Making sense of Powermatic 90 specs

[KEW]

I am about to pull the trigger on a used PM 90. I have a few questions I want to cover to verify it will suit my needs.

The lathe has been in controlled storage for the past 15 years, and the seller doesn't remember some of the finer details, but he emailed several pages from the manual.

I have some questions I'm hoping some of you will know answers to.

1) It is currently set up as 220V (1 hp). How difficult is it to rewire for 110?

2) The speed range is given as ...Standard 320 to 2100, Optional Low Range 215 to 1375, Optional High Range 460 to 3000.
How can I determine which range the machine has? Do I need to buy components to change the range or just swap some belts around?

3) The swing is given as 12", but it also says Swing over gap = 17". The gap is 5-1/4" Will I be able to turn, say, 15" bowls without having to go through tremendous logistics?

4) The headstock doesn't pivot, but the seller says you can turn outboard if I have a toolrest stand welded (though he never did it). Is this a reasonable option.

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[Dave Peebles]

Hi Kurt,

Here is a link to the OWWM site with a pdf on the Powermatic 90.

It may help you out on some of your questions. I didn't check it out as I am on dial up, it is a big file. 🙂

http://www.owwm.com/pubs/detail.asp?ID=899

Best wishes,
Dave

 

[KEW]

Thanks!
I read through the information there and printed out the manuals (unfortunately they cover a few generations of this machine and do not clarify which page goes with which generation).
It looks like the seller had sent me all of the significant pages on the hardware.

 

[mkart]

Pm 90

Kew,
I own a PM90 that and have turned outboard on it. I would not recommend bothering with setting up for this. A floor stand sits separate from the rest of the lathe so the little vibrations that you have really affect the quality of your work. Not to mention that a 1hp motor will not adequately power a large, heavy piece of wood. I am assuming that is why you want to turn outboard, that was my desire. The gap is better for platters than bowls. A 15" salad bowl will need a chunk of wood about 6.5" deep to end up with a visually pleasing bowl. Add the depth of a chuck and it no longer fits in the gap. All this said it is a good lathe that will last a long time with proper care. I choose to use an old Oliver I have and gave the PM90 to my dad but that was only because I had more faceplates for it. Good luck!