orbital sanders differnce?

[larry merlau]

i have 2 porter cable 333 sanders one has 2,4 amps 12,000 opm the other has 1.7amps and 12,000 opm.but this one runs half speed of the other, any ideas of why the slow one is the newer of the two. and neither are varible speed. thanks for any insight.

[David Roach]

Do you mean the motor it self is turning half the speed? Or the sanding disk itself?

[Jason Roehl]

The 1.7A version of the 333 does not have a "pad brake" on it. This device keeps the disk from spinning up to a high speed when lifted from the work surface. I have used both versions (1.7A and 2.4A), and that extra amperage does make a difference in material removal, and the pad brake keeps you from gouging the work when you set it back down. If you apply a little pressure to the 2.4A (w/brake) while sanding, you'll notice that the pad speeds up somewhat and is more aggressive. Of course, now I have been spoiled by the dual-mode Festool Rotex....

[larry merlau]

thanks jason, i didnt realize that they were differnt till it was to late. and as for what part was slower it seemed to be the pad and moter in combination, so maybe i should be looking towards a festool as well:) thanks again

[Jason Roehl]

Don't get me wrong, Larry--I personally think you can't beat the PC333's for the price. I have 2 myself (one standard and one VS). The Festool Rotex I have was purchased for our floor refinishing biz, and at $395, I wouldn't recommend it for the hobbiest, unless you just have gobs of money to throw at tools. I've used my PCs for everything, including sanding drywall--hooked to a shopvac with a drywall bag, they're hard to beat, plus they're small, lightweight and easy to control.

[Dan Mages]

I aslo have the PC 333 sander and I like it alot. I reccomend buying/making an alignment tool for the sandpaper. Aligning those holes can be a real PITA. The manual could use a little more detail. I'm still not certain when i should use the tool at what speed.

Dan