The Powermatic 2800B uses what is called a Constantly Variable Transmission (CVT) -- (inside the 2800B, it's actually 2 separate CVTs).? I have not seen any other woodworking machinery that uses this type of transmission (usually it's geared speeds, switching pullies or VFD). ? This type of transmission is actually commonly found in hybrid cars (think Toyota Prius), but I'm sure the carmakers have engineered this much better.
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You can see the actual transmission working here in this video at the 12 minute mark:
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-Aaron Inami
