Author Topic: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell  (Read 5952 times)

Offline Tool Pants

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Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« on: January 17, 2020, 01:59:48 PM »
6 months ago I bought a type 2 and I took it apart with no problem.  Few days ago I bought a type 1 from the Rockwell days.  Basically the same sanders - type 1 (on the left) is 2 amps - type 2 (on the right) is 1.2 amps.

The newest one vibrates like hell so I need to remove the pad holder to see if any of the 5 rubber posts are broken, or there is a bad bearing.  But I need to remove a allen head screw to remove the pad holder.  It will not budge.  Should not be so tight.  Gone through 3 allen wrenches.  It is a hardened screw so so far I have not rounded the hexagon recess, but I have twisted 3 allen wrenches.

I am not turning the wrong way.  It is a standard CW screw thread, and I am going CCW to try to remove it.  There is a youtube video of a guy taking apart a type 1 and he goes CCW with the allen wrench.  Parts list for type 1 and 2 show the same screw.  I even removed the screw from my type 2 just to make sure.  Motor turns CW so you would not use a left-handed screw.  But just for grins I did try going CW.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2020, 02:18:04 PM by Tool Pants »

Offline DeadNutz

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2020, 04:07:11 PM »
Try soaking it with PB Blaster or something similar and let it sit. If a fastener makes me mad that is what I do before something gets screwed up or destroyed.

Offline jabberwoki

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2020, 05:02:51 PM »
If it is indeed stuck , maybe the factory used red thread lock or something like that I`ve had success heating just the head with a soldering iron.
Is the need enough? Or does the want suffice?

Offline Tool Pants

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2020, 05:07:32 PM »
I'm a professional.  PB Blaster was yesterday.  Liquid wrench.  Hammer.  Hammer and brass punch.  Heat gun (did not want to cook the shielded bearing under the screw).  When that little heat did not work - red hot with propane in case someone before me used Loctite.  Air and electric impact.  Twisted allen wrenches.  It is a little allen head 1/4" screw.

The type 2 I just do by hand with an allen wrench.

Prayer and voodo next.

Offline fatfillup

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2020, 02:55:37 AM »
I like smacking stuck bolts with an impact driver and a good fitting bit

Offline Tool Pants

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2020, 06:15:41 PM »
Took one of the 5/32" twisted allens and cut about 1/2" off from the long leg.  Removed the 4mm allen (that got twisted) from the holder and put in the now stubby 5/32".  4mm and 5/32" is about the same - I only have metric allen bit holders.
Removed the extension from the electric Dewalt.

I figured that the longer than needed allen plus the extension I had on the Dewalt was absorbing the shock from the impact.  It is only a 1/4" screw.  One press on the trigger (in reverse) and it came out.  There was no loctite or corrosion - PB blaster and that stuff plus heat would and did not do any good.  Just a stubbornest screw - put on too tight at the factory.  Even the stubby 5/32" bit got twisted before the screw let go, which you can see in the 3rd pic.

Last pic is to show both Type 1 and Type 2 which are identical as far as the counterweight screws are concerned.
« Last Edit: January 19, 2020, 06:50:10 PM by Tool Pants »

Offline ron350

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2020, 08:34:40 PM »
Good work.

Offline slip knot

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2020, 09:08:05 PM »
great idea, shorting the allen like that. Gotta remember that one.

Offline DeadNutz

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2020, 12:31:43 AM »
Very nice job. I can see where you were losing the torque with the allen twisting.

Offline pep

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2020, 07:05:45 AM »
I like smacking stuck bolts with an impact driver and a good fitting bit

That is the secret dance right there, quick action, pulling loads, do as show.

pep
1776 ................... what happened!

Offline goodfellow

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2020, 07:12:41 AM »
Heck of a job -- good work!!

Offline fatfillup

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2020, 12:25:54 PM »
Wow, that booger was tight.  Glad you got it off.  I likely would have broken the sander and tossed it :-\

Offline muddy

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2020, 08:36:07 PM »
Wow, that booger was tight.  Glad you got it off.  I likely would have broken the sander and tossed it :-\
The SOB would have ended up in the dumpster for me too

Sent from the twisted mind of the Mudman


Offline Tool Pants

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2020, 04:25:18 PM »
Blew the dust out with the air compressor.  Visual inspection could not find anything wrong.  There are 5 rubber posts (4 pad holder 1 counterweight) and when they crack from use the vibration increases, or a bad bearing.  All looked good.  Put it back together and it vibrated just like when I bought it.  Vibration is so bad it jumps out of your hand when you turn it on - then runs down the street.

I swapped pad holders and there was no difference, except if I put in just 2 of the 4 screws that go into the rubber posts the vibration was greatly reduced.

Then I pushed on the rubber posts and the older Rockwell Type 1 was much stiffer than the newer Type 2.  Explains why the vibration was reduced when only 2 post screws were installed.  The rubber post had hardened with age - like the rubber on a 40 year old tire.  The rubber post were supposed to absorb vibration and make the sander operate smoothly.  But when the rubber posts gets hard from age they transmit vibration.

Don't know how to date a PC sander from the time when the company was owned by Rockwell.  According to wiki Rockwell owned PC from 1960 to 1981. 
« Last Edit: January 21, 2020, 04:51:11 PM by Tool Pants »

Offline DeadNutz

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Re: Porter-Cable 330 sander screw from hell
« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2020, 06:05:29 PM »
That much vibration would probably make your whole arm go numb.