Powermatic 90 lathe?

A goodun

TD

>I had a PM90 for several years. It is a good lathe, very solid and heavy. It was considered the best lathe made for many years but the swing was too small for such a big, heavy lathe; however, that can be modified. For spindles it is fine as is but for bowls you might want to add spacers under the head and tailstock and change out the banjo. Variable speed would also be a good mod to make. I would take it over the imports. Is it single phase or 3 phase?

TD

Re: Powermatic 90 lathe?

Keith Tompkins

>HI Mary, I agree with Terry. The PM 90 is very strong. I know a full-time metal spinner who uses one....that shows how much punishment that machine can take.

If you are unsure concerning the condition of the lathe, have an experienced turner go over it thoroughly before you decide to purchase it...bearings, speed changing system, alignment of the centers, etc. That way, no huge surprises after you fire it up.

These machines can be brought up to date with variable speed control, and spacer blocks can be purchased to increase the swing if desired. Be sure to weigh the costs of modifications against the price of a new machine...if you cannot do the work yourself, costs may be prohibitive to retrofit the powermatic.

Re: Powermatic 90 lathe?

Dave Shombert

>In its day, the PM90 was one of the best lathes available. They were built to withstand the horrors of high school wood shop use, so they can definitely stand up to abuse. But one thing to keep in mind when considering a used one is the availability of parts. As you may know, PM (now owned by the same holding company that sells Jet) has given up manufacturing most (all?) of their machines domestically and they're now made overseas. Not that that's necessarily bad, it might be bad or it might not. But in the old days, they made all their own castings at the Tennessee plant and I believe they had better control of the process back then. Apparently the replacement parts that they still sell for the older machines are also made offshore. I bought a 1980s vintage PM wood/metal bandsaw at an auction last summer. I could see it needed an overhaul, but I got it pretty cheap. Turned out there was one broken part, the upper wheel bearing housing. I ordered another one from PM, for $90 (ouch), and it was so poorly made that it was unuseable. They sent me another one, but the guy had to go and root through the box to find one that was actually useable. Ultimately, I'm real happy to have this bandsaw - it's what PM is famous for. Heavy, smooth, quiet. I expect it will last a lot longer than I will and, considering how it's made and how well I care for it, it's not likely to need any more factory parts. But before buying the lathe or any other old PM machine, make sure everything works. If something doesn't work, do a little checking on availability before you spend your money.

Dave Shombert

Elkins, WV

Re: Powermatic 90 lathe?

John Lucas

>I agree with the others. I almost bought one years ago but it was missing a couple of crucial parts. I glad I waited and called around because those parts were very hard to find and expensive. One was the tailstock. It was going to cost more to buy a used tailstock that to buy a newer Delta lathe which is what I bought. of course that was pre-ebay and you had to accept whatever price the used equipment dealers asked.

Re: Powermatic 90 lathe?

Marym

>Thanks for the replies....it is a single phase 220volt machine. In fact, it is on the classified board on this site, if you scroll down, it was posted about the end of October.

Would be interested in anyone elses comments, especially if they look at the ad in the classifieds section...

Thanks!

Re: Powermatic 90 lathe?

Dave Shombert

>Marym,

I took a look at the ad and a few things come to mind:

For starters, the seller is someone who posts here on WC from time to time. Maybe more than that, I don't really know since I myself don't frequent the site as much as I used to. But anyway, I think most people who post here regularly are the type to be honest about a machine's condition. That's a generalization and I can't support it with facts, it's just a feeling I have. I don't know the seller and have never corresponded with him, I just recognize the name.

From the photo, it looks to me like something has been done to the tailstock. A repair, perhaps. It looks like the inside of the handwheel is the newer Powermatic barf-yellow, whereas the rest of the machine is the old green like my bandsaw. That might be a good thing, it's just something to inquire about.

It looks like it's in use. That's good. And it comes with a whole bunch of stuff - you're getting a half dozen or so faceplates, some steady rests, and I forget what else. You won't get all that stuff with a new purchase.

It's got a mechanical variable speed drive, formally called a Reeves drive. Named after George Reeves, because you've gotta be Superman to move the lever. Ha ha, no, just kidding. A Reeves drive is basically a pulley in which the distance between the sheaves can be changed, thus changing the diameter and, therefore, the speed. When they work, they work well. When they're neglected, i.e., with a worn belt or if something is a little loose, they're fussy. And they're always a little noisy, at least by today's standards. But they work, and variable speed is a BIG advantage over single speed.

If you are anywhere near Connecticut, I would call the guy and find out more about its condition, how long in use, anything broken, etc. If there's nothing wrong with it, it's easily worth the price with all those extras. So if you think it's what you want, tell him you'll buy it contingent on inspecting it first. Then go there, preferably with someone who's an experienced turner and who has a strong back and a pickup truck. You'll need both. If no one's available to go with you, ask the seller to give you a complete demonstration of everything before you fork over the money. Including, and especially, the speed control.

If you're not near Connecticut - well, that kind of changes everything. Bottom line, I think it's a good buy IF everything's working OK and IF that fact can be demonstrated beforehand.

HOpe this helps,

Dave Shombert

Re: Powermatic 90 lathe?

Marym

>Thank you Dave!

We live close enough to the seller, so that is not a problem. The machine looks heavy, which is good I am sure, and we were hoping to put it upstairs in our workshop, so we are having to consider this in our purchase.

Time to talk it over with my husband, and maybe go and see it.

Thanks again!