Opportunity Wont Knock Twice

[CARYinWA]

Somebody saved you from yourself on the PM66.   If you had started bidding on the lumber you would have had a similar result.

[Tapper]

Rest easy - "ya done good." The price on that PM66 is approaching SS territory. Leading edge technology and a great product IMO. Can always find wood without having to store tons of it.

Doug

[toolmiser]

You never know how far the winning bid is going to go? Even with the lumber. I wonder if the auctioneer had a "friend" who was bidding. Did you miss out on a deal, or not get ripped off when the wood was gone when you returned? Not the outcome you wanted, but you made good decisions.

[MarkSingleton]

These are the kinds of stories that made me come up with my "tool fund" YEARS ago.

It sits in my safe until I need it.  It does NOT get tapped for any other reason.
Barring a horrible unforeseen circumstance, it is ONLY for my purchase of large
tool items for my shop.

Period.

When I can, I throw a few more dollars into it.

It is a good system.  And when the "stellar deal that will never happen again"...happens

I pounce on it, with cold hard cash.

Food for thought.

[R12C]

Thanks for all the positive comments, I appreciate it.  Why a Powermatic 66?  I guess because it was available, most reviews say it's a great saw and whatever saw I get will be the last one I ever buy.  I think I would be happy with it.  The TS I currently have I bought new about 25 years ago.  Still looks about brand new and it's time I get a nicer more powerful saw.  I don't care about a riving knife or blade guard.  Don't have either on my saw now and haven't since I got it.  I never used a TS with a riving knife and I've never had any issues.  I do hear they are a protective measure.  And, I prefer to buy used tools compared to new, dont really know why.  Maybe because it's less expensive.  The lumber is not really a big deal but it was a great price.  I have four lumber mills within 20 minutes of my house so I can get lumber pretty quick.  It's funny, the one I go to most has three huge buildings filled with kiln dried live edge slabs.  Thousands of them and some are huge.  I like to just go and look at them, I find it relaxing.

[jstraw]

The key to success is knowing when to walk away and looking for the next deal. I had very little luck on finding stationary equipment deals over the years. Many auctions and estate sales with little to show for it. Until a year ago when I worked out a deal with the estate of a recently deceased woodworker. The savings could only happen if we purchased a trailer full at one price. My brother was interested, so we split the deal. We ended up with a Steel City cabinet saw, Powermatic bandsaw and jointer, Jet spindle dander, Dewalt 13” planer, 75 clamps and a bunch of accessories for not much more than that Powermatic 66 tablesaw went for. Willing to walk and forget about a possible purchase is helpful at auctions.

The one I regret getting away was about 12 years ago when I didn’t jump in an auction on a Powermatic 4224 lathe with digital controls. Couldn’t figure out how I would fit it into my small shop at the time and watched it go for $1,200. Should have thought out of the box that day.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

R12C--

Where do you live? Are you a member at www.owwm.org ? We're a form dedicated to keeping older, no-longer-in-production, non-Chinese ww'ing equipment running and out of the scrap heap. We have a very active trading forum where good cabinet saws come up often for WAY less than what you were willing to pay for that 66. Your location can impact the availability of used equipment; I recognize that--living in the northeast means cheap saws all day long. Living in Nevada means they're at a premium because of low supply.

I'm not knocking that 66 at all--I own a 1993 model and friggin' love it. I admit I got mine for free from the widow of a cabinet maker, with the price of "If you're willing to drive 16 hours round trip, it's yours."

[Tapper]

Thanks for all the positive comments, I appreciate it.  Why a Powermatic 66?  I guess because it was available, most reviews say it's a great saw and whatever saw I get will be the last one I ever buy.  I think I would be happy with it.  The TS I currently have I bought new about 25 years ago.  Still looks about brand new and it's time I get a nicer more powerful saw.  I don't care about a riving knife or blade guard.  Don't have either on my saw now and haven't since I got it.  I never used a TS with a riving knife and I've never had any issues.  I do hear they are a protective measure.  And, I prefer to buy used tools compared to new, dont really know why.  Maybe because it's less expensive.  The lumber is not really a big deal but it was a great price.  I have four lumber mills within 20 minutes of my house so I can get lumber pretty quick.  It's funny, the one I go to most has three huge buildings filled with kiln dried live edge slabs.  Thousands of them and some are huge.  I like to just go and look at them, I find it relaxing.

To each his own, but I would suggest you re-think this. I have a riving knife on my Sawstop PCS and it brings me great comfort every time I rip a board and see it "squeeze" together after it passes the blade. There have been numerous incidents posted on this board about serious, dangerous and injury producing kickbacks. 

As for a blade guard, your option. With Sawstop even if you are inattentive for that split second, no serious injury. Just a thought.

Doug

[EricU]

a riving knife is the most effective safety feature and simultaneously the least intrusive.  I was too lazy to put my blade guard on the other day, so no splitter.  I ripped some wood for the shed.  It all went okay until one of the last boards had a lot of tension and squeezed the blade.  Pucker factor moment when that thing started to bind.  Fortunately I managed to finish the cut without issue, but it could have been ugly.  

The bill for an ER visit can easily be $50k nowadays and you have to pay at least one sawstop's worth as your share. Kickback is the number one reason for table saw injury. The ER visit probably means you are done with the hobby, either through choice or by diktat from the spouse.  All new table saws have riving knifes nowadays. It's worth getting a saw with one. I was a little surprised to see that the track saws have riving knifes.  It's a good idea.  I have had more kickback with a hand circular saw than with my table saw.

The PM 66 is a really nice saw and I'm glad I have one. If I was buying a new saw now there is no way in the world I would get one. Certainly wouldn't pay top dollar for a used one. I'm thinking $800 would make it pretty tempting, but above that and I'm still shopping.

I have used the sawstop contractor saw and was really impressed. I would say that other than the prestige factor of a cabinet saw, it is the equal of my PM66. Just a really solid saw. I'm sure the PCS is a little better, but when it comes to cutting wood, I bet you can barely tell the difference.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Shark Guard makes are very easy to use splitter for the 66. I use it.