Porter-Cable Quicksand Random-Orbit Sander 333

Pros: Hefty, good quality, it smells good
Cons: Dust collection; ehh, heat out-put, not orange

Forget Bick or Norelco Just stick a nice 40 grit pad on here and you'll be hairless in no time! (Well, of course, you might be skinless, too, but that's a sacrifice a man must be willing to take!) This is a review of the Porter Cable 333 ...

Pros: Great value, rugged, efficient.
Cons: After time the dust collector will fall off.

Porter Cable is the benchmark of sanders. This lil' guy is one power tool no garage should be witho ...

Pros: solid construction, excellent ergonomics, better dust collection than most sanders I've used
Cons: dust cup can fall off after heavy use, no tool case

I was in the market for a random orbital sander because I had several chores around the house and on the boat that required a little bit more sanding power than a simple pad sander could offer. I did a little research at the Dewalt and Porter Cable...

Pros: Makes sanding a breeze
Cons: Difficult to remove dust cage, pressure-trigger stopped working

Having been into furniture building (as a hobby) for a few years, I was surprised at myself for holding out on a nice sander for so long...especially after spending so much on other tools. The old vibrating Black & Decker had had it, though, and before I...

Pros: Very powerful for the money. Does an exceptional job of sanding.
Cons: Hole pattern in disks/pad makes finding correct disks a hassle at times.

When my friends ask me (as a wordworker) which power tool to buy, I always suggest two tools to begin with. First is a cordless drill/driver, but second is a random orbital sander. A r/o sander will accomplish many tasks, from smoothing semi-rough...

Pros: Solid, well built, great finish, hook and loop discs
Cons: I haven't found any in 3 1/2 yrs of heavy use

Before I got the Porter Cable #333 Random Orbital Sander (ROS), I hated to sand. My Makita belt sander was too aggressive for most jobs, while my Makita quarter sheet sander was painfully slow and literally screams.

The 333 is actually very...

Pros: professional quality of Porter Cable
Cons: weight- not for overhead use

So I'm walking around one of my favorite stores, The Home Depot, and I stop at the power tools section. I do this a lot actually. I start comparing the random orbit sanders. You know, picking them up, turning them over, pretending to use them at various...

Pros: produces a great finish, easy to use, extremely economical
Cons: dust collector works loose

I was looking for a good finish sander that would not leave sanding swirls in the wood after use. I had been using a popular 1/3 sheet sander from another company (I won't name them but it rhymes with Hack & Becker). It was an ok sander, but it left tiny...

Pros: Sands well when not broken
Cons: Bearings failed three times

I bought the Quicksand based on a friend's recommendation. I used it about 4 hours over a 4 month pe ...

Pros: Leaves a flawless finish
Cons: Poor durability, lousy dust cup

Bought mine in 2001 when I was building a futon out of walnut. A friend had a Black and Decker random orbit sander, and I had never used one before. After using his, I fell in love and had to get one. Having great experience with PC products, I got ...

Pros: easy to use, does a great job
Cons: sometimes hard to find less common grades of paper

We bought this sander to help sand down wood paneling prior to painting. We had tried a Black and Decker sander before and it was pretty useless. The PC was amazing. It did an excellent job of removing the shiny surface of the paneling. The paint...

Pros: Low vibration, small swirl pattern, winds down fast doesn't run off table when set down.
Cons: Small on/off switch in poor location. "Dust Collecter" is a real piece of junk.

As a professional woodcrafter I use a random orbital sander nearly every day. Between the Porter Cable and the DeWalts in my shop this unit is my favorite as far as low viabration, noise, and when you set it onto the table it doesn't run off like the ...

Pros: Quality, low vibration, excellent dust collection
Cons: Expensive velcro backed sandpaper

I am a serious woodworker and have done battle with numerous finish sanders. This was my first purchase of a random orbital sander. I purchased this tool mainly based on the Porter Cable reputation.

I absolutely love the SPEED at which...

Pros: Rapid, Fine Finish, Good Dust Collection
Cons: Pads Wear Quickly, Dust Cannisters Work Loose

I purchased two of the Porter Cable 333 R.O. sanders for a restoration
project we had under way. I considered similar DeWalt and Craftsman
sanders, but decided on the P.C.'s for price and reputation.
The swirl free finish that can be...

Pros: Produces a good finish. Hook and loop can be cost effective.
Cons: Bearings have failed twice.

The Porter Cable 333 is one of four different Random Orbit Sanders that I have in my shop.

It does a reasonably good job of finishing wood, with minimal vibration and operator fatigue. It is definitely superior to the similar model...