Customer Reviews

Powermatic 1660802K Model 66 Special Edition 10-Inch Left Tilt 3-Horsepower Cabinet Saw with 30-Inch Accu-Fence, 1 Cast Iron Extension Wing, and Table Board, 230-Volt 1-Phase

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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And it ought to for the price. I bought the homeshop edition because I had no use for the aircraft-carrier-sized extension tables on the regular model. The tilt mechanism works smoothly and easily, and little effort is required to bring the blade back to 90º. The fence is more heavily built than the Biesemeyer I saw on a Unisaw at a WW show. Everyting was spot on out of the box. No tune-up was needed. It took me about a hour to get it ready to use. The buyer has to supply his own 220 plug and cord. It doesn't come with a cast-iron wing on the right side, but I haven't been bothered by the lack. I even like the color; I hope Jet (Powermatic's new owner) doesn't change it. If Amazon is offering delivery by FedEx, I highly recommend that choice.

I've used many tablesaws over 20 years, and this one ranks among the very best. It is directly comparable to the Canadian General, though with far better customer support and parts availablity. To save money, I considered getting a Delta, but when I compared the two side by side at a local shop, I was amazed by the difference. The Powermatic is so much more solid, has such better precision, and in general just feels so much better than the DElta that the $300 more that it costs is easy to justify. This is just a far better tool than the Delta. To be specific: I gave the two saws a thorough going-over with my Starret straightedge and calipers, and really looked at precision, construction quality, and design. The Delta came out looking flimsy and even shoddy, though I still think it's a good saw for home shops. THe Powermatic is downright burly and its precision is amazing. The iron table in particular is glass-smooth and showed NO LIGHT under my .01" Starret rule. A great bit of milling. I especially like the fence, which is constructed sorta like the Biesmeier, but heavier. The tilt and depth of cut wheels are heavy and turn very smoothly. Returning to 90 degrees is easy. The Delta blade guard is too flexible. The Powermatic's works well and feels safely rigid. The only things I don't like about the Powermatic: the three-wheel rolling base is not as good as Delta's, and the laminated table is too flexible for heavy loads.

This is one awesome table saw! I used to have a Grizzly contractor saw that drove me nuts - the fence and blade required constant re-adjustment. I've had my PM 66 for 3 years, and have cut thousands of board feet of lumber - haven't even re-adjusted the fence once! Dead-on accurate everytime.

Recommendations: - Get the 52" table extension. I dropped a Rout-R-Lift router base into the extension table to save space in my shop, and LOVE the ability to use the PM 66 fence for dadoes and rabbets on plywood projects (bookcases, TV stands, etc).

- Get the HTC mobile base. Easy to move the saw, and locks in solid. With the weight of the PM 66, this provides a completely stabile, yet mobile, cabinet saw.

- Wire the motor for 220V. Runs whisper quiet. Also, if you get the HTC mobile base, spend a few extra $$ and get a long, heavy-gauge electrical cord that you wire into the motor. I can move my saw anywhere in my shop, plug it into the 220V receptacle, and never worry about tripping over the cord.

- Don't think twice about the cost, if you are a professional or serious hobbyist. Fit and finish are superb. Dead-on accurate. Rock solid. Own one, and you'll understand.

After getting by for years with a lesser saw, I decided to go "all the way" with this special edition of the famous Model 66. It could not be better. I highly recommend using a TS aligner or other precision tool for setup.

The only drawbacks I have found are not with the saw itself but with the accessories. For example, I would not recommend the Powermatic mobile base. It's three wheel design is less than rock stable and I found it unsatisfactory. Get a four wheel one like the Shop Fox. I also found that using the Biesemeyer Snap-In Spreader instead of the clunky blade guard contraption that comes with the saw really improves things.

This special edition package included a dado insert as well as the standard insert. So, even though it shows up as an optional accessory, don't order it.

This is an outstanding saw!

I bought my Powermatic 66 last year after deciding to upgrade the 1 1/2 hp Unisaw I had been using for years. I was sure I wanted a new 3hp Unisaw until I saw it and a Model 66 side by side at a woodworking show in Virginia. There really is no comparison...the 66 is heads and tails above the Unisaw in fit, finish, smoothness of elevation and tilt, and overall mass.

Another factor in deciding to go with the Powermatic was my previous history in dealing with Delta service. You feel like you won the lottery when you actually get someone to answer the phone!

I've equipped my 66 with an Excaliber overarm blade guard, a Biesmeier splitter and a Forrest 10 X 40 Woodworker II blade. If there's a better rig for sawing wood, I sure as heck don't know what it is!

You will want to put this saw in a display case. I have used the delta and jet a lot in the past. My recomendation is to buy this one if at all possible. It runs very very smooth, the Table top is perfectly ground and hand wheel movement is effortless.I had some problems with Jet's attention to detail and overall quality and delta's customer support but Powermatic is superb in both areas. The extension table is OK (I would like to see better) and watch for shipping damage (they must drop the heavy packages a lot). However if you like great cuts and you want to make your woodworking buddies drool... buy this saw.

Had been looking for a cabinet saw for about a year, to replace my contractor type saw. I saw this home shop version and liked the concept. It arrived the first time totaly destroyed. The shipping company must have dropped it several times. I sent it back and called Amazon.com cust service, They were extremely nice and helpfull. I received the replacement 2 TWO Days later this machine was in perfect condition. It took me about 4 hours to set up and check all adjustments, The fence distance indicator was the only adjustment I had to change. Have had the saw for over a month now, what a SAW, Why did I strugle with the old one all those years. PS- Thank yoy Amazon.com for your excellent service.

I have been wanting a Powermatic 66 for over 25 years but until now had to make do with a much cheaper table saw sold by a popular chain store/catalog outfit. That saw did the job, but shook like Elvis Presley and could not be properly adjusted. Well, I have my Powermatic now, and I'm very pleased, but putting it together has been frustrating. Buyers should be aware that they are really buying a "kit" - not only is some assembly required, but some correction of manufacturing faults may be needed. The first (and biggest) problem I encountered was that the left extension wing tilted up when bolted to the table, leaving a low spot of 0.02 inch when a Starrett straight edge was laid across the assembled table. Not good! The cause was that the left edge of the main table section was not ground square with the top. Correcting this bit of sloppiness required three hours of hand fitting with a machinist's scraper and square. The second principal difficulty was discovered after frustrating hour trying to mount the front rail according to instructions. I finally realized that it could not be done because of inadequate clearance in the mounting holes. Drilling and filing fixed this. The third problem had me baffled for awhile: With the blade tilt stops set accurately at 0 and 45 degrees, the pointer could be set to register correctly at 0 or 45, but not both! After some thought, I realized that the scale had been mounted too close to the pointer. This was corrected by drilling a new mounting hole for one of the screws.

After three days of work, the saw is finally up and running. It's been too much work, but I'm going to love this saw. On the plus side, I did not have to adjust the table to put the blade parallel with the miter gauge groove. Also, vibration is minimal. I can start the saw with a nickel balanced on edge (but not a penny). Most importantly, the trunions are pretty much dead on. Measuring from the same tooth to the miter gauge grove, the distance varies no more than 0.004 inch between front and back (blade all the way up) and middle (blade down). Also, using a Starrett machinist's square, perpendicularity between blade and miter gauge shows no perceptible change as the blade is raised or lowered. These tolerances are critical because poor machining could have created errors that cannot be adjusted out (as I had with my old saw). Now that the saw is together, my only remaining complaint is that there is a low frequency (2-3 second) harmonic noise of undetermined origin. I'm sure this is the best saw available for the money, but I would have gladly spent another $100-200 for just a little extra care in machining and assembly.

I recently bought my Powermatic 66 after using my Grizzly for only 6 months. I ended up selling the Grizzly for a loss and purchasing the Powermatic. It was worth every penny. The fit and finish was flawless, the cuts are square and smooth. The formica table was damaged in shipment however the customer service department at Powermatic shipped a new one out overnight. Great product, and service. I wish I could say the same about Grizzly. You get what you pay for!

After researching and reading information on the 2 popular makes, I decided on the Powermatic 66. Before making a decision, I looked at The Delta Unisaw. It didn't have near the inside mass within the trunnion area. This is important because it reduces vibration. I learned all this when I went to a local tool show and watched both saws run. There was no comparision. The Powermatic was clearly the winner. Everything about it was superior. It ran more smoother. The extensions were highly polished and has heavier castings. The Powermatic is more expensive, but the price is worth it. I am very happy with this saw and wouldn't hesitate to buy another.