Customer Reviews

Porter-Cable 371K 2 1/2 by 14-Inch Compact Belt Sander Kit

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This is a very handy little sander. Very ergonomic. Two safety concerns: 1) Portions of the chassis get very hot very quickly. It's easy to burn yourself. 2) Belt tracking is adjusted by turning a small plastic knob that functions as a bolt head. The bolt shaft is threaded into the chassis. There is a spring that surrounds the bolt shaft, and is therefore trapped between the chassis and the bolt head. This spring is under compression, which creates an outward force against the inside of the bolt head. This force prevents the adjustment knob from "walking" out of adjustment when the sander is running. Unfortunately, the spring is not strong enough to do its job, and the tracking must constantly be adjusted. Worse, the creeping of the adjustment knob is in the direction that causes the belt to work its way off the platen. This could result in workpiece damage, or even an injury to the operator. I'm going to replace the spring with a much stronger one to try and corect this problem.

When I saw the first ad for this Porter Cable Compact Belt Sander, I had to have it. Having is not as sweet as wanting, unfortunately. It gets hot, REAL HOT! If I'm going to be using it more than just a couple of minutes I have to put on gloves, it gets that hot. Also the belt tracking has to adjusted almost constantly, a real pain in the rear. It is, however, good for getting into tight spaces, but being as compact and powerful as it is, it can get away from you before you know it, it really takes two hands to keep this little beast under control.

My other belt sander is a Bosch 3"x21" model that is much more refined, it's very easy to control and on large surfaces I run it one-handed quite frequently with no problems, there's no problem with heat and I never, I repeat NEVER have to adjust the Tracking!

Bottom line: I wish I had just saved my money. Because of the heat and tracking issues, I just really don't like using this sander, though It does look very cool on the shelf as a $119.00 paper weight.

UPDATE: I decided to try Mirka belts and was surprised to find that the tracking issues all but disappeared, AND, it doesn't seem to get as hot (perhaps because I haven't had to run it as long since the Mirka belts work as well as they do). I've come to the conclusion that Black & Decker companies don't make the best sandpaper. Switch to Mirka, I think you'll be pleased with the results.

I've had this sander for about 3 weeks; I first tested it on rough cut red oak, worked great! Since, I've refinished pine, sanded scribe lines on counter tops and smoothed off a piece of old roofing slate to make chalk board. It's about the size of a small loaf of bread, Very light and plenty of power. The case is a real plus; I cut out the little divider now I can fit extra belts and a eraser in it as well. Once you adjust the belt tracking it stays put. The vacuum attachment is great when I'm using it in the shop. I highly recommend this sander for jobs where those big 3"X21" sanders are just too unwieldy. You can be much more delicate with this sander.

When I first saw this product I had to have it. I use portable belt sanders like shaping tools in my kind of carpentry. I was surprised that the belt alignment knob was soo touchy. The knob allows the belt to dis-align while working the stock. Uh, bummer. The other only complaint is that it does not
come with a bag attachment, only a vacum hose port. I like to have the freedom of sharp quick movement, which a vacum hose hinders. It has good power and has fine balance.

This is a great little sander, compact, powerful, easy to handle & use. The only downside is, since it is brand new, finding sanding belts to fit is a problem. No going to the local hardware or Home Depot, have to order on-line & wait a few days. Other than that, it is a great product.

I was immediately intrigued when this belt sander came on the market - I always felt there needed to be a more diminutive belt sander for certain operations, things that a quarter sheet palm sander or a oscilating disk sander just are not right for (for one example, our company often has to taper the end of a baluster - this is the tool for the job). Also keep in mind that many people find a larger belt sander hard to control without gouging the workpiece. So I ordered one. As soon as it arrived, it had celebrity status - there are one hand and detail operations that the other four trim capenters I work with immediately took to this tool to perform, and I am adding a second one to our inventory soon.

Bottom line - this tool is a great asset to any trim carpenter, but any woodworker, particularly for a one personfurniture making operation or Saturday handyman should buy a 3" x 21" belt sander first, then back it up with this one as you build your tool arsenal (or buy a 3" x 18" belt sander if you don't see yourself ever buying a second belt sander). Also be aware that Home Depot and Lowe's, as well as most brick and mortar retailers don't (yet) carry these new to market small sanding belts (even though they sell the sander itself). This means you will most likely have to get them on Amazon or the like, so you'll have to maintain a stock of belts to avoid having a project suddenly come to a standstill waiting for shipping turn-around times. Ultimately, you'll probably never regret owning any Porter Cable belt sander.

This is a great little sander that I find myself using more and more. While it certainly isn't as aggressive as a full size belt sander, for a smaller project, it's handy and gets the job done. It's light enough to use it with one hand, and it's small size gets it into tight spots. I've taken off the front handle a few times to get even closer to edges. I'm a hardwood flooring contractor, and the 60/80 belts can handle oak flooring easiliy. It won't replace a random orbital, for fine work, or a belt for bigger jobs, but you'll use it more than you think.
My only gripe is that the belts are too expensive. But the model is brand new, and they'll get cheaper over time, with some more competition.

Got this as a gift and really like it. It is a nice bridge between my full size belt sander and a random orbit sander. It is reasonably quiet. It sands faster than the random orbit, but I don't worry about tearing up my projects like a big belt sander can do.

Everbody knows that big bulky sanders are only useful for big projects. This sander is made for the little jobs but can easily do the big ones. I even sanded end grain and edge grain with sander. Everything came out perfectly square. Another great product from Porter Cable.

A belt sander is always an agressive tool which has to be used gingerly. I like this compact sander because it is small, light and easy to maneuver. The belt tracks well, can be adjusted easily. I will probably use it more than my heavy, large Bosch sander. The price is reasonable.