How smooth does your PC run?

R

rcurley55

New member
I've always wondered something about my PC. It is not a quiet or smooth running machine - not like other orbital sanders I have.



It really is kinda loud, and after working with it for a few minutes, my hand damn near falls asleep.



Is everyone else's the same? Or is mine a dud?



I do have the 6" weight installed, but it felt exactly the same with the 5" in there too.
 
I currently own a cyclo and a milwaukee rotary polisher. Both of them are load, and vibrate quite a bit. I also used a PC, and it was basically the same. Anytime you have a machine with that much power, and that many moving parts, it is going to make some noise and vibrate some. I doubt there is a problem with your machine, if that is what your worried about.
 
I just wanted to make sure it's not supposed to move as smooth as let's say an orbital palm sander - something of that nature....



thanks for the feedback
 
rcurley55- It sounds normal to me. Many people are a bit surprised at how, uhm, less than user-friendly the PC can be, especially on speed 6. You might want to look into vibration-reducing work gloves.



brwill2005- Maybe it's just me, but I find the Cyclo to be a *lot* nicer vibration-wise than the PC. That Milwaukee is another matter though, I used one at work back in the day and it was a bit of a monster (but then I was a kid at the time too).
 
Mine's loud and vibrating (esp. at higher speeds.). My rotary is also loud. I think a nice "bonus" for these machines would be some hearing protection. :D
 
The only complaint i have with the PC is where the speed dial is located. The dude that put it there should be put in a nut house.
 
mine runs fairly smooth, kind of a sewing machine sound. I fine tuned it with some washers (additional weight) and the 6" counterbalance. The vibrations are not so bad, but still there slightly.
 
JBM said:
The only complaint i have with the PC is where the speed dial is located. The dude that put it there should be put in a nut house.
Click to expand...



I agree with this, the selector should be near to the On/Off switch, controllable by thumb. Silly position where it is .... I have noticed that when I switch my PC off, there is a whine as the motor comes to a stand still. Not sure how long this unit will last me :( The vibration of the Cyclo is much less than a PC and seems quite comfortable to work with. Vibration with a PC is normal I fear.
 
Witha a 6 inch counter weight, 5 inch backing plate 6 - 6 1/2 inch pads and removing the handle and holding the machine by the head I can crank mine to 6 with no discomfort at all. Runs very smooth.
 
stevet said:
Witha a 6 inch counter weight, 5 inch backing plate 6 - 6 1/2 inch pads and removing the handle and holding the machine by the head I can crank mine to 6 with no discomfort at all. Runs very smooth.
Click to expand...



I would say the same, although mine has a 5" c/weight, no problems at all.



Yesterday, I applied AIO to my car with a 4" SFX Blue finishing spot pad with 3 1/2" backing plate (PC with 5" weight) - so easy to use which made the polishing stage a pleasure.



Only discomfort I have is when using the Orange cutting/restore pad, makes the PC bounce around a bit.
 
Mine has always been very smooth -- I purchased it from Meguiar's and have been using their pads, and a 3M backing plate the same size as the Meg's one, so I've been happy with it.
 
JBM said:
The only complaint i have with the PC is where the speed dial is located. The dude that put it there should be put in a nut house.
Click to expand...



Couldn't agree more, it should be more towards the front on top or on the side so that you can move the wheel with your thumb without losing concentration.
 
While I have all sorts of issues with the PC's ergonomics, IMO you gotta bear in mind that it was really designed as a sander for woodworking. When you're sanding wood, you don't normally adjust the speed while you're sanding. The location of the speed control is just one of the downsides to using the PC for what was originally an "outside the box" application.



And you folks who are using the 4" pads are on the right track. IMO the smaller pads simply work better for automotive polishing than the larger ones. The PC doesn't merely "jiggle" with the smaller pads, it still does D/A motions.
 
Accumulator said:
While I have all sorts of issues with the PC's ergonomics, IMO you gotta bear in mind that it was really designed as a sander for woodworking. When you're sanding wood, you don't normally adjust the speed while you're sanding. The location of the speed control is just one of the downsides to using the PC for what was originally an "outside the box" application.



And you folks who are using the 4" pads are on the right track. IMO the smaller pads simply work better for automotive polishing than the larger ones. The PC doesn't merely "jiggle" with the smaller pads, it still does D/A motions.
Click to expand...



Anyone have a link to where these smaller pads are available from? I've been toying with getting a new "gadget" for my travel supplies case that takes 4" pads.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43594&item=4372984968&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW



4cordlesspolish1.jpg




It says it's random orbit; I suppose it would work well for quickie/emergency detailing on trips :nixweiss
 
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