Thanks to Carbon Method for supporting this project. Their rust-removal and cast-iron protection system played a big part in bringing the top back to life. Visit CarbonMethod.com and use code SpagCoat for 10% off.
Almost ten years ago, one of the most recognizable tools from the early Wood Whisperer days left my shop. It was my custom Powermatic PM2000, complete with a ridiculous flame paint job, cast-iron extension wings, and a big Wood Whisperer plaque on the front. There isn’t another one like it, and if you watched The Wood Whisperer in the early years, you’ve probably seen me use it.
In 2016, the saw left my shop as part of a charity auction. Eventually it ended up with Guild member Socheat, who used it for years before his woodworking took him in a different direction. The saw had been sitting in storage, so he reached out to see if I had any thoughts about where it should go next. I don’t think he expected my answer to be, “I’ll take it!”
So nearly ten years after it left, the Flaming Table Saw came home.
An Unexpected Piece of Wood Whisperer History
I already have a great table saw, so this wasn’t about needing another machine. But once Socheat offered me the chance to get this one back, it was hard to say no.
We’re also in our 20th year of The Wood Whisperer, which probably made me a little more sentimental than usual. When the truck showed up, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning.
The delivery also happened right in the middle of our live Woodworking Morning Show, so I turned the camera around and let everyone watch the whole mess unfold.
As I started taking the crate apart, I realized I had missed this saw more than I thought.
If you want to see the PM2000 back when it was still part of my regular shop setup, it shows up in a bunch of the older videos. One good example is my old Table Saw Setup & Tune-Up series. You can watch those here:
You can also see the original charity auction listing here:
The Saw Needed Some Work
The saw was complete and basically sound, but nearly two decades of use and extended storage had taken a toll. The cast-iron top had stains and blemishes. The paint needed some attention. The gears and moving parts were packed with old grease and grime. And then there was the integrated mobile base. PM2000 owners probably know where this is going: the caster system was completely bound up.
A large part of this Powermatic PM2000 restoration became figuring out exactly how that system failed and finding a real fix instead of simply accepting that the factory mobile base was toast. After a bunch of research, experimentation, and contemplation, I finally had a saw that would dependably move around the shop.
Cleaning Up the Cast Iron
The next big job was the top. For that, I used Carbon Method’s rust-removal system. Their kit includes three abrasive pads: Fine, Very Fine, and Ultra Fine, roughly equivalent to 320–400, 600–800, and 1,200–1,500 grit.
Since the saw didn’t have active rust, I skipped the most aggressive pad and started with the gray Very Fine pad along with Carbon Method’s Reconditioning Oil. I cut the pad to fit my random-orbit sander, added a few spritzes of oil, and worked across the entire surface.
Years ago, I probably would have done this with WD-40. Carbon Method says its oil uses chemistry that helps soften rust. I can’t speak to the chemistry, but I can say that it works faster and makes less mess than the WD-40 method I used in the past.
The process isn’t aggressive enough to erase deep scratches or remove the original Blanchard grinding marks, which is a good thing. The goal wasn’t to make this look like a brand-new piece of cast iron. I wanted to clean it up and make it look as good as it reasonably could.
After the first pass, I cleaned the surface with mineral spirits, added more Reconditioning Oil, and repeated the process with the white Ultra Fine pad. Then I cleaned the top with Carbon Cleanse and applied three coats of Carbon Coat for protection.
The finished surface looks great, and based on my past experience with Carbon Coat, it should stay that way with very little maintenance. I do love a product that rewards my laziness.
Again, you can use code SpagCoat for 10% off at CarbonMethod.com.
Back in Business
With the top cleaned up, the mechanical parts serviced, the caster system working again, and the paint touched up, this Powermatic PM2000 restoration ended up being much more than a simple cleanup. I got back a piece of Wood Whisperer history that I never expected to see again. And now I actually get to use it.
There’s still the obvious question of what I’m going to do with two very capable table saws in the shop, but that’s a problem for another day.
Woodworkers for a Cause Is Back
Socheat’s generosity in getting this saw back to me also ties into something much bigger. For years, Nicole and I used the woodworking community to help raise money through Woodworkers Fighting Cancer. Together, we raised more than $150,000 for cancer charities before personal health issues forced us to take a break.
This year we’re bringing the event back under a new name: Woodworkers for a Cause. The new name gives us room to support a wider range of organizations, and this year’s beneficiary is the Purple Heart Project. You can donate directly, participate in the fundraiser, or bid on auction items donated by some incredibly generous sponsors.
We’ll also be holding a live event on October 2 at 10 a.m. Central, with the goal of raising as much money as possible for the charity. You can find all the details at: thewoodwhisperer.com/wfc