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List Price: $1,463.00
Sale Price: $1,199.99
Today's Bonus: 18% Off
I have now been using this bandsaw for about one year. It replaced a Jet 14" bandsaw I had used for about three years. So far, this saw has been terrific. It is accurate and easy to set up. It provides solid and reliable performance.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
As I said, I previously owned a Jet 14" (circa 2002). The Jet and the Powermatic have several similarities, including the basic body design. But the Powermatic is much heavier-duty. One way I knew this is when I picked up the upper body of the saw. It weighs a lot more than the Jet 14"! The base is larger and more substantial than the jet, and more solid than other bandsaws I reviewed.
The power switch is the same one used in the Jet 14", which is good since I always liked it. The blade guard, which I also liked very much, is also the same. The fence, which I liked a great deal, is the same, except it is now gold instead of white.
The big differences between this saw and others? The Powermatic has the Carter tension lever. It also has a set of bandrollers, a built-in work lamp, and a dust blower. It also has a cast-iron table extension.
DEEPER IMPRESSIONS:
Putting the saw together starts to reveal several important details about its design and integrity. One thing I noticed right away was that the new saw has much heavier wheels, with more spokes. There is a brush on the lower wheel that keeps debris from collecting on the tires, a nice improvement. The knobs on the doors and other areas are rubberized. The door catches open and close smoothly, another welcome improvement.
The cast-iron table is 15x15, an inch bigger all around than the old Jet 14". I tested the table with a straightedge, and it was flat in all directions. I detected a fine sliver of light beneath the straightedge on the outer part of the table, but not even enough to slip a piece of paper through. The table pin is a new design, with a handle, making it easy to put in and out. As with all cast-iron surfaces shipped from overseas, the table is covered with a protective substance. Once clean, the surface was a bit rougher than my Jet 14", with some visible machining. I burnished the table with #0000 steel wool, and then coated it twice with Topcoat. That got it nice and smooth.
The trunnion on the Powermatic is cast iron. I'm happy about this. The Jet 14" had a steel trunnion, and felt light. The Powermatic trunnion is quite heavy. This is a welcome improvement!
It's easy to set the table square. Just loosen the knobs under the table and tilt it until the indicator reads 0 degrees, then lock the knobs again. The reading is accurate. The knobs are rubber coated for comfort. The same procedure would be followed for any other table angle.
All steel parts are well made. Inspecting the inside of the housing, all solderings were clean, and the paint covers all areas. I saw no rust or dents anywhere on the machine.
The fence goes together nicely, and it locks down securely. This fence also has a very intuitive system for adjusting squareness to the blade.
The miter gauge is light duty. The saw comes with hooks that hold the miter gauge, but I chose not to install these, since I will not be using the miter gauge.
It has a 4" dust port out of the back of the machine, which is much bigger than the little 1 3/8" port on the old Jet. Bandsaws create quite a bit of dust, especially when resawing. Although the dust port is not very effective, you might want to use it whenever you can, so you at least reduce the amount of dust.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL:
In a word -terrible!!
I was disappointed with the instructions. WMH should have improved the manual for this new saw, but it is actually WORSE than it was when I bought my Jet 14". The instructions leave out steps, they assume certain things are already done, and they refer to the wrong parts several times. For example, they refer to screws using the wrong terminology and the wrong sizes. The pictures in the manual are often of the wrong machine, showing the old Jet 14" model at times. Someone at WMH needs to spend the time to fix this. As it is now, if you have any experience with bandsaws, you're almost better off using your intuition to put things together.
MISSING PARTS:
There were some issues here. The package was missing several screws that were needed at various points, and some of the screws were the wrong size. For example, the pan-head screws included for the power-cord plate were too large. I'll have to go to a hardware store to get the right ones.
TRACKING SYSTEM:
The tracking system is essentially the same as the Jet 14". Loosen a wing nut. Then, while spinning the upper wheel with your hand, turn the tracking knob one way or the other until you see the blade staying in the center of the wheel. This is intuitive and easy to use. The knob on the new Powermatic is smaller, which is necessary so it doesn't conflict with the Carter tension lever.
TABLE EXTENSION:
Included with the saw is a 5x15 table extension, which brings the total table surface to 20x15. It's kind of difficult to describe, but it is inconvenient to install (and the instructions don't explain it very well at all). From what I can tell, you need to take apart some of the lower assemblies to install the extension table. I just had to ask myself, "Do I really need the extension?" The answer, for me, was "maybe not." So I did not install it. A year later, the extension is still sitting on a shelf, unused, and I have never felt that I need it.
DUST BLOWER:
It seems to be that the amount of air forced through the dust blower is not enough to be of real value. With certain cuts, it does move the dust out of the cut line, but with some woods, the dust still collects in your line of sight. Sometimes, I find that the blower hose gets in my way. I guess my feelings on this feature are mixed. Sometimes helpful, sometimes not.
WORK LIGHT:
The work light is a very good idea. It has a long neck, allowing for good adjustments. It swivels out of the way when necessary. It is mounted firmly to the cast-iron frame. I like this feature, and use it every time I run the bandsaw.
BANDROLLERS:
For years, people have been purchasing bandrollers to as upgrades to their 14" saws, often spending $125 or more. Well, I was accustomed to Cool Blocks in my old Jet 14", and I always liked them. At first, the bandrollers felt awkward to me. I found it a pain to get them set just right (they need to be 1/64" from the blade). It's an extra step to loosen the set screws then adjust the rollers with an Alan wrench. With Cool Blocks, it is easier -you just press them lightly up against the blade and tighten a thumb screw. But after using the rollers more extensively over the past year, I have come to like them. You get used to the adjustments procedure after a few tries. My main problem is that they don't work very well with narrow blades. Also, blade changes with this system are a bit more time-consuming and more difficult.
CARTER TENSION LEVER:
Now here's the best upgrade! I love having this on my saw. You just tension the blade once. Then all you need to do is lift the lever up to tension and back down to de-tension. The Carter system works smoothly, with a nice big knob to grab while making the adjustment. It locks securely into place. It has three positions: fully tensioned, lightly tensioned, and fully de-tensioned. It's not just a lever: the whole tension assembly is better. For example, the tension rod rests on a steel plate, not on the cast-iron frame. Nice system!
MAKING CUTS:
I use a 1/2" blade most often. The Carter lever brings the blade to 1/2" tension very nicely. I can easily adjust the work light. The blade goes into place easily. The fence is easy to move into position and lock down securely.
With this machine, pressing the "Start" button gives an immediate sense of a more powerful motor. There is a short pause, then the motor kicks into high RPMs. It runs very smoothly. I've seen absolutely no vibration on the table -it passes the nickle test no problem.
Throughout cuts, the rollers hold the blade steady. The cuts are perfect and consistent at whatever angle I choose. I have resawn numerous pieces of softwood and hardwood, including maple and oak. Even when resawing full 6"-wide stock, the blade maintains consistent and straight cuts.
You will want to immediately upgrade to a better blade. The stock blade that comes with this saw is not very good.
CONCLUSIONS:
The Powermatic Deluxe 14" is a well-made saw. The instructions are useless, and a couple of the upgrades (blower and table extension) are questionable. But it has several wonderful upgrades, including a cast-iron trunnion, heavier wheels, a Carter tension lever, bandrollers, generally heavier-duty body, and a built-in worklight.
I look forward to using it with almost every project in my shop!
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This is an outstanding piece of woodworking machinery. Other than a few unclear illustrations, I had no assembly issues & was able to get it set up, rewired for 220V, and dialed-in by myself in a few hours. It's heavy, but it was not very hard getting the saw onto the stand alone. I also installed the riser block to increase resaw capacity which I highly recommend. The upper arm of the saw is heavy & hard to get a good place to get a grip, so it took a little muscling to get the riser block installed. "Goof-Off" (available in local home centers & hardware stores) worked well to remove the anti-rust shipping coating on the tables. As you might expect, the "included" blade is junk.
I seriously considered the Laguna 14SE but could not justify the additional $400-500. I admit that I probably over research before buying machines for my shop. Check out the Delta, Grizzly, Jet, Bridgewood, and others. On the Powermatic, the fit & finish is way above the competition. Power, weight of castings, weight/design of flywheels... the list goes on and the Powermatic gets the points this is a top choice among 14" bandsaws.
Power is NOT an issue. The Baldor motor is a tank. It runs very quietly the sound makes you realize that you're about to operate a real piece of equipment. Roller blade guides take a little setting up when you change blades, guard height, etc. but they work very well. Dust collection is also very good. Fence is dead on accurate and tables are machined to near perfection. Carter quick tension release is fantastic! Chip blower works as it should.
As mentioned by another reviewer, if you rewire the motor to 220V you will need a 220V bulb... Philips 50A RS 250V available at mscdirect.com
The delivery/setup/operation of this machine has been a five star experience! THANKS to Amazon/ToolCrib, ABF Freight Systems & The WMH group for fine service and a fine product!
After having just pattern cut 10/4 white oak like it was 3/4" pine, a simple blade change/rentensioning for a Woodslicer resaw blade means it's time to go and make more 10" wide cherry into 1/32" veneer slices!
Go for the "gold standard." Buy it, you'll be happy you did.
Best Deals for Powermatic 1791216K Model PWBS-14CS Deluxe 14-Inch 1-3/4-Inch
I am very disappointed with this bandsaw. I just purchased it 12-31-05 from woodcraft and received it early January. I purchased the riser block from Amazon and received it the next day. While putting the band saw together and installing the riser block I was very impressed with the quality of parts, paint, and packaging. Everything went together according to the instructions and I made all the proper adjustments. The first thing I noticed was that the guide rod was not parallel with the blade. The guides are off by a quarter inch from right to left and front to back while raising and lowering the guide!!!! Then I checked the blade to see if it was perpendicular to the table, it was not. I removed the table and placed a straight edge on the bottom wheel to the top and noticed that the two are off by a quarter inch! I put a dial indicator on the lower wheel because of excessive vibration and the bottom wheel is off by .010?. The wheel does not even contact the little brush part of the time.
By now I am getting upset. I just paid $1000 for a useless tool. I called tech support and they said that mine isn¡¦t the first and they are going to send out a new cast iron top support. I was told that a bracket was welded on incorrectly. Don't they check these while they are being assembled? I have spent over 8 hours trying to determine what was wrong. There should be a recall on this. Who knows how many more hours to fix and replace these defective parts? My serial number ends with 400, so check your machine. I hope the tech support department is better than the manufacturing.
Woodcraft sent out another bandsaw and I agree with the other 5 star reviews. This is the bandsaw I was hoping for.
Honest reviews on Powermatic 1791216K Model PWBS-14CS Deluxe 14-Inch 1-3/4-Inch
This is a wonderful bandsaw I recently received as a gift and is a perfect addition to my shop. I had my eyes set on the Delta X5 model, but saw this relative newcomer and was glad I did. It comes standard with a Carter quick-tension lever, integral worklamp, blower to keep kerf clean, and roller bearing guides (rather than block guides). It also comes with a good fence and miter gauge. It is built well and fairly easy to assemble (about two hours for me), although the instructions could have been better. For example, there is no parts list with which to reconcile all of the hardware. Also, adjustments to level the table come before setting the table square to the blade, which should come first. The online manual (at powermatic.com) should be revised, as my manual addresses how to adjust the roller bearing guides closer to the blade to better support it (see comments by other user below), which is actually easily done. I run all of my tools at 220 V, and this model allows you to easily rewire the motor taps for the appropriate windings. However, if you do this, note that the manual doesn't warn you that you need a 220V light bulb, not easily found. Philips makes one, though, 50A/RS 250V, which I bought through mscdirect.com. The miter gauge was missing from my shipment (seems like they forgot to pack the sub-box into the box containing the base unit), but WMH shipped out a replacement in 5 days. Overall, I am extremely satisfied with this unit (despite made in Taiwan) and am thinking about getting the riser block to extend my resaw capacity.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Powermatic 1791216K Model PWBS-14CS Deluxe 14-Inch 1-3/4-Inch
I recently purchased the Powermatic 14CS Bandsaw at a Woodworker's show where I had the opportunity to make side-by-side comparisons with equivalent Delta and Jet models. Actually my original intent was to look only at Delta and Jet I wasn't even aware of this new Powermatic model until I saw it at the show (It was introduced in November 2003). After numerous trips between the vendor displays, I finally decided that the Powermatic is the best of the three. It is sturdier than the others, with a larger (two-part) table and a far superior fence. It also includes little niceties such as top and bottom roller bearing guides, a Carter Quick-Release system for the blade, a built-in work light and a chip-blower to keep your cut-line visible and free of debris. At the show it was comparable in price with the high-end Delta, but more expensive than the Jet (with fewer features and less power).
The initial assembly was relatively simple. The only tricky part was getting the two-part table properly mounted and aligned not tough, but it did take some fooling with to get it just right. I also had a little problem mounting the accessory hooks to the base at least one screw was missing, and a couple of the threaded holes in the base were not cleanly tapped. I managed to strip a couple of the screws, which was a bit of an inconvience. Finally, I found that the assembly manual was missing a couple of steps right in the middle of the text. Not a real problem the Powermatic web site has the complete manual.
The blade mounting/tracking/tensioning process is quite easy just follow the instructions. While there is a tension gauge of sorts (i.e., a mark for each blade width next to the tension spring), it is really just a starting reference point. Even the manual tells you to use it as an inital setting, then make adjustments as needed. Basically I just followed the blade manufacturer's suggestion turn the saw on, tension the blade until there is no wobble and give it one more turn for good measure. This seems to work. I've switched blades several times using different types and widths, and have had no problems.
The saw is a real cutting machine once you get it up and running. The first thing I did was re-saw some 5" wide rock maple. No problem for this 1-1/2 hp. beast. I was using a small 1/4" blade with the stock fence, which was only roughly aligned with the blade (and no high auxiliary fence mounted), and still got pretty fair results. While I'm no stranger to woodworking, I'm almost totally devoid of experience with a band saw, so I was really pleased with my initial results. I have since done some production work and am pleased with those results as well. I still have a lot to learn though, and a lot of practice cuts in front of me before I'll feel really comfortable with it.
I only have one minor concern/complaint to report, and it is probably more a matter of my lack of band saw savvy than a real problem. The roller bearing guides adjust easily enough, but there is no way to adjust the distance between the side bearings. They are permanently set approximately 1/8" apart which does allow for some blade twisting. Doesn't seem to affect my ability to make accurate cuts, but I would have thought you should be able to adjust this spacing for better blade stability. Other than that, however, I am extremely pleased with my choice of saws.
