This is a great classic tool thats been around for many years. The smaller 1/4 sheet sanders with vacume bags have been all the rage in resent years. But when it comes to sanding smooth a large piece of work this sander feels smooth in your hand. You will not get that high vibration fatiguing feeling after an hour or so of use from this sander like you do the smaller 1/4 sheet sanders.

I've been using this sander since 1976. Back then, it was made by Rockwell. Porter Cable bought out their tool division several years ago. They know a timeless design when they see one and this sander needed no improvement. This is a heavy, heavy duty orbital sander. It uses its own weight to do the job. Using half sheets of sand paper, it cheaper to operate over the long run over having to buy round sheets that come 4 or 6 to a pack and can be pricey.pSince I've owned this unit, I've only had to replace the power cord, thats it, and it was in a production shop environment for 3 years. I have used it in place of a belt sander at times, with an aggressive grit paper, its that good. Highly recommended for the serious wood worker.

I have been refinishing furniture for 23 years and have used almost every brand of sander on the market. The 505 P.C. is the smoothest most dependable and maintenance free, not only sander, but power tool, I have ever used.

This is the finest sander on the market.Virtually vibration free and no swirl marks. The PC 505 simply floats across the work surface. I actually look forward sanding my projects. I can use it for hours without the fatigue I experience with random orbit sanders and get a much better finish. As another reviewer noted it lacks dust collection. I'm not to impressed with any of the dust collection systems I've seen on other sanders anyway. Buy or build yourself a sanding table, and sand away. This is far and away the best power tool purchase I have ever made.

The PC505 half sheet sander is the smoothest, vibration free wood finishing machine I own. I really wish I had made the purchase along time back, could have saved myself a LOT of time and frustration. The quality is outstanding.

I'll admit that this is the best 1/2 sheet sander on the market and has been for 30 plus years. Simple to use, vibration free, reliable as the day is long and a high quality finish are all part of what you are buying with this model.
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br /So why have I given it a 4 star rating? Two words, dust collection... or lack thereof. For as long as this model has been on the market PC have still not given any serious consideration to how to effectively collect the considerable amount of dust generated by this tool. There is a boot PC sells as an add-on that fits over the base. However, unless your only sanding flat surfaces AND are willing to drag a vacuum hose around you can rule this accessory out. Something, anything would help especially with so much dust control regulations being imposed by various government agencies, work place safety boards, fire marshals and insurance companies.
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br /Other than that a great tool that will basically last forever. Highly recommended.

Superb sander! Normally I wear padded gloves to reduce numbness while using my other sanders. I just sanded for about an hour before I noticed that I had not put them on - NOT Needed. This sander is very efficient. It feels like it is not doing anything until you notice the large amount of dust pouring off your work. The heavier weight means less input from you. I wish I would have bought this sander a long time ago before the others I own. You could easily get by with just this sander and hand sand details as needed. I love buying the sandpaper on a roll and cutting to size (also found at local Lowe's). All in all, the best sander you can buy - no equal. Ignore the price - worth every penny!

I used to work in a cabinet shop in the '70's. That is, the 1970's before Ipods and the internet. We used this exact same model then! It worked very well and lasted forever (at least until I left after 7 years).
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br /Now, 30 years later, my cheap BD sander long ago gave up the ghost. My small Porter Cable orbital sander is beginning to fail. I Googled "the best orbital sander" and was totaly amazed this Porter-Cable 505 unit is still being made and is still the best. It if very easy to use, as it uses a 1/2 sheet of sand paper. The clips to hold the paper work easily and well. I just started using the new sander this last week. Brings back fond memories and it really removes the wood. I just ordered another 1/4 sheet orbital sander (Porter-Cable) for finish work, but this big unit works great for large surface areas and does NOT leave swirls.
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br /I must have gotten weaker and older over the years, because I did not remember how heavy this unit is. This unit is NOT for small, frail hands. It vibrates and it is heavy. But, when it is flat on a work surface, it does the job as intended. A great piece of equipment.

I have been building cabinets, rasied panels, bookcases, furniture, built-in shelves, wainscoting, and you name it for my home. I pride myself on accuracy and quality of workmanship like most people. It's hard to imagine a "power" tool as being elegant, like say a Lie-Nielsen brass hand plane. But, this is one of those rare jewels.
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br /When I turned this sander on I was literally stunned at how smooth, quiet and effortless the sanding was. I just let it "float" along the wood using it's own weight to do the work along with a fine sandpaper. This unit is perfectly balanced and produces truly flawless finishes.
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br /I have the Polished Aluminum Model called the 505H Heritage Model. I clean it up every time I'm done, and I bought a special padded case for it to keep it pristine but useful.
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br /I can hardly believe I'm writing so much about a sander but lets face it, when you're all done building something, after the final sanding there is nothing like the tactile feel of silky smooth wood on a job well done. This tool will help you achieve that level.
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br /Hope that helps.
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The best half sheet sander made. Mine is twenty years old and still going strong.

Purchased this sander to defray orbital paper costs. I have been very pleased, it moves alot of wood. Very cheap to run super durable. To obtain the dust collector contact [...], the collector works well on what it was designed for, a nice accessory. Use it often with 60 grit paper it is not just a finish sander. I strongly recomend this sander.

A little pricey but the best sander out there in my opinion. The sanding is what makes a good finish and this sander does the job.

excellent. I'm taking cabinet-making night courses at the local vo-tech and they use nothing but porter-cable. haven't heard of a failure yet.

Very, very good sander. My first one was stolen many years ago so I tried a few others...none compared. Used professionally on a daily basis for several years and never had a problem or complaint. Would highly recommend for the serious woodworker or carpenter.

Well I seldom write reviews (read allot of them though!)but I feel compelled to let all know the PC 505 is just awesome! I started using them (originally Rockwell) in high school wood shop back in the early 70's. I was so impressed I bought one in 1976 for half price ($100) at the hardware store I worked at. I have used it and abused it ever since. A little over a year ago the bearings started making a whine. It still kept chugging through. They finally gave out yesterday. To my surprise, they are still making parts for it! I ordered a set. I was wondering what is out there that might be better. All roads led back to the PC505. Basically the same machine! Bottom line, it's still a good deal and a great machine!

I ordered this sander on a sunday evening was using it the following fri best shipping on any thing I've ordered on the net. The sander is working so good I can't believe it has cut my sanding time in half. Can't go wrong with this one.

This is the best 1/2 sheet sander available! Smooth running, long lasting, quiet.

This sander, like most of Porter-Cable's tools, is no longer made in USA. Although the technical information indicates this tool is made here, it is actually made in Mexico!! Unfortunately, the management of Porter-Cable has decided to discard their image as one of the last tool companies producing high-end American made tools in favor of cheap imports.