Porter-Cable TS's and DP's?

[Kev Godwin]

I stopped by Lowe's today and noticed they don't have any more Delta equipment in stock. All was sold out on clearance. They now have full sized machines such as drill presses and tables saws branded by Porter-Cable.

Haven't seen this before.:confused: Are they doing this line to focus on some price-point or to target buyers with this brand better known for electric hand tools?

When did the owners of P-C change the direction of this traditional name?
Kev

[Larry Edgerton]

When did the owners of P-C change the direction of this traditional name?
Kev

When they got swallowed up by D&D/Dewalt. Their new tools are not the same quality as the Porter Cable of old. There are a few of the old line left, but I'm sure eventually those too will be screwed up.

[Rich Engelhardt]

'bout a year and a half or so ago, B&D (parent of PC) dropped their Firestorm line and replaced it with PC.

IIRC, B&D announced that the PC line would be aimed at the retail consumer & DeWalt would take over the "professional" level.

Personally, I'm leary of even the traditional "gray" PC stuff - their routers, etc, that may look unchanged,,,,,but,,,who knows what they've done to the insides?

[Tony Shea]

It really is too bad that PC is going this route. They have been the standard for high quality routers and biscuit joiners that others based their designs around for some time. I will probably never own another PC tool again just due to the fact I don't know which one is which. IMO this is a terrible move for them.

[Curt Harms]

It really is too bad that PC is going this route. They have been the standard for high quality routers and biscuit joiners that others based their designs around for some time. I will probably never own another PC tool again just due to the fact I don't know which one is which. IMO this is a terrible move for them.

Not really. They neutered a major competitor.

[Steve Orbine]

...' Not really. They neutered a major competitor. '

I assume you mean they neutered PC. But now they own PC. So they neutered themselves? Huh, what?

It's a good time to stock up on PC equipment that's still around on eBay etc.. Picture yourself in 2020, reaching into the closet and pulling out a brand new old stock PC router made the old fashioned way. It's like putting away a good scotch for future you.

[Kev Godwin]

I did look over the Porter-Cable 14" bandsaw while I was there. I wasn't impressed at all. It did have two speeds but other than that, it had poor adjustment of the thrust bearings and the table tilt was machined too rough. They even fitted it with only a 2-1/2 inch dust port similar to a bench-top BS. Didn't have any method for a quick release and looked to be difficult to put an after-market release on it. It had most of the typical features of a low-end saw.

Thanks for the info on the new direction of Porter-Cable. :mad:
Kev

[Matt Meiser]

Nah, its a great move for them. Black and Decker has a terrible name. So can the B&D name, slap the Porter Cable name on the same junk tools and people will buy them because they are PC. Until PC has a bad name, then they can find some other name to buy. Its the American Way. Snap On, Honeywell, Coleman, Kawasaki, John Deere, and so on are all doing it either to themselves or through marketing agreements.

[Michael Arruda]

B&D
Van Dorn
Master Pneumatic Tools
Dewalt
Carbide Router Co.
Elu
Porter-Cable
Delta
DeVilbiss Air Power
Oldham Saw

All wholely owned by Black & Decker- there's more, but this is all the big names I could find on the "company history" page.

Buying a tool at a big box store today? It was more than likely made by B&D, Bosch or Hitachi, no matter what name may be on it.

It's really all a game- make the cheapest quality product you can and see how long the public will still buy it, trusting the brand name. What a shame; Porter and Cable used to be good names, then Porter-Cable was a good name... even after then Pentair buyout. quality has been going down since then, but it'll accelerate now. B&D has owned PC since 2004.

-Michael