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I have only had limited use with this sander on only one project but the evidence is clear. Everyone should own one of these. This is the best sander I have ever used. It is easy to control, does not wear you out, and the dust collection is great. Pricey, yes. But worth every penny.
I had no difficulty with it. I used it to feather in my red oak floor instead of using an edger. I'm sold on hook/loop.Possible con:Be aware, the head is large, so if you have smaller hands it could be awkward as some people have mentioned. It holds the sander with lots of room for sanding discs.
Many times I zapped myself taking it off to empty. It has spent more time out of the case than in at any rate. The variable speed is nice. The pad isn't showing any signs of coming apart. So far it's working great.
I found 100+ grit in my application was glass smooth.My one complaint: The dust collector works well, and the suction through the pad holes is doing its job, but the dust which does escape is very, very, fine. This is the first tool I have with this type of hard plastic porous dust collector. are all factors which will add up to a result unique to your situation. The discs didn't wander on the pad. I figure if you can span a fingertip over a dollar bill, you should be easily ok.
The 80 grit left fine swirl marks across oak grain, but above that was ok. I bought this one based on other reviews of the 390. It's nice and super easy to clean, but the finest dust goes everywhere. A good dust mask is a must for large projects without a vac.Another interesting feature of this plastic dust collector: In dry weather, it builds up a massive amount of static.
Not painful, typical socks on carpet + doorknob type zaps.For normal sanding, especially if you have a vacuum, I couldn't fault this item. I'd buy it again, recommend it, or give one as a gift. This is the only "K" model difference in the 390 series as far as I'm aware.
I've used a variety of hook/loop discs, all worked fine. Spent less, got the case.The brake is great, the pad stops in 2-3 seconds. Under that will likely come down to personal preference or a two handed grip.I had no trouble with it wandering on me using grits from 60 to 120 on various woods.
I won't say this is the sander since paper, wood, pressure, etc. The case is ok, I got it because it was less $$ than the one without. Nice feature, that you don't realize you like until you switch it off the first time.4 instead of 5 stars because of dust collection without a vac, and other brands include a reducer/attachment for a shop vac, which for the $2 worth of plastic should be as common as included safety glasses in nailers.
I was surprised by the bulkiness of this sander, especially for a "low profile". I sent it back. In an unrelated complaint, I would recommend not using the return shipping label that Amazon provides, they billed me $20, which is crazy.
I have found the advertising for the PC Low Profile sander to be true. The top of the sander is larger than other sanders, so adjust how you normally grip. I've used Dewalt, Bosch, and Makita. So any product that will shorten that time is welcome. Only suggestion to Porter Cable would be to get rid of the stiff power cord for a more flexible one. The sander with 120 and high speed cleans Pine and Maple as fast as you can move the sander. As a finish carpenter, I spend a lot of time sanding. The hard dust collector is a second hand hold for me.
Scratches or dents, just a little longer. Put 80 on and slow it down a little and it removes wood quickly. Currently, using a Dewalt for 80 grit so I don't have to change discs, but I still go for the PC with 120 95% of the time. It may cost more, but it works.
Now, Porter-Cable comes out with the 390K which is almost twice as expensive, but claims to be extremely low on vibration, and doesn't bog down when heavy pressure is applied (this, a no-no, as it causes premature wear). The vibration level truly is the lowest of any Orbital I have ever used and the stock removal is fantastic. However, they do wear out after about two years of heavy use. I have used over six Porter-Cable random orbit sanders and always have at least four on hand for use on my Marquetry work. I obviously don't know how long this new model will last compared to my other P-C's, but I suspect it will be longer. I have used it daily for over two months and it continues to perform flawlessly.
To my great delight, the claims of smooth operation and excellent stock removal are not only true, but I believe have been understated.
The "experts" say heavy pressure does not mean more stock removal, but I have found this to be inaccurate.
Only 'cons' I have are 1) the price (though certainly worth it), and 2) the fact it comes with the 8-hole h&l pad.
I have found that the P-C's had the least vibration (though still more than I wanted) and the smallest orbit pattern.
The resultant swirl marks are also less intense in the coarser grades of paper.
Heavy pressure, at least with the Porter-Cables in the past, does remove more stock, but leaves pronounced swirl marks that have to be eliminated through progressivly finer grits, reducing pressure as the grit size becomes finer.
Because I keep several sanders at ready with different grit sizes, this is not an issue to me, as I find the resultant time spent is still less over-all, than if I tried to do the initial stages with "light" pressure.I purchased the 390K to see if the claims were even somewhat close to believable.
I prefer 5-hole because you get a little more surface area of grit on the work piece, and I use a vacuum dust exhaust so the extra holes are meaningless to me.
Even so, the additional cost over the earlier models is money well spent.
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