts or particular setups, and the extra powere never hurts. This saw had a 1" arbor, so does my RAS. Good blade suppliers all carry blades with different arbor holes, they are a little more but its really the tooth count you pay for, normally bigger blade, more teeth. We had lots of 10" blades with the 1" arbor, even one thin kerf for putting weather stripping slots in door jambs. You won't normally find 1" arbors on the shelf at most hardware stores but they are a stock item for blade sellers.

If that big ole PM runs, I'd take it for $700 asuming its not pummelled.

[Dwain Lambrigger]

Frankly,

I am a bit concerned about converters, and the cost. Would it be simpler to get a 5hp single phase motor and so a swap? Can I buy these from Baldor or Leeson? What do I ask for?

So again, converter or engine swap. Seems like an engine swap would handle all of my issues, but at what cost?

Thanks for all of your replies. I am going to look at the saw tomorrow.

[David DeCristoforo]

"Would it be simpler to get a 5hp single phase motor and so a swap?"

It really depends on the motor and how it's bracketed. Again, I am not familiar enough with PM. But I know that Unisaw motors are way more expensive than "non bracketed" motors of the same size.

YM

[Jim Andrew]

I worked a few months on a 14" powermatic table saw. Sure didn't have to worry about bogging it down. The fence was just like a Biesmeier. I like my unisaw very much, but that saw made mine seem like a hobby saw. Jim

[Carl Fox]

A TS is too big if it won't fit in you shop.

[David DeCristoforo]

"A TS is too big if it won't fit in you shop..."

No... That just means your shop is too small...

YM

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Keep in mind, if you swap to single phase, and if the saw has a magnetic starter, you may need to fiddle with the relays a bit. Very do-able, just something to remember.