Subject: Re: PC Profile sander (was Need advice on PC nailers)

From: [email-masked] (IbDegen2)
Date: 27 Mar 1997 08:05:31 GMT

Tom Corey wrote:

>I own a number of Porter-Cable tools and highly recommend them. The only
>tool I have heard bad things about is the profile sander.

Gee, I was thinking of giving my Ryobi detail sander away (a tool I wish I
had never bought) and getting the PC profile sander.  What have you heard,
Tom?  Norm seemed to like it...  Any other comments on the machine?

Braun Degenshein
San Francisco

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From: [email-masked] (Robert Galloway)
Date: 27 Mar 1997 06:54:34 -0700

I've had the PC sander for about 6 mo.  I've worked the hell out of it 
and it seems to be holding up fine.  It's not terribly aggressive but for 
what I use it for, I'm satisfied.  The triangle pads work fine, the 
problem is with the contour sanding.  It's very easy to wear through the 
adhesive backed paper and leave a black smudge from the rubber contour 
backing piece.  With a little fussing, it does the job on raised pannels 
and cope and stick frames.  I also sand 4" x 8" cutouts in the center of 
8" x 16" x 3/4 ply using the triangle pads and it works fine.

rhg

I wear hearing protection when I use it.  It has, what I consider to be, 
any annoying, high-pitched whine.

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 10:43:45 -0800

Tom Corey wrote:
> 
> Steve Zuromski wrote:
> >
> > I'm a hobbyist who is considering the plunge to air nailers.  Everyone
> > tells me Senco is the best and the price appears to bear that out.
> > Lately I've noticed that the PC nailers are very attractively priced.
> > Has anyone had any experience with them?  Are they quality tools or
> > cheap junk?  Will they last?  Any opinions are most welcome
> > SteveZ
> 
> My opinion (I dont work for them)

I Purchased a Porter Cable from Trend line about 6 months ago (16 ga 
,2" brad).  I'am extremely pleased with it.  I can easly put a 2" 
brad flush into  2 peices of 1" red oak boards with no problem ( need 
about 110 lbs of air)!! It never jams and works great! -  However, this 
is my first nailer so take this for what it's worth!  MJP

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 12:54:05 UNDEFINED

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Steve Zuromski) writes:
>From: [email-masked] (Steve Zuromski)
>Subject: Need advice on PC nailers
>Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 21:09:48 GMT

>cheap junk?  Will they last?  Any opinions are most welcome

I have the PC BN200.  I consider it just as well made as the Senco finish 
nailer I used, and better in some areas.  However, since it is a pretty new 
product, only time will tell.

The advantage is to be able to go to 2" (essential for installing trim), but 
with the small hole left by the brads.

The only problem I've had is that the repeat-fire function is a little too 
fast for my tastes.  You need to let go right away or you will get a double 
fire.  It didn't take long to learn.

Rich

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From: [email-masked] (Walt Stein)
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 16:21:24 GMT

>Tom?  Norm seemed to like it...  Any other comments on the machine?

I was given one about a year and a half ago and, except for using the
profiles for hand sanding, had not used it (at all) until a month ago,
when I had to clean up deep ogees that I had rough-routed and hand
carved to final profiles within large gooseneck moldings.

I powered up the profile sander and it worked for maybe fifteen
seconds after which it continued to run but without motion at the
pad-head. Called my local delta repair/parts depot guys who are
terrific (!). They knew immediately what the problem was and had me up
and running an hour later (takes fifteen minutes to drive there,
fifteen back).  Seems that the first model of this tool had a press
fitted drive gear which wasnt held in place with a groove/snap-ring
fit on the shaft and it is likely that every one of the first run of
this tool will sooner or later fail.  Not a problem...its an easy fix
and Delta (hail to their much-appreciated approach to repairs) will
certainly look after it.

This may be source of the bad-mouthing that the tool receives.

In use, it does manage to creep into spots that are otherwise a bitch
to hand sand.  The straight line motion does limit it.  For example,
the goosenecks have only small portions where you can sand with the
grain, and hence, my final product still has some scratching.  But,
hey, I would have had the same result sanding by hand...and it would
have taken a great deal longer.

Vibration is low, although the tool can get out of control when a
curved sanding surface contacts a curved surface not congruent with
it. That is, it runs away or tries to slide into a more comfortable
position.  I have had no trouble with sandpapers slipping out of the
finger grips and I don't even use adhesive paper for the negative
curved rubber platens.  I simply curl the paper before applying and
press and bit harder when in contact with the stock.

All in all, I could easily do without it, but it isn't a bad tool and
it did come in handly.  In other words, I don't think its a turkey,
except for the problem I described above. If I were making large
amounts of straight line moldings (say for picture frames), it would
probably turn out to be very useful.  And it did show that Delta can
make mistakes....and can own up and repair them in good spirit.

"It would seem that the universe is thirty billion light years across and every inch of it would kill us if we went there. This is the position of the universe with regard to human life." --Martin Amis

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From: Dan Krueger <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 19:37:49 -0600

> My opinion (I dont work for them)

Unlike the rest of the Porter Cable line (electric tools), their air
tools are made in Taiwan.  In that categoy, look at the Craftsman and
Campell Hausfeld, too.  If you will use it a lot get a Bostitch or
Senco.

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From: Tom Corey <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 21:28:48 -0500

> Tom?  Norm seemed to like it...  Any other comments on the machine?
I have to say first that I have never used this tool. I have heard the
sort of things mentioned in this thread about sandpaper wear and such.
As I said, I highly recommend PC tools so if you have a need for this
kind of tool by all means give the PC a good look.

Tom Corey

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 22:16:28 -0500

> Tom?  Norm seemed to like it...  Any other comments on the machine?

Yeah Tom, what's the beef?  My PC profile sander has been working
flawlessly almost every day for about 4 months!

Chris

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From: [email-masked] (JaneAustin)
Date: 29 Mar 1997 17:29:35 GMT

Had one. Used it for a couple of days. Returned it.  It was such a pain. I
found I could do sanding faster by hand.  It's a solution looking for a
problem.  Truly, one of the worst tools I've ever bought. I'm surprised
Porter-Cable would have put their name on it. Should have sold the rights
to Sears.