Shout Out To Porter-Cable

[Rexedgar]

Porter-Cable sells power tool across a wide platform, big box, online and specialty stores. I have had a number of them over the years and have always been satisfied.

My current story involves a bench grinder with one wire wheel and one stone wheel. It’s probably about ten years old, but i keep my stuff in pretty decent condition. I hate to throw something away if I think it can be fixed for less than the cost of replacement. A few years ago the motor wouldn’t start without some turning of the wheel by hand. It got to the point that it wouldn’t start at all.

I did a little research and settled on the capacitor. A capacitor is a small cylinder, (usually,) that stores a small charge of electricity to take some load off the motor when starting, (at least that how it has been explained to me.)

I sent off for one, installed it and all was well for about a year. Same same. This brings us to the current day. Once again the motor won’t start on it’s own. After two capacitors, I decided to call customer service and see if there was a problem they knew of that was resulting in capacitor failures.


After a lonnnngggg hold time a rep came on the line and after I explained what was happening he said he would send me two capacitors and thanked me for my patronage.They showed up in two days!

It’s nice to know there is still some customer service in the world. This was no charge for the items or shipping.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Porter-Cable sells power tool across a wide platform, big box, online and specialty stores. I have had a number of them over the years and have always been satisfied.

My current story involves a bench grinder with one wire wheel and one stone wheel. It’s probably about ten years old, but i keep my stuff in pretty decent condition. I hate to throw something away if I think it can be fixed for less than the cost of replacement. A few years ago the motor wouldn’t start without some turning of the wheel by hand. It got to the point that it wouldn’t start at all.

I did a little research and settled on the capacitor. A capacitor is a small cylinder, (usually,) that stores a small charge of electricity to take some load off the motor when starting, (at least that how it has been explained to me.)

I sent off for one, installed it and all was well for about a year. Same same. This brings us to the current day. Once again the motor won’t start on it’s own. After two capacitors, I decided to call customer service and see if there was a problem they knew of that was resulting in capacitor failures.


After a lonnnngggg hold time a rep came on the line and after I explained what was happening he said he would send me two capacitors and thanked me for my patronage.They showed up in two days!

It’s nice to know there is still some customer service in the world. This was no charge for the items or shipping.

A tool brand being sold by multiple retail outlets is a big plus, as is having initial quality/durability, repair parts and customer service available. For corded electric and compressed air powered tools I tend to mix tool brands - looking for decent quality, important (to me) features and the price difference (sometimes significant), but for cordless (battery powered) tools it is far more convenient to keep (establish?) brand loyalty since batteries and chargers are brand (and voltage) specific.

 

[Rexedgar]

A tool brand being sold by multiple retail outlets is a big plus, as is having initial quality/durability, repair parts and customer service available. For corded electric and compressed air powered tools I tend to mix tool brands - looking for decent quality, important (to me) features and the price difference (sometimes significant), but for cordless (battery powered) tools it is far more convenient to keep (establish?) brand loyalty since batteries and chargers are brand (and voltage) specific.

It pays to do some research, especially the cordless brands. I have Dewalt drill that had the batteries fail. I went online looking to replace the batteries and found the was a recall on the batteries and the charger. Dewalt sent the replacements at no cost.

Replacing two batteries usually costs more than the initial purchase of the tool or combo, batteries and charger.

 

[Port & Starboard]

Porter-Cable sells power tool across a wide platform, big box, online and specialty stores. I have had a number of them over the years and have always been satisfied.

My current story involves a bench grinder with one wire wheel and one stone wheel. It’s probably about ten years old, but i keep my stuff in pretty decent condition. I hate to throw something away if I think it can be fixed for less than the cost of replacement. A few years ago the motor wouldn’t start without some turning of the wheel by hand. It got to the point that it wouldn’t start at all.

I did a little research and settled on the capacitor. A capacitor is a small cylinder, (usually,) that stores a small charge of electricity to take some load off the motor when starting, (at least that how it has been explained to me.)

I sent off for one, installed it and all was well for about a year. Same same. This brings us to the current day. Once again the motor won’t start on it’s own. After two capacitors, I decided to call customer service and see if there was a problem they knew of that was resulting in capacitor failures.


After a lonnnngggg hold time a rep came on the line and after I explained what was happening he said he would send me two capacitors and thanked me for my patronage.They showed up in two days!

It’s nice to know there is still some customer service in the world. This was no charge for the items or shipping.

Porter Cable is pretty good........... mostly.

I particularly love their 694VK routers......which I own 3.

I also have their 1/2" driver/impact, and a hot air gun.

 

[Port & Starboard]

It pays to do some research, especially the cordless brands. I have Dewalt drill that had the batteries fail. I went online looking to replace the batteries and found the was a recall on the batteries and the charger. Dewalt sent the replacements at no cost.

Replacing two batteries usually costs more than the initial purchase of the tool or combo, batteries and charger.

I am a Dewalt guy and always will be.

I've had some of their tools for the past 20 years and beat the crap out of them while doing demo's

My Dewalt Miter Saw bounced down the road when my tailgate broke loose one day about 10 years ago. It's still working as hard as ever and just as accurate as new.

 

[Rexedgar]

Porter Cable is pretty good........... mostly.

I particularly love their 694VK routers......which I own 3.

I also have their 1/2" driver/impact, and a hot air gun.

You need a 4th router? I had a MAKITA 3 1/4 HP in my Router table and went to a Milwaukee 3 1/2 for the table. Router, fixed or hand held is the one tool that gets my respect. i have a few FESTOOL tools, but they are selling a system that doesn’t play well with other systems.

 

[Port & Starboard]

You need a 4th router? I had a MAKITA 3 1/4 HP in my Router table and went to a Milwaukee 3 1/2 for the table. Router, fixed or hand held is the one tool that gets my respect. i have a few FESTOOL tools, but they are selling a system that doesn’t play well with other systems.

I refuse to buy any proprietary tools such as Festool.

I love their quality and ingenuity, but being as proprietary as they are.....no. They really are great tools though. I like their panel cutting system.

 

[Rexedgar]

I refuse to buy any proprietary tools such as Festool.

I love their quality and ingenuity, but being as proprietary as they are.....no. They really are great tools though. I like their panel cutting system.

There is a woodworkers board that I participate in. There a few contractors that are all FESTOOL. With the containers and the innovative and portability of the tools they work well as a system. I have a problem getting fair market for my used stuff when I upgrade. I try to find someone who will benefit as I am pretty strict about care and maintenance.....

 

[Port & Starboard]

There is a woodworkers board that I participate in. There a few contractors that are all FESTOOL. With the containers and the innovative and portability of the tools they work well as a system. I have a problem getting fair market for my used stuff when I upgrade. I try to find someone who will benefit as I am pretty strict about care and maintenance.....

Oh, bye the way.

There is a new start up home flipper that I have known and loved for years. He's a old school Filipino guy that my daughter in law introduced me to some years ago. He calls me one day and asks me to come over to give him some suggestions, and look at a drywall job he's doing on a addition he had built for a flip.

So, I walked in through the living room and can't see 5 feet in front of me with all the drywall dust in the air.

The idiot was cutting Sheetrock panels with a Festool 55 panel cutting system.

I laughed my ass off...................... and commenced to teaching him how to score and snap sheetrock for the next hour and a half.

 

[ttwtt78640]

It pays to do some research, especially the cordless brands. I have Dewalt drill that had the batteries fail. I went online looking to replace the batteries and found the was a recall on the batteries and the charger. Dewalt sent the replacements at no cost.

Replacing two batteries usually costs more than the initial purchase of the tool or combo, batteries and charger.

I use Ryobi's ONE+ (18V) series for most of my battery powered tools (too many to list), but supplement them with Echo (58V) for my larger lawn maintenance battery powered tools (21" push mower, string trimmer, 16" chainsaw and blower). I have many (6) 4AH batteries, (2) 3AH batteries and (5) 2AH batteries for my 18V Ryobi tools and a few (2) 4AH batteries and (1) 2AH battery for my 58V Echo tools. I have chergers for each brand mounted in both my enclosed cargo trailer and in the house - to allow for recharging flexibility.

It's intentional the way these tools/batteries are priced - offering much better (per item) prices by purchasing "combination" sets/pacakges which include tools, batteries, charger and sometimes a soft/hard case than to buy these items separately - which makes it a good idea to choose an stick to using a single brand for one's multiple battery powered tool needs.

 

[ttwtt78640]

I am a Dewalt guy and always will be.

I've had some of their tools for the past 20 years and beat the crap out of them while doing demo's

My Dewalt Miter Saw bounced down the road when my tailgate broke loose one day about 10 years ago. It's still working as hard as ever and just as accurate as new.

Yep, Dewalt makes some very durable tools. Their combination juke box/battery charger even has a roll cage around it.

 

[Port & Starboard]

Yep, Dewalt makes some very durable tools. Their combination juke box/battery charger even has a roll cage around it.

I still have my 18 volt radio/charger with the cage.

I need to get the 20/64 volt radio one of these days when I'm walking around Lowes.

 

[ttwtt78640]

I refuse to buy any proprietary tools such as Festool.

I love their quality and ingenuity, but being as proprietary as they are.....no. They really are great tools though. I like their panel cutting system.

Some folks swear they are worth the extra cost (investment?), but IMHO getting locked into a very expensive tool 'system' is not worth the added cost.

 

[Port & Starboard]

Some folks swear they are worth the extra cost (investment?), but IMHO getting locked into a very expensive tool 'system' is not worth the added cost.

They are awesome tools.

But I prefer a tool that I can run to the big box stores for replacement blades.

 

[ttwtt78640]

I still have my 18 volt radio/charger with the cage.

I need to get the 20/64 volt radio one of these days when I'm walking around Lowes.

Since I already had some Ryobi 18V battery tools from back in the NiCad battery days (they were blue then) I really liked that they kept their LiIon upgrades compatible. The difference between 18V and 20V power, IMHO, is not worth changing (upgrading?) to.

The only Dewalt tool I now own is a portable table saw stand with wheels. I have a Rigid 10" portable (corded) table saw, a Kobalt 10" sliding compound miter (corded) saw on a Delta portable stand with wheels. My (corded) circular saw is Rigid brand which I really like because it has a long cord and the depth of cut adjustment arm (the part most likely to get trashed when it is dropped) is easily replaceable - screwed to the base plate rather than welded to it.

 

[ttwtt78640]

They are awesome tools.

But I prefer a tool that I can run to the big box stores for replacement blades.

When battery circular saws first came out they used 5 3/8" or 5 1/2" blades - barely (if at all) able to cut through (wet) pressure treated (nominal) 2" lumber. They now seem to use 6 1/2" or (standard) 7 1/4" blades which are more readily available, less expensive and much more useful.

 

[Port & Starboard]

Since I already had some Ryobi 18V battery tools from back in the NiCad battery days (they were blue then) I really liked that they kept their LiIon upgrades compatible. The difference between 18V and 20V power, IMHO, is not worth changing (upgrading?) to.

The only Dewalt tool I now own is a portable table saw stand with wheels. I have a Rigid 10" portable (corded) table saw, a Kobalt 10" sliding compound miter (corded) saw on a Delta portable stand with wheels. My (corded) circular saw is Rigid brand which I really like because it has a long cord and the depth of cut adjustment arm (the part most likely to get trashed when it is dropped) is easily replaceable - screwed to the base plate rather than welded to it.

That 10" Ridgid R4513 portable is a great saw although many of the tool junkies prefer the Bosch and a few other brands.

I like the working area of the table on the Ridgid over the others.

Check the fence for "square" every day and "let her eat"

 

[swing_voter]

I buy Harbor Freight stuff cause I only use it rarely.

Something like a 3/8ths drill I might buy a Porter Cable or Makita.

But I have like 50 Harbor Freight powered gizmos.

 

[ttwtt78640]

That 10" Ridgid R4513 portable is a great saw although many of the tool junkies prefer the Bosch and a few other brands.

I like the working area of the table on the Ridgid over the others.

Check the fence for "square" every day and "let her eat"

I had a Ryobi portable 10" table saw before that, but it's plastic base eventually (after over 10 years) got brittle and cracked. The saw still worked fine, but became impossible to mount to the portable stand. I have more problems with bevel adjustment "creep" than with keeping the fence square with the Rigid portable table saw.

 

[Bum]

It pays to do some research, especially the cordless brands. I have Dewalt drill that had the batteries fail. I went online looking to replace the batteries and found the was a recall on the batteries and the charger. Dewalt sent the replacements at no cost.

Replacing two batteries usually costs more than the initial purchase of the tool or combo, batteries and charger.

I am a former Dewalt user; My brother introduced me to Porter Cable several years ago, and I have not looked back since. :thumbs:

 

[ttwtt78640]

I buy Harbor Freight stuff cause I only use it rarely.

Something like a 3/8ths drill I might buy a Porter Cable or Makita.

But I have like 50 Harbor Freight powered gizmos.

Buying 'throw away' (Harry Homeowner?) tools is fine if you only use them occasionally, but for frequent and especially commercial use (I work as a self-employed handyman) they will cost you more in the long run and seem to crap out at the worst possible time (Murphy's law?).

 

[gulfman]

Porter-Cable sells power tool across a wide platform, big box, online and specialty stores. I have had a number of them over the years and have always been satisfied.

My current story involves a bench grinder with one wire wheel and one stone wheel. It’s probably about ten years old, but i keep my stuff in pretty decent condition. I hate to throw something away if I think it can be fixed for less than the cost of replacement. A few years ago the motor wouldn’t start without some turning of the wheel by hand. It got to the point that it wouldn’t start at all.

I did a little research and settled on the capacitor. A capacitor is a small cylinder, (usually,) that stores a small charge of electricity to take some load off the motor when starting, (at least that how it has been explained to me.)

I sent off for one, installed it and all was well for about a year. Same same. This brings us to the current day. Once again the motor won’t start on it’s own. After two capacitors, I decided to call customer service and see if there was a problem they knew of that was resulting in capacitor failures.


After a lonnnngggg hold time a rep came on the line and after I explained what was happening he said he would send me two capacitors and thanked me for my patronage.They showed up in two days!

It’s nice to know there is still some customer service in the world. This was no charge for the items or shipping.

An Ohms sweet Ohms story

 

[Rexedgar]

An Ohms sweet Ohms story

One of the shops I worked in had a dedicated front end alignment tech. Steering, suspension and alignment were all he did. He had an assistant that we all called “Barney.” One day Barney got a new top of the line Fluke DVOM. This one came with a case that allowed you to hook it to your belt. He walked everywhere with his new meter. Finally someone asked him what he was going to do with his new meter, Barney replied, “ I may need to check some ohmage, you never know........”

 

[justabubba]

Buying 'throw away' (Harry Homeowner?) tools is fine if you only use them occasionally, but for frequent and especially commercial use (I work as a self-employed handyman) they will cost you more in the long run and seem to crap out at the worst possible time (Murphy's law?).

agreed. buy once, cry once

 

[Port & Starboard]

I buy Harbor Freight stuff cause I only use it rarely.

Something like a 3/8ths drill I might buy a Porter Cable or Makita.

But I have like 50 Harbor Freight powered gizmos.

Harbor Freight has some hidden gems for sure.

I have 2 of their drywall lifts and they are about 12 years old now and still working fine.

The small tire changer is a good buy.