Porter Cable 7335 ROS

[prscustom24]

Once upon a time I was in these threads researching for a good VS ROS, and the Porter Cable 5" model 7335 got good reviews. So I bought one. 

So yeah it sands great and I appreciate the dust collection.

Here's what's not so great about it: the adapter disks, whether hook & loop or psa, don't store well for any length of time. The next time you set up for a sanding operation, they're good for maybe 100 revolutions before they simply disintegrate. Your warning is a few seconds of wobble as the foam starts breaking up, throwing the disk out of balance, followed by an explosion of big chunks all over your work. Now that it's happened twice, I've learned to recognize the symptoms.

My shop is heated and cooled so these things don't see temperature/humidity extremes.

Long term, the best feature of this tool is its dust collection hose, which, with its several adapters, allows me to hook it up to my shop DC system for a variety of tools. 


Otherwise, 

[giradman]

OK - not sure what you are asking, e.g. have you tried other brands of sanding discs or do you want suggestions of getting a different sander (and if so, what are your specific needs).  Dave

[BrentDH]

I have the same problem.  I think I exploded two backer pads and then gave up.  Mine has been sitting in a closet collecting dust for a couple years because I refuse to pay good money for another backer pad that won't last.  I also make good use out of the vacuum hose like you said, but the sander is a bust.  I have been happy with all my other porter cable purchases but they need to figure something out about those backer pads.  If anyone has a solution I would love to hear it so I can put it back to use.

[kurt18947]

I have that sander and haven't had any problems with it. My last hook & loop pad was purchased probably 10+ years ago, I haven't had the need for that tool much lately. I wonder if the new ones are "value engineered" like some of P-C tools seem to be these days.

[daddo]

I replaced mine this year with a Makita, but then I found the part I needed for 5 bucks and fixed it (The PC). Over the 10-15 years I've had it, I replaced the pad only once in all this time, and now I'm using it again. That sander has seen many many hours of running- and still works good (Made in USA) if I remember.

Perhaps the newer ones made 'wherever" like all the other tools, are sub rate now.

[Mike in kc]

I've used mine a lot for the past ten years and the only down side is that I've spent maybe fifteen bucks on electricity.   Never a moments problem with it.

[Stwood_]

The last new pads I bought I got some off brands from a Ebay seller.
6" pads (psa) were like $7.00 each with free shipping. They've been good pads.
For another 3 bucks I think, they had a 2-3 year free replacement if they went kapootie.

[prscustom24]

OK - not sure what you are asking, e.g. have you tried other brands of sanding discs or do you want suggestions of getting a different sander (and if so, what are your specific needs).  Dave

1. I have at least six different brands of discs in PSA and H&L, so I'm thinking it's not the medium, it's the PC backers.

2. I don't appear to be alone in this: PC has a materials problem with their backers that others have experienced as well.

3. in the interim I purchased a single-speed orbital sander for about the price of 2 or 3 replacement PC backer pads. We'll see how this goes. . . .