Powermatic 1792000K Model PM 2000 3 Horsepower Cabinet Saw with 50-Inch Accu-Fence, 2 Cast Iron Extension Wiings, Table Board, and Legs, 230-Volt 1 Phase

List Price: $2,742.00 Discount Price: $2,299.99

Features:

• Left-tilting table saw with 50-inch fence; arbor lock; built-in retractable casters; dust collection
• 3-horsepower, 1-ph, 230-volt motor; riving knife with quick release; poly-v belt
• Cast-iron trunnion and extension wings
• Includes saw, fence, left and right wings, arbor wrench, (no blade or power cord)
• 85 by 37 by 34-1/2 inches; 600 pounds; 1-year warranty

Customer Reviews:

Distinguished, but dust collection could be better [Posted on 2007-11-10]
I bought the saw during Amazon's Labor Day sale and I'm very pleased with the saw and Amazon. I ordered on a Saturday and received it the following Wednesday in the exact spot I wanted it in my shop. The shipping company kept me well informed, delivered almost precisely when they said they would, lift gate delivery cost less than most of the other on-line stores charge, and the driver even helped me move it into my shop. I've purchased lots of things from Amazon and they've always been fantastic. I can't say the same thing about the "Marketplace" though.

I was able to walk the saw off the pallet using only myself and my 11 year-old son. Neither of us or the saw was damaged in the process. Set up was easy and almost everything fit perfectly with none of the trouble some of the other reviewers report. My only minor complaint is in the wooden extension table -- There's a small annoying crown that I could not remove so the table does not meet flush with the cast iron wing along its length. I haven't called Powermatic about this yet so I can't report on the customer service.

One other annoyance is the fence scale. It isn't accurate because whoever installed the tape stretched it as it was applied or the scale was printed poorly at the factory. I use the scale as more of a guide anyway so it isn't a huge hindrance for me but I'll be speaking with PM to see if they will correct this and the table problem. Everything ought to be perfect for the large chunk of change this thing costs.

I checked all the factory setups and had to adjust the table to get the miter slot parallel to the blade. The fence had to be adjusted as well but I didn't consider any of those anything out of the ordinary. I've been using the saw almost daily for the past couple months and everything has stayed in tune since the initial setup. That's to be expected in a saw of this caliber.

I use a Freud Fusion Combo saw blade and between the two, the saw cuts everything effortlessly and with precision. If you're looking for a saw that has a really good safety system without going to a Sawstop, this is a good one that is very usable. The riving knife/kickback/blade guard system from the factory is all quick release with a lever or button. I use the safety devices all the time because they don't get in the way and when I need to remove them, it's not a fight or a time hog like it was on my old saw. The rail mounted magnetic on/off switch is excellent. There's almost no way to accidentally turn on the saw, a knee can easily turn it off and as a bonus, the magnetic key can hide on the rail or under the table to help prevent little ones from becoming too curious.

Dust collection could be better. Lots of dust collects inside the cabinet in spite of what looks like a decent shroud around the blade. There is a 4 inch dust port on the rear of the cabinet that connects to a rather dinky 2 inch hose inside the cabinet that may be to blame. I'm constantly amazed how much dust is NOT collected even when I'm using the factory insert. When I use a zero clearance insert, it's almost as if the dust collector is doing nothing. I think PM did a horrid job managing dust. Maybe I'm being too meticulous but I've used other saws that capture more dust with a similar collector setup.

In a word, the saw is superb. The only real flaw being dust collection and a couple minor quality issues that are on the accessories, not the saw itself. If you're thinking of buying this saw, get it from Amazon unless you have a favorite store you'd like to support.

It's all that and a bag of chips [Posted on 2007-12-03]
It's all that and a bag of chips

This is the 3rd table saw I have owned and it's hopefully the last. It's big, heavy, and smooth. Plenty of power; it took me about 4 hours to get the entire monster bolted together. Everything was within 1/16 out of the box and just about dead on after a wood block and hammer for final adjustments. The arbor lock, riving knife, magnetic safety key , and retractable casters all worked as advertised and are the end to many table saw headaches.

Some things that might be improved upon.

I would agree with other reviews the hardware that is secretly hidden in the fence rail is cheap for a machine of this caliber. Come on it's like fisher price hardware.

The tilt stop for 90 was off by 1.5 deg. Out of the box. Not a big deal but I did have re-set the stop that is hidden in the base and not easy to reach. In fact I'm not even sure how an adult would adjust the 45 deg stop as it's buried inside the case beyond reach.

dust-collection. I'm big on dust collection and I have 5 h.p. clearvue cyclone with 6" dedicated pipe to my machines. It's awesome at 800+ CFM. But the pm2000 is no different than any other table saw I've used. Don't fool yourself if your serious about dust collection the stock guard helps little to collect sawdust. It requires an overhead dedicated collection. I have yet to see any table saw manufacturer take dust collection seriously. The pm2000 disappoints on this one.

All in all this is a great saw. Once adjusted it seems to stay that way and cuts above the rest.

Great saw! Minor tweaks! [Posted on 2007-12-31]
I received this saw very quickly and in perfect condition. All parts to assemble the machine were present (exluding the plug), which always saves some aggrevation! I was able to arrange for three of my buddies to help me unload this saw from the truck and save the liftgate fee. Four guys can unload this saw with minor difficulty. Once down, I unbolted the two restaining straps and the same four guys lifted it off the pallet and placed it on the concrete. From there the built-in casters allowed me to move it to the shop, where once more the four guys lifted it over the threshold and into the shop proper.

I used the savings from not using the liftgate delivery, and some extra coin in my pocket, to buy the 5 horsepower version for a couple of hundred dollars more.

Nothing has caused this saw to hiccup.

Not much more to add that others have not already said, except for two additional things. The dust collection is ok, but using my drill press and a reference fence, I drilled several (18 total) 1/4 inch holes through the saw blade table insert (No! It does not look like swiss cheese!). Think of a sanding table for the idea!

Make sure your insert is flat before you drill it! I have heard from others their inserts were badly warped and had to be replaced. Mine was good out of the box! Mine looked like it might have had a slight warp, but someone had machined the bumps out of it. The cosmetics were not perfect, but the insert was flat!

I drilled the holes from the exterior side to the inside of the insert. This did two things, kept the sharp edges of the drill bit breakout in an area where it does not matter (I did not have to file them, and I did not have to worry about my wood running over a rough edge that might have been missed). This modification has helped increase air flow from the blade, through the 2 1/2 inch hose, and into the four inch dust port.

This has made a big difference in how the dust collection works. The best part of this simple fix is it does not void the warranty and you can always replace the insert, should you decide to sell this saw, and want it returned to the original condition.

Second, the saw has the motor, switch, and some wiring already attached, but the wire from the switch to the power source does not have a plug.

If you get the 3hp motor, you will need flexible 12 ga wire, 20 amp plug, and 20 amp breaker to complete your run. If you get the 5hp version, you will need 10 gauge wire, 30 amp plug, and 30 amp breaker. The 5hp motor draws 21 amps. You can refer to the owner's manual for the type of wire needed for different extension lengths. You may also consult with a qualified electrician if you not sure you can handle the "lash up!"

Just an added note on the wiring. If you have not wired up your shop for the saw, yet, I would spend the money on 10 gauge wire, 30 amp plug, and 30 amp double pole circut breaker. The general rule of thumb is to take the amperage draw, then multiple by 125% for a safety factor. If you have a long run from your power supply to your circut box, you may want to step up to bigger wire, anyway. Say from #12 to #10, or from #10 to #8. You can refer to the NEC electricians text for futher information!

Unreal [Posted on 2008-04-24]
This was a purchase I longed for but am now glad I waited and spent the extra $$$. This saw is whisper quiet and a breeze to use. The rails take some time to set up and then cleaning the shipping compound off is a pain but this is the ticket for those who can afford this. The interal integrated casters are worth the price. I use a 2 car wood studio and often need to move around my tools. This saw moves with ease and is easy to level. Packing was great, comes on a skid and I set it up by myself. Directions were easy to follow and other than time it was easy to set up. Cuts 2.5 inch oak without bogging down at all. Love this saw.

Great Saw, But Some Small Issues [Posted on 2008-05-02]
Much has been written about this saw, and how wonderful it is. I will say that I agree with most of the good points that have already been presented in previous reviews. Instead of re-listing those, I'd like to point out good and bad features that I have found from personal experience, and which may have differed from others experiences.

PLEASANT SURPRISES
- Dust Collection. With the saw hooked to my 1-1/2 hp Grizzly collector, I was pleased to find that the dust collection was much better than I had expected.
- Noise. This saw is very quiet in my opinion. I would say the noise level is at least 1/2 that of my old Delta contractor saw.
- Mobility. I was a little unsure at first how the integrated caster system would work on my basement floor, but I have had no trouble moving the saw around. The system only lifts it a small amount off the floor (maybe 1/16") but it is plenty for my very flat concrete floor. I do need to raise the foot pads on the extension table legs when moving, but I am more than happy to do this if it means not buying a separate mobile base.
- Weight. I knew the saw would be heavy, but was impressed at HOW heavy it truly is. It is rock solid, and does not budge during operation.

DISAPPOINTMENTS
- Table Insert. The table insert that came with the saw was cupped in the middle (~ 1/32"). Powermatic replaced it after a call was placed, but the new once is only slightly better, and still requires constant tweaking to get it flat to the table.
- Fence. One of the fence side plates was damaged during shipping (appeared to have been dropped on the floor). Again, Powermatic replaced it after a call.
- Back Fence Rail Bolts. The bolts that were shipped with the fence to attach the back rail were 1-1/4", but were too short to accomodate the rail, the outfeed table, two washers and a locking washer. I had to purchase 1-1/2" bolts at Lowes to complete assembley.
- Outfeed Table. The outfeed table is warped in the middle, such that when the ends are level with the saw table top, the middle of the outfeed table sits 1/32" proud of the saw table top. I had to raise the fence side plates slightly to acheive clearance for wide cuts.
- Switch Cord. The cord that came attached to the switch is only about 6' long, which is not nearly long enough to plug into my wall outlet. Since I don't have a floor outlet, I had to construct an additional extension cord (another trip to Lowes).

In general though, the saw produces very good cuts, and I am moderately pleased with it as a whole.

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