Sander question

[James Ayars]

Anyone have an opinion on the Porter Cable 340k quarter sheet sander? Lowes has them on close out marked down from $50 to $34. Many thanks.

James

[Joseph N. Myers]

Anyone have an opinion on the Porter Cable 340k quarter sheet sander? Lowes has them on close out marked down from $50 to $34. Many thanks.

James

James,

I have both the PC 330 and the PC 340 (not sure what the 340k is). The 330 is great had it some 10 years. The 340 I've had some 3 years, used it twice and really disappointed with it. The sandpaper holder is difficult to use, it is 1/2 the weight of the 330 (in this case, weigh is good in this case), it oscillates and makes a lot of noise but doesn't seem to get much work done and the dust collector thing looks good on paper but pretty worthless.

If you only use it occasionally, probably would work for you. But it you use it more than once a week, I'd go with something else.

Regards, Joe

[James Ayars]

Thanks Joe,
I'm suprised as I thought PC would make a first rate sander. I looked at the reviews of the 340k on Amazon and some liked it, but others shared your experience.
James

[Bob Winkler]

I have an older Hitachi without dust collection, and the PC 340K, which I bought because of dust collection. I prefer to use the Hitachi, which is smoother and better at sanding.

But if I can't sand outside, I use the PC connected to my Fein miniturbo vac. I can put up with the PC because of its dust collection with a vac. Dust collection without a vac is not very good.

Bob

[James Ayars]

Bob, What model is the Hitachi you have? I have a couple Hitachi tools, cordless drill and angle grinder, and like them a great deal.
James

[Steve Clardy]

I have a 330 also. Totally different animal toward a 340k.
330 is more of a production sander, at about a $100.00
Seldom use it anymore though, unless I need to get into a corner I can't with a ros sander.

[Jim W. White]

I have a 340 which I've relegated to the job of knocking down finishes. It is constantly loaded with either 320 or 400 grit paper. It does a good job at that but I would no ty to use it for anyhing else. It is not a very "effective" orbital sander.

...Jim in Idaho

[James Ayars]

Thanks for the answers. I guess the 340k is off the list. I have a B&D palm sander my inlaws gave me last year and it works pretty good. It vibrates a lot and perfect quarter sheets don't fit as good as I would like, but it gets the job done. No reason to spend money on another if it's not a significant improvement. Thanks
James

[Chris Barton]

Hi James,

I will be the outlier here and say that my PC340 has been a great machine, the dust control is excellent and it does a great job. I have had it about a year now without anything I could even remotely call a complaint. If I had to buy another I would without blinking an eye. But, that's just my experience with it. In fact, I used it to do a good bit of the finish sanding on this Federal style card table base.

[James Ayars]

Chris, my sander would have to come from Fantasy Island before I could turn out a piece of furniture like that.
James

[Ken Garlock]

James, I have had the PC 340 for about 5 years. The only problem I have had is needing to replace the foam rubber pad that the sandpaper crosses. It is usually the hand sander I use because any sheet of sandpaper will fit it with just some folding and cutting. A quarter sheet sander is exactly that, fold up a 9x11 sheet and cut it up into quarters, no special sanding pads to buy. I couldn't be easier. I also have a DeWalt ROS that doesn't get nearly the use of the PC machine.

My experience has been good, and I would buy it again. For the money you can't go wrong.

[JayStPeter]

I have one of the PC340s. I use it very occasionally when my ROS won't get into an area. For example, I used it on a table apron where the spinning ROS disk would've just been eating at the table top. I consider it my last resort before hand sanding. It buzzes like crazy, about 10 minutes to tingling. Dust collection, even when attached to a vac, is not good. The foam pad seems to self destruct. It's very slow compared to a ROS.
All that said, it's earned the $40 I paid for it by getting into corners and doing some dirty work that I didn't want to ruin my good sanders on :rolleyes: .

Jay

[Jeff Singleton]

I have a Dynabrade Dyna Bug and it works better then any electric palm sander. It's a little blue monster that spit out dust like a DA. Agressive little beast. Uses 3x4 hook and loop paper. Paper is hard to find so I bought 3" rolls from Kingspor and cut my own. Price was $140 and worth it.

Jeff Singleton:D

[James Ayars]

Well, since I already have an adequate 1/4 sheet sander(B&D) I decided against the PC 340. Instead I picked up a PC 333k RO. I wish I had done it sooner. The quarter sheet sander was worlds above hand sanding but that RO is worlds above the 1/4 sheet. Little vibration, little dust and super smooth with just 150 and 220 grit paper.

I did notice that it left the grain raised a bit on plywood. Any suggestions? Many thanks for the comments and feedback during my sander saga. Your responses really helped me make a choice that I am hapy with
James