Wow .. Quality tools

TimeWalker · Post by **TimeWalker** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 2:35 pm

I had been using a Black and decker random orbit sander through most of my boat but it's base the screws stripped and I couldn't get em to stay tight.... anyhow.......

Today I bought a Porter Cable model 333 and like any kid with a new toy I took it out to the boat to play with it and all I can say is... I never knew what I was missing so I was happy...

This sander is quieter, more powerful, less vibration in my hands, and something that the black and decker did was it never stopped orbiting, if you take the 333 off the surface it stops orbiting and just vibrates.

So if your considering cheap tools do yourself a favor dont do it the difference between the two tools (black and decker (which would include ryobi and other lowprice brands) and the porter cable 333) is quite night and day

Something else if I pressed hard with the B&D it would pretty much stop orbiting the harder I press with the 333 the more it orbits

BTW the difference @ home depo between the two is 26$ WELL WORTH IT

deedee · Post by **deedee** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 3:00 pm

i can definitely second that on the 333 . the sander is a work horse and i really like the hook and loop instead of the sticky stuff.

deedee

jasonmcintosh · Post by **jasonmcintosh** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 3:32 pm

That's the model I bought. Works great, but reciently a circular piece of foam came out of it. Turn's out it's the "foam baffle". Probably helps gets the dust to the little dust collector. Unfortunately, I was rather busy at the time and just tossed it aside and kept on sanding. I think it got thrown away...

The manual said something about some breaking thing wearing out and causing the disk to spin when not in contact with a sanding surface. Mine's been spinning occasionally when I'm not sanding. It's been a good sander though.

Jason

ggracer · Post by **ggracer** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 6:15 pm

The "breaking thing" is a big rubber O-ring that keeps the disk from spinning uncontrollably when you lift the sander. I bought mine off the shelf at home depot, and used it for months until I realized that mine didn't have that belt. Still works great, I've been very happy with it, but I need to keep it in contact with the work surface or it spins up to about a million RPM....

Someday I'll actually get around to contacting PC about a new belt....

Anybody actually used both the regular and Variable Speed model? I always thought I'd like to get one of those...

Glen

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 6:24 pm

TimeWalker wrote:Today I bought a Porter Cable model 333 and like any kid with a new toy I took it out to the boat to play with it and all I can say is... I never knew what I was missing so I was happy...
BTW the difference @ home depo between the two is 26$ WELL WORTH IT

I replaced a 4-1/2" Ryobi with a P-C 333. Nice sander. But when you really want to finish-sand something fast and don't mind paying about twice as much ... try the P-C 97366 6" random-orbit bad boy: http://www.porter-cable.com/index.asp?e=547&p=2775.

In the words of the immortal Tim Taylor: "Ar, ar, ar, ar, AR!"

(To be honest, my Porter-Cable 360 belt sander is even more powerful, but it isn't much use in the final stages of assembly. It really rocks for sanding the gunwale and rubstrib to the same level, though.)

(I own eight electric sanders. I really hate sanding.)

decal · Post by **decal** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 7:55 pm

I'm glad to hear that you guys like your random orbit sanders. I burned out 2 Porter Cable 5" random orbit sanders sanding the outside of my PH16 hull. ($120.00). So, I purchased a Porter Cable heavy duty 5" random orbit sander and my son who was helping me dropped it and bent the shaft. ($170.00). Those sanders work great on wood furniture but are destroyed by epoxy resin dust. I would never buy another one to build a boat.

What I did do was re-wire a 40 year old Sears heavy duty 1/3 sheet vibrator sander that I had ($8.00) and bought the cheapest B&D 1/4 sheet finishing sander I could find ($17.00) and you can't kill either one of them.

All you boat builders out there should think seriously about buying a 1/3 sheet vibrator sander. It has a much larger sanding surface then an orbit sander and the sandpaper is dirt cheap if you buy it from Supergrit Abrasives in Gettysburg, Pa. It does a better job on large flat surfaces than an orbit sander.

Just my 2 cents.

Decal

LIVEWIRE · Post by **LIVEWIRE** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 11:43 pm

air file for the heavy duty work.................air palm sander for the finishing touches.
i wouldnt attempt to build a boat without air, it makes life so much easier.
and when you want to make life even easier get the air grease gun for those trailer hub bearings.
forget the shop vac that sucks the dust up and redistributes it, just roll up the garage door and blow it all outside into the neighbor's yard. neighbors have got to be good for something.
the air grinder is a wonderful tool.
the air drill..............alot less bulky and lighter than mr. dewalt especially when the dern battery is dead everytime you pick it up.
and all those times when you wished you were born with 3 hands.........the air nail gun
i couldnt live without a 120 gallon air compressor and multiple air outlets .
my shop is complete but i'm still looking for an air epoxy spreader and an air fillet maker.

DaveProka · Post by **DaveProka** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 12:19 am

I blew out that O-ring in my $30 Ryobi random orbital inside of the second day. It spins like... like it doesn't know what to do. Take it away from the surface and it goes slow, fast, super-fast, stops, whatever. I realize these things aren't made for boat building, but man- two days! I finished up the GV13 with the second one, and that's starting to lose its ring too. But hey, I finished the boat for $60.00 worth of sanders. I think that's less than I spent on the sandpaper. It's even less than I spent on rubber gloves.

-Dave

TimeWalker · Post by **TimeWalker** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 12:46 am

DaveProka wrote: It's even less than I spent on rubber gloves.

Dude harbor freight I've gone through over 200 easily and barely spent 20$

DaveProka · Post by **DaveProka** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 1:32 am

Next time, absolutely. Last time, i was always caught off guard by the last pair- you can't tell how many are left until you pull that last one out. I sure wasn't going to wait for Harbor Freight to ship 'em- way to impatient. Local hardware store was around $12/box of 50. I was new, I had no idea I'd use so many. Next time, I'll know what to buy and where- should save a bundle on sundries.

-Dave

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