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This belt sander seems to have plenty of power and the belt tracks well. Once you set it, it stays.
I tried cleaning it, it just don't work. the difference between the two was remarkable.The porter cable felt like a luxury sander. I have found that some sanders are not like that. That's what makes the Porter Cable the best out there. I have to say, this sander is the best thing out there. That's why its a four star. initially the belts were wearing unevenly, but that was my fault.
I purchased a new foot pad, and it was even again. Once you adjust it, and place the sander on the wood, it won't move. Whenever using it, make sure the tracking knob is not too tight. For some reason, the front of the sander blows up at your face when you hold it at the wrong angle. One of the negatives is that the dust collection system sucks. I used this to remove paint from maple floors.
The balance was great. The belt release lever is great. I purchased a Craftsman 3X21 sander so that my wife could work with me. place the belt on, hold the sander in the air, turn it on, and then adjust. She took the porter cable, and i got stuck with the craftsman. It is made out of metal, and is very sturdy.
the tracking is pretty good. If it is, the belt release will not work properly.
This was purchased to replace a stolen sander. I have used others andnone compare to Porter-Cable for ease of use and durability.
At this price and the full warranty it's a no brainer. Long lived. Plenty of power- doesn't bog down. in shops I've worked in PC was the sander of choice.Belt tracks very well. You could pay more and get a lot less sander. The variable speed is handy and is a separate wheel control as it should be.
For starters, it never bogs down. It can be swung around, though, to the left or right out of the way. If weight is a concern for you, you need to look elsewhere. That was the main problem with other belt sanders I have used.The sander also has some heft to it.
Also, the dust bag forms a rub hole, right at the top where the aluminum tube ends inside the bag. This is good because it doesn't need a lot of extra force to remove a lot of stock, and the weight helps to keep it on track. There has been other times when it has been dropped or stepped on and has never had any problems.The only drawback, and the reason I gave it only 4 stars, is the dust bag. I set the machine down (this part is embarrassing) forgetting to turn the trigger off. It purrs like a lion to this day. After trying several belt sanders on the market, I was extremely happy to come across this one.
It is not a light weight machine. Although the "elsewhere" sanders won't work as well.This sander is tough. It gets in the way sometimes when working on other than horizontal surfaces. It bounced a couple of times and continued across the floor before pulling the plug from the outlet. No matter how much pressure is put on the platen or how long it runs, the motor never bogs. I was sanding a faceframe one day when my partner accidentally unplugged the machine.
I've sealed it with clear silicone which works fine. When I plugged it back in, it pulled itself across the bench and onto the floor before I realized what was happening.
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