Porter-Cable Reviews

I've been in the construction industry for 20+ years and use screwguns on a daily basis. I have used many other screwguns but over the past 5 years it's been hard to find a good screwgun. (Quality always seems to be sacrificed for price). I decided to try your product and was very pleased with it's ease of use and consistancey in screw depth. (counter sinking) This is by far the best screw gun on the market today, I've tried Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee and Black & Decker. Non perform like the Porter Cable. Word of advice, Most people use this product on wood construction, the 4000 rpm model is not as good on wood as the 2500 model. Faster is not always better.

I have been using this model for about a year now and am extremely pleased with the overall performance. A great all around screw gun for drywall due to easy twist depth adjustment. Easy to remove nose for all other assembly needs. Takes a beating too. I have had AEG, Makita and Dewalt screw guns and by far, this is my favorite. Handy metal case has upper tray for extra tips and accessories. Take it from a pro...."You can't go wrong with this one!"

When I bought my P-C 690 I should have gotten both plung & fixed bases. Now I have a realy usefull tool, in this lightweight router.

Porter Cable's 6931 Plunge router base is an excellent buy. It adds versatility to the #693. I highly recommend purchasing this item for anyone that does not want to go to the expense of purchasing an entire router just to have the plunge feature.

I HAVE OWNED MANY ROUTERS AND LAMINATERS SINCE THEY HIT THE MARKET IN THE VERY BEGINNING. I OWN SEVERAL ROUTERS TODAY AS WELL AS A PORTER CABLE LAMINATER. THIS LAMINATER HAS PROVEN TO BE THE ABSOLUTE HANDISET TOOL IN MY BOX. CAN'T POSSIBLY DUE WITHOUT IT. i HAVE PROBLELY 7 ROUTERS, AND 5 ARE PORTACABLE. I HAVE OWNED STANLEYS, BOSCH, DEWALT, AND SEVERAL JUNKERS LIKE SEARS AND RYOBIA. NOTHING HAS BEEN BETTER TO ME THAN THE PORTER CABLE. PORTER CABLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A QUALITY TOOL, EVEN WAY BACK BEFORE THEY SOLD TO ROCKWELL AND ROCKWELL RAN THEM DOWN AND THEY CAME BACK AND BOUGHT OUT ROCKWELL. THEY IMMEADIATELY BROUGHT THE COMPANY BACK TO THE TOP WHERE THEY RIGHTFULLY BELONG. I COULD SPEND ANOTHER PAGE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT AND UNUSUAL THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS TOOL. IF YOU ARE A PERSON WHO DOES DO FIND WOODWORKING, OR WANTS TO, YOU MUST GET ONE OF THESE FIND TOOLS.

GARY AUDET @ TRISTATEHOME@AOL.COM

I haven't had any problems with this laminate trimmer. I even use it to do some light-weight routing. Changing bits isn't even as hard and doesn't take as long as I previously thought it would.

Its Great.. Buy It.. I own it its BRAND NEW IN THE BOX

This is a great grinder. The switch is very easy to use and locks on. At the tap of your thunb, it will unlock. The guard swivels 360 degrees. It also has a wheel lock button to make blade changes easy. At 6.6 amps, it has plenty of power for my usage. The handle can be removed or moved to the other side of the tool. It feels well balanced and has a long cord. I really can't find any faults with this tool. I've always had great luck with Porter Cable tools and this is no exception.

Let me tell ya, this drill is insane. It will rip your arms out of their sockets, if you don't hang on. I have had this drill for almost a year. I once torque through a piece of solid ash with a 7-1/8 inch(special order bit) self-feeding hole hawg bit. It did not even bog down. The detachable pipe handle is great for extra leverage when controlling its awesome power. I do electrical work, and I'm constantly drilling holes through studs and rafters. I use hole saws between 3/4 and 5-7/8. I even once used this arm-ripping machine to drill through 13 inches of cement with a 3/4-masonry bit. It was slow going but got the job done. My hammer drill was broken (Dewalt- what a mistake). I sometimes use it to loosen rusted nuts and bolts, up to 1-7/8 diameter. Overall this is a great tool, which can withstand the rigors of a jobsite. It has tremendous power to do anything. I am very pleased and I recommend this to the extremist, who will be boring extra large holes in a variety of materials. One problem- you might want to but a good brand of bits and accessories, you'll probably snap a few. Buy one- you'll never need another.

Let me tell ya, this drill is insane. It will rip your arms out of their sockets, if you don't hang on. I have had this drill for almost a year. I once torque through a piece of solid ash with a 7-1/8 inch(special order bit) self-feeding hole hawg bit. It did not even bog down. The detachable pipe handle is great for extra leverage when controlling its awesome power. I do electrical work, and I'm constantly drilling holes through studs and rafters. I use hole saws between 3/4 and 5-7/8. I even once used this arm-ripping machine to drill through 13 inches of cement with a 3/4-masonry bit. It was slow going but got the job done. My hammer drill was broken (Dewalt- what a mistake). I sometimes use it to loosen rusted nuts and bolts, up to 1-7/8 diameter. Overall this is a great tool, which can withstand the rigors of a jobsite. It has tremendous power to do anything. I am very pleased. I recommend this to the extremist, who will be boring extra large holes in a variety of materials. One problem- you might want to buy a good brand of bits and accessories, you'll probably snap a few. Buy one- you'll never need another.

Porter-Cable 7724 Big Capacity Variable-Speed Porta-Band Saw

I've owned one of these since November 1993, and can't think of a single thing that needs improvement.

- I've never had a blade pop off, break, bind in the work, or slip. Once it's mounted, it stays put; once you start cutting, it keeps going. Blade wheels have rubber "bands" on them for blade traction, similar to what you find on wood cutting band saws. (Store the tool with tension released so as not to damage the rubber bands or stretch the blade.)

- designed for right-handed users, as the blade is on the left where you can watch it.

- variable speed works flawlessly, but isn't like what you find on a hand drill, where the trigger controls the speed. On this tool, you set the speed dial from 1 (slow) to 6 (fast) or any point in between, based on what you're cutting - when you pull the trigger, the machine soft-starts and quickly attains the selected speed. This action allows you to gently set the blade on the piece, then pull the trigger. The speed dial clicks as you move it, so it won't slip to a different speed by itself.

- ergonomically perfect for my large hands - there are no sharp places or pinch points; fit & finish is 1st rate. Front and rear handle are just right for getting a solid grip on the saw.

- the steel tool case is very nice (it's also huge: 11" x 10.5" x 24.5", but it's a big tool). Has metal clasps and an all steel, rounded handle for comfort.

- cuts very fast when the blade is sharp.

- low profile design allows it to fit in tighter spaces than most other portable band saws. With the motor in the rear, your view of the material being cut is better than machines with the motor in the middle of the unit.

- maximum cut is 4 3/4" by 4 3/4", the same as the other deep cut portable band saws.

- exudes quality. Mostly metal, no vibration when in use, no sparks, smooth as silk, sounds like a quality machine when it's on, everything works as expected.

- blade is well controlled with three roller bearings on each side of the opening.

- blade changes, which are very infrequent, couldn't be simpler or faster. Release the tension (front lever), slip off the old blade, slide on the new one slipping it through the blade roller bearings, re-tension blade.

- even the electric cord is just right - soft flexible rubber, 3-prong, and 10' long.

- have never needed more power.

Summary:

Unquestionably a 5 star tool. First rate in every aspect.

These are excellent saws. The variable speed is great for changing the speed to cut different materials such as steel and aluminum. The motor is mounted back out of the way and out of your line of sight. By far the best design on the market. Don't waste money on the Chi-Com knockoffs, invest in the real thing. I currently own 2 of these.

Starts first or second pull, pulls easy, runs everything!!! I paid less for this than some sites sell the 12 horse Vanguard engine for (and got free shipping!)

I was recently a victim of hurricane Jeanne in Florida. The generator ran everything in my house including a window unit air conditioner. It would run for about 8 hours before it needed refueling and it was not that loud. I used the generator for 4 days solid and it never missed a beat. I would recomend this generator to anyone.

This is a great package. I have built a large addition and used this gun for the entire project. I had no problem driving nails flush through engineered laminated beams, not the case with a Senco nailer which had trouble with this material. A great deal for the occasional user.

Excellent package deal, ...Gun works great with Paslode, and Stanley nails....havent tried any others yet...Compressor has a high amp draw when starting...not a problem at all...short run time..Very Impressed with Product.

This kit contains almost everything you need to frame that addition or garage you've always wanted.

I was somewhat intimidated the first time I picked up the FR350 nail gun. It is 19 1/2" long and looked difficult to handle. However I was pleasantly surprised after using the gun; it is easy to handle, fairly light, and has plenty of driving power.

The 3 HP twin tank compressor is quieter than I expected compared to the large hot-water-heater-sized compressors I've used in shops. A rugged frame wraps around the entire compressor and the air controls and outlets are mounted securely to a thick metal plate. I looked at a lot of other compressors and many of them have the outlets hanging out in space attached only by the air tubing. One good pull on the air hose and those are done!

The compressor is a little heavy for me at 66 pounds but it's pretty well balanced. Carrying it with the tanks next to your body is easiest. Before you use the compressor for the first time, be sure to follow the break-in instructions (with no load.)

The air hose is 25 foot and you have to attach the included air fittings to it with teflon tape (also included) and a couple of your own wrenches. Buy another 25 or 50 foot of hose if you are going to build something large. Remember, always extend the air line, not the power line!

My only criticism about this entire kit is that it seems like this would be a natural purchase for a novice to air nailers. Unfortunately the only instructions included are for the nailer and compressor. No system level instructions are included. You are on your own to determine air pressure settings, the best nails to use (a nail chart would be nice-see senco's website for a good one) and other questions that a first-timer would have about pneumatic nailers.

Overall, though, a great kit!

I must say this combo set is hands down the best one out there. I am a contractor and I use this compressor on a daily basis with 2 of the FR350 nail guns hooked up and running at the same time and never get to low on air pressure. All I have to say is Porter-Cable has done it once again!! Keep up the great job.

Although I unfortunately paid over $20 more for this tool somewhere else, it was still a bargain. It has a replaceable soft rubber nose that is gentle on wood surfaces. It is the most versatile of all the finish nailers I looked at, with a size range of 3/4 to 2 1/2 inches! In my testing, it perfectly countersunk each size exactly without adjustment between sizes. If only Amazon had this site when I was looking earlier!

The gun itself is one of those old reliables. Low maintenance and dependable. The bag is very durable and saves tons of space compared to those plastic cases and just the fact that it has a shoulder harnes really frees your hands up when your luggin equipment around a job sight.