Customer Reviews

Powermatic PM1800 (1791800) 18-Inch 1-Phase 230V 5HP Band Saw

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am sure there are woodworkers that will disagree with me, but I say "there isn't a better 18" to 20" band saw made". The quality , features, and power put this Powermatic band saw in the lead.

First of all the blade and guides are a breeze to set-up. It has quick release blade tension and tool-less adjustments on the blade guides. I can quick release the blade, change the blade, put a piece of masking tape around the blade, the set-up guides, and be ready to run again in 10-15 minutes.

The 5 HP motor lets me resew 12" wide hard maple faster than I can safely push it. Keep in mind that the 5 HP motor will need a 30 Amp line and breaker, if you plan doing any sawing near it's rated capacity. The resaw capacity is 18". I did change out the band for resawing to a Lenox Tri-Master 1 1/4" Wide 2-3 variable tooth from Band Saw Blades Direct.

I also modified Delta 50-286 mobile base with (2) 3/4" plywood inside the base, bolted a piece of angle iron to the front, and use the trolley from my Laguna 16 to move it around the shop. You can see the pictures of how I lifted it up to remove the pallet and install the mobile base. I drilled a hole in a wedge shaped wood block, removed the hand wheel, and jack on the block.

With the decision coming down to the Laguna LT18 and the Powermatic PM1800 the question was is the powermatic worth the extra money? After putting the saw through its paces the last few weeks I can tell you that this may be not only a clear winner, but it may be the most well built, thoughtfully designed bandsaw of all time. While you really have to drive one to really appreciate it, even looking at one can be shock and awe; it has a 30 inch fence that itself is 10 pounds of the over 800# of steel and iron. The wheels look like they came off a car, and the motor feels like it could power one around the racetrack. This is my third bandsaw and while I struggled between this and the LT18 what it really came down to is what I wanted in the last bandsaw I am going to be; steel, weight, chrome, innovation. Laguna talks about innovation but the thrust bearing knocks their ceramic out of the park, their fence is too short, and their table too small and too low to the ground. Do your homework, compare the numbers on this investment and you will see that with Laguna being a great crotch-rocket, the Powermatic is the customized Harley Davidson of Bandsaws.

Despite its size, it's capable of fine work. As soon as I got it, I put together a workbench with decent joinery and miter cuts just fooling around without plans. The 45 degree tilt of the 200 lb table is pretty awesome. The 3/4" blade it comes with you can just toss.

This machine will largely replace the need for a table saw, miter saw, and planer in your shop. It can't do certain things with wide pieces, like ripping a sheet of plywood in half.

This machine arrives on a pallet and your door must be taller than the machine PLUS the pallet if you want to wheel it in with a pallet jack. It's held onto the pallet with 4 lag screws. It is possible for one person to slide it off the pallet, and it can be moved by one person by rocking side to side if you put a 1" block under each side. When it rocks onto the block, pivot it several inches forward. Reading the manual and setting up doesn't take long because there are only a couple moving parts in a bandsaw, and the table was zeroed properly. I added a 50 amp single phase (residential) circuit.

It was delivered with a defective loose upper tire (this happens with other brands also). This was not obvious until I put on a 1" Timberwolf blade and the tire was lifting off the rim of upper wheel.

I guess it's traditional for the power switch to be at the rear so the user has to reach past the spinning blade to turn off the machine, but this seems like a bad idea to me.