Sanders Reviews

I have been using the 7335 sander with this hook and loop pad for years. Some people complain about the holding power, but I use 60 grit discs regularly with no problems (maybe vaccuuming out the pad from time to time would help them). In fact, I just bought my first replacement pad only because a "helper" sanded without a sanding disc and wore off the hooks.
The hook and loop system allows quick changing of sanding discs as well as disc reuse. So you can quickly go from rough to fine sanding on individual pieces, and save the discs for the next job.

I had bought the Porter Cable 4" Whisper Series Model 362 about a year ago. It is the same unit as this one, same 12 amp motor etc, but has the dust bag with it, and is variable speed. You can see the 362VS here at Amazon. For the price difference I would buy the 362VS. I had written this review, thinking that this was the model that I had, after looking at the model number on the sander, I realized it was a 362. Consequently I wrote this review first, then copy and pasted the review into the 362VS. So if you see the same review, you know why. For the sake of interest, I am letting this review stand. Here it is:
I previously used a 3x21" Sears. Did the job, but this PC is in a whole different category. Some of the more important features: Positive tracking-when you set the belt adjusting knob, the belt stays adjusted. Some belt sanders creep on you, and require frequent resetting. Annoying to say the least. Also the belt change feature is nice. A simple lever you pull out, then push back in. Quiet-you do not have to wear ear protection to use this. Hearing protection is always a good idea though. It is heavy, but to me this is an advantage. You don't have to push down on the unit, in order to get the job done. To those who mention that you have to keep an eye on the machine, because it can take away too much material too fast, that is because they are using a coarser grit than it required for the task. Finer grades give you more flexibility, and removal is more gradual and even. A belt sander is not designed to replace a finish sander.
With the larger 4" footprint, it is possible to remove a lot of material fast, without digging troughs in the work, which is possible with many belt sanders. Troughs-ridges show in the finished product. For fine finishes that are even and flat, a dedicated planer, then a finish sander, and finally a fine grade of hand sanding will give you the desired result.
The Porter Cable 4" is the best belt sander I have ever used. I would not hesitate to take on a floor refinishing task with this unit. If I was doing it for a living, I would of course persue a walk behind.
This is a no nonsense sander. Heavy duty. Lay it on the board, and hold on. Makes short of a lot of work. Feels like it will last a lifetime. Definitely a leader in the pack, and worth the money.

A simple concept--a block of rubber from Sri Lanka in the form of a large eraser--"erases" dust, resin and gum build-up on sanding belts quickly and easily at a price that's unbeatable. And one doesn't even have to unwrap it to begin using it. It will prolong the life of your sanding belts and pay for itself in very little time.

Magnificent sander: feels great, performs great, looks great. Nice balance and weighting, aluminum housing is gorgeous. Only anxiety with it is that it might get stolen as it is widely coveted by others, or that the cord will eventually give out. This tool, a simple a half sheet sander, feels like the splendidly well-built power tools manufactured generations ago--it feels like the type of tool that should last a lifetime.

I never thought I would be writing a review about sandpaper, but this product is extraordinary. 3M manufactures this sandpaper for Porter Cable. It doesn't load up like many, is very consistent in grit texture and easy to remove and line up with the dust removal holes. The adhesive backed paper works well also. I have made the mistake of buying some Japanese imitations to my regret. The adhesive type is far too sticky and is a pain to remove. It comes off in multiple pieces instead of the easily removed 3M. It is like their post it notes, it has just the right amount of adhesive to make it stick and not fly off when you are sanding, but it comes off easily when you need it to. If you are sanding a big project, the changes are many and you save considerable time with the 3M paper. In a big production shop, time is money and I imagine that the slight additional cost is well worth labor time. Also, there is that nice feeling of using a tool like the Porter Cable random orbit sanders, somehow, after using one, you are never tempted to buy a poorly made "bargain" sander and paper.

I'm glad that someone finally came up with a good way to attach these sanding pads. This hook and loop system is the best. I've been using palm sanders for years and have always hated removing my old adhesive sanding pads. These sanding pads are great for any sander that has a dust collecting system, the holes really let alot of dust through. Thank you Portercable for these awesome sandpaper pads!!!

fast,easy inexpensive option to the prepackaged stuff in stores only drawback would be for those who can't grasp the simple task of punching your own vent holes. For me, I use the tip of the scissors I cut it with.

This is now the only sandpaper I use. The rolls are a convenient width and the adhesive back allows it to attach quickly to power sanders and hand sanding blocks. It also wears very well compared to other sandpapers

A buddy of mine turned me on to this stuff, but not for the purpose it was designed for. It is great for my palm sander, sure, but I also stick strips of it side-by-side on a 12" square marble tile (granite would be better) I use as a reference surface for flattening things like my waterstones, the bottoms of planes, etc. I've also applied it to a 3"x24" flat board to use for sanding the rust off an old jointer table surface. I wish I would've thought of this before.

My wife uses this Porter-Cable sandpaper to sand the dry skin off of her heels. She has tried other products in the past, and now she won't use anything else. It sticks the hand sander so there is never a peeling problem, and I can attest that her heels are very smooth after sanding them. If you wear sandals a lot this is the product for you.