Porter-Cable Reviews

I liked this tool very much. I got it to replace my old one that was very heavy and not very easy to use. The Porter Cable drill is much lighter and easier to use. I like ti side handle that comes with it alot. It is very good for a lot of heavy duty use. The keyless chuck makes it easy to change bits. I also got a Porter Cable steel case to go with it.

I chose this as my first string 1/2 inch drill over the Milwaukee Magnum models because of brand loyalty and because it's lighter with better ergonomics. Simply put, this Porter Cable drill will match any Milwaukee Magnum drill in performance, but you can grip it better and it doesn't wear you out to use it all day. Porter Cable doesn't mess around offering ump-teen different drills. They just make a basic "one size fits all" model that will meet all needs and they do it darn well. I only wish Porter Cable could put a quick lock removable cord on their drills like Milwaukee does, but that feature is patented. I have the 3/8 inch drill from Porter Cable as well. What a team they make!

Overall the template is well made. The one let down is that the t-knobs on the set screws tend to slip. I'm replacing them with hex head screws. It will take a bit more time to set the location of the pins but I'll be sure they won't slip.

I FINALLY BROKE DOWN AND BOUGHT THE PORTER CABLE ADJUSTABLE DOVE TAIL TEMPLATE FOR MY OMNI JIGS IN THE SHOP. I HAD BEEN USING MY LEIGH JIG WHEN I NEEDED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THE LOCATION OF THE DOVE TAILS. WELL TO SAY THE LEAST IT WAS EASIER TO SET UP THAN THE LEIGH JIG IS. AS FOR THE QUALITY, IT WAS SUPER. IF IT HAD BEEN ANYTHING BUT IT WOULD NEVER BE USED IN MY SHOP, NOR WOULD I HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO SET HERE AND WRITE ABOUT IT. I ALSO NOTICED IN DEC. 2000 AMERICAN WOOD WORKER MAG. STATED THAT THE LEIGH JIG IS THE ONLY JIG WITH THE ADJUSTABLE TEMPLATE. I FEEL THEY NEED TO RESEARCH THEIR ARTICLES BETTER. ANYWAY, AFTER ALL THE YEARS I HAVE BEEN BUILDING HIGH END CUSTOM FURNITURE I HAVE FOUND THAT IF ITS NOT THE VERY BEST I CAN BUY, I DONT WANT IT. THATS WHY I FEEL THAT IF MY FURNITURE IS NOT ABSOLUTLY PERFECT ITS NOT LEAVING MY SHOP, THIS TAKES THE VERY BEST IN EQUIPMENT. I HOPE YOU TRY THE ADJUSTABLE TEMPLATE IN YOUR SHOP, I KNOW YOU WILL LOVE IT AS I DO. I NOW HAVE 2 24 IN OMNI JIGS AND A 16 IN AND I AM GOING TO LEAVE THE ADJUSTABLE ON ONE OF THE 24 IN JIGS. SO LONG FOR NOW, THANKS FOR READING MY REVIEWS. JAMES

To whom it may concern: The unit was sent promptly and the people at Detailers paradise have been very helpful. This product is the best I have ever used. I have polished my boat and my cars with excellent results. Since receiving my polisher I have ordered other related products on -line and also from Detail Paradise. Keep up the good response times and the customer relations. I am very pleased. Five Stars Rating

Duane Bracken

I've been converted from the old "tried and true" method of detailing (everything done by hand) for several years and started out with a Craftsman 10" R/O ergonomically correct polisher. After seeing and realizing the 100% improvement machine detailing really is, it was time to "fine tune" my work efforts. After spending hours on the tube and trying several different R/O polishers at local body and detailing shops, it was plain (at least to me), the Porter-Cable 7336SP R/O was my machine of choice. I own 3 vehicles but my pride and joy is a 2001 Navy Metallic Blue Corvette Convertible. The car, while elegant and beautiful, presents several difficult body areas to clean, polish and wax. I purchased the appropriate cleaning, polishing and waxing accessories (look at Meguiar's line - outstanding) and went to work. I can categorically state, without the least hesitation, the Porter-Cable 7336 SP is the best unit the "almost professional" weekend detailer can purchase. Its balance is perfect. After 3 to 5 hours of use, your arms and hands are not tingling. Using the machine with one hand on the hood and trunk was almost effortless. The weight, matched with the correct speed, was perfect. No need to bear down. The unit has more power than the average user would ever use (I never got beyond a 5 setting). If you select your accessories wisely and correctly, the Porter-Cable 7336SP will make your life alot easier and make your car look far better the looks hand polishing could ever hope to attain. DD - Whiteland, IN

RECEIVED AS ADVERTISED

This is a superior sandpaper to other sandpaper rolls I have tried. It seems to clog less fequently than other types of sandpapers I have used. I would recommend it to anyone.

I bought the P-C 891 Router and the P-C 698 Table, supposedly compatible. I ordered the 75301 Height Adjuster because it looked like a great help for adjusting the motor height from above. But there are no HOLES in the TABLE to pass this Adjuster through! The folks at Porter Cable admit they forgot to provide holes for the 890/891/892 router motor, and they are very nice about this, but told me yes, I really have to drill two holes in the table to use this gadget! The table comes with plenty of other holes to accomodate the attachments, motors, etc. so it seems a shame that they did not make two holes for the ht. adjuster. Actually it's not hard to reach underneath to open and close the locking lever and twist the original height adjuster. I just don't know if I want to drill out the table yet.

This product makes adjusting router height virtually effortless. Insert it through one hole in the table and unlock the clamp, them insert it through the other hole and adjust the height while watching the callibrated dial rotate on the table. Then return to the first hole to lock the clamp again. No need to crawl under the table and find the adjustment screws.

This would be a perfect product if they included the step adapter for various tools. Charging another $17 for the small adapter is a little much, but otherwise this accessory makes a great shop vacuum fantastic.

I have an older model Porter Cable vacuum. (model #7810) After having the vacuum for a while, I liked it so much that I wanted to get an accessory kit so that I could do a few more things with it than just using it primarily as a dust collector for my sander. I bought the 78110 accessory kit about three months ago, and since then have been completely satisfied with it. The thing I like most about it is that it has metal extensions rather than just plastic extensions like many of the other competitors. The different brushes and wands have enabled me to use this for a ton of different applications ranging from vacuuming my car to cleaning up some of my furniture. Overall, this has been a great investment for me! Great job Porter Cable!

These bulbs provide a strong beam which is much better than conventional flashlights. They are what makes the 19.2 volt PorterCable worklight such a great tool. ( See my review ) One point I must make though; the filament in these bulbs is subject to breaking by a good rap from dropping the light or whacking it fairly hard on something, especially when working in cold temperatures, hence the 4 star rating. I have broken two since I bought my light in November. Thank goodness the folks at PorterCable had the foresight to include a spare bulb holder in the head of the light, behind the screw off lens. I always keep a pack or two of these bulbs on hand in my PorterCable carrying case.

Very good and bright bulbs. Seem to handle alot of abuse from dropping the light. Recommend the 19.2 volt porter cable light andf these bulbs to anyone. It's dark when I get home from work everyday in the winter so I use this every day.

Just got this generator today. I bought this unit because of the high surge wattage rating figuring that I could hook my 15A compressor up to it.

Solid unit with easy start engine, 1 pull was all it took after taking it out of the box and filling it with oil and gas. Did some initial testing and set the idle control to ON and plugged in a 3/8 drill and power was immediately there when I pulled the trigger on the drill. Unplugged the drill and plugged in my Porter-Cable 3HP/4Gal double stack 135psi compressor. Turned on the compressor and it tripped the GFCI breaker in about 2 seconds. This compressor NEVER trips the 15A circuit in my house that I usually have it plugged into. However, according to the manual, they recommend turning off the idle control when powering large motors. So I flipped the idle off and turned the compressor back on and away I went with no tripped breaker. So much for getting those 9000 surge watts from idle. Noise from the generator was tolerable.

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Works great for my emergency needs, house power backup. Just be sure you read the instructions. If you are trying to run 1 HP or greater motors from this unit as one reviewer did you may have issues. Honda recommends 5500 W RATED not MAX Power for 1 HP motors much less a 3 HP motor as these type motors require at least three times (3X) greater starting power than they do running power! If you match your LOAD requirements and types of loads e.g. resistive loads (toasters, hot plates, convention ovens, welders), reactive loads (refrigerators, washers, air compressors, well pumps)to manufacturer's instructions you can find the right size generator for your needs and avoid problems. This generator provides good consistant power within the range for which is rated.

I bought this level with great enthusiasm. It had three laser levels on it that would greatly assist in many tasks. I was disappointed when I finally received the level and wanted to use it. After placing the level on a level surface I needed to mark, up the wall, several locations for holes that would be perpendicular to the surface I was leveling. I thought the level would show a laser line going up the wall that I could use as a guide. Instead, all it did was project a red dot onto the ceiling. This reduced the usefulness of the lasers, for what I had intended it for.
Short of this little drawback, the level is excellent. It's well made and I get a great deal of use from it.

The level is very compact, but joyously useful. Well made and finished, I have used it for shooting straight lines across my property for marking a future garage location. I just walk along, looking for the bright red dot to show up on me, or on stakes that I drive. You must look carefully in bright sunlight, but in cloudy, shady, or twilight conditions, the dot is visible at a substantial distance. Also have found the 90 degree projections handly in squaring up corners.

I must start by saying that I know people who purchased Porter Cable random orbit sanders years ago that got good service out of them. However, in the past year every one I have seen has worn out within a month. I run a cabinet shop. four of my employees (skilled cabinet makers) bought new Porter Cable r.o. sanders last year. Every one of them either had a motor or bearing burn out within a month. Two of them were replaced by the dealer with new sanders, which also lasted about a month. The other two were not replaced because the bearings are not covered by the warranty. When I politely contacted Porter Cable about this, they said too bad, so sad. We have had great luck with Dewalt, Ridgid, and Bosch.

After prematurely retiring a DeWalt, based on the positive reviews for the 333VS I purchased one. I'm a woodworker who realistically spends about 2-4 hours/week in the shop during the winter/spring/fall (Texas summers are too hot).

This sander worked great out of the box - I was happy with the dust collection and the performance (swirl pattern invisible after final 220 grit pass on Cherry).

After about 5-8 hours of continuous use (mind you, it took me > 1 year to use it for 5 hours) the variable speed went. The sander would not operate if the speed was set less than the max. I contacted Porter Cable, they referred me to their list of service centers since the warranty had expired. I procrastinated since it was still operational and after another hour of use, it was dead.

I was quoted ~ 2/3 of the purchase price to repair, so this one isn't getting repaired.

I'm very dissappointed with the reliability of this sander, which normally isn't a concern with Porter Cable. Most of all, I'm dissappointed that Porter Cable would not stand behind their products in the event of an obvious manufacturing defect, which I believe this was.

The drive belt and the sanding pad wear out way too soon. I'm constantly changing these items and I only use the sander two or three times a week. The sander does a good job. No swirl marks etc. I like the variable speed option. It's too bad the parts don't hold up. Porter Cable could make the pad better with very little excess cost. It's the same old story-planned obsolesence.