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I have a Powermatic Model 66 table saw, c.1998, which is one of the last US made Model 66's. I'm having trouble with the elevation mechanism. It's REALLY hard to raise up and down. The tilt mechanism works well, but it takes both hands to raise the blade.
How do I fix this? I have blown it out with air, and the gears don't seem to be loaded up with anything.What should I use to lubricate it with?
I have an Exactor sliding table attached to it, as well as a permanent outfeed table, so I'm trying to avoid taking the top off.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Rick W
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I use black graphite spray on the trunnions, etc. Take off the motor cover and you should be able to access the lift parts. Make sure the collars are tight and adjust if necessary. The manual should help with any adjustments.
Don
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you will get paraffin as an answer and it is ok
I prefer bike lube like
finish line
It might behoove you to look over the elevation mechanism closely even if it means taking the top off. Your descriptor tells me something is not meshing in the drive system and it will ruin your day when you figure out how expensive those parts are if you do not look.
JMO
Joe
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Well, I took the motor cover off (not easy to do with the sliding table). The elevation mechanism had a pretty good build-up of pitch. I have a project that involves cutting a LOT of parts from #2 pine, and that's what did it. So I guess I'll have to pull the top and clean it up. Thankfully, I'm not in the middle of a project!
Thanks,
Rick
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WD-40 will remove that pitch. My 1023 griz has the same mechanisms and I spray mine from the top down. Just remove the blade plate.
Steve
Mo.
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WaterlooMark 02/9/2020
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I agree with Steve if it is just gunk spray it down with WD40, finish it off with lubing the gear set and rotational points on the wheel axle that should be more than adequate.
run the elevation wheel through several cycles as you clean blow it out repeatedly until it moves top to bottom easily blow dry once more then use a good dry lube and let it sit overnight before using.
It should be good for quite a while
Let us not seek the Republican Answer , or the Democratic answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future John F. Kennedy
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Look where the large pivot pin exits the casting to see whether or not there's a thin washer and snap ring there. There should be. Some of those later models didn't get the snap ring seated in the groove like it should have been. This allowed lateral movement of the pin and hampered the raise/lower movement. This condition is rare, but worth checking.
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04-12-2017, 06:57 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-12-2017, 06:59 PM by LarryC.)
Quote:I prefer bike lube like finish line
It might behoove you to look over the elevation mechanism closely even if it means taking the top off. Your descriptor tells me something is not meshing in the drive system and it will ruin your day when you figure out how expensive those parts are if you do not look.
Thanks Joe, I've been looking around for this since my RC car days - been using paste wax but really prefer the bike lube.
OP: On my 66 the previous owner was using grease to lube the tilt and raising mechs which in my opinion is the worst thing you can use since it attracts and packs with sawdust quickly. Mine was really hard to raise/lower/tilt so I took the top off my saw and pulled it apart cleaning along the way. I also replaced my arbor bearings as well as my motor bearing since I had it apart. Anyway, as Joe says use a wax or better yet would be the bike lube but I recommend you do what it takes to clean the gears otherwise it may not be as smooth as it could be.
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Mine got harder and harder to raise and when I decided to sell it I took a good look and the mechanism was all plugged up with rock-hard crap. Dug it out with a screwdriver and it got easier and easier. If I were to have kept it I would have popped the table off (ugh) and done everything right. The way the stuff is located in there you can't really get at everything from underneath. Since there's no shroud figure you will just have to clean it from time to time.
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!" Arthur 'Big Guy' Carlson
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Here's an update: I ended up taking the top off. It wasn't as hard as I had thought it would be.
There was a LOT of pitch built up on both the elevation and tilt adjusting mechanisms. I cleaned it off with mineral spirits and Goof-off. I lubricated it with paraffin. ( I didn't have any bicycle lube, or I would have used that ). I put the top back on and adjusted it, which also wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.
Everything works fine now, and I can adjust both the elevation and tilt easily with one hand!
Bob, thanks for the tip about the snap ring. I checked it after I had the saw back together, but it did have the snap ring, and it was in place.
Thanks again to all who responded!
Rick W
