| Review by John | posted 173 days ago | 1072 views | 0 times favorited | 13 comments |  |
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- Powermatic 64 Artisian
- Brand: Powermatic | Category: Tablesaws
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Since there is no Review posted on this site for this saw, I’ll be the first. The first thing someone should understand is, it’s NOT a Cabinet Saw. If you can live with the limitations of a Contractor Saw, it’s actually a great saw. My first Powermatic 64A held up great for about 10 years until I sold it. You can see it in my pictures of my old workshop. I only sold it cause I needed the money and employment was pretty scarce at the time. There are 6 main points that I will discuss. The Fence, Mobile Base, Motor, Top, Accuracy, & Customer Service.
The Fence is just another Beismeyer Clone. The only problem I had with it was the UHMV faces. The faces are bolted onto the fence tube from the back with small carridge bolts and accessible from the bottom of the fence. The problem was the face seemed warped. all you have to do is loosen the bolts a little. On my old saw, I removed the UHMV faces and replaced them with Baltic Birch and Laminate but on this new saw, it seems that Powermatic is making the UHMV thicker and I was able to adjust the face with no problem at all.
The Mobile Base, well, everyone knows that of all the tools in your shop, the Table Saw is not one that does well with a mobile Base. On my old Powermatic, I bought an awesome Mobile Base but still was not happy with even the slightest movement. so I ended up removing the Mobile Base and building a Router Table on it. This time around I used it for my Band Saw. No matter how sturdy, even a custom built one, I like my Table Saw planted firmly on the ground.
The motor, for what it’s worth is 1.5 HP and for what I do, it’s plenty for now. If you are going to be ripping 12/4 Hard Rock Maple on a regular basis, I would recommend something more powerful.
The Top is a full Cast Iron Top which tells me alot about Powermatic. Why offer Cheap Stamped Steel knowing that 90 percent of the people out there is going to be unhappy with them. On another forum I came accross, the poster was complaining about his Powermatic Top being 1/8” out (bowed in the center) and I have a real hard time believing that someone can use a saw for 2-3 years and not notice it before. I think he was just venting for whatever reason he could come up with. I didn’t, nor will I take a set of feeler gages to it since I am a woodworker, not a machinist. I put my good and true 4’ straight edge to it and it looked Dead Nuts to me.
The accuracy of the saw seems to hold as long as you’re not moving it around all the time, which is another reason why I don’t like Mobile Bases. I hear of people using Pals and other gadgets on their saw but I have yet to find a need for one.
Customer Service, well for this saw so far I haven’t needed them but from past experience, they were probably the most helpful people I’ve dealt with. When I thought my fence was warped, they sent me a new one without any delay or hassles. Overall, I would buy another Powermatic Product, and I did.
John
-- http://www.webshots.com/user/jahness
13 comments so far
a1Jim
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16978 posts in 474 days
posted 173 days ago
thanks for the review
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
Don K.
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1095 posts in 223 days
posted 173 days ago
Agree with Jim…good honest review.
-- Don S.E. OK
Scott Bryan
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20735 posts in 719 days
posted 173 days ago
This is a nice review, John. I am a fan of Powermatic tools and this looks like a good saw to me and you did a nice job of addressing the important elements in your assessment of it.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
Emeralds
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155 posts in 460 days
posted 173 days ago
While shopping for a contractors TS (something I’ve done a couple of times actually) I’ve come accross a number of makes and in the case of the Craftsman line a score of different models however the one brand I failed to come accross is Powermatic. I’m sure this is primarily because as the most expensive kid on the block few will shell out for one, however it seems that of those who do, rarely (in my area never it seem) if ever do they make the decision to part with theirs.
Thanks for the review and please pardon the drool.
-- JMP
Splinterman
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4897 posts in 258 days
posted 173 days ago
Well said John.
-- I will just keep doing it till I get it right.
stefang
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1655 posts in 231 days
posted 173 days ago
I liked the bit and agree with the comment about not being a machinist. Not against machinists, just don’t think woodworkers normally need to work to machinists’ tolerances.
-- Mike, American in Norway
Chris
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1469 posts in 888 days
posted 172 days ago
Well said…. I had narrowed my choices down to this saw or the General 50-185. I ended up going with the General because I could get it cheaper. I love Powermatic tools though and would not hesitate purchasing another one….
-- Chris
Billp
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333 posts in 1097 days
posted 168 days ago
I have a 64A and it’s a great saw for the money. If I could have afforded it I would have bought a cabinet saw but so far it’s great. I went to a thin kerf blade and it increased the power of the saw.
-- Billp
John
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110 posts in 299 days
posted 168 days ago
Thanks to all for reading, but I would like to add that the most USELESS part to ANY Tablesaw in the factory Throat Insert. I have always made mine from either UHMW or Baltic Birch but I had a scrap of Corian that I tried and that seems to work GREAT. The best thing of all, the weight keeps it in the opening with no vibrations.
John
-- http://www.webshots.com/user/jahness
Beginningwoodworker
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4204 posts in 570 days
posted 166 days ago
Thanks for the review John.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
dmorrison
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27 posts in 159 days
posted 159 days ago
I have a Powermatic 63A that I purchased in 1988. I have no real complaints about the saw. Yes the model 66 would have been better, but I could not afford that in 1988. My saw has the open grate wings that once a year I would catch my finger. That hurts. The right side wing I removed and made a router table assembly for it. The left side I finally augered the mounting holes, lowered the wing, and glued laminate on the top of it. No more problems so far. The model 64a wing WILLl bolt up to the model 63a saw.
Nothing else on the saw has ever given me any problems. One note though, my fence is the Vega fence, not the Beismeyer Clone as mentioned above. I have been very happy with the Vega fence.
I am an advanced hobbiest and have used the saw quite a bit since I purchased it except for 3-4 years during the “Car faze” with my son.
It really has been a good saw.
Dave
John
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110 posts in 299 days
posted 159 days ago
dmorrison, It’s nice when you actually get what you pay for. I’ve heard of the Vega fence but have never seen one. Every shop I’ve ever worked for has had a Beis from the begining. And yes, those open grate wings hurt likt hell cause you never seem to clip the whole pinkie, just the tip. Been there, done that.
John
-- http://www.webshots.com/user/jahness
dmorrison
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27 posts in 159 days
posted 60 days ago
http://www.vegawoodworking.com/table%20saw%20fences.html
The Vega fence system. Mine is older and I just now need a new slide that is on the back rail. I need a new one but until I get it, I just installed a washer under it to lower it down to the rear rail to maintain the correct fence to table height. But I may be changing the setup to remove the rear rail and make a table cabinet setup.
Dave