Powermatic · Wood lathe · about 1960 to 1997
Powermatic 45 Wood Lathe
For the better part of four decades, the Powermatic 45 was the shop-class lathe. Serial numbers start around 1960, and it was still in the January 1997 price list. It has a one-piece gray-iron bed on a steel cabinet, 12 in of swing over the bed and 16 in over the gap, and 39 in between centers. Powermatic sold it with a variable-speed drive or a four-step pulley, and the spindle has a 60-position index for fluting and spacing. The 1 in-8 thread and No. 2 Morse tapers are standard sizes, so modern chucks and centers fit without adapters. It's big enough for table legs and bowls and small enough for a garage, and with its tool rests and centers it's ready to turn.
Variable-speed or four-step pulley driveGap bed or straight bed
Spec at a glance
- Maker
- Powermatic
- Machine
- Wood lathe
- Motors sold
- Single or 3-phase
- Launched
- 1960
- Made
- about 1960 to 1997
- Capacity
- 12 in swing over the bed, 16 in over the gap, 39 in between centers
- Spindle
- 1 in-8 thread, No. 2 Morse taper, 60-position index; No. 2 MT tailstock
- Speeds
- variable speed about 330 to 2,100 RPM, or four steps from 600 to 3,000 RPM (1980)
- Motor
- 1/2 or 3/4 HP, single- or three-phase; 3/4 HP at 1,800 RPM maximum
- Weight
- 350 lb with stand and motor; 439 lb crated
- Also listed as
- PM45, PM 45, Model 45, Powermatic 45 lathe
Shop check
Power, iron, fence and freight
- Power and phase
- Powermatic sold the 45 with 1/2 or 3/4 HP motors in single-phase or three-phase, and the 1980 manual warns against fitting anything bigger than 3/4 HP at 1,800 RPM. Look for the phase on the motor plate. A three-phase lathe on a VFD gets electronic speed control too.
- Motor and bearings
- The variable-speed version changes speed on moving pulleys and a belt. Ask for a video of it running from low to high speed. It should change smoothly without the belt squealing or the spindle slowing under the change.
- Runout
- The spindle runs in sealed ball bearings. Ask the seller to spin a faceplate and look for wobble. A dial indicator on the spindle nose is the real check if you can get one.
- Table and rust
- The bed is one piece of gray iron on a steel cabinet. Ask for a photo along the bed. The ways should be straight and smooth, so the banjo and tailstock slide and lock anywhere.
- Fence, guards and gauges
- In 1966 the package with a motor came with 16 and 12 in tool rests, spur and cup centers, a 6 in faceplate and wrench, an index wheel and a drift rod. Check the photos for those, since a lathe with no tool rest or centers needs parts before you can turn.
- Blades and knives
- Turning tools aren't part of the lathe, and the 1 in-8 spindle thread and No. 2 Morse taper are standard sizes, so chucks, faceplates and centers are easy to buy new. A missing tool rest is the part that's harder to replace.
- Dating it
- Serials of N-1nnn mean 1960 to 1965, 6N-nnnn 1965 to 1968, N45-nnnn 1968 to 1977 and NN45-nnnn from 1978. Paint helps too. It's green through 1981, gold from 1982 and yellow from 1996.
- Moving it
- It's about 350 lb with stand and motor. Take the tailstock, banjo and tool rest off to lighten it. The bed and cabinet are the heavy part.
- Safety upgrades
- Check that the belt covers are in place and the switch works. Spin a new piece up slowly the first time.
Should come with it
- Tool rests (16 and 12 in) and the tool support base
- Spur and cup centers
- 6 in faceplate and wrench
- Motor, belt and switch
Hard to find if missing
- Variable-speed pulley parts
- Original tool rest base
- Made-in-USA Powermatic parts
Check the listing photos against these lists, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing fence, guard or motor should come off the price.
What to check
Variable-speed pulleys and belts wear, and lathes often lose their tool rests and centers over the years. Check that the speed control works through its whole range.
- 01Speed range: Ask for a video running from slowest to fastest. The speed should change smoothly without belt squeal.
- 02Spindle: Ask the seller to spin a faceplate. It should run true with no wobble or rumble.
- 03Bed: Ask for a photo along the bed. The ways should be straight and smooth.
- 04Banjo and tailstock: Ask whether the banjo and tailstock slide and lock. Both should lock firmly anywhere on the bed.
- 05Accessories: Check the photos for tool rests, centers and a faceplate. A lathe with none needs parts first.
- 06Motor plate: Ask for a photo of the motor plate. You want the phase your shop has.
- 07Serial: Ask for a photo of the badge. The serial tells you the year.
New to old iron? How to check a used woodworking machine covers runout, the table, bearings and the parts that go missing, and shipping a heavy machine covers freight, pickup and rigging it into the shop.
Buying guide
Which one to buy
§ Oct 19, 2026Spacers, belts and a tool rest are listed for the Powermatic 45, but no whole lathe, so there's nothing to price yet. The speed control is the thing to test, so ask for a video of it running through its whole range. These lathes also tend to lose their tool rests and centers, so count them in the photos.
- Listed now
- 0
- For parts
- 0
- Catalog estimate
- $20–$60
Snapshot
For sale on eBay
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