Porter Cable SpeedBloc

[Leon]

While finishing a job for a customer today my PC SpeedBloc started making a lot of racket. On the end of the last board 4 pieces flew off the spring pad assembly and vibrated violently. So I took the opposite side spring off. That did not help at all.

To those of you that may have had a SpeedBloc and actually wore it out like I just did, have you found a better finish sander or did you buy another SpeedBloc? I fully intend to buy another this week unless there is a better finish sander.

I absolutely am not interested in replacing it with a ROS as I have a 15 year old PC right angle ROS and it still works great.

Thanks

[Dave W]

[Mike S.]

Leon, other then the shape what's the difference between the speedblock and the 340k palm sander?

[Eric Anderson]

I have both a 6" Dewalt right angle ROS and a variable speed 5" ROS (both hook & loop). The combo does everything I want for power sanding (except my Fein detail, of course). Tell me, what would I want the speedblock for? It just looks like an updated orbital sander from 20 years ago. The others have built-in vacuum holes and very little sawdust mess.

[Leon]

Sanding into square corners? CHEAP paper. Wears sand paper out as fast as my ROS.

It's just the first finish sander that actually was fun to use.

[Leon]

A buddy of mine bought the 340 and it does sand OK but IMHO the Steenboc just feels better and does not vibrate as much. It seems to not ever get hot even after several hours of continuous use. The design of the SpeedBloc has been around for many many years and it still endures.

[JGS]

Hi Eric, I love my SpeedBloc. While I wish it had dust collection, IMHO it does a better job with the final sanding (150 or

180 grit) than either of my ROSs. I use it with PSA paper as suggested by Le> I have both a 6" Dewalt right angle ROS and a variable speed 5" ROS

[Leon]

Problem solved. I bought a new replacement pad assembly and the sander runs like new.

[BUB 209]

You might want to go velcro as the paper has gotten pretty cheap (check out onlineindustrialsupply.com) It's worth considering if you are a professional and want to save time changing paper.

[Leon]

No Velcro for me. I have a Velcro sander and don't use it as the paper is not readily available "around the corner from me" and I do see not speed advantage. As it is right now I roll out a few inches of paper set the sander on it and tear the roll off at the edge of a table. The paper comes right off like the Velcro style. I also do this professionally.

BTY I checked the site you mentioned. I could not find Velcro sheets. The PSA paper that they did have was about 15% more than I pay down the street.