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12-13-2019 09:43 AM
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Topic tags/keywords:
humor
OK, this post is entirely for amusement. If you do not have a sense of humor do not read it. I laughed the whole time. There may be words that trigger people. I would have no idea why, and that is not the intent.. but I just don’t get some things… so… it’s comedy, sarcasm, and amusement… Enjoy my “review”!

In one corner we have a much praised powermatic jointer. It was a friends dads. I got it, and decided to give it a tuneup… In the other corner, we have my grandpas 195? craftsman (king seeley) jointer. It came to my house in the mid 70’s. It had seen little use before my place. I have used it almost 6 times in the 50 years I have been alive.
Powermatic: My buddies dad bought it when he was well into his 80’s. He was scared of it, and it has seen way more waxing and cleaning than run time. After a move or two, unknown condition originally, it needed a tuneup. So, I adjusted the tables, touched up the knives, replaced the dry rotted belt. It is a 110 volt machine. It cuts good. Straight, level, square, etc. The many threads about table sag had me concerned… it just needed a turnup, adjustment, and make it right.
Craftsman… it was my grandpas. It has sentimental value. Nothing else. The knives had a big groove in them. My dad did that in the late 70’s. Almost no use since. It had a dry rotted belt, cord, motor was wired for 110, and those knives dad always bitched about. So, I washed, painted, wired for 220, put on new power switch, replaced belt, and ordered a shelix head. (this is the first one they have made for this oild jointer model) I am from machinist world, so high speed steel blades belong in the 70’s. Carbide is 2000 ad and newer. The paint was in excellent shape, but ugly. The table had slight surface rust… slight… not 1950 tractor rust.
So, since they both are running… let’s compare a 75 year old machine to a 20 year old machine. It is funny.. I will evaluate the best based on extremely important characteristics of the machines…. and of course, I will declare a winner…
Value.. well, the powermatic is a 1200 dollar machine. No carbide head. the craftsman was probably 50 to 100 bucks. The shelix head added a couple of dollars.. paint, primer, belt, cleaning… Still well under the 1200 dollar mark. The craftsman is clearly less expensive. You will have to find your own dead grandpa to get one, though. Clearly the winner on value is the craftsman. I don’t know how to appraise a dead old guy.
Looks… well, the powermatic has a nice base cabinet. It is a horrific color. Mustard is good for one thing… mustard… that’s it. The craftsman could have easily taken this class… but it is.. guess what??? UGLY too. It is as if both fighters wantedd to be ugly. The gold is very close (although not quite as ugly) as the original gold. Sadly, in the looks department, there are no winners. Only losers.. all of us, that have to look at those obamanations… we all lose…

-- I am no woodworker. I am a hack trying to do something to amuse me.
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24 replies so far
#1 posted 12-13-2019 09:52 AM
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Noise, vibration, overall smoothness of operation. Well, the powermatic has a standard 3 blade head. It is loud, it vibrates, the belt is older. It also has a dust collection area, I assume that does something. The craftsman is smooth, quiet, so quiet in fact, I forgot to turn it off while I was goofing around. Did not even know it was on… So, the winner is POWERMATIC. We are wood men… not some sophisticated wimp! I want noise, I want vibrations, I want chatter…I want to know I can take my fingers off in a split second. Category goes to POWERMATIC! (yes, a joke, the craftsman is unbelievable smooth) Depth of cut/ stall/ etc…. Well, the 3 blade cutter is a gnarling, vibrating, loud, hot mess… so I snuk up on 1/4”. It did not big… it was just a 2×4 stud. I did not hesitate wqith the craftsman… cranked it down and let it eat. Went through a knot with the craftsman…. that is where the craftsman lost again. Instead of pitching the knot at my head at 100 mmillion miles an hour, it cut right through it… loss craftsman…



-- I am no woodworker. I am a hack trying to do something to amuse me.
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#2 posted 12-13-2019 09:55 AM
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Lastly, weight, ease of use, overall quality, and what will still be running in 50 years. Well, the powermatic is on wheels. It is easier to roll away and put back in the corner. The fence is honestly way better on the PM… but the fence is about it. Dust collection… I’m not doing anything in my kitchen… I use it, blow the stuff out the door… but obviously the craftsman has nothing. Overall, with the shelix head, the craftsman beats the PM hands down, in every way.. but is anyone surprised? It has a new head… it is also 75 years old.. that means it was built by men, with pride, to last. The pm… built by ?? with $$ in mind, to fail to be replaced in 10 years. It ain’t the old pm.
-- I am no woodworker. I am a hack trying to do something to amuse me.
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#3 posted 12-13-2019 09:56 AM
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I guess really 65… if it was from mid 50’s… I can’t add. Stay tuned… I will compare grandpas hand plane to my pm100!
-- I am no woodworker. I am a hack trying to do something to amuse me.
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#4 posted 12-13-2019 11:24 AM
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I get it, and did think it was funny. Interesting as well….just don’t compare anything to the Craftsman tools of today!
-- Our village hasn't lost it's idiot, he was elected to congress.
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#5 posted 12-13-2019 12:49 PM
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Highly amusing, and the funniest bit was- “obamanation!”
-- WWBBJ: It is better to be interesting and wrong, than boring and right.
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#6 posted 12-13-2019 02:40 PM
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My first jointer was a craftsman with fixed outfeed table. I hated it . Used the machine up to the day the knives flew out and destroyed the head and gibs. Adding a insert head to what I’ve called a boat anchor take some sand. Good Job.
-- Aj
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#7 posted 12-13-2019 03:17 PM
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You will have to find your own dead grandpa to get one, though
Nearly spit my coffee on the screen on this one. Great read…I find the Craftsman slightly less ugly. Something about the PM color just bugs me. Don’t get me wrong I’d proudly have either in my shop but still the PM mustard yellow is just rough on the eyes to me.
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#8 posted 12-13-2019 03:33 PM
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My first jointer was a craftsman with fixed outfeed table. I hated it . Used the machine up to the day the knives flew out and destroyed the head and gibs. Adding a insert head to what I’ve called a boat anchor take some sand. Good Job.
- Aj2
That must have been an earlier version. This one has 3 leveling jacks. Cuts like a dream. Zero snipe. It is truly awesome. This is the 103.20660. Part 82 is one of the jacks, the other two are right at the rear of the cutter. The shelix guy and the guy I ordered it from both told me it was non adjustable. I had to send them a pic of the manual and a photo. Couldn’t get manual… here are the jacks, or where they go.

-- I am no woodworker. I am a hack trying to do something to amuse me.
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#9 posted 12-13-2019 03:36 PM
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If I was reading correctly, many had issues with the pm table sagging. That might have been the longer tables… but it took some cleaning, gib adjustment, etc. The craftsman was quick. Pic of craftsman before I touched it.

(oops, had started on the table)
-- I am no woodworker. I am a hack trying to do something to amuse me.
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#10 posted 12-13-2019 03:38 PM
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OH… Safety… I forgot the safety category. One of the most important. Well, the PM has a guard very similar to the craftsman. The craftsman clearly shows it’s character by the exposed belt, little cutterhead guard, and it only had a toggle switch on the motor originally… yes, mounted on the motor.. right next to the belt.. so CRAFTSMAN WINNER. …. I’m a man… I don’t need all my fingers. Safety is for wimps and people that can’t count to 10 without their fingers.
-- I am no woodworker. I am a hack trying to do something to amuse me.
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#11 posted 12-13-2019 03:40 PM
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You will have to find your own dead grandpa to get one, though
Nearly spit my coffee on the screen on this one. Great read…I find the Craftsman slightly less ugly. Something about the PM color just bugs me. Don t get me wrong I d proudly have either in my shop but still the PM mustard yellow is just rough on the eyes to me.
- sansoo22
I chuckled and hoped no one would be offended. We all end up dead. He was a good man. He led a good life… he is still dead. One does not diminish the other. I also agree on slightly less ugly… but only slightly.. when I rebuild a machine (an overused term), I strip it to the bones, use epoxy automotive primer, then usually a single stage urethane paint. Regular automotive stuff. It will outlast me, easily. Pretty easy to spray.. at least I am getting better, and I don’t have to work on it every time I want to use it. The pm100 I am working on here and there is the green color, thankfully. It already has got a table mill, slides or whatever milled, and quick primer of most parts. I think it will be show quality smooth, though.
-- I am no woodworker. I am a hack trying to do something to amuse me.
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#12 posted 12-13-2019 04:12 PM
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That’s still a fixed outfeed table. I know about the adjustments under the table. To me the jointer with the longest flattest table wins. Straight knives with a adjustable outfeed. Powermatics are screamers they spin faster then the deltas. Your post reads like your having tons of fun. Thumbs up here.:)
-- Aj
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#13 posted 12-13-2019 05:31 PM
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I read through and just have one thing to say.

-- Think safe, be safe
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#14 posted 12-13-2019 05:52 PM
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Very well done, and entertaining….thanks for taking the time!
-- Mike
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#15 posted 12-13-2019 10:35 PM
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Maybe I misunderstood fixed out feed table… I assumed that meant, not adjustable, cast in place, as is… by fixed, you mean it does not readily raise and lower via a crank, like the PM.. Hmmm.. See, I wasn’t lying.. I am no woodworker. What purpose, or why would one want an adjustable outfeed? I just made outfeed in the same plane as infeed, and top of cutter same… that is zero. Lower infeed, cutter doesn’t lower, cuts, board slides on outfeed… When I saw the PM outfeed was on the big gib/ slide deal I thought that was idiotic… of course the table will sag… I am about to learn something. Also, used 6 times in my 50 years might have been a lie.. it might have been less. It was in the basement of the house I was born, raised, bought and just recently sold since 74 or 75. I was born in 68. I have walked past it a time or two!
-- I am no woodworker. I am a hack trying to do something to amuse me.
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