I have an old Powermatic 65 tablesaw. The trunnion has been so sweet,
it would raise and lower like a feather. Suddenly now it has slop in
the raising mechanism. I first noticed it when the blade jumped on
start. I have torn it down as far as I can. I can see that the worm
gear just has slop against the rack gear. The only adjustment I can
see is on the incoming shaft with that holds the worm and goes out to
the handle. I tightened up the thrust collar that pulls the worm and
shaft against the trunnion, pulling the worm back as far as possible
towards the front of the saw. It feels too tight npw and is hard to
raise and lower, but I still have slop in the gear mating and can get
about an 1/8" up\down play and see the teeth are sloppy.

It seems crazy that it could sudddenly wear out and across the entire
run of tge worm and rack gear. It seems the gears need to be held
tighter together but there is no adjustment to change that alignment.

Any ideas would be nice. I really want a Sawstop but don't have the
cash right now, just dumped $2k in wood speculating on a new product
line, now I can't start cutting. Damn Murphy ;-(

"SonomaProducts.com" wrote in message
...
I have an old Powermatic 65 tablesaw. The trunnion has been so sweet,
it would raise and lower like a feather. Suddenly now it has slop in
the raising mechanism. I first noticed it when the blade jumped on
start. I have torn it down as far as I can. I can see that the worm
gear just has slop against the rack gear. The only adjustment I can
see is on the incoming shaft with that holds the worm and goes out to
the handle. I tightened up the thrust collar that pulls the worm and
shaft against the trunnion, pulling the worm back as far as possible
towards the front of the saw. It feels too tight npw and is hard to
raise and lower, but I still have slop in the gear mating and can get
about an 1/8" up\down play and see the teeth are sloppy.

It seems crazy that it could sudddenly wear out and across the entire
run of tge worm and rack gear. It seems the gears need to be held
tighter together but there is no adjustment to change that alignment.

Any ideas would be nice. I really want a Sawstop but don't have the
cash right now, just dumped $2k in wood speculating on a new product
line, now I can't start cutting. Damn Murphy ;-(

Seriously, CALL Powermatic Tech service, no one is going to be able to
advise any better than them. Otherwise, are you sure the worm gear is not
sliding on the shaft that it is mounted on?

Yes, the manufacturer is next on the list. It is just so hopeless
trying to get any service from corporations nowdays I thought I would
try here first. I think I really need to find the local guru but last
time I did that for a machine electrician they guy was getting $100 an
hour plus travel time. I did some reading and figured out how to fix
it myself.

The worm is firmly on the shaft. The shaft is not moving. I can see
the space in the gears and the rack gear can move a few mm, slapping
against the different faces of the worm gear threads which translates
into even more up\down. It is clearly gear mesh slop.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll go down that path.

On Jun 10, 6:12*am, "Leon" wrote:
"SonomaProducts.com" wrote in message

...





I have an old Powermatic 65 tablesaw. The trunnion has been so sweet,
it would raise and lower like a feather. Suddenly now it has slop in
the raising mechanism. I first noticed it when the blade jumped on
start. I have torn it down as far as I can. I can see that the worm
gear just has slop against the rack gear. The only adjustment I can
see is on the incoming shaft with that holds the worm and goes out to
the handle. I tightened up the thrust collar that pulls the worm and
shaft against the trunnion, pulling the worm back as far as possible
towards the front of the saw. It feels too tight npw and is hard to
raise and lower, but I still have slop in the gear mating and can get
about an 1/8" up\down play and see the teeth are sloppy.

It seems crazy that it could sudddenly wear out and across the entire
run of tge worm and rack gear. It seems the gears need to be held
tighter together but there is no adjustment to change that alignment.

Any ideas would be nice. I really want a Sawstop but don't have the
cash right now, just dumped $2k in wood speculating on a new product
line, now I can't start cutting. * Damn Murphy *;-(

Seriously, CALL Powermatic Tech service, no one is going to be able to
advise any better than them. *Otherwise, are you sure the worm gear is not
sliding on the shaft that it is mounted on?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

SonomaProducts.com wrote:
Yes, the manufacturer is next on the list. It is just so hopeless
trying to get any service from corporations nowdays ...

I think you'll still be pleased w/ Powermatic tech support (altho it has
been a few years since I last needed them, I don't think they've gone
away)...

I've a Model 66 rather than 65 and can't imagine if trunnion is at all
similar the symptoms you're describing being an all/nothing event, either.

There must be some cause other than wear unless this puppy is truly
ancient and has seen a tremendous amount of usage over it's
lifetime--maybe a nylon thrust washer failed or somesuch as a purely
wag. I really can't imagine ever having enough loading on the gear/worm
to actually cause them to have wear to the point of such sloppy fit.

--

dpb wrote:
SonomaProducts.com wrote:
Yes, the manufacturer is next on the list. It is just so hopeless
trying to get any service from corporations nowdays ...

I think you'll still be pleased w/ Powermatic tech support (altho it
has been a few years since I last needed them, I don't think they've
gone away)...

I've a Model 66 rather than 65 and can't imagine if trunnion is at all
similar the symptoms you're describing being an all/nothing event,
either.
There must be some cause other than wear unless this puppy is truly
ancient and has seen a tremendous amount of usage over it's
lifetime-

-maybe a nylon thrust washer failed or somesuch as a purely
wag.

That sounds like a good clue. I would check the dust collector or sawdust
bin and see if a nylon or plastic thrust washer or stop-bumper has cracked
and dropped off into the sawdust stream. That sounds like a likely senario
for a sudden cause of a massive slop.

EXT wrote:
dpb wrote:
....
-maybe a nylon thrust washer failed or somesuch as a purely
wag.

That sounds like a good clue. I would check the dust collector or
sawdust bin and see if a nylon or plastic thrust washer or stop-bumper
has cracked and dropped off into the sawdust stream. That sounds like a
likely senario for a sudden cause of a massive slop.

Probably more productive/quicker would be to check it against what's
there on parts diagram/breakdown...

--

On Tue, 9 Jun 2009 22:10:54 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"
wrote:

I have an old Powermatic 65 tablesaw. The trunnion has been so sweet,
it would raise and lower like a feather. Suddenly now it has slop in
the raising mechanism. I first noticed it when the blade jumped on
start. I have torn it down as far as I can. I can see that the worm
gear just has slop against the rack gear.


You might try asking in the SHOP forum over on the OWWM site.
They have a lot of Powermatic guys over there.

Mike O.

The 65 and the 66 actually share a lot of parts. The only big
difference is the arbor gimbles (the curved sliding surfaces). On the
66 there is one in front of the balde and one behind. This is an
improved arrangement over the 65 where they are both in front of the
blade. Below the gimble they are almost identical and I have reviewed
the exploded diagrams from owners manuals I got from OWWM.com. Can't
seem to see anything in the diagram that is not in place on the
machine.

I guess I'll I'll see if I can get a Powermatic tech on the phone or
in an email conversation.

On Jun 10, 9:57*am, dpb wrote:
SonomaProducts.com wrote:
Yes, the manufacturer is next on the list. It is just so hopeless
trying to get any service from corporations nowdays ...

I think you'll still be pleased w/ Powermatic tech support (altho it has
been a few years since I last needed them, I don't think they've gone
away)...

I've a Model 66 rather than 65 and can't imagine if trunnion is at all
similar the symptoms you're describing being an all/nothing event, either..

There must be some cause other than wear unless this puppy is truly
ancient and has seen a tremendous amount of usage over it's
lifetime--maybe a nylon thrust washer failed or somesuch as a purely
wag. *I really can't imagine ever having enough loading on the gear/worm
to actually cause them to have wear to the point of such sloppy fit.

--

Thx. I tried that a few weeks back when I first noticed the problem
but didn't get any real help (surprisingly).

On Jun 10, 11:55*am, Mike O. wrote:
On Tue, 9 Jun 2009 22:10:54 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"

wrote:
I have an old Powermatic 65 tablesaw. The trunnion has been so sweet,
it would raise and lower like a feather. Suddenly now it has slop in
the raising mechanism. I first noticed it when the blade jumped on
start. I have torn it down as far as I can. I can see that the worm
gear just has slop against the rack gear.

You might try asking in the SHOP forum over on the OWWM site. *
They have a lot of Powermatic guys over there.

Mike O.

On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:15:37 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"
wrote:

Thx. I tried that a few weeks back when I first noticed the problem
but didn't get any real help (surprisingly).

There is an old thread on there regarding slop in the raising
mechanism.

Try the search (in the forum.... search titles only) for

Another AND Powermatic AND 65

One of the hits will be Another Powermatic 65 Question

The discussion is about the same issue.

I would cut and paste it here but I'm not sure I'm supposed to do that
from the forum.

Mike O.

Mike O. wrote in
:

*snip*

I would cut and paste it here but I'm not sure I'm supposed to do that
from the forum.

Mike O.

Copying and pasting something from a discussion is fine, so long as proper
attribution is given. The only trouble you run in to are copying and
pasting copywrited material, or posting someone else's material without
attribution. Usenet discussions are expected to be quoted.

Puckdropper
--
"The potential difference between the top and bottom of a tree is the
reason why all trees have to be grounded..." -- Bored Borg on
rec.woodworking

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

Thanks I'll look at that.

The Powermatic tech guy was very available, "sort of" knowledgable and
very humorless. He wasn't familiar with 65 but "thinks" the 66 has a
little slop in the two allen bolts that hold the "half moon" rack gear
and I should be able to loosen them, tamp it into a tight position and
tighten them down. I'll look at that tonight

On Jun 10, 12:38*pm, Mike O. wrote:
On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:15:37 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"

wrote:
Thx. I tried that a few weeks back when I first noticed the problem
but didn't get any real help (surprisingly).

There is an old thread on there regarding slop in the raising
mechanism.

Try the search (in the forum.... search titles only) for *

Another AND Powermatic AND 65

One of the hits will be * * *Another Powermatic 65 Question

The discussion is about the same issue.

I would cut and paste it here but I'm not sure I'm supposed to do that
from the forum.

Mike O.

Glory!!!

All fixed. I really thought I was sunk. The rack (half moon) gear is
attached to the arbor with two bolts through over sized holes. I had
to strip off the motor and motor mount to get at the allen head bolts.
I loosened them and was able to wedge a screw driver in and force the
rack gear down into the worm while I tighetend the bolts. Killed 95%
of the slop. I would like it to be 100% tight but it now just has the
slighest play and the whole raising mechanism is now tight as a drum.
I got the top miter slot and blade dialed back in to less than 1/1000
alignment front to back.


On Jun 10, 2:25*pm, "SonomaProducts.com" wrote:
Thanks I'll look at that.

The Powermatic tech guy was very available, "sort of" knowledgable and
very humorless. He wasn't familiar with 65 but "thinks" the 66 has a
little slop in the two allen bolts that hold the "half moon" rack gear
and I should be able to loosen them, tamp it into a tight position and
tighten them down. I'll look at that tonight

On Jun 10, 12:38*pm, Mike O. wrote:



On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:15:37 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"

wrote:
Thx. I tried that a few weeks back when I first noticed the problem
but didn't get any real help (surprisingly).

There is an old thread on there regarding slop in the raising
mechanism.

Try the search (in the forum.... search titles only) for *

Another AND Powermatic AND 65

One of the hits will be * * *Another Powermatic 65 Question

The discussion is about the same issue.

I would cut and paste it here but I'm not sure I'm supposed to do that
from the forum.

Mike O.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

SonomaProducts.com wrote:
Glory!!!

All fixed. I really thought I was sunk. The rack (half moon) gear is
attached to the arbor with two bolts through over sized holes. I had
to strip off the motor and motor mount to get at the allen head bolts.
I loosened them and was able to wedge a screw driver in and force the
rack gear down into the worm while I tighetend the bolts. Killed 95%
of the slop. I would like it to be 100% tight but it now just has the
slighest play and the whole raising mechanism is now tight as a drum.
....
Great--I was wondering how that came out; couldn't imagine it was
anything actually worn beyond repair...

My 66 is pushing 30 and while it's not an all-day every day usage, it's
showing no signs of wear anywhere on the gearing afaict. I know there
are much older that have far more use still going strong as well...

--

On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:49:08 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"
wrote:

Glory!!!

All fixed. I really thought I was sunk. The rack (half moon) gear is


If you have time to mess with it, could you post that over at OWWM?
You seem to have found a solution that no one has talked about yet.
It might also help the 66 guys.
I'm sure everyone would be grateful.

Mike O.

Will do.

On Jun 11, 5:45*pm, Mike O. wrote:
On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:49:08 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"

wrote:
Glory!!!

All fixed. I really thought I was sunk. The rack (half moon) gear is

If you have time to mess with it, could you post that over at OWWM?
You seem to have found a solution that no one has talked about yet.
It might also help the 66 guys. *
I'm sure everyone would be grateful.

Mike O.

On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:45:37 -0500, Mike O. wrote:

On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:49:08 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"
wrote:

Glory!!!

All fixed. I really thought I was sunk. The rack (half moon) gear is


If you have time to mess with it, could you post that over at OWWM?
You seem to have found a solution that no one has talked about yet.
It might also help the 66 guys.
I'm sure everyone would be grateful.

Mike O.


This 66 owner would graciously appreciate it.