Customer Reviews

Powermatic 1791216K Model PWBS-14CS Deluxe 14-Inch 1-3/4-Inch Woodworking Bandsaw with Bearing Guides, Lamp, and Chip Blower, 115/230-Volt 1 Phase

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is an outstanding piece of woodworking machinery. Other than a few unclear illustrations, I had no assembly issues & was able to get it set up, rewired for 220V, and dialed-in by myself in a few hours. It's heavy, but it was not very hard getting the saw onto the stand alone. I also installed the riser block to increase resaw capacity which I highly recommend. The upper arm of the saw is heavy & hard to get a good place to get a grip, so it took a little muscling to get the riser block installed. "Goof-Off" (available in local home centers & hardware stores) worked well to remove the anti-rust shipping coating on the tables. As you might expect, the "included" blade is junk.

I seriously considered the Laguna 14SE but could not justify the additional $400-500. I admit that I probably over research before buying machines for my shop. Check out the Delta, Grizzly, Jet, Bridgewood, and others. On the Powermatic, the fit & finish is way above the competition. Power, weight of castings, weight/design of flywheels... the list goes on and the Powermatic gets the points - this is a top choice among 14" bandsaws.

Power is NOT an issue. The Baldor motor is a tank. It runs very quietly - the sound makes you realize that you're about to operate a real piece of equipment. Roller blade guides take a little setting up when you change blades, guard height, etc. but they work very well. Dust collection is also very good. Fence is dead on accurate and tables are machined to near perfection. Carter quick tension release is fantastic! Chip blower works as it should.

As mentioned by another reviewer, if you rewire the motor to 220V you will need a 220V bulb... Philips 50A RS 250V available at mscdirect.com

The delivery/setup/operation of this machine has been a five star experience! THANKS to Amazon/ToolCrib, ABF Freight Systems & The WMH group for fine service and a fine product!

After having just pattern cut 10/4 white oak like it was 3/4" pine, a simple blade change/rentensioning for a Woodslicer resaw blade means it's time to go and make more 10" wide cherry into 1/32" veneer slices!

Go for the "gold standard." Buy it, you'll be happy you did.

I have now been using this bandsaw for about one year. It replaced a Jet 14" bandsaw I had used for about three years. So far, this saw has been terrific. It is accurate and easy to set up. It provides solid and reliable performance.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
As I said, I previously owned a Jet 14" (circa 2002). The Jet and the Powermatic have several similarities, including the basic body design. But the Powermatic is much heavier-duty. One way I knew this is when I picked up the upper body of the saw. It weighs a lot more than the Jet 14"! The base is larger and more substantial than the jet, and more solid than other bandsaws I reviewed.

The power switch is the same one used in the Jet 14", which is good since I always liked it. The blade guard, which I also liked very much, is also the same. The fence, which I liked a great deal, is the same, except it is now gold instead of white.

The big differences between this saw and others? The Powermatic has the Carter tension lever. It also has a set of bandrollers, a built-in work lamp, and a dust blower. It also has a cast-iron table extension.

DEEPER IMPRESSIONS:
Putting the saw together starts to reveal several important details about its design and integrity. One thing I noticed right away was that the new saw has much heavier wheels, with more spokes. There is a brush on the lower wheel that keeps debris from collecting on the tires, a nice improvement. The knobs on the doors and other areas are rubberized. The door catches open and close smoothly, another welcome improvement.

The cast-iron table is 15x15, an inch bigger all around than the old Jet 14". I tested the table with a straightedge, and it was flat in all directions. I detected a fine sliver of light beneath the straightedge on the outer part of the table, but not even enough to slip a piece of paper through. The table pin is a new design, with a handle, making it easy to put in and out. As with all cast-iron surfaces shipped from overseas, the table is covered with a protective substance. Once clean, the surface was a bit rougher than my Jet 14", with some visible machining. I burnished the table with #0000 steel wool, and then coated it twice with Topcoat. That got it nice and smooth.

The trunnion on the Powermatic is cast iron. I'm happy about this. The Jet 14" had a steel trunnion, and felt light. The Powermatic trunnion is quite heavy. This is a welcome improvement!

It's easy to set the table square. Just loosen the knobs under the table and tilt it until the indicator reads 0 degrees, then lock the knobs again. The reading is accurate. The knobs are rubber coated for comfort. The same procedure would be followed for any other table angle.

All steel parts are well made. Inspecting the inside of the housing, all solderings were clean, and the paint covers all areas. I saw no rust or dents anywhere on the machine.

The fence goes together nicely, and it locks down securely. This fence also has a very intuitive system for adjusting squareness to the blade.

The miter gauge is light duty. The saw comes with hooks that hold the miter gauge, but I chose not to install these, since I will not be using the miter gauge.

It has a 4" dust port out of the back of the machine, which is much bigger than the little 1 3/8" port on the old Jet. Bandsaws create quite a bit of dust, especially when resawing. Although the dust port is not very effective, you might want to use it whenever you can, so you at least reduce the amount of dust.

INSTRUCTION MANUAL:
In a word -- terrible!!

I was disappointed with the instructions. WMH should have improved the manual for this new saw, but it is actually WORSE than it was when I bought my Jet 14". The instructions leave out steps, they assume certain things are already done, and they refer to the wrong parts several times. For example, they refer to screws using the wrong terminology and the wrong sizes. The pictures in the manual are often of the wrong machine, showing the old Jet 14" model at times. Someone at WMH needs to spend the time to fix this. As it is now, if you have any experience with bandsaws, you're almost better off using your intuition to put things together.

MISSING PARTS:
There were some issues here. The package was missing several screws that were needed at various points, and some of the screws were the wrong size. For example, the pan-head screws included for the power-cord plate were too large. I'll have to go to a hardware store to get the right ones.

TRACKING SYSTEM:
The tracking system is essentially the same as the Jet 14". Loosen a wing nut. Then, while spinning the upper wheel with your hand, turn the tracking knob one way or the other until you see the blade staying in the center of the wheel. This is intuitive and easy to use. The knob on the new Powermatic is smaller, which is necessary so it doesn't conflict with the Carter tension lever.

TABLE EXTENSION:
Included with the saw is a 5x15 table extension, which brings the total table surface to 20x15. It's kind of difficult to describe, but it is inconvenient to install (and the instructions don't explain it very well at all). From what I can tell, you need to take apart some of the lower assemblies to install the extension table. I just had to ask myself, "Do I really need the extension?" The answer, for me, was "maybe not." So I did not install it. A year later, the extension is still sitting on a shelf, unused, and I have never felt that I need it.

DUST BLOWER:
It seems to be that the amount of air forced through the dust blower is not enough to be of real value. With certain cuts, it does move the dust out of the cut line, but with some woods, the dust still collects in your line of sight. Sometimes, I find that the blower hose gets in my way. I guess my feelings on this feature are mixed. Sometimes helpful, sometimes not.

WORK LIGHT:
The work light is a very good idea. It has a long neck, allowing for good adjustments. It swivels out of the way when necessary. It is mounted firmly to the cast-iron frame. I like this feature, and use it every time I run the bandsaw.

BANDROLLERS:
For years, people have been purchasing bandrollers to as upgrades to their 14" saws, often spending $125 or more. Well, I was accustomed to Cool Blocks in my old Jet 14", and I always liked them. At first, the bandrollers felt awkward to me. I found it a pain to get them set just right (they need to be 1/64" from the blade). It's an extra step to loosen the set screws then adjust the rollers with an Alan wrench. With Cool Blocks, it is easier -- you just press them lightly up against the blade and tighten a thumb screw. But after using the rollers more extensively over the past year, I have come to like them. You get used to the adjustments procedure after a few tries. My main problem is that they don't work very well with narrow blades. Also, blade changes with this system are a bit more time-consuming and more difficult.

CARTER TENSION LEVER:
Now here's the best upgrade! I love having this on my saw. You just tension the blade once. Then all you need to do is lift the lever up to tension and back down to de-tension. The Carter system works smoothly, with a nice big knob to grab while making the adjustment. It locks securely into place. It has three positions: fully tensioned, lightly tensioned, and fully de-tensioned. It's not just a lever: the whole tension assembly is better. For example, the tension rod rests on a steel plate, not on the cast-iron frame. Nice system!

MAKING CUTS:
I use a 1/2" blade most often. The Carter lever brings the blade to 1/2" tension very nicely. I can easily adjust the work light. The blade goes into place easily. The fence is easy to move into position and lock down securely.

With this machine, pressing the "Start" button gives an immediate sense of a more powerful motor. There is a short pause, then the motor kicks into high RPMs. It runs very smoothly. I've seen absolutely no vibration on the table -- it passes the nickle test no problem.

Throughout cuts, the rollers hold the blade steady. The cuts are perfect and consistent at whatever angle I choose. I have resawn numerous pieces of softwood and hardwood, including maple and oak. Even when resawing full 6"-wide stock, the blade maintains consistent and straight cuts.

You will want to immediately upgrade to a better blade. The stock blade that comes with this saw is not very good.

CONCLUSIONS:
The Powermatic Deluxe 14" is a well-made saw. The instructions are useless, and a couple of the upgrades (blower and table extension) are questionable. But it has several wonderful upgrades, including a cast-iron trunnion, heavier wheels, a Carter tension lever, bandrollers, generally heavier-duty body, and a built-in worklight.

I look forward to using it with almost every project in my shop!

This is a wonderful bandsaw I recently received as a gift and is a perfect addition to my shop. I had my eyes set on the Delta X5 model, but saw this relative newcomer and was glad I did. It comes standard with a Carter quick-tension lever, integral worklamp, blower to keep kerf clean, and roller bearing guides (rather than block guides). It also comes with a good fence and miter gauge. It is built well and fairly easy to assemble (about two hours for me), although the instructions could have been better. For example, there is no parts list with which to reconcile all of the hardware. Also, adjustments to level the table come before setting the table square to the blade, which should come first. The online manual (at powermatic.com) should be revised, as my manual addresses how to adjust the roller bearing guides closer to the blade to better support it (see comments by other user below), which is actually easily done. I run all of my tools at 220 V, and this model allows you to easily rewire the motor taps for the appropriate windings. However, if you do this, note that the manual doesn't warn you that you need a 220V light bulb, not easily found. Philips makes one, though, 50A/RS 250V, which I bought through mscdirect.com. The miter gauge was missing from my shipment (seems like they forgot to pack the sub-box into the box containing the base unit), but WMH shipped out a replacement in 5 days. Overall, I am extremely satisfied with this unit (despite made in Taiwan) and am thinking about getting the riser block to extend my resaw capacity.

I am very disappointed with this bandsaw. I just purchased it 12-31-05 from woodcraft and received it early January. I purchased the riser block from Amazon and received it the next day. While putting the band saw together and installing the riser block I was very impressed with the quality of parts, paint, and packaging. Everything went together according to the instructions and I made all the proper adjustments. The first thing I noticed was that the guide rod was not parallel with the blade. The guides are off by a quarter inch from right to left and front to back while raising and lowering the guide!!!! Then I checked the blade to see if it was perpendicular to the table, it was not. I removed the table and placed a straight edge on the bottom wheel to the top and noticed that the two are off by a quarter inch! I put a dial indicator on the lower wheel because of excessive vibration and the bottom wheel is off by .010?. The wheel does not even contact the little brush part of the time.

By now I am getting upset. I just paid $1000 for a useless tool. I called tech support and they said that mine isn¡¦t the first and they are going to send out a new cast iron top support. I was told that a bracket was welded on incorrectly. Don't they check these while they are being assembled? I have spent over 8 hours trying to determine what was wrong. There should be a recall on this. Who knows how many more hours to fix and replace these defective parts? My serial number ends with 400, so check your machine. I hope the tech support department is better than the manufacturing.

Woodcraft sent out another bandsaw and I agree with the other 5 star reviews. This is the bandsaw I was hoping for.

I recently purchased the Powermatic 14CS Bandsaw at a Woodworker's show where I had the opportunity to make side-by-side comparisons with equivalent Delta and Jet models. Actually my original intent was to look only at Delta and Jet - I wasn't even aware of this new Powermatic model until I saw it at the show (It was introduced in November 2003). After numerous trips between the vendor displays, I finally decided that the Powermatic is the best of the three. It is sturdier than the others, with a larger (two-part) table and a far superior fence. It also includes little niceties such as top and bottom roller bearing guides, a Carter Quick-Release system for the blade, a built-in work light and a chip-blower to keep your cut-line visible and free of debris. At the show it was comparable in price with the high-end Delta, but more expensive than the Jet (with fewer features and less power).

The initial assembly was relatively simple. The only tricky part was getting the two-part table properly mounted and aligned - not tough, but it did take some fooling with to get it just right. I also had a little problem mounting the accessory hooks to the base - at least one screw was missing, and a couple of the threaded holes in the base were not cleanly tapped. I managed to strip a couple of the screws, which was a bit of an inconvience. Finally, I found that the assembly manual was missing a couple of steps right in the middle of the text. Not a real problem - the Powermatic web site has the complete manual.

The blade mounting/tracking/tensioning process is quite easy - just follow the instructions. While there is a tension gauge of sorts (i.e., a mark for each blade width next to the tension spring), it is really just a starting reference point. Even the manual tells you to use it as an inital setting, then make adjustments as needed. Basically I just followed the blade manufacturer's suggestion - turn the saw on, tension the blade until there is no wobble and give it one more turn for good measure. This seems to work. I've switched blades several times using different types and widths, and have had no problems.

The saw is a real cutting machine once you get it up and running. The first thing I did was re-saw some 5" wide rock maple. No problem for this 1-1/2 hp. beast. I was using a small 1/4" blade with the stock fence, which was only roughly aligned with the blade (and no high auxiliary fence mounted), and still got pretty fair results. While I'm no stranger to woodworking, I'm almost totally devoid of experience with a band saw, so I was really pleased with my initial results. I have since done some production work and am pleased with those results as well. I still have a lot to learn though, and a lot of practice cuts in front of me before I'll feel really comfortable with it.

I only have one minor concern/complaint to report, and it is probably more a matter of my lack of band saw savvy than a real problem. The roller bearing guides adjust easily enough, but there is no way to adjust the distance between the side bearings. They are permanently set approximately 1/8" apart which does allow for some blade twisting. Doesn't seem to affect my ability to make accurate cuts, but I would have thought you should be able to adjust this spacing for better blade stability. Other than that, however, I am extremely pleased with my choice of saws.

I bought the bandsaw and riser in February 2006. I choose the Powermatic because of the features:

More powerful 1 1/2 motor

Larger table: 15 x 15 tiltable table with 5x15 fixed wing

Carter Quick Blade Tension Release

Roller Bearing Guides

Frame mounted gooseneck light fixture

Cast Iron Wheels (not aluminum)

Cast Iron Table Trunnion

Chip Blower (small compressor on motor)

Included fence and miter gauge.

The saw lost a star because of the riser block alignment issue- well known to the manufacturer, and all the sleep I lost before assembleing it.

Assembly went about like a kid's swing set. I spend 8-10 hours over the period of a week assembling and aligning the saw. If instructions were better and the riser block was right, it could be whittled down to 3 or 4. Don't let the manufacturer's screw up with the riser block alignment worry you. Take your time, follow the ZEN of bandsaw alignment, and everything will align fine. You should either read the books with sections on band saw alignment, or get some help from someone who has, before assembling this saw.

Wheels were round and faces were flat. Table was remarkably flat. Blade guides adjusted right up. Quick tension release is awesome (releases all tension from the 1/4" setting). Everything fit (with some help from the Stanley Tool Company) worked right and was of good quality. Saws like a hot knife through butter (Timerwolf blade). In the end, passed the nickel test with flying colors (it ran with 2 nickels for 20 minutes till I shut it off- couldn't even see the nickels move). The saw is remarkably quiet too.

I had my doubts during assembly and alignment, had to cut off the Riser Block Pins (on advise from PowerMatic Tech Support) as other users did, but now that its done, I made a good decision and bought a very well made, high performance saw that (so far) exceeds my performance expectations.

Read the discussion thread I started (bottom of this page) for details on run-out, assembly, and alignment of Saw Serial Number 05125833.

I got this saw as an aniversary present from my wife and it is a great saw. Especially when compared to my 25 year old Craftsman 12" which I never particularly cared for. Unlike my wife who has always met or exceeded my expectations. It took me about 4 hours to assemble and I am usually a pretty handy guy. The instructions were a little confusing at many points and I had to study the picture carefully to follow along. I wish they had included a light bulb but otherwise, all the parts I needed were carefully packed and included. The setup and adjustment of the auxilary table is particulary fussy. Once the saw was set up, it runs like a top and is very smooth. I have only used it for a few days and I only have one complaint. the thumb screws for adjusting the roller bearings do not allow you to set the fence any closer than about two inches from the blade. If you raise the depth adjustment higher than the fence, you can accomplish this but I am use to setting the height just slightly higher than the board I am cutting. Also, the blower gets in the way of the miter guage if set low as well. The blade that comes with the saw is very cheap but I replaced it with a premium blade and it made the world of a difference. Overall a great saw with mediocre instructions.

I bought my saw from Woodcraft with a 12" riser block. I worked many hours trying to get the saw aligned, so the blade would run center on both the top and bottom wheels. I could track it center on the top wheel but it was way off center on the lower wheel. Finally I gave up and called Powermatic technical support. They said I needed to remove the aligning pins from the riser block and manually position the top casting so as to align the top wheel with the bottom wheel. I was surprised that this was their solution but thought I would give it a try anyway. I was actually able to get the wheels aligned by removing the riser block pins, and the blade tracked correctly, but the top casting was about ½ inch offset and the blade channel/guard on the left side of the machine would not bolt back in place. I disassembled the unit, repacked it, and returned it to Woodcraft for full credit. I was fortunate to have purchased this from a local Woodcraft retail store. They refunded my money without argument.

During this process, I tried to run the saw without the riser block. It would track close to center on the bottom wheel with the blade centered on top, but still not dead-on center like I would expect. So the problem is definitely amplified with the riser block.

I currently own a Powermatic 66 tablesaw and love it. I purchased the bandsaw because of the Powermatic reputation and my positive experience with the tablesaw. I still have to believe Powermatic is a quality company. There are many other positive reviews on this saw. Needless to say I was disappointed in the whole experience, and most of all in Powermatic. I can accept the fact that they let some bandsaws ship with manufacturing defects. I cannot accept the fact that they do not take responsibility for this problem and expect the user to jury-rig the assembly to compensate for a defect in manufacture.

First, I have this saw and love it. Can't say enough good about from the Amazon price, to the Amazon delivery, the ease of set up, to the performance of the saw. I also strongly recommend the Powermatic mobile base and riser kit for this saw; both are great.

However, I write mainly to answer one "concern/complaint" expressed by another reviewer above. He states that there is no way to adjust the side bearing on the roller guides. This is incorrect. There is a set screw that you loosen with an allen wrench. The side bearing are on an eccentric axis. You merely use the same allen wrench to turn the screws holding the bearings on and by virture of the eccentric axis you are able to move them closer or further from the blade. It's much easier to do than describe. In short, you can adjust both upper and lower side bearings to be as close or far from the blade as you like.

I OPENED THE ONE OF THE THREE CARTONS I RECEIVED WITH MY PURCHASE OF THE BANSAW, AND THE RISER BLOCK, AND THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THE CABINET HAD A DENT IN IT. IT WASN'T TOO BAD; SO I THOUGHT I'D DISMISS THIS AS MINOR.
I HAD PURCHASED THE RISER BLOCK SO I COULD CUT AT 12" CAPACITY; SO I INSTALLED IT AS SHOWN IN THE BOOK THAT CAME WITH IT. BY THE WAY THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE WRONG!!!, AND SKETCHY AT BEST. I WORKED FOR OVER 12 HOURS TRYING TO GET THE SAW ALIGNED, SO THE BLADE WOULD RUN CENTER. NO LUCK. I CALLED POWERMATIC TECHNICAL SUPPORT, AND THEY WERE FRIENDLY AND COURTEOUS, BUT TOLD ME RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DISASSEMBLE THE SAW, AND REMOVE THE PINS FROM THE RISER BLOCK, AND THE PORTION OF THE SAW THAT THEY SIT IN. THE RISER BLOCK PINS ARE NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY, AND THERE IS, FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD, NO WAY TO TRACK THE SAW PROPERLY WITHOUT REMOVING THEM, AND USING THE OLD TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD. I PROCEEDED TO SAW THE PINS OUT, GRIND THE ROUGH EDGES SMOOTH, AND THEN PUT THE SAW BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. I DID SUCCEED, BUT WHEN I TRIED TO TENSION THE BLADE, THE BLADE TENSION LEVER BROKE. I USED THE SAME TENSION AS BEFORE, BUT APPARENTLY IT WAS SITTING OFF CENTER, OR THE LEVER IS DEFECTIVE I AM NOT SURE WHICH. I CALLED POWERMATIC BACK, AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS ONE UNHAPPY CUSTOMER, AND THAT I AM SURE THAT EVERYONE THAT BUYS THE SAW, AND RISER BLOCK WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF THEY WOULD AMEND THE INSTRUCTIONS TO TELL THE CUSTOMER; THAT THE RISER BLOCK HAS PROBLEMS, OR BETTER YET IF THEY WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM BEFORE SELLING THE SAW. I WAS TOLD BY THE TECH; THAT HE WOULD GO OVER TO WHERE THEY PRINT UP THE INSTRUCTIONS, AND ASK THEM IF THEY COULD DO SOMETHING TO SEE THAT OTHERS DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS I HAD.
I HAVE READ SOME WONDERFUL REVIEWS ABOUT THIS SAW, AND IF I SPEND ANOTHER TWO OR THREE DAYS WAITING ON PARTS, AND USING TRIAL AND ERROR; THEN I MAY TOO CHANGE MY REVIEW, BUT FOR NOW; ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THE SAW IF I KNEW THAT I HAD TO CUT OUT PINS, AND TEAR IT UP IN ORDER TO FIX IT. I'LL LET EVERYONE KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT, BUT FOR NOW, MY ADVICE IS BE CAREFUL AND CHECK IN ADVANCE IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE A RISER BLOCK; BECAUSE YOU COULD BE IN FOR THE NIGHTMARE I HAVE BEEN THROUG. GOOD LUCK