# Used PC sanders



## saskataper (Mar 6, 2011)

I've got a line on a couple used PC sanders with vacs that a rental shop is going to sell for dirt cheap as soon as they get them fixed, what should I be looking for to make sure they are in decent shape? I've only used one a couple time to take down texture.


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

saskataper said:


> , what should I be looking for .


 Someone that KNOWS a PC sander,,,,,,,:yes:


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

I guess that was a kinda short answer. I have one that i bought in 97. I would suggest that you plug it up and turn it on,,,, If it "comes on" it is probbly worth 1/2 the new price. JMO


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

The bearing in the head can give a bit of trouble. Check that you can rotate the disc easily by hand. If possible check the cable that it is in good nick. And make sure that it (the cable) is well greased, if they are ran dry they will cause wear to the sleve that it runs in. Start it up and listen with a criticil ear.
When you get it home take the plastic casing off and give it a good clean inside & lube the bearings on the motor, while you are there check the brushes. They are also a good guide to how much work the machine has done.


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## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

Check the armature on the motor, once thats worn it's time for a new motor, and like Gaz said make sure the cable is well lubed and in good nick.....expensive little sods.


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

Kiwiman said:


> Check the armature on the motor, once thats worn it's time for a new motor, and like Gaz said make sure the cable is well lubed and in good nick.....expensive little sods.


 I respectfully disagree with this,,,,,, I have a sander I bought in 97 and its still sanding. AS long as the brushes will hit the armetur,,, it WILL run.

I have ,,,,,NEVER,,,,,,,NEVER,,,,,, had to replace a motor,,,, I had a friend that did,,, but he bought a PC screwgun for 89 bucks,,, took the handle and the nose off it and dropped it in the sander.

Its really a fancy weed-eater with a screwgun moter,,:thumbup:

I do agree with lubing the cable,,,, every time you change brushes,,,, like twice a year,,,,, pull the cable,,,, get a "palm" full of "cable-lube" and grease the be-jesus out of it,,,, slip it back in,,, and your good to go for another 6 mths.

I could say JMHO,,, but I'm dead right on this one guys:yes:


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## Tim0282 (Jan 8, 2008)

I agree with The Capt. This has been my experience with them. 

Two votes the way he thinks!


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## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I respectfully disagree with this,,,,,, I have a sander I bought in 97 and its still sanding. AS long as the brushes will hit the armetur,,, it WILL run.
> 
> I have ,,,,,NEVER,,,,,,,NEVER,,,,,, had to replace a motor,,,, I had a friend that did,,, but he bought a PC screwgun for 89 bucks,,, took the handle and the nose off it and dropped it in the sander.
> 
> ...


And I must respectfully disagree with you right back at ya, my first porter cable armature got wore to the bone and it was going to cost half the price of a new sander here (so I replaced the whole sander), just beware that when it starts cutting out.... stop using it, you know what it's like when all you want to do is finish a job and to get the sander working you've got to smack it around a little.....thats the stuffed brushes stuffing the armature.


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

*Kiwi vs yanks*

cool, a fight









ill just sit back and keep stirring the


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## saskataper (Mar 6, 2011)

Thanks for the tips. I just hope they get em fixed soon I have 3 basements and a commercial job coming up and they would be a perfect place to start getting some practice with one. I'm sure they are all going to phone me on the same day to say they are ready for me.


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## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

2buckcanuck said:


> cool, a fight
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Look here you beaver loving closet sheep fiddler  
If I'm right and Capts right then there's no argument because....two wrongs don't make a right so then two rights must make a right........right?.............what was the question again?


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

Kiwiman said:


> And I must respectfully disagree with you right back at ya, my first porter cable armature got wore to the bone and it was going to cost half the price of a new sander here (so I replaced the whole sander), just beware that when it starts cutting out.... stop using it, you know what it's like when all you want to do is finish a job and to get the sander working you've got to smack it around a little.....thats the stuffed brushes stuffing the armature.


 Just how old was that motor????? My 97 model would have around ,,,80,000 sheets at least, on it., all the screw thingy's are broke, so I have to tape it together with duck tape every time I change brushes and grease the cable. The paint is coming off the shaft and it looks like it has lepersoy. I really do need to take a pic of it and show you how long a PC will last.

A new motor is 150.00 if you buy it from PC,,,the sander is 480.00 so how cum your spending that much on a motor(1/2 the price of a new one)????

Don't mess with me on PC's,,, I really do know em!!!!!:yes:


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## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Just how old was that motor????? My 97 model would have around ,,,80,000 sheets at least, on it., all the screw thingy's are broke, so I have to tape it together with duck tape every time I change brushes and grease the cable. The paint is coming off the shaft and it looks like it has lepersoy. I really do need to take a pic of it and show you how long a PC will last.
> 
> A new motor is 150.00 if you buy it from PC,,,the sander is 480.00 so how cum your spending that much on a motor(1/2 the price of a new one)????
> 
> Don't mess with me on PC's,,, I really do know em!!!!!:yes:


 Saskataper was asking what to look for in a sander, so I said to check the armature isn't worn...... are you are saying the armature won't wear out? and are you calling me a liar by saying mine did wear out? .... Pfffft!
As for the price of PC's and replacement parts ........I'm in N e w Z e a l a n d.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

saskataper said:


> I've got a line on a couple used PC sanders with vacs that a rental shop is going to sell for dirt cheap as soon as they get them fixed, what should I be looking for to make sure they are in decent shape? I've only used one a couple time to take down texture.


Brushes, cable and bearing. Would not worry about the armature so much. Also the cable housing that runs to the head of the sander if that is cracked and wore on the outside chances are the inside isn't much better they are around $80 bucks each. The bearing on the head snap rings, cable and brushes alone will run u around a $100 bucks. So if buying a used sander are u willing to put another $200 into it? Perhaps if you get it for $50 bucks or so. Then you also have some set screws that only allow the head to pivot only so far they usally fall out and they aren't the cheapest especially with shipping. If I were to buy used I would tell them I could only buy it for parts and deduct the ones that I would have to install to make it run like it should.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

The vacs also after a while the switches go, motor can burn out if not kept clean, If they were rentals I don't know if I would buy them people that usally rent tools really abuse them.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

My last sander I bought 6 years ago still haven't even used the vac yet still sitting in my shop, waiting for the old one to go to hell. Only on the second vac the first one I bought lasted for years.


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

Kiwiman said:


> Saskataper was asking what to look for in a sander, so I said to check the armature isn't worn...... are you are saying the armature won't wear out? and are you calling me a liar by saying mine did wear out? .... Pfffft!
> As for the price of PC's and replacement parts ........I'm in N e w Z e a l a n d.


 I didn't say they won't wear out,,, I said they won't wear out in under 15 years of hard use. I know you think I'm a jerk, but I have NEVER worn a motor out on a PC sander,,,,and I'm getting pretty old thar laddy!!!!!!

Don't know your prices in NZ but I'll bet you can buy a PC screwgun cheaper than a PC motor for your sander,,,:thumbsup:


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## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I didn't say they won't wear out,,, I said they won't wear out in under 15 years of hard use. I know you think I'm a jerk, but I have NEVER worn a motor out on a PC sander,,,,and I'm getting pretty old thar laddy!!!!!!
> 
> Don't know your prices in NZ but I'll bet you can buy a PC screwgun cheaper than a PC motor for your sander,,,:thumbsup:


Hey Capt I'm not alone in the basement of the brain cell factory, I reckon I'm not the only idiot thats tried to keep the PC running once the brushes have burnt out......or am I?......maybe I shouldn't have said that out loud, what makes me more of an idiot is I new what could happen if I kept it running.....so I did anyway :glare:.
I don't think there are any other PC tools available in NZ, just the sander I think.


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

Kiwiman said:


> Hey Capt I'm not alone in the basement of the brain cell factory, I reckon I'm not the only idiot thats tried to keep the PC running once the brushes have burnt out......or am I?......maybe I shouldn't have said that out loud, what makes me more of an idiot is I new what could happen if I kept it running.....so I did anyway :glare:.
> I don't think there are any other PC tools available in NZ, just the sander I think.


 Fair nuff ,,,,,


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