Porter Cable Belt Sander – The Right Tool for the Job
April 10th, 2010 | Published in Cable Chain
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Most people who enjoy woodworking either as a hobby or as a career own a belt sander; Porter Cable makes one of the best rating sanders on the market. This type of sander work buy spinning a belt of sandpaper at a high rate of speed around two drums located at either end of the sander. The underside features a steel plate that the sandpaper runs across and is used to actually apply pressure against the wood that is being sanded.
The Porter Cable belt sander is considered a rough cut tool as it is designed to take off large amounts of wood very quickly. This tool is commonly used for jobs that require the removal of paint or many other finishes from wood or many other surfaces. Most belt sanders use a belt that is either 3 inches or 4 inches wide. These belts are available in a wide variety of grits from very coarse to cut the fastest to fine for the last finishing cut before you apply whatever finish you have in mind.
One thing to keep in mind when you are looking at a belt sander, the wider the belt is the more area you will be able to cover in a single pass. At the same time you also need to realize that the wider belt makes the sander more difficult to handle. If you have never used a belt sander or do not have a reasonable amount of strength in your hands and wrists, you may want to stick with a narrower belt model.
You will find that you can buy a Porter Cable belt sander with either a 3 inch or 4 inch belt to suit your needs. Many of their models feature a variable speed control so that you are always in control of how fast the sander is cutting the material you are working on. The size of the electric motor in your belt sander also makes a significant difference in how well it is going to work. If you are going to be using your sander for frequent heavy work you will be much better off with a larger motor.
If you are going to use your Porter Cable belt sander for lightweight finishing work you will be much better off buying one with a smaller belt and a less powerful motor. Many craftsmen actually have several different models in their tool cabinet so that they have the right tool for the job.