Customer Reviews

Porter-Cable 360VS 12 Amp 3-Inch by 24-Inch Variable Speed Belt Sander

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you are looking for a professional belt sander, this is the one to own. Porter-Cable invented the belt sander, and this shows why they are still the industry leader. The 12 amp motor does not bog down. The swivel feature on the dust bag will keep it out of your way, and it's quiet, unlike many competitive models. Simply put, it does it's job, and does it well.

I purchased this sander when they first came out. The dust pickup is not as good as the older model. The dust inlet is located on top of the driver roller. The older model (pre-whisper) had the dust inlet located at the back, near the bottom, of the driver roller, which pckup a lot better. The problem is enhanced with the lower variable speeds.

This sander is very high quaility, and will last for years. It is very powerful, you can sand anything in about 1/2 time compared to a normal belt sander, because you can put so much pressure on it. It works great and the dust bag is great, it holds alot of dust and has yet to rip. The sander is also very stable, ive used it for hours with no fatigue. the speed is also very easy to adjust, just with a simple flick of your thumb. I highly reccomend this belt sander.

This machine is a very well-built tool. On the downside, it is very heavy. The variable speed is controlled by a rotary knob on the handle instead of on the switch. This can be a plus as well as a minus. Overall I am very satisfied.

This a fine quality machine. It really is very basic and quite simple in its design. Although not as refined as some sanders out there this unit does one thing well. SAND.The ability to adjust the speed is a must on any sander.This tool will easily withstand the daily rigors of loading and unloading your work truck.I do recommend upgrading the sanding shoe and I wish porter cable offered that as a standard.From the rugged american craftsmanship to its simplicity and fair price this tool is a big hit.Two thumbs up on this one.Now get out there and sand something.

This sander literally is a horse!!!!! Big,heavy,and powerful. So powerful I dial the variable speed back to control it. Very hard to control at the fastest speed.Dust collection is good but not superb like the makita 9910 3x18 I also own.Heavy weight increases stock removal. Works great for leveling tables.

As a reviewer I have to be honest about this sander. It is a real nice powerful sander and I find it on a par with my old Black and Decker as far as noise goes. The only complaint I have and this was a big one for me is that when I tried to get in close to a wall a bulge on the side kept the sander out about three quarters of an inch. It's a good thing I didn't give the old Black and Decker away because I had to put it back to work to get in close. If your not doing floors then you would be purchasing a fine machine.

My husband bought this sander to replace one like it that he had owned for quite some time. The one he had for over 15 years was a work-horse. This new one is just not of the same quality. He said it seems cheap, almost like a knock-off. The old one works better than this new one. He isn't happy with the quality of this new one.

I've had this sander for four years, and use it extensively. It has a good design, and is well built. It is light enough to be held with one hand for scribing, and stable enough for flat sanding.
On the down side - the dust bag is a joke. It never worked right, and tore and fell off after a month. It also gets hot after a few minutes of hard, constant use. But I've also had no down time with it. It handles well, and made to last. If you do a lot of flat sanding, I'd recommend a heavier sander. For all around service though, it's a keeper.

The dust collection doesn't work. Take the side cover off and see for yuorself, Porter Cable blocked the rear dust collection port with a strip of metal. They put the port onthe top which is useless. Remove the strip and the fanand use a vacuum or buy a different sander.