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Coat it with wax(hard type, not creams) and buff, and give it lots of use. The two best ways to prevent rust building up.
No matter how hard you try, the cast iron top will begin to color. Artists call it a patina, some call it staining, and many times some call it ugly.
Look at the top of the page and click on the knots, its the woodworking section. Lots of tips and tricks about TSs and other tools there.
MS,
Let's hope so. . .
One thing about baby powder, use bona fide talc not the new starch varieties
Sammi
This saw is a total piece of crap. You will not be happy with it. Send it to me, I am not as fuSsy as most so i should be able to muddle by with it!
C'mon fess up you dont have any questions you just want to show off your new toy!
Mr T (totally envious)
Layers
Onions
Have
Layers,
Carpenters
Have
Layers
Edited 4/2/2002 8:31:26 PM ET by Mr T
Gotta admit it...I have a mistress...her name is powermatic! Looked at this saw for years: made deals w/God,extoled its virtues to the wife, even presented graphs and charts to my companys bean counter. Went so far as to meet my in-laws half way with the cash around Christmas..,.all to no avail. Couple of days ago found it on Sale for $2,000.00! Took it as "gods will" ( amazing what poeple will pin on Him if it suits them) and took the opportunity! Yes I will admit it; My name is Sam, and I'm a powermaticaholic!
Enjoy!
My dad bought ours used about 17 years ago for about $1200-1500 and it's still going strong. No problems ever. Every once in a while get a little surface rust and I wipe it down with wd40. Not good if you're doing finish work. I'd look into wax. This saw has ripped thousands of feet of 2X, 1X, plywood, etc.....send it my way and I'll break it in for you.
John
J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.
Indianapolis, In.
http://www.lazarobuilders.com
John,
A fellow Hoosier! I'm right up the road in Kokomo. Maybe we can get a cup of coffee sometime and swap scar stories! I'm really glad to hear that your saw runs well, etc. Starting to get nervous after reading the posts about a couple of other powermatics. Let me know if your ever in the area, I'll buy you a cup (that is if my bean counter ever recovers from the saw purchase...She's a 62 year old non-builder). May the whirling blades never meet your stationary fingers! ( a proverb so to speak) Sam
Hi Sam. I like your colors. And I'm a Powermatic nut too. #66 table saw, #27 shaper, old green variable speed drill press, and a green 20" bandsaw. I was lucky to get the saw and shaper with 5 hp, 1 ph, 230 v motors. They are *tough* girls.
One word of advice to a new owner: Accessorize!
If you can get a dial indicator that shows 0.001", you can check the run out by rotating the side of the blade against it. I use Forrest blades, but they won't do a thing if they wobble on the bearing. Get a really accurate square for setting your 0* and 90* stops. Don't count on the factory for accuracy here.
I use my #66 like anyone else would, but set it up for cutting panels. I like to make raised panelling, doors, and wainscoting. The unusual thing I did was to mate the saw to the shaper. The tables are the same size. I traded in the short rails for 8 footers. The tools act as pillars and rails span bet them with a nice table. I can set the fence all the way out to 8 feet. The total mass of the whole thing kills vibration and is really nice to work with.
Pushing 8 foot stock through it, I need an out-feed table. Mine are made from old roller conveyer tracks. Of course you need a feather board and push sticks. We can talk about stock feeders if you like. Best eye protection going. A super-quality sliding cross-cut fence is fun. I make up big jigs for the long cuts on angled panels.
What else? I guess we shouldn't overlook tidiness. Find a place to hang your wrenches, blades, glasses, and jigs. A couple of large barrels for rippings and trimmings. I hate throwing them out, and give them a last chance to be useful. I'm not happy with the dust collector set up. You may need to dig out the cabinet from time to time. And keep the floor clean for good footing please. There's another barrel.
And lighting. Nothing improved my work or made it more fun than installing great lighting. I've got 5 bulbs bearing down at the blade from all angles. No shadows. Of course I wear glasses, but when I can see a small knot about to hit the blade, it's more fun to expect a stinging chip in the face than get a surprise.
So what are you going to turn out when you get all set up?
Helen
Helen,I also am a fan of light. I am quite sure that I could safely operate in my shop. The powermatic is new, not my experience w/great tools. Always a pleasure to meet another lover of tools and creativity! Normally I just build or remodel homes( to pay the bills,etc.) My true passion is excellence in woodworking. You know, building cabinets, furniture, the fun stuff! Thanks for the info, sounds like we kind of think alike!
Miammi
Ok, Miammi it is. Sorry to seem like I was talking down to you. Remember, for everybody that writes, you get 10 or 20 readers who want to know more. Obviously, you've been on the job if you know Powermatic. But novices need to hear that they have a lot more to purchase after they get their saw. Right? Like a blade for example.
What do you use for saw implements and accessories? Do you put a straight edge on rough stock with your saw?
And tell me about how you've got your saw set up. Do you have to fight with 4x8 panels? Sad for me, I have to drag them out and cut them down with a circular saw first. I bring the smaller pieces to the saw so I can juggle them without falling over.
Helen
Helen, No offense taken, truely! I use a panel saw for 4X8 stock. Shops about $85,000.00 worth of toys. Didn't pay that but my Insurance man says it would cost that to replace. My how these things add up after 24 years!
Miammi
Oh, I'd love to have a panel saw. I *need* a panel saw. Can I have yours?
So now you've got me all hot & bothered, tell more about your set up. Don't be bashful.
Helen
Helen,"my" panel saw is at lowes. Didn't mean to mislead you, sorry. I purchase lots of materials from them; in return they "panel-cut" for me at no charge. As soon as the new shop is built I will have one though. As for giving too much info about my personal tools ( no pun intended) I'm just not that kind of guy! You could be a very clever thief...for all I know you could be a serial tool eliminator. Does anyone out there know Helen? Can someone vouch for your credentials? At least I filled out my profile...truthfully! Are you up for the challenge? Are you really a woman? You could be Larry Haun trying to steal my secrets! Or better yet; I'll bet you are really Norm Abrams trolling for tips on woodworking. The jig is up Norm! Unless you post a picture of yourself we have no choice but to assume the worst! How the mighty have fallen, Norm! Tsk Tsk!
Miammi
Miammi, forget Helen. I mean, she is a woman, but nothing like you've ever seen. Count on that. She's my twisted sister, black sheep of the family, and all around bad news. If you know what I mean. heh heh. I caught her breaking into my shop with her camera. She took this picture. Does it mean anything to you?
Crazy witch, everything has to be purple. We should have had her put up years ago. Then she started claiming that dear old Dad left his equipment to her. Yeah right. As if she was ever going to do anything with it. So I ah, took it upon myself to store the goods at my place for ah, safe keeping. Yeah that's it. She would have hurt herself with 'em for sure. Honestly, it feels good knowing I saved her.Stupid girl went and got herself an education. Now all of the sudden she says she wants to make stuff. Out of wood! She could be baking a cake or cookies or something. What would she be wanting to do with saws and such? No way to find herself a husband, you can bet on that. And if she waits much longer, well, ain't going to be many takers. If you know what I mean. heh heh
Anyway, nice meeting you. Sorry about this little upset, but you understand, we're used to this kind of thing with Helen. Here, have a dip of Skoal and we'll call it even. By the way, now that there aren't any upity females lurking around, hows about we take a tour of your shop. Man to man. If you know what I mean. heh heh Hey, any Bud Lite in that fridge? Nothing like a little sawdust up your nose. Oops, let me fix my baseball cap. Now don't mind the pony tail. Been sporting that since 'Nam. heh heh
Henry, Helen's half brother
Henry, Thanks for setten me straight bout your educated uppity sis. Weuns ignorant menfolk gotta keep em down and pregnant, eh? Well, you might want to avoid getten her in that "state" lessen your from Tucky! Shes edumakated, huh? How much you want for her? She got good teeth and breedin hips? Gotta tell you that I don't drink and I don't chew, but I try to hang around those that do! Theys more fun .They say that " no one is so worthless that he can't at least be used as a poor example" So I'm here for you ,man! The only thing That I can syfer from the picture is that it's not portable! And has had heavy use! Looks like a Pro tool to me! Hey do me a favor will you ,Norm...err Helen..um Henry...Get a wide view camera and snap a frontal picture of that baby for me, ok? The Saw I mean!
Miami Sammi
Ok Norm, I will relent a little, There will be a rollout table on all three sides of the table saw. The shaper will have an infeed as well as out feed area. The Ancient, green, castiron Dewalt radial arm sits by itself usually holding spare tools. Note the future tense here, Helen..I mean Norm. The new shop will be done as soon as the new house is finished. As I build for others, my house tends to slow down a bit.What do you do in your shop primarily, Norm? :)
MS
Tools!! Tools? You got long legs and tools!?
( nigel gets down on bended knee. wipes dribble off chin with back of hand. thinks. was saving myself for Splints but this ones got smarts/legs and tools . whips out a dzen red roses, arranges sad doggy eye pleading look)
Will you marry me?
You know I'll be faithfull. About the honeymoon. We're all mature here. can we just cut straight to your shop? How long before we can arrange a spare key?
Longingly yours
nigel
was saving myself for Splints but this ones got smarts/legs and tools
That's OK; i don't mind sharing Helen with you.
Kokomo?.....shouldn't it be Indiani Sammi then? You'll enjoy the saw and the Bean Counter will eventually stop reminding you about your "investment". Since you're a fellow Hoosier you ought to check out the Hoosier Fest in May. I'm kinda looking forward to meeting some of these yahoos.
John
J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.
Indianapolis, In.
http://www.lazarobuilders.com