I bought my Porter Cable 330 Block Sander in 1970 and it has performed flawlessly for 30 years. I am only now replacing the four small rubber posts that insulate the upper housing from the vibration of the pad. This sander uses only 1/4 of a sheet of sandpaper, but is, nevertheless, a high quality, durable machine that can be operated continuously without failure. It is an orbital sander, not a random orbital or vibrating sander, and uses three separate sealed roller bearings - two on the armature and one on the pad. It is a tough machine, built to handle sanding chores in areas where larger sanders either won't fit or are too cumbersome and akward to use, such as sanding on the sides and bottoms of drawers.

I purchased one of these a couple of years ago to finish sand the maple cabinets I was making for my wife's kitchen. They are pretty much one-of-a-kind in that the raised panels are made from Eastern Curly Maple and the stiles and rails are Birdseye Maple. The point is, of course, this is a super hard wood, that is difficult to work with, and takes a while to sand. This sander worked flawlessly, efficiently, and more importantly, comfortably through twenty-five of these doors. I think that is what really sets this little sander apart from all in its class. It is quiet, and its ergonomics make it a pleasure to use. It does use slightly more than one-quarter sheet of sandpaper, though, to cover its base and fit in the clamps. I readily recommend this sander for finish applications. pHandy Dan

I have been doing cabinetry and custom woodowrking for many years and have owned and used many, many pad sanders. For a 1/4 sheet model, this one is the absolute best. I bought my first one 27 years ago and it was still going strong when it was stolen about 4 years ago. Fortunately I bought a second one about 10 yrs ago which is getting plenty of extra use now.pI've melted down a few Makita's and Black Deckers (they made my hand go numb after 5 minutes use anyway) but this model just keeps on going. Not only smooth, it's extremely durable and easy to do maintenance on (and it lasts the years so you get the chance to).pAbout that key: I switched my old 330 out years ago to take adhesive backed abrasives and my newer one already has that capability. I never used that key anyway... a screwdriver did a fine job if I did want to used standard sandpaper. That is such a minor thing compared to the superior performance, life, and smoothness you get out of this sander.pAfter two sanders owned and a handful other 330's used... this is the champ. If you want a bigger sander, blow some pennies on a Porter-Cable 505... it'll last longer than you will!

Listen... I have finished furniture for a living, and I have seen so many folks browsing the sanders in home improvement stores, and I am sorry to say this sander is not frequently stocked. Forget about dust collection, the others don't work that well anyway.If you want dust collection, buy a shop-vac. I have been through two of these over the years of VERY heavy use and I have to say they ARE the best. There is NO comparison. These are the ONLY comfortable sander you'll find. Take a look at the others and you'll see... there are no others designed like this one and when you use it for twenty minutes you'll understand why it is so much better. JUST BUY IT! The key to this baby is the way you hold it. All other sanders have to be held from the top and they cramp your hand in a matter of minutes. This sander is so comfortable I guarantee you'll love it. Porter cable has got everyone hands down on this one. It has all replacable parts , and it allows much more control by the grip design than any other, allowing you to NOT mess up your work. The motor brushes are really long allowing a long time of use, and cheap to replace. There aren't any stupid wire retainers that you'll curse at trying to put new paper on. Some guy here was complaining about the little tool that is required to change the paper, and that you'll lose it or something, but actually, all it is, is a screw driver... you've got a spare one of those already, now don't you. This is the only 1/4 sheet sander you should even consider buying. This is the one you want. JUST BUY IT!!!!

I just wanted to take a second to tel folks how impressed I really was with this little fellow. Its ofcourse simple to use and is everything it bosts to be. you can get right up flush on your work and youll never leave a swirl, One note after some heavy usage its a good idea to let it cool down sparatically.

When I was apprenticing in a cabinet shop, we used the #330, My dad gave me one for Christmas in 1987, I still use it daily. It fits my hand comfortably, the switch is right under my thumb, it is smooth, quiet and effective. You can sand flush to inside corners. I have used 1/4 sheet pad sanders by Makita, Dewalt and Black Decker.I can't understand why anyone would want one, they are noisy, uncomfortable and vibrate. The #330 is a truly pleasant tool to work with and one that will last for years of constant service.

The Speed-bloc is very well built and much quieter than ordinary palm sanders. It does an excellent job and due to it's lower than normal vibration, doesn't put your hand to sleep in the process. This machine is comfortable to grip and the on/off switch is conveniently located. Changing paper is quick and easy (with or without the little tool they provide). The Speed-bloc is an excellent old design that Porter-Cable was smart enough to leave alone.

The design of this tool goes back to the 60's. At that time it was considered the best sander around and after all these years it is keeping up the good work. The steel construction reduces vibration and the high orbital speed gives the finest finish. This is a no-nonsense tool for people who can appreciate a quality tool.

After borrowing one of these over 12 years ago I ended up having to go buy one. I never had a sander work like this one for a great finish. Today it's still working great and used on all types of wood with many different grits. I build things like intarsia, flags cases and shadow boxes and need a nice finish. This sander will get you started toward a beautiful end product. It's nice to handle and you have good control. Gets up to rpm a little slow on real cold days, but then, so do I.

I have had several of these sanders as I have been a carpenter for 25 years. I have used others too--i.e.Makita, DeWalt. I find this sander great for tidying up and wet dry sanding once the major sanding is done. It is comfortable to hold and never goudges things.

When I was working as a cabinet maker in college, we used to use noisy Makita sanders that required a rest from the sander after you've been sufficiently shaken from your shoes from the vibration.
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br /This Porter Cable 330 finish sander is outstanding. For one, it's extremely quiet, and from the two projects I've used it for so far, I come away from using it in complete amazement that my arm isn't numb. It's extremely comfortable to use, as well as being a bit weighty, which is a good thing. The weight of the sander is perfect for finish sanding. You don't need to add much pressure if at all.
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br /It's solidly built...I'm just plain impressed. At first, I was a bit disappointed that this unit is made in Mexico, not USA as the Amazon Technical Info states. Seems I try so hard to purchase as much made in US products as I can these days, but they're diminishing. From the unit I received, I'm certain they build their tools to tight specs and have good quality control.
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br /At any rate, this is an excellent quality tool. You'll love it's smoothness, quietness and usability. The Stikit pad is awesome.

Although being a bit pricey, this sander is worth every penny then some. This sander is so smoooth you wouldn't think it was on, but it sands like the dickens. It is very comfortable and its extra weight means you don't have to apply any additional pressure. I did some finish sanding on a new door for my home before staining and you could not detect any swirl marks. I wish all my tools were this nice.

I just used this little beauty to prep a pine table and it was pure pleasure. Quality of materials and performance was outstanding. The vibration was minimal. The separate wrench to load the sandpaper was initially a mild surprise but was NOT awkward to use (although I suppose one could lose it). If you would enjoy a product that surpasses your expectations for a change, then this is the stuff.

This is without a doubt the best performing sander out there.I wish porter cable would find a way to make it dustless. You get what you pay for, this is strickly quality, worth every dollar.

Well, if you need the best finish sander in the business, then you are looking in the right direction. It has every quality you look for. easy of operation, quality of work. great for production shops or DIY. if you want to buy one sander that will last and last and last. this is the one. Longevity is the speed-bloc's best feature. years and years of service.

I own quite a few sanders, and in my opinion this is one of the best, although not _the best_.
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br /Other reviewers have done an excellent job on focusing on all the positives, so I won't waste time restating what they wrote.
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br /For the price there are a few things that could be improved on:
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br /1.) The old 330 has a metal housing, where as this one is plastic. Granted, on a cold day the plastic is probably more friendly, but I like the feel of the metal housing better.
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br /2.) The new 330 isn't made in the U.S.A., where as the old one is. For the price, it should be made here.
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br /3.) The new 330 is rated at 14,000 RPM, where as the old one is 15,000. This probably makes the brushes and bearings last longer, although the brushes don't seem to be the same quality as on the older unit. Either way, the extra 1,000 RPM helped a lot when trying to avoid swirl marks with a course grit. The 340 is also 14,000 RPM, but 1/2 the price.
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br /4.) The new 330 isn't counter-balanced as well as the old, perhaps because of the lighter plastic case.
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br /5.) The 330 doesn't have a dust collection system, unlike the 340. Granted, if you buy a 330 you probably have a downdraft table and don't want the drag of the vacuum hose to interfere with the feedback of the sander, but it would still be nice.
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br /6.) You pretty much need the tool to install the sandpaper. Everyone I know (including me) who has a 330 uses PSA paper because of this. Bosch has an ideal setup on their 1297DK, which is also a nice sander, but 12,000 RPM.
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br /With that said, this is still the best unit available for purchase that I've found. The hand grip is very comfortable, it's fairly quiet, and the vibration is low enough to not cause numbness after extended periods of sanding. Because of the price I'm giving the new 330 4 stars, although I'd have given it 5 if they kept everything the same from the old 330.

This is a great little tool, much better than my PC 340k. Just alot more comfortable during long sanding sessions. Built like a tank, vibration free, and no swirl marks. It's definetly worth the few extra dollars it costs over the competition. Other 1/4 sheet sanders just don't compare. Pair this sander with the PC 505 1/2 sheet sander and your finish sanding needs are covered.

Not much to say except that this is the best little finishing sander I've used. Vibration is so smooth, that you can use this little puppy all day and your hand still feels like your hand. I like the cost of plain old 1/4 sheet paper, so this is another plus and the shape of its body makes natural movement feel natural. Like the redundancy? For orbital finish sanders, don't waste yer money on others, just get this one and be happy.

My Milwaukee palm sander finally died after years of faithful service, and I replaced it with this Porter-Cable model after reading the reviews. It is quieter than the Milwaukee and a lot easier on the hand because there's not as much vibration transfered to the housing that you grip when you hold it. The placement of the ON/OFF switch is really nice since it's located right where your fingers are as you hold the unit. You don't have to fumble around or look for the switch at all. The only beef I have is the same mentioned by a couple of others. Some have stated this is kinda lame, but I don't think so. Unless you want to spend $6 for 15 sanding sheets, you're going to use a regular old sheet of sandpaper that you rip into four pieces, i.e., you're not going to use adhesive-backed paper. In this case, you have to slip the paper under the clamping mechanism that holds the paper in place. I can't imagine why Porter Cable didn't incorporate the clamp tool mechanism into the sander itself rather than supplying a separate tool. Yeah, you can use a screwdriver, but hey for $100 can't they design a metal arm or finger that can be pushed or pulled to open the jaws of the clamps (like my old Milwaukee)? That's kinda lame.

Have been using the 330 for 15 years Yes the same one all this time. I borrowed a new Dewalt random orbit sander to repair the handrails and posts on an old deck. It took less than 15 minutes to return to my old 330 to finish the job. For shier cutting, power and sanding ability nothing I have used in over 30 years of carpentry can match the Porter Cable 330 palm sander when a palm sander is the tool of choice. On the downside the Sticky pad for this sander does not hold up well. The glue on paper tends to tear the pad when removing. I purchased a new pad when I started this rail and post job and a week later I trashed it. For this reason I buy the pads in multiples from Amazon. Hook and loop paper might be a better choice but the HL paper in 4x4 sheets is not readily available.
br /I have read many reviews of palm sanders in which the user complains that they have trouble with them when sanding drywall. Palm sanders are defiantly not made for sanding drywall. You would not use a hacksaw for cutting lumber, would you? If you insist on using this type of tool for sanding drywall then expect it to clog and possibly burn up. Use the proper tool for the proper job.

I bought my first one of these sanders about 9 years ago. I use it all the time. It does an excellent job, is solidly built, and above all it doesn't make my hand and arm tired. I have a small wood working business on the side and I'm in the garage working usually every other weekend. I eventually wore my first sander out; I think it was the bearings that started to go. I contemplated changing them out but for $89.00 it's almost disposable at that point. I did however hang on to it just in case I wanted to have it rebuilt as a back up. My second one is still going strong. The reason I went with the Porter cable in the first place is because I'm still using the 1/2 pad sander my father purchased in 1952. For the most part you can't beat a Porter Cable.

This is a very heavy constructed piece of equipment. It feels good in your hand,although it feels twice as heavy as my Bosch,which means that you don't have to apply any pressure to sand as the weight of the machine does a good job of that. The vibration is substantially less than my Bosch,but it gets so hot that you can only use it a few minutes before you have to let it cool down for 20 minutes. I tried to use it longer, thinking that it would reach a peak and I could bear that,but that is not the case ,it just keeps getting hotter and hotter and hotter. It would be good for frying eggs,and making coffee.

I loved this sander. then one day it randomly stopped working. I am sending it back to porter-cable... hopefully they will get it back to me quickly. The sander was used in-frequently at best. I guess i just got a lemon
br /***Update: Turns out it was my fault. i used the sander on drywall and this caused the problem..? I didn't know. Live and learn. Don't use this sander on drywall... apparently that voids the warranty, but they fixed it anyway.

The sander is very heavy, feels like an old time tool... when they built tools with metal! The outer housing is isolated from the metal frame with rubber mounts and trasmits very littel vibration to the hand. It takes some time to get used to the paper clamps but sands flush to a wall on all 4 sides. This is the best palm/finish sander I have ever seen, used, or owned; and I have owned a lot. Also, recieved quickly and as advritized froom tool-king

i live in venezuela, and this sander don't sale here, it's realy a very good machine, if you want low noise and excelent perfor buy this sander

I purchased one of these 14 years ago and have used it commercially in a sign shop for the same length of time. I believe the motor might be finally giving out but I will replace it with the same one. I wet sand my signs with it. That means I spray water all over the sign and use wet/dry sandpaper to sand it. This little sander has withstood years of abuse, water, and paint. I highly recommend one of these. I have a bunch of DeWalt tools most of which have failed on me.

I own and operate a full time custom cabinet shop and purchased a PC330 back about 1989. I quickly discovered I had a real gem of a finish sander. It is still going strong today and have replaced the bearings and brushed once. I have since purchased 3 more for the shop. The PC330 is an excellent reliable extremely smooth running sander. well worth the asking price.

Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin' I've used this little booger to death. Not a sign of deterioration.

Works nice when it works, which is not very often.
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br /I've had 3 separate failures in 3 years of occasional
br /hobbyist use. I have now spent more on ordering parts
br /for this POS than I spent on the original sander.